Myself and two friends were out at the swartvlei river in the wee hours of saturday morning flyfishing and looking for some large leerie (Garrick) known to be lurking around in the estuary .
After a few hours of casting to no avail we soldiered on to different deep holes in search of fish holding at the bottom.
We were aware of the clouds covering the blue sky that we knew we would never see but we weren't bothered by that.
We were planning of some rain but it was spring tide so we couldn't care less. we just knew that would be the best time to catch a big fish.
At around 8AM the drizzle came but we carried on till it stopped. then a crash in the clouds got our attention mainly because the graphite rods we were holding were like little lightning rods begging the lightning to strike . its like holding a target on your ass in front of a firing squad!!
So we immediately put the rods down and chased like hell to get back to the launch area but we didn't even get one hundred meters before rain drops almost forming hailstones started pouring on us.
We ditched the idea of getting to the launch for it was way too far from where we were so we decided to find cover under the road bridge. So we stuck around listening to the gunshots in the sky and realized there was no more water to get back because the spring low had set and there was no route out so even if the rain settled for a minute there was no way to get the boat through. So we had to stick it out.
The two of our girlfriends were notified that we were stranded and they set into action by getting together and driving through with hot flasks of coffee and tea, towels, warm clothes and buying Steers for the three of us , dropped it off at the bridge, gave us a kiss and drove back home. Need i say more about how great my girlfriend is?
So after being stranded for seven hours there was enough water to get through to the launch area and get the hell outta there!
Monday, 26 March 2012
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Flyfishing in sedgefield's "swartvlei" estuary
My good friend and i have been fly fishing the estuaries in and around the garden route for quite some time now with not much coming to offer until we finally decided to take a real early morning out to the swartvlei river in Sedgefield, Western cape, South Africa.
My friend Kyle came to pick me up at 4am one Saturday morning to get a good start to the day so we can get the most from this new area. Along the way we start talking and deciding what flies and rods to use for our expedition.
After an hours drive we reached our destination and started offloading his 3.5m rubber duck and my 7hp outboard motor into the river in the pitch black morning with nothing but little LED headlights.
After the motor and fuel tank were all setup we started rigging our rods. Myself with an old 8 weight rod with my uncle's wonderful Penn International reel and an intermediate line, a 5 weight redington rod and reel with a floating line.
Kyle had his 9 weight rod and reel with a intermediate line.
Still before dawn we decide to put on a few different colour clouser patterns to see which works best. Thank god we did because those fish were picky.
Kyle opted for a green clouser while i took the white and chartreuse pattern with incredibly different reactions from the fish. the little buggers wouldn't touch the green clouser but as soon as the white one got in the water you were sure there was going to be a fish on the other end of that rod.
Cast after cast the leerfish were taking to the white.
so kyle also opted for a similar patterned clouser and we were smacking them until we were too tired from the full day's expedition.
after that early morning session we are addicted to swartvlei and the abundance of leerfish and shad the wonderful river had to offer.
we try and go as often as possible but always on the lookout for the next BIG spot to catch some different species.
Give it a try.
You won't be disappointed
My friend Kyle came to pick me up at 4am one Saturday morning to get a good start to the day so we can get the most from this new area. Along the way we start talking and deciding what flies and rods to use for our expedition.
After an hours drive we reached our destination and started offloading his 3.5m rubber duck and my 7hp outboard motor into the river in the pitch black morning with nothing but little LED headlights.
After the motor and fuel tank were all setup we started rigging our rods. Myself with an old 8 weight rod with my uncle's wonderful Penn International reel and an intermediate line, a 5 weight redington rod and reel with a floating line.
Kyle had his 9 weight rod and reel with a intermediate line.
Still before dawn we decide to put on a few different colour clouser patterns to see which works best. Thank god we did because those fish were picky.
Kyle opted for a green clouser while i took the white and chartreuse pattern with incredibly different reactions from the fish. the little buggers wouldn't touch the green clouser but as soon as the white one got in the water you were sure there was going to be a fish on the other end of that rod.
Cast after cast the leerfish were taking to the white.
so kyle also opted for a similar patterned clouser and we were smacking them until we were too tired from the full day's expedition.
after that early morning session we are addicted to swartvlei and the abundance of leerfish and shad the wonderful river had to offer.
we try and go as often as possible but always on the lookout for the next BIG spot to catch some different species.
You won't be disappointed
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