SA BASS Sep-19 by SABASS

We do not follow, we do not copy – we lead

September 2019

Issue 221

GLIDE

BAITS

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SA BASS Magazine

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Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 08:15 to 16:15

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Contents

Editor:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Assistant Editor:

Philip Kemp - philip@sabass.com

Proof Reader:

John Badenhorst

Senior Writers:

Roger Donaldson, Jay Röhm-Williams, Gordon Brown

Contributors:

Divan Coetzee, Ivan Sonnekus, Gary Peter

International Columnists:

Bertrand Ngim, Clint Skinner, David Swendseid, Curtis Niedermier, TJ Maglio, Matt Williams, Tyler Brinks, Joe Balog, Anthony Hawkswell

REGULARS & FORUMS 06

“Glide baits” Glide baits have blurred the line between the average angler and the trophy guy. The old rules about giant rods and fishing for days between bites are gone – Matt Allen Baits Got Glide

Deps Slide Swimmer 250

Baitsanity Explorer

River2Sea S-Waver 168 Gan Craft 230 River2Sea S-Waver 168

Advertising Manager:

Wilma Lindeque - wilma@sabass.com

Subscriptions:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Digital Subscriptions:

www.magzter.com

Layout and Design:

Storm Deezigns - dee@stormdeezigns.co.za

Distributed by RNA:

Jannie Junius (011) 248 3536

“FLW Cup Winner” Everyone knew it was only a matter of time, and that time is finally now. Bryan Thrift is an FLW Cup champion – Curtis Niedermier

About SA BASS magazine:

SA BASS, which is editorially and financially independent, is a monthly magazine catering exclusively for the bass angling community in Southern Africa. SA BASS is distributed country-wide by RNA to outlets, not only in South Africa, but also in Namibia, Swaziland and Botswana. SA BASS is designed as a specialist bass fishing publication and has catered for a well-defined niche market since April 2001. It enjoys the support and endorsement of non-government organisations, but is not affiliated in any way to these bodies or to any other publishing, environmental or political interest group. Our mission is to promote bass angling as a socially acceptable and popular outdoor recreational activity, and in addition, to encourage acceptable angling ethics. As such, SA BASS provides pertinent information on a wide range of subjects. These include providing a platform for informed debate on issues affecting the sport of bass angling, providing information on bass angling strategies and techniques, bass angling waters and opportunities, and also creating awareness of new products. Within this editorial mix, due consideration is given to developing the 02 SA BASS September 2019

sport among all the country’s people (including the youth), and to the practical conservation of the country’s natural resources. Copyright is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publisher. All enquiries regarding editorial correspondence, manuscripts and photographs should be directed to: editor@sabass.com Address contributions to the editor. Manuscripts, photos and artwork will be handled with care, but their safety cannot be guaranteed. Enclose a stamped, self addressed envelope with all editorial submissions. The publisher and editorial staff are not responsible for researching and investigating the accuracy or copy right of the material provided for publication in SA BASS magazine. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publisher does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Readers are advised to use this information with the understanding that it is at their own risk. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor, editorial staff or SA BASS Society.

“Technicalities of the spawn” We as anglers can benefit greatly by understanding, and correctly interpreting bass behaviour during spawn – Divan Coetzee

How to use QR-codes 1. Open the QR-code reader/scanner app on your smartphone. Most smartphones models often have an app pre-installed. If not, visit your phone’s app store and download the app. 2. Keep a steady hand while the QR-code is centred on the screen. 3. As soon as it is done scanning, whatever information should present itself for your viewing pleasure.

“Secrets: Don’t waste time”

Polarised sunglasses are very beneficial around the spawning season because the activity of life in the shallow depths is so incredible – The Bass Spy

“Cover me” The fishing might start to become easier but during the beginning stages of spawning, bass are still going to be hugging those slightly deeper sections of water closely – Jay Röhm-Williams

39 40

“Swaailemme” Swaailemme is die eintlike aas wat enige hengelaar regdeurr k, die jaar, enige plek, enige diepte kan gebruik en nogsteedss sukses eq behaal – Hannes Lindeque

“Unlawful gillnetting in South Africa”

“Lentetyd is hengeltyd”

I caught up with advocate Bernard Venter in an exclusive interview to find out more about unlawful gillnetting in South Africa’s freshwater systems – Philip Kemp

Een van die belangrikste dinge wat hengelaars moet onthou is dat die vroeglente en lente soms vier seisoene in een kan wees – Philip Kemp

“Pre-spawn & bedding tackle” To increase your chances of catching bass you can choose from some different lures than your plastic variety. Let’s take a look. – Roger Donaldson

“Farm dam tactics and sweet spots” Fishing from the bank requires the same if not more agility and deftness in order to successfully stalk bass. – Roger Donaldson

“Mike Long: a fallen icon” Mike Long – a name synonymous with big bass catches, America’s “best” trophy hunter, exposed! – Divan Coetzee

“Catching with candy” Max and I recently popped into our local candy store to determine which “bait” would work the best – Dylan Wheeler

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

“Bass ‘eye’dentification” In the turbulent worlds of bass and angler there is no difference between how vital vision really is – Jay Röhm-Williams

“Spioenkop Dam on a kaya”

As I approached the rocky sections I tried fishing with a football head jig bouncing off the rocks and crawling on the bottom hoping for that big momma to pick me up – Ivan Sonnekus

04 15 42

MY GOOI Readers-go-Bassing Basics for beginners

INDUSTRY NEWS >> Solly’s Angler’s Corner

TOURNAMENT NEWS >> FLW Cast-for-Cash tournament results – July 2019

“FLW Angler of the Year” Dur During a recent interview I did via telephone t with David Dudley I had the opportunity to find out more about his strategy w whe when n it comes to fishing. – John Badenhorst

ON THE COVER “Matt Allen” Image: FLW Bass Fishing magazine | Tactical Bassin

SA BASS 03 September 2019

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Voor ons enigsins begin, wens ons Bryan Thrift baie geluk met sy onlangse oorwinning by die Forrest Wood Cup op Lake Hamilton. Ons Suid-Afrikaanse FLWhengelaars het laasjaar die voorreg gehad om die man by Lake Guntersville persoonlik te kon ontmoet... Wat ‘n nederige mens om mee te gesels! ‘n Voorbeeld vir baie ander hengelaars wat veel minder as Bryan al bereik het. Teen die tyd wat hierdie uitgawe die rakke tref is die FLW Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Kampioenskappe by Witbankdam aan die gang. Die geleentheid beloof om iets groots te wees en ons hoop om al ons lesers daar te sien. Bring die hele familie saam, want FLW Suid-Afrika in samewerking met The Ridge Casino en Highveld Mall bied iets aan elkeen. Hierdie geleentheid sou nie moontlik wees sonder die ondersteuning van borge nie. Ons bedank elkeen van die borge uit die diepte van ons hart en vra vriendelik dat ons lesers ons borge, en adverteerders, asseblief moet ondersteun. Sonder hulle ondersteuning is daar geen toekoms vir ons sport nie en kan ons nie ons hengelaars en lesers help om hulle drome uit te leef nie. Die tyd waarna elke hengelaar al vir ‘n jaar lank na uitsien, het uiteindelik aangebreek. Die lente is hier en dit beteken dat ons weer kan koeler aantrek en daardie groot visse gaan soek. Maar saam met die pret rus daar ‘n geweldige verantwoordelikheid op elkeen van ons. Hierdie uitgawe is propvol handige artikels van hoe om die visse te benader en uit te oorlê. Daar is ook ‘n bydrae oor ‘n wêreldbekende hengelaar wat uitgevang is dat hy oneerlik was. Dis jammer dat so iets gebeur; nie net oorsee nie, maar ook plaaslik. Volg ons skrywers se raad en vang nou maar die groot visse op ‘n eerbare manier en sorg dat die vis vinnig en veilig teruggeplaas word. Hoe kan jy in elk geval trots voel op jou vangs as jy weet jy was oneerlik? Net so teleurstellend is om te verneem wat besig is om met ons publieke damme te gebeur. As gevolg van die regering se totale onbevoegdheid om misdaad te bekamp, is daar nou ‘n ernstige oorweging om onwettige nette wat skelm in die nag gespan word te wettig, en ons wat betaal om by ‘n oord in te gaan, is die wetsoortreders as ons ‘n swartbaar terug gooi wat ons môre weer wil kom vang. Praat van gat oor kop! Die ironie van alles is dat die meeste vis wat in die nette gevang word, juis die inheemse spesies is wat hulle kamstig wil beskerm. My enigste raad is dat hengelaars nie wet in eie hande moet neem nie. Hoe ook al… laat julle lyne sing. Hannes Lindeque, Uitgewer

04 SA BASS September 2019

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06 SA BASS September 2019

MATT ALLEN ON

GLIDE

Matt Allen and his fishing partner, Tim Little, are well-known big-bass specialists from California who publicize their fishing techniques at TacticalBassin.com and YouTube.com/tacticalbassin.

