Know Your Knots - Flyfishingtails

Know Your 

Knots 

Fishing By 

Phase 

Moon 

TROUT FISHING 

IN SOUTH AFRICA 

Argentina DIY 

Dorado

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Email: dlevene@stealth.co.za | gadams@stealth.co.za | www.stealth.co.za

CONTENTS 

4 WELCOME TO ISSUE 2 

5 FEATURE ARTICLE 

Argentina, as a fly fishing destination, is better known for its wild trout... 

8 LOSKOP DAM 

Water quality monitoring in the Olifants River catchment, Mpumalanga, is... 

26 VIDEO BITES 

28 KNOW YOUR KNOTS 

30 OCTOBER DIARY 

38 NOVEMBER DIARY 

10 FISHERMANS 

TALES 

13 TOP TIP CLICKS 

14 COOL STUFF 

18 PICK ME PICK ME 

22 CHART OF MOONS 

Cover Shot 

-Franscois Botha and Mike 

Wickins for their photographic 

contribution 

To find us on Facebook 

click below:

Another month, another 

issue, a few fish, a couple 

whiskeys, a heat wave 

and at the time of writing 

this, the Lions are in the 

final to be played tomorrow. 

I can only hope that 

as you read this, the game is done and 

the Lions are at last victorious… I can only 

hope. 

Our first issue last month was a resounding 

success. Far more than I expected and with 

more to come. The feedback on the digital 

format was fabulous. 

Fly fishermen world wide read the book and 

our analytics tell us that on average a reader 

is spending over 40 minutes in the 

magazine per visit, which as you may or 

may not know is fantastic in the digital world. 

The digital solution allows massive world 

wide distributions at the click of a button, 

and without the burden of a massive print 

bill we can offer you the reader a whack of 

info at no cost, delivered 

each month to your inbox, 

wherever in the world you 

may be. Not to mention the 

economical ad rates we can 

offer the industry suppliers... 

So keep reading and 

forwarding it on to all and 

sundry... if you do that, we 

will bringing you the info for 

years to come. 

One thing I've realised over 

the last month is that I need 

to get some time to sit down 

and create my fishing bucket 

list. 

Only having gotten back into 

the fly fishing game over the 

last couple of years, having 

spent a decade or more playing rugby 

and publishing retail magazines, I lost 

touch with the fly fishing opportunities and 

adventures that lie only a flight away. 

Not to mention the fact that when I first 

held a rod on the odd weekend some 20 

years ago, flying across the world to fly 

fish in exotic destinations never featured 

in my mind. Probably as a result of the 

contents of my wallet being more mothlike 

than anything else... 

The fact however remains that unless you 

put all the places you want to go to on 

a list of some sort, and then plan when 

and how you are going to get there, you 

simply never will. Whether is be 

patagonia, or the galapagos islands, 

Dullstroom or the berg, put it on a piece of 

paper... or an i pad more than likely these 

days, and plan your attack. Life is simply 

too short not to... 

Enjoy this months issue, and keep 

fishing. 

Fly Fishing Tails is a first of its kind in South 

Africa. A truly digital only magazine with a 

free distribution to all who want it. It is not a 

website, but rather a digital representation of 

a print magazine, with the added features and 

associated benefits that the digital platform 

brings. 

The content of the magazine is tailored to 

bring something to everyone. All the current 

offerings in the market place have lost site of 

the importance of the novice fly fisher, and 

content to a large degree is catering only to 

those that know the game inside and out. We 

at Fly Fishing Tails believe in catering to all 

and as such, whether you are a beginner with 

only a hand full of flies in his or her box, or 

a seasoned vet with a photo album full of 6 

pounders, Fly Fishing Tails will have 

something for you. 

Fly Fishing Tails is a monthly magazine and 

we urge you to send it on to fellow fly 

fishermen all over the globe. 

Publisher 

Thetha Media Sales 

www.thethamedia.co.za 

Managing Editor 

Warren Hickinbotham 

warren@thethamedia.co.za 

National Sales Manager 

Shane McDonagh 

shane@thethamedia.co.za 

Office Manager 

Kyle Broughton 

kyle@thethamedia.co.za 

Production Manager 

Mishqah Hendricks 

mishqah@thethamedia.co.za 

Editor 

Elri Rautenbach 

elri@thethamedia.co.za 

Graphic Design/DTP 

Dijon de Bruyn 

Accounts 

Kirsty De Ville 

accounts@thethamedia.co.za 

Dorothy Toal 

accounts2@thethamedia.co.za 

P.O.Box 87745, 

Houghton, 

2041 

Tel: (011) 789-2112 

Fax: (011) 789-2115/ 

086 649 7803 

E-mail: info@thethamedia.co.za

DIY Dorado 

By Francois Botha

Argentina, as a fly 

fishing 

destination, is 

better known for 

its wild trout and 

sea run browns 

from the colder 

southern regions 

like Patagonia. 

But the 

international limelight is shifting to a 

species of fish called the golden dorado, 

found in the tropical northern province of 

Corrientes. Over the years a ‘dorado culture’ 

has emerged in these home waters of 

Argentina and the guides have followed it 

like a religion. 

One such guide, Ramiro Badessich and I 

became friends while working on Desroches 

Island Lodge in the Seychelles. Ramiro told 

me of his home waters Corrientes and how it 

offers fly-fishing for dorado on your doorstep, 

from pristine marshlands, gin clear 

tributaries and even in the city of Corrientes 

itself. “We call it urban fishing,” he said. 

Ramiro and I agreed that if ever we were 

to visit each other’s homelands, we would 

do some fishing together and no less than 

a year later we were standing at Corrientes 

airport…in the rain. 

After Ramiro collected us from the airport, 

we made a quick stop for supplies in town 

and then headed north on a one and a half 

hour journey to an infamous dorado fishing 

town called ItáIbaté. Ramiro is the typical 

Corinthian; flask under the arm, maté in 

his hand and tough as nails - at age 30 he 

still plays rugby. It is fascinating to hear 

about the history of Corrientes, the role 

its people played in wars past and how 

Ramiro has been fishing for dorado there 

all his life. He paints a colourful picture but 

beware, Ramiro is a known prankster and 

he pounces on gullibility. 

We arrived in ItáIbatéand, pulled up to a 

quaint guest house at the edge of town 

overlooking the Paraná River where we 

met Pinti Pinto, a retired doctor and now 

full time Dorado guide. We were to be 

some of his first guests at this new 

establishment but he had been guiding on 

the Paraná for many years. The Paraná is 

a large river that forms the northern border 

between Argentina and Paraguay and 

in this region it stretches as wide as six 

kilometres with countless scattered islands 

and remote channels. 

When you first get on the water you notice 

quite a bit of commercial and recreational

traffic on the water but, like any good guide, Pinti 

knows of the places that others don’t. It doesn’t 

take long before you are surrounded by jungle with 

the ruckus of howler monkeys in the background 

and find yourself drifting down a secluded channel, 

casting at all sorts of structures and lies in clear 

water. That must be one of the most alluring things 

about this place, the visibility is really good so you 

see these golden denizens come from a long way 

away to get your fly. 

The fish are big too, the biggest fish that Pinti has 

caught on fly weighed 40lbs and a previous world 

record of more than 60lbs also came from here! 

