Calling the Fly fishing manne

[DJR]

A few casts later, this was my very great view of life and the stream that runs through it! It is a 2 weight Thomas and Thomas rod loaded with a 3 weight line which make shorter casts so much easier. On our streams you hardly ever need a long cast. Quick, accurate short casts with no or very little false casting works the best. Staying low, wearing dull camouflaged clothes,hiding yourself and getting rid of flashing watches and shiny rods, make a big difference too.

Edited October 21, 2019 by DJR

[DJR]

You spotted beauty! Perfectly camouflaged for the whiskey coloured stream! I missed my polarized sunglasses (coating peeled off from too much sunscreen and salt water from paddling, I think  ) and struggled spotting fish under water. Luckily there were enough that gave away their lies by rising.

Edited October 21, 2019 by DJR

[DJR]

Let's look at your pretty face and your rosy cheeks. All the rainbows I caught were in perfect condition. They ranged from 20 cm to 35 cm, so nothing big. I think we need another season or 2 before we'll start seeing 50 cm fish again. I think the severe drought we had wiped out the real monsters.

Edited October 21, 2019 by DJR

[DJR]

Just in case you want to know, I stuck with the Hi Vis Para-RAB all morning - why change if it works?

Edited October 19, 2019 by DJR

[Pieter1]

DJR that looks so lekker man! Thanks for posting.

[DJR]

DJR that looks so lekker man! Thanks for posting.

When are we going to see pictures of fishing adventures in the Red Sea?

[Pieter1]

When are we going to see pictures of fishing adventures in the Red Sea?

Hahahaha! My fishing adventures have taken a bit of a dive lately. Was fishing in some Lochs in Scotland in July. I only had my travel rod with me, next time hopefully we will spend more time there and then I’ll buy a fly rod and do it properly.

Some photos of the loch and the river running through my sisters village. Saw some Salmon jumping, was sad I never got to fish it.

 

Edited October 21, 2019 by Pieter1

[Dusty]

Vaal is cooking at the moment. Just saying

[DJR]

Had a bit of a frustrating morning on the Ravenscrag Beat of the Smalblaar........every bush and every bloody branch caught our flies and ate them.........the wind and the overgrown small stream together with poor casting didn't help..........while the trout were not really interested. Many ignores, many last second refusals, many missed strikes. Still a beautiful place though, and a great hike in the mountains..........much better than working..........even better than cycling in the Southeaster!

[Plentipotential]

Had a bit of a frustrating morning on the Ravenscrag Beat of the Smalblaar........every bush and every bloody branch caught our flies and ate them.........the wind and the overgrown small stream together with poor casting didn't help..........while the trout were not really interested. Many ignores, many last second refusals, many missed strikes. Still a beautiful place though, and a great hike in the mountains..........much better than working..........even better than cycling in the Southeaster!

 

 The fishing was great, the catching not that good.

[DJR]

 The fishing was great, the catching not that good.

Exactly

[DJR]

You are never too old or too smart to make a dumb rookie mistake.

 

I could not understand why I broke a couple of fly hooks while out recently.........Until I got back home and looked carefully through my fly boxes. I use a pair of watertight boxes, one for dry flies and one for nymphs when I fish the local trout streams. I found that a whole bunch of my dry flies were rusted so badly that some of the hooks were completely rusted off right at the bend where it sits in the foam of the box. The only explanation is that at the end of the last trout season, I must have gotten water in that fly box, perhaps didn't close it properly and fallen in the stream, that happens often enough. I didn't notice and failed to dry it properly before closing it and storing it for 6 months.

 

I ended up throwing away a small fortune of carefully tied dry flies.

[Pieter1]

You are never too old or too smart to make a dumb rookie mistake.

 

I could not understand why I broke a couple of fly hooks while out recently.........Until I got back home and looked carefully through my fly boxes. I use a pair of watertight boxes, one for dry flies and one for nymphs when I fish the local trout streams. I found that a whole bunch of my dry flies were rusted so badly that some of the hooks were completely rusted off right at the bend where it sits in the foam of the box. The only explanation is that at the end of the last trout season, I must have gotten water in that fly box, perhaps didn't close it properly and fallen in the stream, that happens often enough. I didn't notice and failed to dry it properly before closing it and storing it for 6 months.

 

I ended up throwing away a small fortune of carefully tied dry flies.

Also happens to me. Well my saltwater spinning gear. I rinse it after every use, dry it and put it away in a dry box but still rusts.

Your pics are amazing! I’d love to stay in those mountains for a week and fish. Thanks for sharing.

[DJR]

Spent a very windy morning fishing the Smalblaar with D. Messed around with the little waterproof camera. Not a great picture, but at least you can see why my knees are sore. Wading that stream is rougher on the knees than riding single speed. At least I got a couple.

[Pieter1]

https://www.onedayonly.co.za/infinity-fly-rod.html

 

Some deals on stealth stuff.

[DJR]

The first stream outing of this crazy 2020. I missed the late season trout fishing because of April and May lock-down. Woke up a little late because I've been a bit under the whip lately, so the only beat available on any of the Cape Piscatorial Society controlled streams, was Bt 1 of the Holsloot, in the mountains near Rawsonville. I haven't been there for years and really enjoyed catching a few beauties. The Holsloot rainbows are a little darker in colour than our other streams, perhaps because the stream bottom is also darker? Sorry that I didn't take fishy pictures. The stream, mountains and flowers were truly beautiful today and I am so glad I fled the city for a few hours. I was a bit jealous passing a few groups of mountain bikers on the Stettynskloof road (Freedom Challenge peeps will know it) and I hope they noticed how politely I slowed the Landy down so as not to choke them with the dust cloud!