BAITS

THE “TACTICAL BASSIN” EXPERT BREAKS DOWN A BIG-BASS BAIT THAT HAS TOURNAMENT APPLICATIONS, TOO

lide baits have blurred the line between the average angler and the trophy guy. The old rules about giant rods and fishing for days between bites are gone; glide baits changed all that. They’re putting huge fish in the boat for weekend warriors, tournament pros and big-bass specialists alike. If you enjoy power fishing with a crankbait or jerkbait, you’re a glide bait fisherman in the making. Glide baits represent a wide range of single-jointed swimbaits. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and patterns, but the marked similarities between all include a single joint, no lip, and a slow, rolling “S” action on a steady retrieve.

The Advantage of the Glide

PHOTOS BY TACTICAL BASSIN ILLUSTRATIONS BY KEVIN HAND

A glide bait’s combination of size and action creates incredible drawing power. Even in the smaller 5- to 6-inch offerings, a glide bait can pull bass 10 to 20 feet in clear water to examine the lure. A traditional lure often attracts fish from a few feet away, but an angler with a glide in hand is effectively fishing a larger section of the water. Tournament anglers know covering water is key to finding the right fish. Why not fish a 10- to 20-foot-wide zone on every cast? The second advantage is the size of fish that take notice when a glide bait swims past. Plenty of 1- and 2-pounders are willing to swipe at one, but glide baits can also draw out the biggest fish from the depths. If you’ve ever wondered how big the biggest fish in your lake really are, spend a few days fishing with a glide bait, and chances are they’ll rise up and show themselves.

SA BASS 07 September 2019

While attracting giant fish from a broad area is a great advantage, the real magic behind the glide is its ability to trigger a feeding response. It stands in contrast to most big swimbaits, which have the inherent downside of attracting followers without getting a bite. Seeing giant bass loses its appeal when they fail to bite time and time again. The glide solves this with its ability to get reactive.

Choosing Glide Baits Glides should be broken into two very separate categories: “cover glides” and “open-water glides.” Understanding which style fits your fishing is going to save you a lot of time and money.

cover. Begin a slow, steady retrieve until you reach the cover. When the bait is at the closest point to the cover, give it two short snaps with the reel handle. On the business end of the line, that bait is going to break its methodical cadence and make a quick left and right dart. If there is a bass waiting for the opportunity to ambush, you’re about to experience the power of a cover glide. Because cover glides have tight actions, they tend to make very erratic movements when twitched. It’s very easy to “overwork” these baits and cause them to roll or blow out. To avoid overworking, there are a variety of retrieves to employ when you can’t see the sweet spots along the shore. If I could only choose one retrieve when I’m not targeting specific cover it would be the slow-roll and twitch. Begin by casting out the bait and starting a slow to moderate retrieve. Make four to eight turns of the handle. Use four in shallow water and eight in deeper water. This allows the fish time to approach the bait. Next, give two quick tw itches with the rod tip as if walking a topwater. There is no need to pause after the twitches; simply make another four to eight handle turns and repeat. The idea is to mesmerize the bass with the slow methodical swim, then trigger them with the quick twitches. The bite will almost always come as soon as the second twitch is completed. My belief is that the first

Cover glides (right) have a tighter action and can be made to react with sharper movements. Open-water glides swing out with big, lazy arcs.

1. Cover Glides Cover glides are marked by tight actions and aggressive movements. The River2Sea S-Waver 168 dominates this category with the Gan Craft 178 and a handful of custom brands working as well. Cover glides follow an Smotion when swam slowly and steadily, but may only move 6 to 18 inches from side to side on a slow retrieve. This results in a very reactive bait that stays in the strike zone longer than open-water glides. What makes this style so special is that you can pitch it around cover. Put an S-Waver 168 on your favorite jig rod (I prefer a Shimano Expride 7-foot, 2-inch, heavy rod paired with a Shimano Tranx 200HG reel, 65-pound-test braided line and 8 feet of 20-pound-test mono for the leader) and pitch it along a dock piling or other piece of shallow 08 SA BASS September 2019

A cover glide should be fished near targets and made to react in high-percentage places.

twitch causes the bait to dart sideways, leaving the bait and the bass “looking” at each other. The bass’ cover is now blown, and the next twitch is its only chance to strike before letting the “baitfish” flee. If the bass chooses not to strike, it will almost always vanish back to the depths. Still, this is the single best way to end the follower frustration. 2. Open-Water Glides Open-water glides are the baits you might have been expecting to see in this article. Nearly all 8- to 12-inch baits that cost more than a boat payment will fall into this category, but there are some great budget options as well. The Roman Made Mother, Baitsanity Explorer, Gan Craft 230, S-Waver 200, and Deps Slide Swimmer 250 are all great examples of open-water glide baits. These baits will require a dedicated swimbait rod (I prefer the G. Loomis IMX-PRO 966C SWBR paired with a Shimano Tranx 300HG, 80-pound-test braided line and 8 feet of 30-pound-test mono leader) to fish them

Open-water glides are all about attracting bass from a large area then making them react with well-timed action.

effectively. Lighter equipment can be made to work, but these baits are heavy, and proper equipment will relieve the strain on your body and gear. This category is marked by a very wide, lazy glide. The baits can often move 3 to 5 feet in either direction at very slow speeds, and a properly timed twitch can send them farther still. This action creates an enormous drawing power that will pull huge fish up from virtually any depth. The key to success with this method, however, is visibility, and open-water glides achieve their maximum effectiveness in clear, open water. The wide glide of these larger offerings makes them inherently more difficult to twitch effectively. They do not have the tight darting action of the smaller cover glides and instead will create long, slow glides when pulled or twitched. They’re more difficult to master than their smaller cousins, but once you’ve dialed in the cadence, you can cause the bait to slowly glide off to the side on cue. Triggering a feeding response with an open-water glide is all about timing. Wear polarized sunglasses at all times, and focus on constantly studying the water 5 to 20 feet behind your bait. Most bass will simply appear as a faint shadow in the water until right before they ambush. Spotting them during the ambush is too late; you must study the water for faint approaching shadows. Most “biters” will approach with speed rather than lagging behind at a set distance. If you can spot biters before they reach the bait, you have an excellent chance of catching them. The key in open water is to let the fish get close to the bait before twitching the rod. Without a piece of cover to help corner the lure, the bass is much more hesitant to strike without a perfect angle. Twitch too soon and the bass will have to reset and approach from a different direction. Wait too long and the bass will see the boat. Ideally, wait until the bass is 2 to 4 feet behind the bait and give the bait a single slow twitch. This will cause the bait to drift off to the side and present a perfect target. If the bass comes closer but doesn’t strike, give it one more slow twitch and cross your fingers. This back-and-forth is not for the faint of heart, as we could be talking about you dancing with the largest bass you’ve ever encountered. If she strikes, you’re in for a wild ride, and if she turns away, you know exactly where to try on your next outing. If fish aren’t following or can’t be seen because of the conditions, wind the bait with eight to 10 cranks of the reel, and then give it a couple twitches. The extra cranks gives bass time to track it from across a flat or a bigger structure.