The flies are big and you fish close to the surface 

with floating lines, which just lends itself to the 

tremendous visual aspect of fly-fishing here. At the 

end of the day, your nerves are wrecked from all 

the action. 

We managed to get a dorado of 17bs and several 

fish weighing more than 10lbs. There are other 

species of fish to be caught as well, such as the 

sought after Pacu, the silver dorado and two 

species of pirapita. We managed to land a beautiful 

golden pirapita of 10lbs on a method of Pinti’s that 

we now know as ‘the music’. 

At one stage the dorado had gone off the bite and 

Pinti pulled out a rattling cigar box from his jacket. 

In there was a colourful selection of one-inch plastic 

beads with big hooks stuck through them. He held 

up a purple one and said, “this fly is callcochito, it 

means small coconut”. He took the rod from me, 

tied the fly on and lobbed it out with a sort of 

overhead cast to make perfect plopping sound on 

the surface. “You hear the music?” Pinti asked as 

he handed me the rod, “now, you make the music”. 

It wasn’t long before Pinti pointed out a tree on the 

banks that was bearing fruit of a similar colour and 

size. I made a cast next to the tree and gave the 

cochito some time to sink when I saw a big flash 

and felt a powerful hit from the golden pirapita. 

They are known for their strength and it was a 

fantastic experience to catch such a specimen 

using this method. 

After fishing we settled down at the guest house 

for the most delicious home cooked meal and 

great Argentine wine – it felt like we were at home. 

Pinti explained that the fishing had actually been 

quite meagre compared to what they were used 

to. Unexpected downpours the previous week had 

pushed the water levels to a record high and most 

of his ‘good’ spots were inaccessible and the 

visibility wasn’t what it should have been either. 

For Paul and myself it was probably the best day 

of fishing that we could remember. Sure, we had 

fished in some of the best and remotest spots that 

the world had to offer but this was different; this 

was about two fly-fishing buddies sneaking off for 

a fish, experiencing the local flavours of a country 

and meeting people that we now shared a deep 

passion with, the dorado. 

For more information on fishing for dorado in 

Argentina, contact Francois Botha from The 

Guide’s Company (www.theguidescompany.com) 

on 082 817 0308 or francoisbotha@gmail.com

“ 

Water quality 

monitoring in the 

Olifants River 

catchment, 

Mpumalanga, is 

evaluated using 

river water dissolved sulphate levels, 

one of the best indicators of pollution 

related to acid mine drainage. 

Assessment of long-term water 

quality records shows that monitoring 

has not been carried out systematically. 

In that it fails one of the most 

fundamental criteria of good 

environmental monitoring practices. At 

some monitoring stations sampling 

frequency has been scaled down 

At the Loskop Dam dissolved sulphate 

levels have increased more than 7-fold 

since the 1970s evidently due to 

increasing levels of pollution within the 

Little Olifants River catchment. At 4 

of the 7 long-term monitoring stations 

river water sulphate levels exceed the 

100mg/ℓ threshold value for aquatic 

ecosystem health most of the time for 

the duration of the record, and all of the 

time since about 2001. At these stations 

river water sulphate levels also exceed 

the 200mg/ℓ threshold for human 

consumption 27 to 45% of the time, for 

the duration of the long-term record. 

Picture by: Mike Wickins 

These observations necessitate more 

frequent and improved monitoring, not 

evidently reduced efforts. 

A major concern is the location of a 

recently re-opened copper mine outside 

Phalaborwa, just upstream from the 

confluence of the Ga-Selati River and 

the Olifants River. Levels of copper 

sulphate, highly toxic to aquatic species, 

should be urgently investigated as a 

probable cause of recent fish and 

crocodile deaths in the Kruger National 

Park and Loskop Dam area. In river 

systems subject to intensive mining 

activity, such as the Olifants River, toxic 

constituents such as copper, arsenic, 

Klein Olifants (Aug 2011) – At the back of Middelburg Dam 

ffrom approximately i t l weekly kl to t monthly thl chrome-VI, h VI etc., t currently tl not t routinely ti l 

intervals over time, despite evidence measured by the Department of Water 

for increasing and problematic levels of Affairs (DWA) need to be included in 

pollution. 

monitoring efforts as a matter of 

urgency. This will require drastic 

improvements in current water quality 

monitoring efforts, including the 

acquisition of modern analytical 

instrumentation.” (This was taken from 

an article in 2010) 

More than 60 tons of fish have died, 

bulk of it being large and small scale 

Yellowfish. 

• It is sad that we have to see these 

sights and I know that Ecocare, RAU, 

WITS, Onderstepoort and Geosciences 

have been involved but what is even 

more concerning is that I can’t seem 

to find the involvement of Department of 

Minerals and Energy (DME) and 

Department of Water Affairs (DWA) with 

these cases? Not an attack, just a 

question! 

• I can’t help but image the similarities 

between these events and the ones on the 

Vaal river systems…ect. I recently spent 

some time up in Middelburg along the 

Olifants/Klein Olifants River and 

Middelburg Dam and to my shock; after 

spending 14 years of my life there during my 

schooling days and now coming back to try 

and see if what was, an extraordinary 

fishing area, has now resorted to this, with 

low fish number and absolutely no 

yellowfish in sight! Very upsetting! Take 

Loskop Dam for instance, they had an 

annual carp fishing tournament with big 

prizes, 1st place was awarded a boat. I had 

a couple of friends fishing there and there 

were apparently around 1 500 entrants. 

With this amount of fishermen and some 

spending days before creating feeding 

areas to catch that big one, they only 

managed to catch a handful of fish, the 

biggest being 4.8kg. I remember as a 

teenager, we used to catch loads and loads 

of fish there, Yellows, Kurper, Barbel, Carp. 

Big stuff as well, exceeding 25kg’s. It was 

an amazing place and would always be 

guaranteed good fishing there…nowadays it 

is shocking and I hear stories about the 

Olifants catchment area all the time! 

Would it be possible to get some answers 

as to the actions taken in these problem 

areas and what is our Government doing to 

sort our river issues out? 

More than 60 tons of fish have died, bulk 

of it being large and small scale Yellowfish.

Fisherman’s Tails 

Fly Fishing For Squawfish 

That's right. Squawfish. Ptychocheilus. 

A poor man's 

bonefish. A destitute man's 

carp. Sometimes called a 

pike minnow. Sometimes 

called a coarse bottom fish 

or scavenger. Sometimes 

confused with carp. (Sometimes confused 

with crap.) How does it get any respect? If 

it isn't devouring endangered salmon in the 

Columbia, it is being protected from 

endangerment in other parts of the country. 

Squawfish don't even get a 

mention in the great coarse fish 

tournaments in the UK, where anglers 

challenge each other over such venerable 

fish as bream, tench, roach, crucians and 

golden orfes. 

On the other hand, you aren't 

risking your life fly fishing for them, as you 

would dangling your fingers as bait in a 

muddy Oklahoma pond noodling for catfish 

- as real men do. Squawfish have only one 

real attribute; they are indigenous. (Then 

again, some would argue, so are mosquitoes 

and herpes.) 

I remember catching squawfish with spoons 

as a kid. A slow creek under a train trestle 

held many of them. Large ones, too. Not 

as large as the current IGFA record of 5 

pounds 8 ounces, but for a kid, they were 

monsters. Twelve to sixteen inches some of 

them, with the color and look of the warm, dirty 

creek they came from. 

