It’s not often you get given the “job” of exploring remote valleys to find trout in seldom fished rivers. When Luke Pannell and fellow guide Ruhan Kruger went to Lesotho, they found all that, plus mythical water-beasts, runaway donkeys, midnight cowboys and more. Full story in issue 34 of The Mission. For as long as [...]
Old Sterkies hand? Then there’s a good chance this article will make you yawn and mutter something along the lines of, “No shit Sherlock”. But that’s alright because, as one of the uninitiated, Tudor Caradoc-Davies put this together with fellow Sterkies neophytes in mind. It’s for Noobs, like him, who have just never made a [...]
So I've been dreaming about a yellowfish fly fishing mission to the tropical parts of Africa for some time now, where - as Ed Truter recommended - one may need a short, '6 ft fly rod' to cast under a canopy of low-hanging trees. The higher reaches of African rivers can be very bushed in [...]
Battling musical earworms from Grease, Platon Trakoshis gets to grips with some hyper-spooky Berg River carp. DAY 1 I had just come back from the river after messing up a couple of takes like a complete rookie. Having spotted some tanks on my dog walk the day before I decided to head down for a [...]
If you take the time to do the math, there's a ridiculous multi-product offer on the table that will: a) result in money going to a very good cause (the Red Cross Children's Hospital); and b) see one lucky bugger walk away with some fantastic gear AND a great trip. ITEM 1: A one-of-a-kind one-piece, [...]
A public consultation notification about manganese and iron ore mining prospects in the Cederberg (in the Twee River and Leeu River confluence area to be specific) is doing its rounds at the moment. A company called 'Orren Capital (PTY) Ltd' is planning to prospect for these mining activities in an area with scarce indigenous species, [...]
Whereas I won’t be caught dead driving fifteen minutes to target 40cm leeries, I’ll drive hours to hunt smallstream trout. In my favourite stream a 40cm trout is absolutely a trophy. It’s weird. Perhaps I just have different ideas of what good fishing entails in salt water as opposed to fresh, but then why do [...]
The Orange River surged in popularity over the last two years as more anglers than ever discovered what a gem we have right here in South Africa. With that came problems, as Ewan Naude points out in issue 32. How we manage it will dictate the future of this special fishery. I’ve been very [...]
I've been playing with a new rod and reel combo, a Moonshine Epiphany 10'6" 3 wt (to get yours in RSA, contact Stream and Sea) and a pewter-coloured Predator 4/5 reel (tiny for its size, perfectly suitable for a 3 wt outfit) and it just feels so good. The rod is long and strong, so [...]
Exploring remote valleys with no paths, no reception and no easy way in or out, three anglers throw caution to the wind, extend a middle finger to the slow rot of age and bundu-bash their way to great fishing. This story by Conrad Botes is from issue 32 of The Mission. Photos by Paul Botes. [...]