Glides should be broken into two very separate categories: “cover glides” and “open-water glides.” Understanding which style fits your fishing is going to save you a lot of time and money. SA BASS 09 September 2019

Keep in mind that you can catch fish by casting out a glide bait and simply reeling it back to the boat. Plenty of giant bass have been caught this way. The magic of the glide, however, is its “triggering effect” when twitched and worked properly.

Choosing the Best Color This part of fishing a glide bait is pretty simple. Visibility is much more important than a specific color. Focus on bold colors like yellow, white, bluegill or bone before trying ghost colors. The action of the lure will trigger the strike. Getting the bass’ attention in the first place is the trick. Select the boldness of the color by how far you think you need to move the fish. If you’re fishing clear open water and hoping to pull the fish 20 or 30 feet, a bright, bold color is best. The same is true in murky water, even when only moving the fish a few feet. Conversely, fishing specific cover targets in clear water can be done with a ghost pattern, as the fish only need to move a foot or two to strike. If you were only going to choose one, it should be a bold color. Focus on action rather than matching a specific baitfish. As an example, our favorite color in the SWaver is “lite trout” (shown below, bottom right). Don’t let the “trout” fool you. This is a yellow bait, but we’ve seen success from California to Michigan to Mexico while using it. It does not seem to matter what the natural forage is; this bait can be seen from a distance and consistently triggers giant bites.

Time of Day and Weather These are key factors when targeting big bass. Traditionally, low-light and pre-front conditions are the favorite times for targeting big bass. This is true with glides as well, but there are two exceptions. Clear, open-water gliding (fishing over long tapering points, humps, deep breaks, etc.) is best during the brightest part of a sunny day when the fish can silhouette the bait to the surface. You’ll tend to have more followers than biters, as they can see extremely well under these conditions, but it’s also when the biggest fish are willing to hunt. When the bass are using shallow cover is the second exception. If bass are relying on the shadows of cover to ambush smaller glides in the shallows, you’ll find your best success in late morning or early afternoon when the shadows are long but sunlight is still present. Under both circumstances, bass are present all day but very clearly have a preferred feeding time. If you factor these critical times into your day of fishing, you can be on the best spots at the best times. The learning curve on a glide bait is much shorter than many traditional offerings. Dedicate yourself to the bait for a few days and you’ll be proficient at choosing targets, drawing out fish, converting followers and catching big ones. Glide baits are catching small and giant bass alike, all over the globe. They will work in your local lakes, so get out there and give one a try. ■

Baits Got Glide

Deps Slide Swimmer 250

Baitsanity Explorer

River2Sea S-Waver 168 Gan Craft 230 River2Sea S-Waver 168

10 SA BASS September 2019

Thrift with his trophy

FLW Cup Winner Bryan Thrift

>> Curtis Niedermier* Photos by: Justin Onslow & Charles Waldorf

veryone knew it was only a matter of time, and that time is finally now. Bryan Thrift is an FLW Cup champion. The Shelby, North Carolina, pro won the 2019 FLW Cup at Lake Hamilton with a three-day total weight of 38 pounds, 7 ounces. Winning the Cup is not something Thrift needed to do to prove his greatness. That he’s one of the best ever was already an agreed-upon fact by just about everyone. Winning the Cup just added more separation between him and so many others. At 40 years old, in addition to being a world champion, Thrift is a two-time FLW Tour Angler of the Year, a seventime Tour-level winner, holds a slew of FLW records and has now earned more than $3 million in his FLW career. 12 SA BASS September 2019

Coming into this week, Thrift was the favourite to win. It just felt like a Bryan Thrift kind of tournament, and it turns out it was. August in the South is an incredibly difficult time to fish a multi-day bass tournament. Bass are stingy, and bites are tough to get. It’s rare to find a school of bass that can hold up for more than a day. Thrift’s style is the perfect tool to attack that type of scenario. He’s mastered the craft of “precision junk-fishing,” whereby he fishes specific targets (usually dozens of them) but chooses from 10 to 15 baits to make the perfect presentation for each target. For the most part, that’s how Thrift fished at Hamilton. However, each day, he eventually settled down in Hot Springs Creek and grinded out key bites that pushed his weight ahead

of everyone else. Slowing down at the end of the day was a veteran move that Thrift might not have made early on in his career, when he never fished a spot long enough for a cameraman to focus his lens. And it obviously worked to perfection. Thrift led from wire to wire, starting with 15-3 on day one and 12-7 on day two. He led Kyle Walters, who roomed with Thrift this week, by 1 pound, 8 ounces coming into the final day, when Thrift wound up as the only angler to catch a doubledigit limit. Weighing in 10-13 gave Thrift a 5-pound, 1-ounce winning margin over Walters. As easy as Thrift can make it look sometimes, this was a gruelling tournament. “I’m wore slam out,” says Thrift. “I really am. I fished as hard as I ever

The Thrift family

have in my life today. I’m tired, but I’m feeling good.” The only time that Thrift really stuck a lot of fish in a hurry was the final morning when he pulled up to his first spot and fish were busting the surface over a 200-yard span.

“Today started out actually pretty good,” he says. “I ran to a place that I knew [Bryan] Schmitt was catching them schooling, and I knew he didn’t make the cut. So I went in there, and sure enough they were schooling like crazy. I caught a limit fairly quickly

at probably about 8 or 8:30. It didn’t weigh much; maybe 7 or 7 1/2 pounds. And I’m thinking, ‘Shoot, I’ve got all day to upgrade. This is good. We’re good to go.’ “So that helped slow me down and give me confidence. But at about 12:30 I hadn’t had another bite. I had one area that I’d caught most of my weight in the last hour and a half each day in Hot Springs Creek. So I ran in there at 12:30. I said, ‘If I’m gonna win it, I’m gonna win it back here.’ I didn’t crank the boat until 3:30 and ended up culling three.” The schooling spot was a small dead-end pocket with deep water running all the way to the back. The bass were pushing bait up not quite to the bank, but close. In fact, Thrift had a crowd of spectators in bass boats watching behind him, as well as a crowd on a large road causeway watching in front of him. He caught those fish on a small walking topwater first thing (at other

SA BASS 13 September 2019

Juan du Toit met with Bryaft Thrift at the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship at Lake Guntersville

The 2020 FLW Cup Thrift with his two kickers

points in the tournament he caught some schoolers on a Damiki Rig Underspin Head with a Damiki Armor Shad swimbait). After that flurry, when he switched to a crankbait, he landed about seven hybrid stripers in a row. That was his sign that the black bass were gone or at least done cooperating. Once he left that spot, Thrift ran up and down the lake throwing topwaters around docks and fishing about 15 main-lake brush piles, but he never caught another keeper until returning to his key spot in Hot Springs Creek. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a shallow flat,â&#x20AC;? he says of that final spot. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a lot of shad back there. There were three little brush piles. They werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t big. They were maybe the size of the hood of a truck; just three small, little brush piles. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d just rotate between them. One of them, they were kind of schooling around a little bit, and I caught a couple around it while they were up schooling.â&#x20AC;? His critical move wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just to run to the flat in Hot Springs Creek, but to exercise the patience to slow down and grind it out there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first day, I caught three 3 1/2-pounders out of there in the last 30 minutes. Then, the second day, I ran back there and culled everything I had in the last hour. And then today I ran back there and culled three.â&#x20AC;? In the mornings and midday this week, Thrift ran main-lake brush 14 SA BASS September 2019

with a crankbait, a drop-shot and a topwater bait if they were schooling. That pattern was solid on days one and two, but it fizzled out today in hot, post-frontal conditions. He also caught some shallow on day one using a variety of baits, including a buzzbait. At weigh-in, in front of a packed Bank OZK Arena crowd, all those patterns, all the preparation behind them, all the hours of hard work to get to Hot Springs, finally came to a head, with Thrift standing on stage amid the confetti and the pyrotechnics, hoisting the FLW Cup trophy that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come so close to winning several times before. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the title that everyone knew was coming. That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it any less sweet for the champ. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe I won,â&#x20AC;? Thrift told the crowd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I still canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually happened.â&#x20AC;? *Curtis Niedermier is the Editorin-Chief of FLW Bass Fishing magazine