I raced home with a sack of them. My mother's 

attitude, beyond the obligatory pat on the 

head, was probably disgust at the thought of 

cleaning and frying up a half dozen 

peculiar-looking fish. At the time, I don't recall 

if I thought the fish were trout or not, and I 

probably wouldn't have cared. 

In my search across the internet, I have yet to 

come across anyone who fly fishes for squawfish. 

So I'm wading in new currents here, and 

risking my already frail reputation as an honorable 

fisher of flies. But there I was, at a cabin 

on a north Idaho lake, enjoying my family's first 

yearly vacation week among the white pine 

and tamarack. 

I was hoping to enjoy some cutthroat fishing, 

which this lake was famous for at one time. 

Or maybe I would stick a few dollies, or some 

remnants of land-locked sockeye salmon 

(silvers) planted decades early, or anything 

resembling a trout and interested in pouncing 

upon my delicate Cahil. Toward dusk, 

at the edge of the cabin's dock, after all the 

waves died down from the afternoon winds 

and skiers, I struck instinctively to the tiniest 

sipping motion. Squawfish. Then on the next 

cast, another squawfish. After the tenth of 

so squawfish, I was beginning to get upset. I 

had no idea where they were coming from. 

I mean, yes, they come from the water. But 

where are all the other fish, the cutts, the 

dollies, the silvers, the... well, anything else 

but a bunch of lousy fish from the dirty creeks 

of my childhood? 

Trying to find something positive out of the 

situation, I figured I could at least interest my 

daughter in some fishing. I went back to the 

cabin and rigged up her fly rod, and we both 

started catching squawfish. 

She, of course, hasn't yet acquired the 

delicate sensitivity of a seasoned fly fisher 

like myself who demands trout, char, bass, 

or, barring those, anything else as long as 

you can find it between the covers of a recent 

fly-fishing rag. She, of course, was delighted 

to be catching any fish. So for the next five 

days, we caught exactly what I deserved - 

squawfish. She, however, was delighted with 

catching these different looking olive gold 

fish, which she proudly named "gold trout". 

- Toney J. Sisk 

To read the rest click here - 

http://www.waywardflyfishing.com/articleSquaw.htm

Confluence Films Premiers 

Their New Film, Connect 

Japan, Yellowstone, Alaska, Yukon, Tanzania, Cuba and 

more... that’s where you can expect to be taken to when you 

watch this film, which for any fisherman would be a dream 

come true. The best part is, we don’t have to wait for our wallets to 

be full to be taken there. On the 25th of November, Sandton City 

Ster Kinekor will be premiering the film for R100 per person with a 

bar service and snacks to follow. Be sure to get a ticket by mailing 

Keith Clover on keith@tourettefishing.com. To watch the trailer 

simply click below... 

Fishing Near 

The Tongaat River 

My mates and I have been avid fishers for many years and 

we’ve tried everything from fly-fishing in the Drakensberg 

to trout fishing in Dullstroom. 

We decided that we needed a new adventure and decided that 

we were going to go Cob fishing over the June/July holiday when 

varsity closed for recess. 

On arrival we quickly got a fishing license at the Ballito Post Office 

and set out towards the mouth of the Tongaat River. The river 

mouth was open and we had the most riveting experience fishing in 

this area. 

We hardly had time to sit down and have a braai because the 

adrenaline was pumping while all our friends were 

reeling in fish and having the times of our lives. 

I’d recommend Cob fishing in the Tongaat River to anyone who is 

looking for a new fishing challenge! 

- Tobie, Pretoria 

Source: www.fishzone.co.za 

The Skinniest Fish I Ever Saw (Ok We Know This 

Isn’t Fly Fishing... But It’s Worth A Laugh) 

Next to the hilarious conversations 

and rowdy campfire capers, the 

next best thing about our “fishing 

trips” had to be the great food, 

especially the pan frying of a day’s catch. 

All species tasted the same - excellent! 

Perch and walleye seemed to be the group’s 

preferred fare but crappies, bluegills, catfish 

and even the state’s “put and take” trout, 

all melted on the tongue whether breaded, 

coated with special sauces or spread over 

with just a hint of butter, salt and pepper. 

Wash the palate with some cold beer and 

there you have it - the ideal camping meal. 

To accommodate the quick preparation of 

such meals in anticipation of frighteningly 

large appetites, the guys would often clean 

fish on the boats and ice down the fillets. 

The carcasses (now resembling those 

cartoon fish skeletons) slipped quietly over 

the sides of the boats, sinking to obscurity 

and the awaiting jaws of crayfish and other 

underwater scavengers...but I digress... 

On this particular day, we opted for an early 

end to the fishing and a speedy banquet 

of the several baggies full of fillets. Most 

of the boats came in at the same time, but 

Freeman and Father Wisdom stayed out a 

while, taking advantage of the nice weather 

conditions and their sole possession of the 

Tub Run cove. 

The fire was roaring, thanks to landlubbing 

Muskie, keeper of the flame. Puff whipped up 

some of his famous “sauce” (some combination 

of ketchup and horseradish); other guys 

breaded the fish or cut up some potatoes for 

frying. 

Things were looking and smelling promising. 

In the midst of the pre-feast oblivion, Hoppie 

yelled, “here comes Freeman - he’s holding 

something up in the air, but I can’t make out 

what it is”. About the same time, Freeman, 

as their boat slid into the back, laughingly 

announced, “You guys are NOT going to 

believe this. Look what I caught!” 

And there it was, suspended from his thumb 

in the standard grab-the-bass grip - the 

skinniest fish I had ever seen. Freeman had 

managed to hook in the mouth and land a 

filleted smallmouth bass, still “gilling” 

though lacking all side flesh and skin. The 

resulting explosion of incredulity stands 

unmatched by any event ever experienced 

by our group, before or after the day 

Freeman made that catch. 

That topic consumed hours at the campfire 

that night, especially when Gasser got into 

the biological improbabilities of this 

never-before witnessed phenomenon. 

Guys accused Freeman of rigging the catch 

and of all other sorts of chicanery and 

buffonery. Cappy was regarded as 

co-conspirator. They both swore the catch 

was legit. 

We often tell the story to others, but we are 

met always with disdainful rejection and 

bitter expressions of disbelief, absolute 

denial of any possibility of such a thing 

happening. Too bad. It’s the truth. 

- Collin T Wansor 

Source: www.campfirecapers.com

Eastern Southern Africa 

is divided from its vast 

interior by the Drakensberg 

Mountain range that 

stretches from the Eastern 

Cape in the south to the 

Gauteng and Limpopo in the north. 

Where to go 

To the trout fisherman the mountains are 

a godsend. Close to the coastal plains the 

mountains rise steeply to over 3 000m, 

causing a massive upwelling of moist air 

and heavy rain on the eastern slopes in 

summer. Thus, they are the birthplace of 

countless trout streams flowing east into 

three prime trout areas of the country: 

- the midlands of KwaZulu Natal; 

- Mpumalanga and 

- the Eastern Cape around the towns of 

Barkly East and Lady Grey. 

