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THE COUNTRY’S BEST SIGHT FISHERY
Does the thought of sight casting for yellows on Sterkfontein Dam appeal to
you? Join us again at Qwantani for our annual Yellowfish clinics, and up your
game targeting free rising yellows on the dry fly.
Spend 2-5 days fishing this pristine and challenging fishery with our team of
experienced guides and instructors. The renowned Qwantani resort will be
your home for this stay. You will meet daily in the Mavungana custom built
flyfishing skiff, stopping at productive areas to sight fish, mainly on dry fly, for
our renowned inland ‘golden bonefish’. Cystal clear water, strong fish, small
flies, probably one of the best fisheries our lovely country has to offer.
STERKFONTEIN DAM, GUIDED YELLOWS
A typical day:
-Arrive afternoon / evening. Fish the evening rise and get warmed up for your
stay, chat to the guides, get gear rigger and ready. Enjoy a cold beer or cocktail
and leisurely meal that evening and discussions on the days fishing
ahead.
- Mornings. Rise at dawn, signature filter coffee and homemade rusks, and
then drive down to the Qwantani moorage. Depending upon weather and
prevailing winds, the boat ride could be a short 5 minute hop, to a lengthy run
to the well known Quarry. A maximum of 4 anglers in this clinic will walk the
shore under the supervision of Mavungana guides (2 anglers per guide),
spotting and casting to trophy smallmouth and largemouth Yellowfish in deep
gin clear water. Return for a late hearty brunch, rest and retying of leaders.
Depart for the afternoon session, fishing hard til the sun slips below the pictur -
esque sandstone mountains.
- Next day. Do it all over again, fish fish fish.
- Final day. Fish the morning rise, enjoy a leisurely brunch, then depart.
Location: Qwantani, Sterkfontein, KZN
Dates:
28 Feb - 2 March 2014
4 April - 6 April 2014
11 April - 13 April 2014
Cost: R 2 250 person/day/sharing
Includes: Fishing, Accommodation, meals,
fuel boat and guiding
Excludes: Transport and Alcohol
Other: Limited to 4 rods
Gear: 4 - 6 wt rods, floating lines
Contact: info@flyfishing.co.za or call on
+27 13 254 0270 / +27 11 268 5850
WWW.FLYFISHING.CO.ZA

YELLOW FISH CLINICS AT STERKFONTEIN DAM, QANTANI RESORT, NATAL
Directions:
From Joburg/Pretoria get on the N3 South heading to Durban take the Harrismith
turnoff. From Harrismith towards Qwa Qwa on R712, past the Bergville turn-off.
West of the dam wall at the top of the hill turn South onto S20, a gravel road for 7
km. Turn left onto a tar road at the Qwantani sign and continue slowly for 11 km on
scenic road to Qwantani gate house. The resort is a further 3 km.
Check in Time:
Check in time is at 2pm. Make sure we have notified you of the unit number.
Routine and options
It’s your holiday – whatever you like! Our normal day is up at dawn, coffee and rusks
and out onto the water. There will be a cooler for the boat, ensure your water and
cooldrinks come down with you and you are well suntan creamed up.
We will return for the ubiquitous fry up brunch, but if the wind has been getting up in
the afternoon and the forecast dictates, we will take snacks on the water and stay
out as long as possible before inclement weather drives us off.
Fishing Modus Operandi:
All being equal and conditions perfect: one pulls into a bay or stops on a point, parks
the boat, guide and anglers come over the crest of the hill to find shoals of feeding
yellows in easy casting range - however fishing being fishing this is not always the
case! In this instance the guide may well spend some time walking and looking for
fish and then may well go off in the boat in search of other productive areas, instruct -
ing the anglers as to which direction to walk and carry on fishing – Listen to these
details. If the guide finds fish and wants to quickly pick you up to get to them or
weather is coming in he should know exactly where you are and not have to burn up
and down the lake shore in search of you.
The group will be broken in teams so as to maximise fish hunting and covering
water. If you are left alone search hard, if there is no activity evident conceal yourself
at a likely looking spot and wait for patrolling fish to come past. Don’t sulk or fall
asleep in the grass, the other team will be fishing hard for you too!
Fishing tips:
Keep a low profile, use long grass and rocks as cover. Minimise your false casting.
Lead fish well ( cast well in front, not on top of them!)
Safety on the water:
Sterkfontein is a massive body of water, the weather can turn at the flick of a switch,
we have all been fishing it for over 20 year and have seen many a boat come a crop -
per. If the guide comes towards you with the boat urgently and signals time to leave
do not dilly dally, reel up, pick up anything you might have left in the grass and imme -
diately get to a point where you can easily be picked up; not with meters of shallows
in front of you or on the windward side of a rocky point where the boat will be pushed
onto sharp rocks.
Safety while fishing:
While walking keep an eye out for snakes. In rocky, cliff areas make sure your foot
hold is steady and there are no rocks. When stepping down to the water line beware
of slippery rocks. If it looks wet, it is!

Flyfishing equipment list:
(Mavungana recommendation in Italics)
- 4 or 5 weight rods – good quality FAST ACTION 9 foot or 10 foot can be helpful for
casting with long grass behind, 2 rods are handy one set up with a dry adn the other
with dry dropper or 2 nymphs. – Orvis Helios, Sage One, Hardy Sintrix
- Good quality matching reel, large arbor nice for quick line pick up if fish turns and
swims back towards you – Orvis Hydros, Shilton LA, Steakth SLA and Sage Click.
- Top end floating line in drab colour – Lee Wulff TT (olive), Rio Gold (olive), Airflo
Ridge line ( Lichen Green).
- Slow sink or intemdiate with sink tips for poor weather conditions and searching for
largies in deeper water.
- 12 foot leaders mono or flouro – Lee Wulff, Airflo, Greys or Rio
- Variety of tippet mono and flouro down to 2.5 pound- Lee Wulff, Airflo, Greys or Rio
- Assortment of nymphs dries and cdc emergers for small mouths:
F-Fly x 5, CDC Ant x 5, Brown Beetle x 3, Stimulator x 3, Daves Hopper x 3, Para -
chute Hopper x 3, Klinkhammer Black x 3, Klinkhammer Olive x 3, Shabby Caddis x
2. Conehead W buggers, strip leaches and Zonkers for largies.
- Top quality polarised sunglasses and spare pair - Costa, Oakley, Smith
- Dry fly floatant, leader sinket solution – Loon Aquel, Airflo repel, Snake River Mud.
- Forceps, nippers, zinger, hook hone, flydrier, leader straightner.
- Soft mesh landing net – Maclean or Xplorer scale net.
- Quick dry technical pants and shirts drab colours – Columbia
- Good quality aquasole wading boots or hiking boots - Simms, Chota
- Wide brimmed or peak cap – Columbia Bora, Bora Booney
- Sun gloves – Stealth or Columbia
- Quality lightweight breathable rain jacket – Simms or Columbia
- Quality waterproof bag for camera and rain jacket – Columbia, Pacific Outdoors,
Xplorer.
- Digital camera, binoculars and bird book.