Four FLW South African anglers will compete at the FLW Series Championship on Lake Cumberland, USA in November 2019. There they will compete against the very best FLW anglers from across the world. The KLJKHVW Č´QLVKLQJ SUR IURP WKH FLW Series International Division EDVHG RQ Č´QDO UHVXOWV DW WKH FLW Series Championship qualify for the 2020 FLW Cup. But also, the overall winning co-angler at the 2019 FLW Series &KDPSLRQVKLS TXDOLČ´HV IRU WKH 2020 FLW Cup as a pro and will receive use of a Ranger Z520L following his or her FLW Series Championship win through the 2020 FLW Cup. A total of 12 FLW Series anglers (11 pros and one co-angler) advance to the 2020 FLW Cup based on their Č´QLVK DW WKH )/: 6HULHV Championship. If the 2019 FLW Series co-angler champion forfeits his or her spot in the FLW Cup, it will be Č´OOHG E\ WKH QH[W KLJKHVW Č´QLVKHU from the 2019 FLW Series Championship. South Africa did it once, we can do it again!

Top 10 pros 1

Bryan Thrift

Shelby, N.C

38-7 (15)

$300,200

Kyle Walters

Grant Valkaria, Fla.

33-6 (15)

$60,100

Dakota Ebare

Denham Springs, La.

32-2 (14)

$50,000

Jeremy Lawyer

Sarcoxie, Mo.

31-6 (15)

$37,500

Scott Martin

Clewiston, Fla.

31-2 (15)

$30,000

Austin Felix

Eden Prairie, Minn.

30-6 (15)

$24,000

Joseph Webster

:LQČ´HOG $OD

28-2 (15)

$23,000

Ryan Salzman

Huntsville, Ala.

26-12 (15)

$22,000

Josh Douglas

Isle, Minn.

26-3 (14)

$21,000

Longview, Texas

22-6 (10)

$20,000

10 Jordan Osborne

READERS

GO BASSING

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ARABIE

RUSTIES

Ek het hierdie mooi vis by Arabiedam op ‘n medium “diving crank” gevang. Die weer was maar swak, die wind het baie gewaai en die vis het in 3m diep water gelê. Ons het heelwat vis tussen 1kg en 2kg met “cranks” gevang wat weereens bewys het dat harde kunsaas goed werk. Die kunsaas vang nie noodwendig meer vis vang nie, maar beslis beter kwaliteit – Anton Bouwer

Ek het hierdie pragtige 4.16kg swartbaar onlangs in Rust de Winterdam gevang met ‘n Salmo kunsvissie in die rivierloop van omtrent 2.5m diep. Die watervlak was alreeds baie laag en besig om nog verder te sak. Die vis is weer vrygelaat – Johan Smit

REKORD BASS

PRE-FISH I went to pre-fish at Mearns Dam and the day was going horribly. We started fishing at seven and up until three o’clock in the afternoon I didn’t get a single bite, but then eventually I managed to pick up this beauty of 2.83kg on a Gary Yamamoto Flappin Hog. The fish was safely released to be caught again another day. Thanks for the awesome magazine. – Michael Morris

I have always had a passion for bass fishing however no one else in my family shares this passion so the only time I can go fishing is with my friends. One evening at the beginning of May when a good friend of mine went fishing with me the evening didn’t start to well for me as I got a bad “crows nest” in my reel on the first cast and for the next 2 hours I struggled to get it sorted out and by the time I finally got it fixed it was already the last hour of sunlight and on my so I put on the lure that I trust the most and on the second cast I caught this monster and it turned out to be the district record at 4,98 kg – Patrick SA BASS 15 September 2019

>> SA BASS CLASSROOM A big pre-spawn female taken from a typical staging area. Note the swollen belly

>> Divan Coetzee* Artwork: Ashley Palmer he battle between the seasons at this time creates instability – the cold of winter versus the heat of summer. Inevitably summer emerges victorious, for awhile anyway. Considering all the hardships that new born bass face, it’s a miracle any survive under even the best of circumstances. Behaviour is the link between the bass and environmental events, they act according to conditions. We as anglers can benefit greatly by understanding, and correctly interpreting behavioural patterns. The spawn cycle typically gets divided into three phases: pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn. Every bass that swims goes through this cycle, but not at the same time. On any particular piece of water you may encounter bass in all three stages of the spawn in the same general area. This is due to natural variability inherent to all living creatures, and also in part, localized weather patterns and water conditions. Fish behaviour is governed by presiding factors that can be recognized and observed.

Pre-spawn As the days grow longer and warmer, there is a definitive shift in a bass’ metabolism, this shift is the trigger that starts the process. The general consensus is that this occurs when the water temperature reaches about 55°F or 13°C. The prespawn has sub divisions, migrating, staging and feeding, if you are unfamiliar with the terms and their meaning; I’ll try my best to simplify things for you by means of a drawing. The first major migration is from winter holding areas to feeding areas, this occurs earlier than most anglers think – bass come out of winter hungry and willing to move! The rigours of the spawn takes its toll, so bass have to be in optimum condition in order to survive. Migration is a relative term, the word suggests long range movement as can be found with land mammals, but one needs perspective here! In farm ponds or smaller waters it could be a couple of feet, in larger impoundments it could be a few hundred metres. Winter areas and feeding areas are often far apart. The second migration is from feeding areas to bedding locations. Bedding locations are often shallow, sun-baked areas with a hard substrate bottom composition. The water temperature needs to be in the high 50°F to mid 60°F for this shift to take place; a sudden cold front could delay the migration or chase fish back to deeper water until conditions stabilize. Remember I’m referring to water temperature about 2 to 4m below the surface, and not surface water

Technicalities of the spawn

The spawn is set in motion as the water starts to warm post winter. 16 SA BASS September 2019

A basic illustration indicating probable migration routes during early season. The first move is from deep water to feeding areas, and from feeding areas to spawning sites

Prime sites are often few and far between, this forces fish to breed in close proximity to one another. Beds are often constructed on or next to objects

temperature - big difference between the two. The larger the body of water, the longer it takes to warm up! Same goes for water clarity – stained water warms up quicker than clear water.

hoping to intercept a willing female. He physically guides her towards the bed. Once the female is committed, the male will stimulate her by contact with the belly and fins. Egg dropping can take anything from 1 to 3 hours. The female may stay with the male for a couple of days depending on outside factors like fishing pressure and, females might spawn with more than one male during the cycle as the need to breed overrides all else.

Staging When migrating, bass will utilize stopping points along the way; either to rest, acclimate or wait for conditions to stabilize. Staging areas are what we as anglers refer to as “breaks”, cover or structure. Staging behaviour is defined as the aggregation of travelling bass in key locations. Interesting side note, on small waters in particular, the piece of cover that the bass are relating too does not necessarily have to be in the water; overhanging trees for example. I’m sure most of you reading this article would have seen a bass suspending just below the surface this time of year; that fish is busy acclimating to the depth that it will spawn in. These fish are normally super skittish due to the fact that they are exposed and vulnerable. Birds of a feather flock together… ever notice how bass generally group together according to size? This is due to two factors: it’s a trait brought forward from when they were fingerlings, like size bass simply cannot eat one another or out-complete each other.