At the furthest tip of Africa in the Western 

Cape, trout are found in the high mountains 

a short distance inland of Cape 

Town, where the climate is Mediterranean 

with clear sunfilled days in the summer. Apart 

from these main locations, there is good 

trout fishing in the independent Kingdom of 

Lesotho, a landlocked mountainous country 

crisscrossed by bright, clear streams, most of 

them over 2 500m feet above sealevel. Food 

is more abundant in these high streams than 

in any others, with particularly dense populations 

of mayfly. 

What to catch 

Salmonids were introduced to Southern 

Africa near the turn of the century from 

Loch Leven brown trout stock imported from 

Scotland. These browns did well in their 

environment, and rainbows were introduced 

a decade or so later to complement them. 

Still, most of the rivers retain a clear identity, 

either brown or rainbow waters, rarely ever 

holding both species. 

South African trout waters are small by international 

standards, more streams than rivers, 

yet the average size of the trout caught is 

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large. Most of the rivers produce fish of up 

to four or five pounds, and in the Barkly 

East area river fish up to nine pounds are 

not rare. In the upland sections of most rivers 

the trout proliferate and the waters tend 

to become overstocked. 

Season 

Most river fishing in South Africa is done 

wading. The trout season starts in September 

and goes on through to the end of May. 

Many of the stillwaters, on the other hand, 

have no closed season at all. 

The best of the fishing is in spring from 

September to October, and in autumn, 

from late March through May. During these 

months the water is cooler and the trout are 

more active feeders. The mountain streams 

of the Western Cape are a notable exception, 

where free-rising trout come to the dry 

fly smartly, just as they do in the upland 

streams in Lesotho. 

Source: www.places.co.za 

Have you taken a pic of the biggest fish you or a mate has ever snagged? 

Got a shot of something no one will belive from your last fishing trip? 

Simply think it’s better than anyone else’s? Send it on down to 

competitions@flyfishingtails.co.za and you could win! 

Got a Tall Tail you’d like to share? Send it to: 

info@flyfishingtails.co.za and if it’s tall enough it might get published 

next month. Just make sure to tell us who wrote it!

FOR BEGINNERS 

Beginners Take 

Note 

Although there are hundreds of types 

of flies used for fly fishing, most of 

them fall into five specific categories, 

or types. 

These types are dry flies, wet flies, 

nymphs, streamers, buck tails and 

terrestrials. The main purpose of the fly is 

to imitate an insect that the fish wants to eat. 

Besides these basic five categories of 

flies, there are many other kinds of flies 

that are used for fly fishing. Some of 

them are a combination of one or more of the 

basic categories and some do not fit into any 

group. 

The most important thing to remember is 

that it doesn’t matter how the fly looks to 

you, the fisherman. It matters how the fly 

looks to the fish. 

To read more about the types of flies go to 

www.topflyfishingtips.com 

Stream Fly Fishing 

For Trout – Know 

Where They Are 

When fly fishing for 

trout it is especially 

important to 

understand the 

various types of trout 

“lies’. Trout take 

up their positions, 

or lies, based on a set of three of their basic 

needs when they are in moving water. 

These needs are shelter from a constant 

current, protection from predators and the 

need for adequate food. 

Swimming against a strong current can be 

very tiring for a trout. Therefore, looking for 

shelter from the current is their first need. 

Sometimes the trout rest behind objects in the 

water, such as a large rock, which breaks the 

current. 

But most of the time trout stay in holding lies 

that are close to the current. They want to be 

able to dash out and grab any food that the 

current brings their way. 

To read the rest of the article click here - 

http://www.topflyfishingtips.com/category/topfly-fishing-facts 

Fact OR Fable? 

The five best times to fish for big browns 

are: early in the morning at first light; the 

last half hour before dark and at night; 

after a summer rainstorm that muddies and 

cools the water; during a spawning run; and 

during a hatch of large insects such ch as 

the salmon flies or Green Drakes. 

FACT 

Tips 

When fishing with a sinking line - 

always keep the fly rod pointing down 

at the line to increase bite sensitivity. 

When approching fishing waters - 

always take care to walk slow and 

quiet - sound are transmitted more 

rapid through water than air! 

When fishing streams - take your 

time to look for rises and insect 

hatches before making your first cast to 

a likely area on the water. 

When fishing a river or stream - 

always fish upstream and let the fly drift 

back, the fish are lying in wait for prey 

just in front or the back of the rocks in 

the riverbed sheltering from the current. 

When using a net - take care not to 

swipe at the fish, the sudden 

movement will scare the fish and you 

can break the tippet on your fly line and 

lose the fish in the process. 

Releasing your fish - make sure that 

the hook is removed gently by using 

forceps or pliers whilst keeping it in the 

water. 

After the cast - Strip in as much line 

as needed in order to keep a straight 

line between the fishing fly and the fly 

rod tip. 

When the fish strikes - tighten your 

fingers around the fly line and the fly 

rod handle, then raise the rod sharply 

to set the hook. 

When wading - always use a wading 

stick to feel your way through 

unfamiliar waters, never pull the 

wading stick up until you have both feet 

firmly planted, the stick acts like a third 

leg and can support you on uneven 

riverbeds! 

To read more click here - 

http://www.flyfishinginformation.net/ 

Fly_Fishing_Tips.html

BLACK SPLASH PROOF FLY BOX 

This is a standard SPLASH-PROOF fly box, not 100% water 

proof, but will keep flies dry if dropped while fishing. 

Source: www.xplorerflyfishing.co.za/ 

STANDARD WADING BOOTS 

Cordura and nubuck uppers, felt sole and reinforced 

toe. 

Standard Wading Boots 

Model Sizes SRP* 

Standard 5 - 12 R1200 

Source: http://www.stealth.co.za/ 

BARCELONA STREET BACKPACK 

Created for an active, urban lifestyle. Spacious and 

comfortable, this backpack brings fishpond to the big 

city. 

Features 

• Steel Blue and Moss Green in durable 1680 ballistic 

nylon fabric 

• Available in Khaki, rugged 16 oz. cotton canvas 

• Pewter hardware 

• Padded laptop compartment fits most laptops with 15” 

screens 

• Contrasting lining color for easy visibility of contents 

• Oversized, #10 industrial zippers 

• Padded, ergonomically designed shoulder straps and 

hardware 

• Safety whistle integrated into sternum strap buckle 

• Removable cell phone/ MP3 case 

• Two external zippered compartments 

• Interior features two zippered compartments and five 

storage pockets 

Dimensions 

13” x 14” x 17” 

Source: www.frontierflyfishing.co.za

FLY FISHING FOR STRIPED BASS 

Author:Rich Murphy 

A practical guide to tackle, casting and retrieving techniques, 

this work helps the average angler enjoy the sport of fly 

fishing for the rebounding populations of striped bass as they 

migrate from the Carolinas to Maine. 

It features close-up and underwater photos of the bass in 

their natural marine environments. 

Source: www.exclus1ves.co.za 

FLY FISHING ADVICE FROM AN OLD TIMER 

Author:Ed Quigley 

Gain decades of fly fishing know-how from this 

handy volume! 

Source: www.exclus1ves.co.za 

Stealth fly vests are made from a light weight 

mesh. 

14 easy accessible pockets, covered fly 

patch, large storage pocket on the back and 

rod holder on the front...more info 

Fly Vest 

Model Sizes SRP* 

Standard S, M, L, XL, XXL R465 

Source: http://www.stealth.co.za/ 

Both Stealth Stripping Gloves and Stealth 

Sungloves are manufactured from stretch fabric 

with an SPF rating of 35. 

