News from Jan at The Kingfisher in Pietermaritzburg: “So after a couple of ‘false’ forecasts, we finally had some weather pulling in this week … but from the early disruptive warnings and forecasts, it stepped off the pedal, and the weather cleared more quickly than was initially forecast.
While there has been half-decent rain in The Midlands (around 20-25 mm on average) and some light snow on the nearby ‘Berg, the rivers are in need of some more to get a proper flow going and get the fish moving about.
After the initial rush to the rivers for the opening of the river trout season, it seems that anglers have taken a step back and the wait is on for rain.
The upper reaches are reportedly still low and thin in places, and hopping between the deeper sections is required to find fish. The lower beats generally hold more water, and there have been some good fish reported on the Natal Fly Fishers Club beats on both the Bushmans River and Umgeni River in The Dargle.
The Bushmans is running crystal clear at present, which may result in spooking fish, so a stealthy approach is required especially for the open pools … while fish in the riffles and runs are less spooky.
Dry and dropper is again proving to be the method of choice, the fish being able to choose their morsel from the surface or in the current. Reports note fish of up to 15-inches, or just shy of 40 cm being brought to hand.
Again, anglers are getting stuck into the rivers, with only a few reports coming from the stillwaters.
The largest fish reported from an NFFC stillwater for the last week has been around the 16-inch / 40 cm mark.
On the bass front, word from the water is that both Albert Falls and Midmar Dams are on fire. Fish are in full spawn and feeding up a storm, literally taking anything put in front of them, both hard and soft baits.
Now isn’t that the kind of news any angler wants hear! Local angler Arshud Maiter managed to find himself a bucketmouth while fishing a five-inch Senko wacky rig in Alberts Falls Dam that pulled the scale to 5,6 kg — a proper dinosaur that … Congrats that man!
This fish puts him currently at the top of the Keepnet Classics table, with the next fish sitting at 4,52 kg. The bank anglers are also doing well at Alberts with some fine fish coming to hand. Midmar is also producing some solid fish, one tipping the scales at 4,41 kg in the last week. We don’t hear much from Mearns Dam but a report this last week noted some excellent fish from this piece of water.
Great to see so many good fish coming to hand … dare I say that it looks like there is a solid season ahead. If it’s bass info you are after, stop by the shop and come and chat to Michael — our resident ‘Bass Brother’.
He has been spending almost every minute out of the shop on the water, and has been clocking up the catches at a rate of knots, and will be sure to give you up-to-the-minute advice. Give him a shout on Instagram by following “@thebassbrother”.
Back to the rivers and the scaly (Natal Yellowfish) are still providing some bent rods. The colder weather this week will have put them down for a wee bit, but as soon as the sun is back, they will be out and about.
Most popular technique in use at present is Euro Nymphing — being bottom feeders, one usually needs to get the fly / lure down to them, but surface action on a dry fly is not unheard of … something which I still need to add to my catch log. Tight lines and screaming reels!”
• Please send any info about fishing or fish caught in your area to mike.pereira@kingfisher.co.za.
Credit: Source link