Bedding The bedding phase also has several sub divisions; the first act is to establish territory. This is achieved by cruising the selected bedding site. The next step is to clear the area of debris and silt – or anything that could hinder the process for that matter. Evidence suggests that this happens during the morning. The next step in the process is “pairing”. Females come up from staging areas during optimum conditions and investigate the shallows looking for prime sites. Remember, a staging area can be anything from a few feet to a couple of hundred meters away. Timing is essential to avoid being exposed for too long. The next behavioural pattern by the male is called “soliciting”, he cruises around the bed site

Post-spawn During this time the male is very aggressive, he also fans the eggs with his pectoral fins in order to create current and oxygenate them. Lots can still go wrong at this stage; a sudden cold snap could spell disaster for a nest in too shallow water. The eggs hatch after about 3 to 5 days depending on conditions. Tending the brood is a full time job. All sorts of species predate on bass fry… even their own kind. The biggest bass spawn first, big bass have good genetics, these good genes get passed on by eliminating the competition. Fry that emerge early in the season have been known to eat fry from later batches; bass are cannibalistic by nature. After about 10 to 15 days the fry rise from the nest, they’re fully developed at this stage and able to feed. The male still fiercely protective at this time will attack anything that threatens. By this time the female is long gone and recovering in deeper water nearby. I hope the reader enjoyed the article, next time you’re on the water try to identify some of the behaviour as described above. Knowing what stage the fish are in will determine how you can most effectively target them. Locally, bass are under fire from multiple sectors including government… I urge each and every angler to act responsibly during this time. Our fish stocks are under tremendous pressure and we have to be proactive in order to preserve and protect what we love. See you on the water. *Divan Coetzee is the proprietor of Graceland Outdoors and a competitive FLW Cast-for-Cash angler. SA BASS 17 September 2019

>> SA BASS

Secrets of South Africa’s Pro’s – Part 14

Don’t waste time

Three species of fish only just discernible beneath the water, carp with the pale monochromatic body, a blue kurper and slender bass in the foreground

>> Bass Spy*

olarised sunglasses are often spoken about in bass fishing articles, but I want to emphasise how beneficial these will be now around the spawning season. I’ve done many hours of bank fishing and enjoyed stalking bass from behind the cover of a small tree, or the long veld grass, reeds, or even in the shadows thrown by a steep rocky bank. I use bank fishing as an opportunity to teach young fishermen how to stalk bass, what to look out for, how to tell the bass apart from other fish in the shallows, and to investigate how bass behave during the early season. It is really great fun to then also transfer this information and duplicate it on larger dams when fishing from a boat. One thing can be surely noted at this time of year; the activity of life in the shallow depths is so incredible. So many different species of fish show themselves. Within a

18 SA BASS September 2019

small dam within our large, gated residential complex I noted seven species of fish in immediate proximity of one another namely, catfish (ever present!), tiny little mosquito fish darting around the fringes between the vegetation, the stubby little vlei kurper, small schools of cheeky yellow throated canary kurper, pairs of larger blue kurper identified quickly by a white bottom lip, cruising carp with their monochromatic bronze colour, and the all-seeing bass. It’s no wonder bass anglers get confused at times and will cast at every outline of a fish in hope that it will engulf their plastic lure. I’ve spent quite some time fishing with fellow enthusiastic fishermen who cannot stop casting at large blue kurper hoping that they will turn into bass. I can’t stand the thought of breaking their hearts and telling them that the fish they are casting

at over and over again is not a bass. Admittedly, I still cast my lure at large blue kurper, catfish and carp (and the odd crocodile or legavaan). Seasoned bass anglers have learned how to distinguish fish species from a distance, as it is very important for them not to waste time targeting the wrong species. To do this they will have studied fish’s shapes, colouring, size, the manner in which they swim, various behavioural patterns, and also telltale signs. Let us highlight a few of these and save you many hours of studying and get you honed in on your target species like a pro.

Kurper species Let us look past the smaller vlei and canary kurper as they would not be large enough to consider targeting anyway. The blue kurper are often mistaken for bass because of their larger, bulky size. One thing that is

easily noticeable in clear water will be the prominent white lip on the fish. The blue is also not as streamlined as bass and their broader, darker coloured bodies can often be seen fanning their pectoral fins and swimming tight circles in the shallow depths. They really aren’t shy and will stick around even if they have spotted you. No wonder we’re so tempted to cast at them.

Catfish You actually do not want to hook a catfish and have it walk a trail of slimy fish juice along the deck of your boat, while you scuttle around it trying to get a hold of the slippery fish to unhook the lure. When catfish are active, they cruise through the shallows, often surprising you while you stalk the depths. They have a definitive, long, slow swipe of the tail that propels their slender, dark shape through the water. With a large, flat head and tapering tail it is hard to mistake this fish from the others. However, one extremely attractive reason for casting at them is after they break the surface of the water with that gurgling twirl. It’s gotta be a bass! Absolutely not, and you will probably see the indicative trail of bubbles following the catfish as it swims back down to the bottom after taking its gulp of fresh air. Another interesting feeding habit catfish have is when they find a layer of scum, or insects on the surface and they quietly protrude their wide mouth and hoover the surface of the water meticulously and often in schools (Albert Falls dam is a great example of this). No, it is not a school of bass.

Carp species Carp are very skittish and if they spot you, they’ll take off at the speed of light so I’m not too fussy about identifying them. Although, you can at least put your mind at ease that the 10kg bass you spooked was actually not a bass. Carp have a monochromatic bronze colour and although sometimes can be found hovering the water surface they are most often hovering the bottom. They also leave behind them the telltale sign of many tiny bubbles as the trapped oxygen is released from the bed of the dam when they feed.

Largemouth bass Bass stares at you… it is spooky. Their pointed torpedo shaped bodies built for bursts of power. If they have seen you coming, you may as well move along because it is highly unlikely that they will bite your lure now. However, if you return far more deftly just five minutes later the probability of a catch is high. Seeing largemouth bass side on they will display a prominent black stripe on the edge of their tail fin. That is the easiest way to tell them apart I believe. However, one more thing I learned which changed everything for me was the noise they make when taking food off, or near the surface of the water. The sound is far different from that of those cheeky catfish, which “plop” and “gurgle”. The bass strikes rapidly at the surface as it smashes into its prey, “zap!”. That is when I cast very quickly right into the same spot and have seldom been disappointed no matter what depth of water I am in. *The Bass Spy has fished alongside and been exposed to the secrets and tactics of many competitive bass anglers on waters throughout the continent. This column is dedicated to all fanatical bass enthusiasts looking for the inside track and an edge on their favourite past time.

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SA BASS 19 September 2019

>> SA BAARS KLASKAMER

Lentetyd is hengeltyd >> Philip Kemp*

ie bladwisselende bome in my tuin begin knoppies maak. Ook nie meer lank nie en hulle bars uit in die pragtigste kleure van blou, pers en wit. Die voëls voor my kamervenster basuin dit uit; ”Die lente is hier!”