Sungloves 

Size SRP* 

One Size Fits All R130.00 

Stripping Gloves 

Size SRP* 

S-XL R150.00 

Source: http://www.stealth.co.za/

What Is Happening With 

The NEM:BA Ais Regulations? 

The short reply to what 

is happening about the 

long-awaited revised 

draft regulations of the 

NEM:BA Alien and 

Invasive Species 

regulations (with special 

reference to trout), is that unfortunately, 

in this instance, no news is NOT good 

news! We, from the Environmental 

Committee of FOSAF, have grown 

weary of writing “No Progress” reports 

to stakeholders. 

Most of us who have been 

involved in the long and arduous 

process of commenting on official 

documents are so frustrated and 

annoyed at the lack of progress from 

the Department Environmental Affairs 

(DEA) over the better part of a decade, 

that it has become difficult in the 

extreme to retain focus. 

All that we can report is that the flurry 

of activity over producing maps for 

demarcated areas, which showed areas 

in which trout may be permanently 

maintained (compared 

to areas in which trout 

would not be condoned) 

seems to have 

come to naught. 

This is because the 

authorities failed to 

accept the advice 

provided by FOSAF 

and possibly other 

organisations - that 

there is no provision in 

the Act for the Minister 

to grant exemptions 

for an invasive species 

(such as trout). 

Such exemption 

formed the basis of the provision allowing 

for demarcated areas and DEA only came 

to this realisation when they recently took 

expert legal advice. 

Despite a number of e-mails sent by Ilan 

Lax, our FOSAF Chairman to the relevant 

official in DEA requesting that we be kept 

informed of developments, we remain 

YWG Newsletter: Oct. 2011 

Dear All, 

We know all about the abuse the poor old 

Vaal has suffered from pollution emanating 

from malfunctioning sewage plants 

and various toxic materials from the mines 

but it was particularly shocking to learn 

that a well know fishing destination in the 

Potch area, Oord Nebo, was quite prepared 

to tolerate jigging of spawning fish 

in the shallows. According to the report 

some 30 fish were caught by this method 

by persons who arrived in a Mercedes 

Benz Vito Van and were quite unperturbed 

when it was pointed out that this was 

illegal as were the destination 

owners. The matter is being followed up 

as the complainants took down the vehicle 

number, but if anyone has a contact at this 

venue it will help if you apply the necessary 

pressure to make them comply with 

the law. 

Other News 

•1. A meeting of the steering/management 

committee of the Orange/Vaal Yellowfish 

Management Conservation Association 

will be from 10am on Thurs 10 Nov to 12 

noon on the 11th at the Sandveld Nature 

Reserve, Bloemhof Dam. This meeting 

will be convened by Leon Barkhuizen 

(barkhl@detea.fs.gov.za) who has taken 

Dr WR Bainbridge 

entirely in the dark about their current 

thinking. 

We are beyond guessing what will 

happen next. The only sensible comment 

that we can make at present is that stakeholders 

should NOT relax their vigilance. 

We are firmly of the opinion that this issue 

has NOT gone away, but until the 

authorities issue some official statement 

to which we can respond, there is nothing 

we can do – except possibly go fishing! 

Dr W R Bainbridge 

Chairman, FOSAF Environmental 

Committee 

For more information on FOSAF please go 

to www.fosaf.co.za 

over the chairmanship of the group from 

Pierre de Villiers. 

•2. Rob Karssing reports that a joint 

operation is being conducted between 

the DWA, Umgeni Water Board (UWB), 

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the University 

of the North West in terms of 

implementing the national River Health 

Programme (RHP) in the KZN province. 

Budget has been allocated by the DWA 

this year to determine the ecostatus of 35 

preselected sampling sites with the... 

To read the rest of the newsletter 

click here - http://www.fosaf.co.za/news. 

php?type=Current

Fly Fishermen by our very nature are lovers of the great 

outdoors. We love the solitude of a sunrise, and the beauty 

of a sunset. The silhouette of a mountain reflected off a 

mirror-like lake is enough to make us stand still for a moment and 

appreciate the world around us. 

We at Flyfishing Tails say don’t be selfish... get the camera out and 

share the beauty with all of us. Do this and we may even reward 

you for it... 

E-MAIL US YOUR BEST 

PHOTOGRAPH 

Submit your best photos each month, with a description of where 

it was taken and what camera you were using, and we will publish 

the best ones. The winner each month will take home a prize to 

make it worth the effort (not to mention the bragging rights). 

Photo Submitted To competitions@flyfishingtails.co.za 

Earlier this year Canon launched the powerful, compact and stylish Canon PowerShot SX23 

journey. In addition, the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS is packed full of technology, producing 

In South Africa, the Canon brand is today synonymous with consistency, driven by the comp 

products and business solutions.

Congratulations to Tyrone Dada, 

you have won this month’s 

competition. Enjoy your 

prize, proudly sponsored 

by Canon. 

Photo By Tyrone Dada 

0 HS, allowing you to produce stunning photographs on the move. It features GPS technology so you can tag your pictures and track your 

rich images which are full of detail - making it the ideal take-anywhere camera for your adventures. 

any’s passion, imagination, knowledge, and most importantly, loyalty to its customers. Canon SA offers a wide range of consumer imaging

pick me 

"Although this picture was clearly an error, there's something about the mood that it picks up. 

Definitely worth a look in terms of what can happen, even if you don't know how you did it". 

Last Cast in Dullstroom before heading off to the 

Poacher 

Photo by Dale Williams 

Sunset in Bantry Bay, shortly after 

some rock fishing 

Photo by Chris Scott

Fishing By Moon Phase: 

Every fisherman dreams of a 

bigger catch! Is it possible to 

know beforehand when you 

should plan a trip to enjoy 

some fishing, catch more 

than usual, and come home 

feeling 100% satisfied? Based on my own 

personal research around the best fishing 

times, I think it is. 

Increase Your Catch! 

When I first started fishing, the best fishing 

time for me was whatever time happened 

to suit me. I tried different lures, baits and 

techniques until I’d spent a small fortune in 

my quest to improve my fishing catch. When 

I finally heard about the “Solunar Theory” - or 

fishing by moon phase - like most anglers, I 

was skeptical. 

What I’d read sounded too complicated. All 

sorts of factors needed to be checked and 

the determined angler needed to be at the 

water’s edge at exactly the right time, TO 

THE MINUTE, in order to improve on his 

average catch. Was I really willing to take 

my hobby that seriously? Let’s just say that 

curiosity got the better of me. 

To help me determine whether there was any 

truth in the moon’s effect on the best fishing 

times, I kept a record of every trip I made 

over a period of 18 months. All information 

related to the moon’s phases, the weather 

conditions and the catches I made were 

carefully logged. What I discovered convinced 

me that moon phase fishing works. 

BUT, I also found that it isn’t anywhere near 

as complicated as many would have us 

believe. 

How Does Fishing By Moon Phase Work? 

