An important part of any days fishing is one’s ability to hit the mark – whether it’s getting up on time, or landing the fly in critical spot.

Fishing for Sandsharks is not as simple task as it’s often made out to be – one doesn’t just walk onto a flat and hook up. They can be surprisingly difficult and more often than not, they expect to have lunch delivered to them – you need to present in a small area right in the zone.

This coupled with the fact that the combination of wind, tide and sun needs to be right can make guiding for them quite a challenge. I tend to find that I’m buggered after a day of guiding on the flats of Langebaan. Long hot dry days – no tropical humidity here – and a continuous strain on eyes while engaging the client in conversation makes for a Red Bull being needed before the 2hr drive home.

That being said, I love how clients so often rise to the occasion; Hamish, while a great distance caster – he regularly fishes for Tigerfish in the Zambezi – struggled coming to grips with the accuracy needed when presenting to a Sandie. He most certainly walked off the flats having added a new dimension and understanding of fly fishing. He was quite excited about applying them to his fishing back at home – both for Tigers and big Zimbabwean trout in the Eastern Highlands.

I was very clearly reminded that an eagerness to learn will only improve your own fishing.