Die skrywer met ‘n wyfie wat van die oewer af, op ‘n afstand, van die nes af gevang is

Ek hoop jy het teen hierdie tyd reeds jou katrolle geolie en gespoel met nuwe lyn. Daars nuwe kunsase op die mark, en ons kan nie wag om te sien hoe die baars op die aas gaan reageer nie. Hierdie is egter ook ‘n tyd van die jaar wat ons met groot omsigtigheid moet benader om die toekoms van ons wonderlike sport te verseker. Een van die belangrikste dinge wat hengelaars moet onthou is dat die vroeglente en lente soms vier seisoene in een kan wees. Daarom kan weerstoestande binne ‘n oogwink verander vanaf ‘n lieflike lente oggend na ‘n koue wintersmiddag. Ons weet ook hoe so ‘n laat kouefront die baars kan beïnvloed en die henne weer terugdryf tot op oorgangspunte. Ons moet ook verstaan dat baars in die broeiseisoen verskeie rituele het wat hulle deurgaan en die hengelaar moet hom dan daarvolgens aanpas - daarom is dit ook baie belangrik om die weerpatrone dop te hou. Omrede baars hulle tydens lente meestal in die vlakwater bevind, kan hulle maklik deur boot- en oewerhengelaars geteiken word. Verskeie aas kan dus die tyd van die jaar aangewend word.

Vlakwater kunsvissies Omrede baars in vlakkerige water van vier voet en minder broei, sal die meeste kunsvissies wat tussen een en vier voet duik, baie goed werk. Dit is egter belangrik om ‘n kunsvissie te gebruik wat so realisties as moontlik vertoon. Ek het egter so ‘n paar jaar gelede ‘n pienkkleurige ruk-en-pluk kunsvissie (jerkbait) gebruik in ‘n dam wat nog nie lente-reën gehad het nie. Die water was so skoon dat ek die mannetjies op die neste duidelik kon sien. Die enigste kleur wat die mannetjies tot aksie laat oorgaan het, was die betrokke pienk kunsvissie. Ek het ‘n Mojo-sinker op die lyn, ongeveer 30cm voor die kunsvissie gesit en dit het die aas net mooi oor 20 SA BASS September 2019

die nes laat hang. Die sinker het die kop van die kunsvissie effens afgetrek wat kompleet gelyk het soos ‘n indringer wat die nes beloer. Die mannetjies, en selfs van die wyfies, het die kunsvissie met oorgawe aangeval. Ek het een mannetjie twee keer van dieselfde nes af gevang. Elke keer wat ek hom teruggesit het, het hy dadelik teruggekeer na sy nes toe. Ek het besef dat die mannetjie selfs ‘n derde of vierde keer gevang kon word. Die etiek rondom baarshengel het my egter laat besluit om die betrokke nes met rus te laat en sodoende die voortbestaan van die nes te verseker. Ek glo en vertrou dat die lesers dieselfde sal doen.

Boloper-aas Net soos met die vlakwaterkunsvissies is bolopers ook dodelik in die vlak water. Die “walk-the-dog spooks” sowel as die meeste ”poppers” werk goed in hierdie omstandighede. Nadat ek ‘n oppervlakaas ingegooi het, sal ek ten minste 20 tot 60 sekondes wag voordat ek my aas begin beweeg. Die baars sal soms die aas gryp nog voordat jy dit begin beweeg het. Oppervlakpaddas werk ook goed in die gevalle, veral waar die plantegroei meer dig is. Swartbaars is veral lief daarvoor om hul neste op gruis- of klipperige bodems te maak. As daar ook ‘n bietjie nuwe suurstofryke groen plantegroei is, kan die hengelaar maar gerus die areas teiken vir baarsneste. Indien jy egter met ‘n padda hengel, moet die vis tyd gegee word om die aas te gryp en daarmee weg te swem voordat die hoek vasgekap word.

Sagte plastiese kunsaas Omrede ek in vlakwater hengel, sal enige aas gewigloos gehengel word. Ek is veral lief om met “flukes”, salamanders, “grubs” en my gunsteling, sagte plastiekpaddas in die vlakwater te hengel. Onthou egter net om jou aas so sag as moontlik in die water te laat land om die vis in die omgewing nie te laat skrik nie. Laat weereens die aas

vir ‘n paar sekondes tot ‘n minuut stil lê. Gee die aas dan net ‘n ligte plukkie en laat dit weer lê. Die meeste baars kan die bewegings nie weerstaan nie en sal die aas met geweld aanval. ‘n Salamander of akkedis wat in ‘n baars se nes lê, kan egter net so effektief wees. Omrede die mannetjies baie versigtig die aas uit sy nes uitgooi, is dit soms raadsaam om die hoek oop te los. Met hierdie metode sal die hengelaar egter die nes moet dophou en wag dat die baars die aas in sy bek optel. Ek hou altyd die baars se kieue dop. Soos hy sy kieue oopmaak en die aas opsuig is dit ook vir my die teken om die hoek vas te kap. Indien jou tydsberekening egter nie reg is nie, gaan jy hom mis.

Tegniek en toerusting Dit is belangrik om ook die regte lyn te gebruik, sowel as ‘n stok met die regte aksie. Ek verkies ‘n 7,3” medium-aksie stok met 8 tot 14 pond monofilament lyn as ek harde kunsvissies of harde oppervlakaas hengel. Hoe dunner die lyn, hoe beter is die aksie van jou kunsvissie in die water. Die langer stok help om die kunsaas verder te gooi wat belangrik is as die water skoon is en die vis jou maklik kan sien. Die medium-aksie stok absorbeer van die energie wat die baars op die kunsvissie uitoefen as hy hom gryp, sodat die drie-angelhoek nie uit die vis se bek skeur nie. Die langer stok help ook met beter vaskap. ‘n Terugswiep van die stok instede van ‘n harde kapaksie, is goed genoeg om die hoek vas te slaan. Sorg egter dat jou hoeke skerp bly of gebruik hoër kwaliteit hoeke wat nie maklik stomp word nie. Baie hengelaars verloor deurgaans hulle visse omrede die splitringetjies op hul kunsvissies te klein is. Die rede hiervoor is dat die baars die gewig van die kunsvissie as ‘n hefboom gebruik om van die kunsaas in sy bek ontslae te raak. Ek vervang al my splitringetjies met een nommer groter en dit neutraliseer die hefboomkrag wat op die hoek uitgeoefen kan word. Hierdie pakkies

met ringetjies kan by die meeste hengelwinkels aangekoop word. Vir paddas gebruik ek ook ‘n langer 7,3” swaar-aksie stok en verkies 50 tot 60lb vleglyn, beter bekend as braid. Die braid is dun en sterk genoeg om selfs die grootste baars uit die digste plantegroei te kry. Ek gebruik die afgelope tyd ook ‘n katrol met ‘n 9.3:1 ratverhouding om vinniger die baars uit die dekking te kry. Die voordeel van die braid is ook dat dit dryf en dus nie die aksie van die oppervlak-aas belemmer nie. Vir my gewiglose, sagte plastiekaas verkies ek flourocarbon lyn wat minder opsigtelik onder die water is. Dit is egter belangrik om ‘n uiters sensitiewe stok vir hierdie tegniek te gebruik, omrede die baars op baie slinkse maniere die aas uit die nes verwyder. Dit is belangrik om in skoon water die ligging van die nes te bepaal en dan oor ‘n langer afstand die nes te teiken. As jy die baars sien, het hy jou reeds lankal gesien en gaan dit moeiliker vir die hengelaar wees om die vis aan die hoek te kry. Groot omsigtigheid moet dus aan die dag gelê word. As ek van die oewer af hengel, sal ek ook nie goedsmoeds die oewer nader waar daar dalk neste kan wees nie. Ek sal eers vanaf ‘n afstand

Groot wyfies en mannetjies kan gereeld in die vlakker water naby neste opgemerk word. Om hulle te vang is egter ‘n ander storie

die teiken-area hengel. Ek het al baars op neste geteiken terwyl ek agter ‘n boom skuil. Die akkuraatheid van jou gooi is dan uiters belangrik. Die lente is ‘n baie produktiewe tyd van die jaar vir die baarshengelaar. Dit is egter baie hartseer om te sien hoe die “Hook-&-Cookers” die tyd van die jaar in groot hoeveelhede baars uithaal en nie weer vrylaat nie. Elders in hierdie uitgawe is daar ‘n artikel oor Mike Long wat met die sogenaamde “snagging” metode, henne op die neste op ‘n onwettige manier vang. Wat my egter bekommer is dat daar klaarblyklik ook in SuidAfrika hengelaars is wat dit doen. Hierdie is egter net hoorsê; maar daar word gesê... waar daar ‘n rokie is, is daar ‘n vuurtjie. Ek wil weer ‘n beroep op elke leser doen om ons te help om ons visspesies te beskerm, sodat ons kinders en kleinkinders ook eendag die wonderlike sport kan geniet. Baarsgroete *Philip Kemp is ‘n gesoute swartbaarhengelaar en assistent-redakteur van SA BASS. SA BASS 21 September 2019

>> SA BASS MASTER CLASS Not easy to capture a picture of the male and female bass sharing responsibility of caring over the nesting area in this perfect spot

Farm dam tactics and sweet spots In the August issue we had a very similar article which mostly suited bass anglers who have the opportunity to fish from a boat or some sort of floating device. Often, we get the chance to visit a farm dam which doesn’t allow boats of any kind and some of us get to fish from the bank more often than not.