Every fisherman knows that the best fishing 

times are when the fish are feeding. This 

By David Rose 

tends to be during dawn and dusk, but what 

often goes unnoticed are the two periods 

elsewhere in the day - moonrise and 

moonset. Because the moon has an effect 

on a variety of factors surrounding the fish 

- including the live fodder they hunt - these 

periods, combined with the moon’s phase, 

are what trigger feeding. 

By understanding this, and choosing times 

when sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset 

coincide with new or full moon phases, 

you’ll increase your chance of a good 

fishing catch. Assuming there are fish in the 

area, of course. 

Choosing The Best Fishing Times 

There really is nothing complicated about 

this at all; it’s just a matter of knowing 

ahead of time exactly when the sun and 

moon will rise and set. Fish are most active 

during 90-minute windows surrounding 

each of these four daily events; that’s 45 

minutes before and after these four daily 

points. 

Fishing during these four periods will help 

increase your fishing catch, but if you plan 

wisely so as to ensure you’re at the water’s 

edge on the days of new or full moon, you 

can use these ‘windows’ to reel in a catch 

like you’ve never done before. 

If you have to choose between sunrise/set 

and moonrise/set, always go with the moon 

as the moon is the stronger influence. 

Hunters have always known that fish and 

game are most active at dawn and dusk 

- sunrise and sunset - but their activity 

surrounding moonrise and moonset is less 

noticeable because these events are likely 

to occur without effecting any change in the 

perceived light. The rise and set of a new 

moon is invisible anyway and overcast 

weather often hides the moon. Without 

prior knowledge of setting and rising 

times, two of the best fishing times will be 

missed every day! 

Other Considerations 

When planning your fishing by moon 

phase, there are certain other factors that 

should also be considered. 

Weather – Severe weather changes have 

an impact on the way fish feed. When 

a storm’s brewing, or just after one has 

passed, is a good time. 

If this happens while you’re in place, you’ll 

be in for a treat! However, if there’s a cold 

front approaching, the fish are likely to 

move deeper into the water and become 

inactive. 

Season – Most fish are more likely to bite 

willingly during seasonal transitions with 

the transition from winter to spring and 

summer to fall being the two best fishing 

times. 

Now that you know that moon phase fishing 

really works, there’s no reason why 

you shouldn’t utilize this knowledge to 

increase your own fishing catch by being 

at the ready with your rod during the best 

fishing times available. It’s easy and it 

works! 

David Rose is an avid outdoorsman and 

the creator of QuickPhase Pro, a popular 

moon phase software program. The software 

helps you discover the fun and easy 

way to view the phases of the moon and 

increase your fishing catch. 

Source: www.flywaters.co.za

South Africa Moon Calendar November 2011 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 

30 

31 

1 

2 

1stQ 

3 

4 

5 

Sun Rise: 

05:35 

Set : 18:49 

Moon Rise: 

08:33 

Set : 22:58 

6 

Sun Rise: 

05:29 

Set : 18:55 

Moon Set : 

02:44 

Rise: 15:16 

13 

Sun Rise: 

05:24 

Set : 19:01 

Moon Set : 

07:05 

Rise: 21:28 

20 

Sun Rise: 

05:21 

Set : 19:07 

Moon Rise: 

01:32 

Set : 13:58 

27 

Sun Rise: 

05:19 

Set : 19:13 

Moon Rise: 

07:16 

Set : 21:36 

Sun Rise: 

05:34 

Set : 18:50 

Moon Rise: 

09:35 

Set : 23:48 

7 

Sun Rise: 

05:28 

Set : 18:56 

Moon Set : 

03:14 

Rise: 16:09 

14 

Sun Rise: 

05:24 

Set : 19:02 

Moon Set : 

07:58 

Rise: 22:16 

21 

Sun Rise: 

05:21 

Set : 19:08 

Moon Rise: 

02:09 

Set : 15:03 

28 

Sun Rise: 

05:19 

Set : 19:14 

Moon Rise: 

08:20 

Set : 22:24 

Sun Rise: 

05:33 

Set : 18:51 

Moon Rise: 

10:37 

8 

Sun Rise: 

05:28 

Set : 18:56 

Moon Set : 

03:45 

Rise: 17:02 

Moon Apogee 

15 

Sun Rise: 

05:23 

Set : 19:02 

Moon Set : 

08:54 

Rise: 23:00 

22 

Sun Rise: 

05:20 

Set : 19:08 

Moon Rise: 

02:48 

Set : 16:11 

29 

Sun Rise: 

05:18 

Set : 19:14 

Moon Rise: 

09:23 

Set : 23:05 

18:39 

Sun Rise: 05:32Sun 

Rise: 

Set : 18:52 05:31 

Set : 18:52 

Moon Set : 

00:31 

Rise: 11:37 

9 

Moon Set : 

04:18 

Rise: 17:56 

Moon Set : 

01:09 

Rise: 12:35 

10 

FULL 

22:19 


Rise: 

Set : 18:57 05:26 

Set : 18:58 

16 

Moon Set : 

09:52 

Rise: 23:41 

Moon Set : 

04:54 

Rise: 18:50 

17 


Rise: 

Set : 19:03 05:22 

Set : 19:04 

23 

Moon Rise: 

03:31 

Set : 17:21 

Moon Set : 

10:52 

24 


Rise: 

Set : 19:09 05:20 

Set : 19:10 

30 

Moon Rise: 

04:19 

Set : 18:31 

Moon Perigee 

1 

Sun Rise: 

05:31 

Set : 18:53 

Moon Set : 

01:43 

Rise: 13:30 

11 

Sun Rise: 

05:26 

Set : 18:59 

Moon Set : 

05:33 

Rise: 19:44 

18 

3rdQ 

17:11 

Sun Rise: 

05:22 

Set : 19:05 

Moon Rise: 

00:19 

Set : 11:52 

25 

NNEW 

08:12 

Sun Rise: 

05:19 

Set : 19:11 

Moon Rise: 

05:13 

Set : 19:39 

Solar Eclipse 

2 

1stQ 


Rise: 

11:53 

Sun Rise: 

Set : 19:15 05:18 05:18 

Moon Rise: 

Set : 19:16 Set : 19:17 

10:23 Moon Rise: Moon Set : 

Set : 23:42 11:21 00:14 

Rise: 12:16 

Sun Rise: 

05:30 

Set : 18:54 

Moon Set : 

02:14 

Rise: 14:23 

12 

Sun Rise: 

05:25 

Set : 19:00 

Moon Set : 

06:17 

Rise: 20:37 

19 

Sun Rise: 

05:21 

Set : 19:06 

Moon Rise: 

00:56 

Set : 12:54 

26 

Sun Rise: 

05:19 

Set : 19:12 

Moon Rise: 

06:12 

Set : 20:41 

3 

Sun Rise: 

05:18 

Set : 19:18 

Moon Set : 

00:45 

Rise: 13:10

I'm Trying To Fish Here! 

CASTING LESSONS 

Dullstroom & Johannesburg 

R190 p/p per hour 

Year round 

Whether you have never picked up a fly rod in your life before, 

and are off trout fishing, or want to fine tune your Spey 

casting skills before your big international trip, our team of 

instructors and guides can help. 

Jono, Mark and Derek are all internationally certified instructors for single 

handed and double handed rods from trout to salmon and through to 

saltwater. 

We can manage groups of 1-100, depending on your needs, and can 

arrange casting lessons for just a half hour, or an entire weekend out. 

