This is a follow-up post on Dubious Distinctions, going into more detail about how I catch carp on fly in the Western Cape. I put emphasis on the Western Cape as carp seem to be a lot more reserved, generally taking smaller patterns, in the waters of this province. This is as technical as I [...]
I have friends that boulder non-stop; even after getting injured. When a finger is tweaked or a leg hurt the zinc oxide tape is wrapped around the finger or limb for tendon or muscle support and climbing continues. When they chat they talk about bouldering; when they take a photograph it involves a boulder, someone [...]
I find it strange how quickly one’s perception of ‘good fishing conditions’ changes when you learn something new about fish behaviour. Total confidence in my ability to predict good fishing days was doomed by forced outings in ‘bad’ weather due to a serious lack in free time of late. Balmy, sunny days (according to the [...]
“No entry”. I drove around the bay to the next access point and it was fenced off with a barbed wire barrier that would stop a zombie brigade. My heart sank. I had been fishing Theewaterskloof Dam’s shoreline for more than two decades and had to wave goodbye to some of my favourite and best [...]
I sat in the sun, uncomfortable amongst poking sticks. A few carp, maybe five, were feeding hard stirring up a mud cloud below my perch on the high bank; but instead of casting I was trying to untangle my fly line from a mesh of twigs. These things can test one’s patience, but the fish [...]
Do you remember your first time? Perfect? Don’t come talk shit here. It never is, more likely it was something of an awkward encounter with more fumbles than fondles. Short-lived too, most probably. A bit of a blur… In the moment you forget everything your mates told you, what you’d read. Or seen in movies! [...]
Above: Russell De La Harpe casting a Falloon into the vast Brandvlei. As an update to my first post on Falloons and the trip to the Orange River above Augrabies, I’d like to list some of the fish species that have been caught on these flies in the meantime. When I tied the Falloon it seemed [...]
Most of my knowledge about fish, their habits and the foodstuffs, including real and fake food (lures), they respond to comes from bait and art lure fishing. These were fishing disciplines I enjoyed until fly fishing took over my interest in catching fish when I was a student. It was not an easy transition and [...]
On the Highveld our warm season has been a case of famine or feast. Spring didn't last long as the drought conditions put strain on the streams and the fish. Even our tailwater fishery below the Barrage took strain. One fish that's not put off by low flows and high temps are carp. They regularly popped [...]
We went Carping because the meteorologists were anticipating a horrendous storm. The majority of our usual spots were forecast to be rained out and blown out. If we would brave the weather we'd do it close enough to home that it wouldn't be too much of a run back with our tails between our legs. [...]