22 SA BASS September 2019

ust like with all dams there will be structure which the bass have chosen to use either as place to hide, feed around, or use as a migratory route in order to go about their everyday lives. I recently visited a farm dam close to me and realised how fishing from the bank requires the same if not more agility and deftness in order to successfully stalk bass. Using reeds along the bank is probably the easiest way to get right up close to the fish especially in clear water conditions. You’ll be surprised how easily bass are alerted to your presence and then once you’ve been spotted your chances are eliminated – at least for the next 20 minutes or so. As you make your way along the bank it is vital that you look for any break in the structure. In the case of the reeds; if you found a fallen tree trunk extending out through the reeds and into the water you will almost be certain to find a bass at the submerged

>> Roger Donaldson* end. Careful consideration should be taken as you cannot fish just any lure around this type of structure. The limbs of the tree will pull the lure in and almost certainly act as a snag in the “V” of the tree. Using a lightly weighted plastic lure of your choice you can cast down the tree trunk and allow the bait to sink to the bottom, preferably bumping into the trunk on its way down. Then with slow winding of your reel you can retrieve the lure back allowing the bait to stop and flutter down to the bottom again after every two or three turns of your reel. Timber structures are true bass magnets and I’ve not visited a dam which hasn’t provided me with a bass from these wooden sweet spots. Hartebeespoort Dam has many areas which offer lay-down logs, tree stumps and fallen trees and this is where I had my very first experiences of targeting bass too. During the spring time bass behave quite differently as many bass

fishermen have learned. A clever tactic to consider on farm dams is to search around the dam walls and over flow areas. These spots have often been reinforced with rock, concrete, or gravel banks to prevent easy erosion. Bass will locate to these areas as they often provide the perfect environment to prepare nesting areas. The hard substrate is easy to clean and to keep clear of unwanted vegetation and algae growth. The open area is also providing needed sunlight and promotes much wanted warmth. Bass are also clever enough to realise that from here they can see predators coming from a long way off. Bass are particularly skittish though, so it will take much effort from the angler to be as quiet as possible when approaching the water’s edge. Start peering into the water already from 10m away, as the chances are you might spot the bass moving around in the shallows close to the edges. Before you get to the

water’s edge you could make a cast and be lucky enough to land that fish that would otherwise have seen you coming already. Another tactic to consider is to walk loops along the bank instead of directly along the edge the entire way. In other words, move toward the bank and after you have made a few casts, back away a few metres and loop back again once you’ve spotted the next structure or area to cast at. This will reduce the noise transmitting its way to the water and lessen the chance of the bass spotting you casting your way along the bank. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

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SA BASS 23 September 2019

Bass ‘eye’dentification - sensible insight

Everything living on earth requires some sort or other set of survival senses in order to stay alive. These abilities and how well life forms use them usually inﬂuence how long something lives for. Vision is an amazing sense and only once we have lost it will we truly ever appreciate the value of sight. In the turbulent worlds of bass and angler there is no difference between how vital vision really is. For both man and ﬁsh it could be safe to say it is our dominant sense with only the most obvious factor been, we see from an aerial perspective where bass see their environment aquatically.

Fact: Bass are predominantly sight feeders So let’s take a closer look at the actual eye of a bass and try better understand why you are been watched from below constantly. To start our eyes and a bass’s eyes are actually very similar with the general make up fitting our profile much the same with some exceptions of course. Bass may not have a light- regulating iris but light still penetrates the lens and is received by the retina which identifies and creates images. There have been scientific studies revealing that bass indeed do see in colour as well with the use of rods and cones much like ourselves, almost to the same degree. Like us, bass have muscles in the eye which move the lens to focus on objects which are close or far away except they have an underwater visual accuracy that we could only hope to possess.

Fact: Bass have no eyelids You can assume the jig is up if we thought bass couldn’t see us sneaking around by now. Having large, bulging eyes positioned on the sides of their heads which protrude outwards gives a bass fish a full 180º line of hunter sight, allowing them to see forwards, backwards, up or down at the same time. There is however one blind spot known to be found, underneath the head towards the belly area. Their eye design gives them binocular vision from which they can gauge distance and see an object of 10cm from 45m away in clear conditions to been able to focus on microscopic zooplankton swimming around. A bass knows there’s a higher rate of success by attacking prey straight ahead rather than reflex striking from the side. This unfolds to us the usual line of sight needing targeting to trigger action when we consider lure presentation and imagining how the fish is positioned where.

A close up of the large, hunter like eyes

24 SA BASS September 2019

>> Jay Röhm-Williams

>> SA BASS

Eyes on the prize

Fact: Bass need one tenth of the light we require to see objects in dark conditions To ultimately appreciate how well a bass can really see we need to briefly grasp that light penetrates the water differently than air. Research has shown it takes approximately twenty minutes for a bass to adjust its pupils to varying light conditions possibly assisting the advantageous explanation of water thrashing moments during the early sunrises and fading sunsets. How far light actually reaches underwater depends on surface conditions and the amount of matter which is suspended. Bass do not need much light to see what is going on underwater so if you can see to a certain depth from above a bass can in return see you most definitely and that won’t aid our cause. Other factors also come into play when underwater lighting is concerned such as rough, disruptive, surface conditions which reflect light or murky water particles which absorb and reflect light together. These in turn will affect the colour choices we make when deciding what lure to throw out.

Fact: A bass will have the best focus on an image from 25cm Bass in more ways than one are designed to hunt, chase down and ambush unsuspecting prey perfecting the art of predatorily behaviour. Their ability to see is key to their survival thus giving them exactly the kind of vision needed to secure a spot at the top of the aquatic food chain. Paying close attention to details and facts like these gives us the angler just that little bit more of a better chance at hooking up when others can’t. Keep your mind open to the fact that some bass is keeping an eye on you and be surprised at the huge results that happen when you make subtle changes in your approach. Remember big bass have big eyes which gives them better vision but that doesn’t make them un- catchable! Rods out and safe ﬁshing everyone…

Guaranteed you are been watched...