Single handed casting instruction is held mostly on stillwaters either in 

Johannesburg or Dullstroom, while our Spey casting clinics and lessons 

are held on the Vaal river. Let us know what you are after, and we can 

tailor make the lesson to fit. 

Fly casting instruction, including a theory lesson on fly selection, basic 

entomology (insects that the trout eat) and practical fly fishing techniques 

starts at R95 for 30minutes introduction on the lawn in front of the Dullstroom 

store. 

For our Johannesburg based clients, a more advanced lesson can be 

privately arranged for individuals or groups. Starting at R380/hour for 

beginner to advanced casting, gear testing and double haul techniques. 

We can meet you at a convenient venue of your choice, whether its your 

office park, back garden or a local school field. We of course can host you 

on our own waters as well, so just contact us to make your bookings. 

For more information and bookings go to www.flyfishing.co.za 

These photos were send by Peter Arderne 

It’s Official! 

The SFA SA 

Fly Fishing 

Film and 

Photographic 

Competition is 

now open! With 

prizes from 

Shilton, TFO, 

Oakley, Senqu 

and Fishient up 

for grabs and a 

deadline date for 

the 28th February 

2012 there 

is plenty of time 

for you to get out 

there and get the 

shot! 

On The Scene 

Archive footage 

is more than 

welcome. We 

are also pleased to announce that South African 

Fly Fishing legend Tom Sutcliffe will be our Photographic 

Judge. 

For more details and entry form downloads 

please visit the following sites: 

www.safarifilm.co.za or www.flyfishers.co.za 

Okay, I give up - we can play, I can fish anytime...

PLACES TO BE 

MOUTAIN TROUT LODGE 

In the mountainous escarpment at the edge of the beautiful 

Mpumalanga Highveld lies a peaceful guest farm, Moutain Trout 

Lodge. Situated on the R38 between Carolina & Badplaas, a mere 

2.5 hours from Pretoria and Johannesburg, the lodge offer the 

ideal getaway from the stresses and strains of life. 

Their trout fishing facilities cater for all, from beginners to 

professional fly fishermen. They offer 4 well stocked trout dams 

and a beautiful 1.5km of river fishing along the Seekoeispruit, a 

perenial river running through the whole farm. 

Mountain Trout Lodge offers comfortable, upmarket self catering 

cottages and houses, as well as Fisherman’s cottages which 

overlook the beautiful Homestead dam. 

For further pictures and information please go to 

www.mountaintroutlodge.com. For bookings and enquiries please 

contact Lisa on 072 207 9924 or at lisa@cradletrout.com 

FLY-FISHING AT KLOOFZICHT 

LODGE (MULDERSDRIFT) 

The Lodge overlooks six exquisite fly-fishing dams and the 

lower reaches of the Blaauwbank Spruit, as it meanders 

through the unspoilt Zwartkops gorge. The dramatic scenery, 

natural vegetation and the abundant wildlife set the mood. 

A fly-fishing experience of a lifetime awaits you at Kloofzicht 

Lodge in Mulderdrift, be you pro or novice. 

Trout, bass, carp and the ever-elusive yellow fish will provide 

you with hours of entertainment and the opportunity to relax 

and unwind. 

Website: 

http://www.sa-venues.com/visit/kloofzichtlodge/ 

Source: www.sa-venues.com 

FLY FISHING AT TILLIETUDLEM 

TROUT FARM (DARGLE) 

Some of the finest private fly fishing waters on the Midlands 

Meander! 

Tillietudlem offers exceptional and exclusive fly fishing for Rainbow 

and Brown trout, plus indigenous Yellow fish, in 5 dams and the 

Eland’s river. 

The waters are managed for trophy fishing with fish in excess of 

4kg, and a catch and release policy. 

Guided fishing and fly-fishing clinics are available by prior 

arrangement. 

The Upper Dargle area is renowned for being one of the best trout 

fishing locations in South Africa due to the pristine water and high 

altitude, up to 2 000m. Enjoy some of the country’s best fly fishing in 

a tranquil natural environment. 

Website: 

http://www.sa-venues.com/visit/tillietudlem/ 

Source: www.sa-venues.com 

SANI VALLEY FLY-FISHING 

AND GAME LODGE 

The main 260 acre lake is well stocked with trout and offers 

excellent fly-fishing opportunities with brown and rainbow trout 

ranging from 1 pound to 12 pounds. 

Sani Valley is the perfect spot for boating and swimming. The lake 

has a dugout edge so there is no need to wade through reeds and 

slush. There are a number of boats available for guests to use 

(fishing or leisurely cruises). Guests can either opt for a motor for 

their boat or they can utilise oars. (Boats & motors are an optional 

extra) If fishing boats aren’t for you, then you can try out one of the 

Kayak canoes. 

Go to www.places.co.za to read more about the Lodge.

2011 National Fly Fishing Championships: 

Salt water fly fishing in Barcelona (2011)

Fly Fishing Strawberry Reservoir September 

2011 for big cutthroat and rainbow trout : 

Salmon Fishing Scotland Salmon Fly 

Fishing on the Tay October 2011:

Albright Special: 

Surgeons Knot: 

Perfection Knot: 

Know Yo

ur Knots 

Blood Knot: 

Photo By Franscois Botha 

Nail Knot: 

Dropper Knot:

October 2011 Vaal River Report 

On 14 October, Rick King, Steve 

James and Myself went to a 

venue about 10km’s down from 

Parys. A beautiful day at my 

favorite spot, probably in the world! Fish 

were very active, basically all over and the 

spawning of Yellowfish was evident, as 

thrashing tails and fins were seen in the 

rocky shallow runs. Awesome sight! Even 

the freshwater staffies (Mudfish) were 

abundant and doing their thing… 

We managed to catch quite a few Smallmouth, 

ranging between 2 – 4kg (good 

breeding stock) and even two Largemouth 

Yellows. All released quickly after a good 

observation. The water was fairly murky, about 

25cm visibility and did not smell bad at all that 

day, although there has been reports of bad 

water, probably due to the unmanaged 

sewerage plants….. 

It is great to report some positive for our beloved 

fish; however, there is still concern on the 

quantity of fish that remain and the condition, 

viewed closely. If I go back 10 years or so, on 

a day like that with 20 being the number I work 

off; 20 deg water temp, 20 cumecs water flow 

and 20cm visibility. Landing between 60 and 80 

fish in one day was common, for me anyway. 

14th Oct 6 – 10 years ago 

No Photoshop here, You be the judge? 

Fish Snares: 

I have often come across these things! That day I destroyed 3 in one area. 

We do try educate the locals if caught fishing with these but I feel for them, 

eating fish from this water. Hunger and thirst is another reason to make things 

right in this water system, as well as Yellowfish conservation and ethics. 

That day we managed to land around 18, 

losing a quite few on top of that. 

Then if I compare the condition of the fish 

between 10 and 6 years ago, caught during 

the same time of year, same venue, and 

now, there is a difference! Rick King says 

that he has never seen the Yellows look as 

black. Then, on the fins and body the red 

spots are evident; I still need confirmation on 

this abnormality? The black spots or cysts 

were also there on a few of them. I have 

older photo pictures but not very clear, these 

are the best ones I could find:

Trip Checklist 

If you plan to go on a Fly Fishing Trip, here 

is some valuable travel information that will 

make your fishing vacation so much more 

enjoyable. Always try to make use of a travel 

service that specializes in fishing and that they 

provide fishing guides. 

A fishing guide is essential, especially if you 

did not fish your destination waters before and 

therefore want to arrange for guided fishing. 

Check with your travel service what the fishing 

lodge will provide for the duration of your fishing 

trip. 

Does it include a fly fishing guide? Will it also 

include fly fishing equipment? I suggest that 

you buy some books with specific information 

concerning the fishing destination you intend to 

visit and familiarize yourself. 

Here is a checklist that you can use when 

preparing for your fishing trip. 

Essential Fishing gear 

• Fly rod plus a spare rod in the same weight 

for the intended fishing destination. 

• Fly reels plus the correct lines plus spare 

reels and lines in the covers for safe storage. 

• Fishing flies in Fly Boxes, Fly floatant plus a 

hook sharpener. 

• Leaders, tippets and super glue (make sure 

that you acquire fresh spools). 

• Well worn wading boots (remember to take 

spare laces). 

• Polaroid glasses to protect your eyes against 

glare. 

• Wide-brimmed hat ( long-billed cap comes 

highly recommended). 

• Landing net, stripping basket and wading 

staff. 

• Fly vest or fanny pack depending on the 

waters you intend to fish. 

• Clippers and a Fishing knife (I use a old 

Leatherman PST II). 

Additional Fishing gear 

Winter or Cold fishing: 

• Breathable waders. 

• Fleece, layered and quick drying clothing. 

• Waterproof or breathable jackets with hood 

and Velcro wrist locks. 

Summer or Tropical fishing: 

• Wading shoes and sunglasses 

• Light, quick drying uv protected clothing. 

• Water bottle plus sachets of sportsman drink. 

Source: http://www.flyfishinginformation.net/ 

Fly_Fishing_Trip_Checklist.html

TCFF Sterkfontein Experience 

Date: 25 - 27 November 

Where: Sterkfontein Dam, Harrismith, Free 

State. 

Open to the public, limited to 60 anglers. 

Contact: Ivan Davidson, Tel: 012 371-3915 

1st Mpumalanga Fly Fishing 

Association AGM & Prize Giving 

Venue: Belfast Fly Fishing Ass. Clubhouse 

Date: Saturday, 12th November 2011 

Contact: Andre du Plessis 

E-mail: andredp11@yahoo.com 

Tel: 082 376 8150 

Haenertsburg Trout Assoc. Centenary 

Venue: Broederstroom River & 8 club dams 

Starts: Friday, 11th November 2011 

Ends: Sunday, 13th November 2011 

Contact: Zamps & Andre 

E-mail: gmzamps@mweb.co.za & 

loutrec@wo.co.za 

Tel: 082 445 8070 & 082 570 2782 

Matatiele Festival & Competition 

Venue: Matatiele Mountain Lake 

Starts: Saturday, 12th November 2011 

Ends: Sunday, 13th November 2011 



Contact: Shane 

E-mail: shane@sondelastore.co.za 

Tel: 083 299 4996 

RIO Expert Comes To South Africa 

Xplorer FlyFishing is bringing Simon 

Gawesworth, RIO Products' 

International Marketing Manager, to South 

Africa this November. 

Date: 14 November 

Where: Kingfisher Canoe Club 

Spey casting demonstration on the Umgeni 

River and presentation on fly line development. 

Open to the public. 

Contact: Jandi Trading, Tel: 031 564 7368 


Where: StreamX, Milnerton Ridge, Cape Town 

Book signing. 


Contact: Jandi Trading, Tel: 031 564 7368 


Where: Mavungana Flyfishing will be hosting 

Simon for a talk, followed by a book signing and 

dinner at the Illovo Square Centre. 

Open to the public. Seats are limited. 

Contact: Jonathan Boulton, Cell: 082 573 3624 


Where: Mavungana/Xplorer/St Stithians 

Johannesburg Fly Fishing Festival held at 

St Stithians College. 


Contact: Jandi Trading, Tel: 031 564 7368. 

Photo By Franscois Botha

All fish species have different 

external characteristics that 

make them who and what 

they are. Many species of fish 

exibit remarkable variation in 

physical shape within a single species, like 

the smallmouth yellowfish, in which mouth 

shape varies considerably according to 

the fish`s individual food preferance and 

habitat. Other families of fish have two or 

more species that can barely be told apart 

by external characteristics, for example the 

dusky cob and its nearly identical cousin, 

the silver cob. 

FIRST, THE OBVIOUS 

Of the eight known species of black bass, 

largemouth and smallmouth bass are by far 

the most successful. While it is true that the 

largemouth bass sports the largest jaws of 

them all, the rest of the family have very 

similar jaw dimensions. 

THE FINS 

Fins are vulnerable appendages. They`re 

often worn and torn, and for this reason 

one of the more effective ways to ID your 

bass is often lost. If however your fish has 

been looking after his fins, you will be able 

to spot another identifying characteristic. 

Least conspicuous, 

perhaps, is the fact that the soft rayed portions 

of the fins are larger in smallmouths 

than in largemouths. 

COLOUR 

As mentioned, many fish show physical 

variations within the species. In terms of 

colour, black bass are no exception. 

Smallmouth bass are often referred to as 

Bronzebacks, or brown bass, while the 

largemouth, I guess for want of a better 

nickname, are sometimes called greenies. 

DOES SIZE MATTER? 

Most species of black bass have 

basically the same potential for 

growth. On average, 

black bass 

reach their 

maximum size at 

about three 

kilograms. Fish of 

this size are few 

and far 

between, though, 

and in most locations 

you 

earn bragging 

rights if you catch 

a fish of 

between one and 

a half and two kilos. 

The size any 

fish will reach is influenced by a great variety 

of factors, such as availability of food and the 

fish`s ability to catch it, the size of the population, 

the speed of the current it lives in and the 

actual size of the body of water it makes its 

home. 

THE CLINCHER 

The fact is, once you can recognise the most 

often overlooked, and yet the most distinctive 

physical difference between bronzebacks and 

their flabby cousins, you can forever ignore 

every one of the traits outlined above. 

Smallmouth on the left, 

largemouth on the right 

This fish shows the vertical striping 

only seen in smallmouth bass 

The next time you catch a bass, have a close 

look at his gill plates. If the scales on the cheeks 

are only slightly smaller than those on the rest of 

the body, you have in your hands a largemouth 

bass. 

The more you catch of both species, the clearer 

the differences become. You will even start 

noticing that, especially in rivers, you won`t often 

catch both species in the same kind of water, or 

off the same kind of structure. 

THE THIRD WHEEL 

Every rule has an exception. If one day you 

find that the fish you pulled out of the water has 

both a dark lateral stripe and fine scales on the 

cheeks, then you have caught a spotted bass, 

the third and apparently least successful of the 

black bass species introduced into South African 

waters. 

To read more and see more images click here 

http://www.flytalk.co.za/readArticle.php?p_id=51 

Source: www.flytalk.co.za

THE BROUGHTON 

REPORT ISSUE 6 

Brought to you by: The Institute Of Retail Risk 

Keeping The Sporting Goods Buyer In Touch 

Sports Goods 

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Know Your Knots - Flyfishingtails

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