SA BASS 25 September 2019

>> SA BASS PROFILE

David Dudley interviewed by Chris Jones at the 2019 FLW Cup

Angler of the Year DAVID DUDLEY

here are a host of well-known anglers from around the world with their own websites, YouTube channels, Facebook pages and more. We’ve all heard of them or even follow them on these social media channels. Not very often though, we as South Africans get the opportunity to interact in person with these social media stars and professional anglers. During the recent Black Bass World Fishing Championships that was held here in South Africa and hosted by our local folks, I had the fortunate opportunity to meet and spend some time with the team from the USA and David Dudley was a member of that team. David Dudley has always had a passion for nature, for those creatures that swim below and he has from the age of five already started trying to figure out the science behind those that dwell in the deep. Although, becoming a professional angler was obviously not part of the career choices for David, and I’m sure his parents, were not too thrilled about this. He went on to win his first major 26 SA BASS September 2019

>> John Badenhorst* Bassmaster tournament, making him the youngest angler ever to do so and he was also the youngest angler to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. Although a passionate saltwater angler, David jumped at the opportunity to fish FLW’s professional tournament series. With consistent finishes in the top rankings, he went on to cement a reputation as a very able angler, even amongst his peers. In 2003 he won his first FLW Tour Championship for a cool $500,000. By the year 2008, he had already won his first Angler of the Year title, in 2011, he took his second title and not long after, he won his third such title. This year, David made history in becoming the first angler to have four coveted Angler of the Year titles to his name. Married for ten years with five kids, he is not only a dedicated husband and father but an incredible angler as his stats prove. With all the tournaments, he still finds the time to juggle promotional work for his sponsors, his YouTube channel, his family and friends.

David Dudley winning the title “Angler of the Year” once again

During a recent interview I did via telephone with him for Fish Talk Live on Vibez.live, I had the opportunity to find out more about his strategy when it comes to fishing. His favorite method of fishing is a wacky worm, snow, rain, cloud, hot or any condition, this is his go-to method. However, he will be the first to point out that when you reach the level that some of the top anglers are fishing at, being versatile is a major factor and being comfortable to throw anything from a massive swimbait to a tiny one inch drop-shot has to be a part of your plan. Winning tournaments and in particular the Angler of the Year is all about being consistent, being persistent and knowing when to switch up in your game plan. As viewers, we would sit and watch an angler catch three or four fish from a spot and then see him pick up and move on. Our logic tells us that the angler is leaving fish to hopefully go and find fish and when I asked him about this, he had a rather simple way of explaining it... “When I get a few fish back to back on a particular spot and two or three casts later, the bite seems to slow down, I pick up the motor and get out of there. Fish react in the water and although there might be more fish in the same area, the actions of the fish I have caught might have just spooked the others a bit, so I give them a chance to settle down. Another boat might move into the same spot that I had just left, but that doesn’t mean they will catch the fish as their approach, presentation or even the angle of their retrieve might be different.

David Dudley

In the meantime, I’ve hauled to two or three other points and maybe upgraded my bag in the meantime. I can always return to the previous point as fish move along, recover or stack up differently according to weather conditions or a subtle change in the way the sun hits a spot.” Pre-fishing and meticulous planning is part of the plan for any pro-angler and here David spends a fast amount of time doing his homework, especially if it’s a lake that has either seen a lot of recent pressure or a lake that he might not have fished in recent times or that might be new to him. When it comes to tournaments on any specific body of water, it’s always good to have your game plan worked out from the very beginning. This game plan includes taking into account that you might be the last number in 100 that gets to pull away and knowing that other guys might also know about your spot, having a fallback is a key to tournament angling. David also spends a great deal of time with young anglers and helping developing the youth whenever he can. As I did the interview with him, he was also filming his own blog and during the interview, he was out on the water during practice for the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup (FLW Cup). David is a true ambassador for the sport of bass fishing and for his country, he is willing to share his tips and insights with anyone wanting to know and makes time for his followers and fans. He also happens to be one of the most humble people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and doing an interview with. I could write endlessly about this great angler and possibly still not mention everything that he has to share. For the full interview, visit www.vibez.live and scroll down to the section with the heading: “Choose your Vibez” and you can download the interview or click to listen. The FLW South Africa National Championship is end of August and there will be selected anglers that will also compete not only for a trip to the USA but for the coveted title of FLW South Africa Angler of the Year where consistency will be one of the key factors. We wish the anglers all the best and hope the game plan works when it counts. *John Badenhorst is the sub-editor of SA BASS magazine and a keen angler himself. He is also a custom lure maker for Wolf Lures, Flies & Feathers. SA BASS 27 September 2019

>> SA BASS

r e v Co Me

Handling heavy cover from the shore Pick your cover - an example of timber stands, tall reeds, thick lilies and log piles

hh springâ&#x20AC;Ś If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see it yet you can most certainly start to feel it. Although the days are getting warmer and the suns shining that little bit longer, the waters are always the last to heat up. This however will never stop the call to rods as freshwater anglers all over the southern hemisphere unite to welcome September in, geared up and ready to get their bass on. The fishing might start to become easier but during the beginning stages of spawning, bass are still going to be hugging those slightly deeper sections of water closely. Oh they will be venturing more along those shallow shores but you can guarantee that it will be provided there is enough heavy cover for them to hide out while the waters warm up. Finding heavy cover in and around any bass angling venue is easy enough but to actually get your lure in there where you need it is another story, in fact it is part of 28 SA BASS September 2019

the story we are about to â&#x20AC;&#x153;coverâ&#x20AC;? right now. The foundation phase for most of us as bass anglers begins on the banks of any watering hole and generally progresses from there, where we push the boundaries of bass angling as a sport further into the future. It is along those shorelines that we practiced for hours to perfect our craft and learning how to tackle heavy cover from land is worth adding to your knowledge bank. When we talk about heavy cover we are referring to a number of possible environment scenarios offering shelter to any number of bass that may be present, mainly: t 0WFS IBOHJOH USFF CSBODIFT PS TVCNFSHFE USFFT t %FOTF DMVTUFST PG MJMZ QBET PS SFFET t 5 IJDL QBUDIFT PG NBUUFE HSBTTFT BOE PUIFS BRVBUJD WFHFUBUJPO t 8PPE BOE CSVTI QJMFT

>> Jay RĂśhm-Williams Now we have already established that we can easily find these heavily covered areas from our position at the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge. The problem is we can usually only see so far and of course what actually lies above the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface. What helps is if you can try visualising what the structure of the cover looks like underwater, a skill that develops the more time you spend bassing.

Example *O XBUFS B GFX NFUSFT EFFQ DPWFSFE JO MJMZ QBET GSPN BCPWF XF DBO JNBHJOF UIF TUFNT PG UIF MJMJFT SFBDIJOH EPXO UPXBSET UIF CPUUPN XIFSF UIFJS SPPUT NJHIU CF MBZFSFE XJUI HSBTTFT *O UIFPSZ UIFSF XJMM CF B GBJSMZ PQFO TFDUJPO PG XBUFS JO CFUXFFO UIF UXP GPSNT PG IFBWZ DPWFS XJUI B HPPE DIBODF PG CBTT TVTQFOEFE CFMPX UIF MJMJFT PS KVTU VOEFS UIF HSBTT MJOF BU UIF WFSZ CPUUPN

A section of water like the example above would be a good target area and there are plenty more you want to focus on: t 5IF TQBDFT JO BOE BSPVOE TVCNFSHFE USFF SPPUT BOE CSBODIFT t *O CFUXFFO QPDLFUT PG PQFO TIBMMPX MZJOH HSBTTFT t 5IF DMPTF FEHFT BSPVOE XPPE BOE CSVTI QJMFT GSPN WBSJPVT BOHMFT t "MPOH UIF TVSGBDF PG PWFS MBQQJOH MJMZ QBET BOE BOZ TNBMM HBQT UIBU GPSN OBUVSBMMZ t 6OEFSOFBUI UIF TVTQFOEFE CSBODIFT PG USFFT t *O BNPOHTU UIF TUBMLT PG UBMM SFFET

These in particular are going to be your productive zones ideal for providing not only safety and protection to any bass but making for great ambush spots for them to hunt prey from. Remember these areas not only make superb hideouts for big bass but for amphibians, reptiles and bait fish all of which are on the menu here. Right so next is now getting our lures right up and personally in the fishes face, tricky but not impossible. It casts down to these four main fundamentals: t 3PE TFMFDUJPO t -JOF UZQF t -VSF DIPJDF BOE SJH TFUVQ t $BTUJOH UFDIOJRVF

These are the building blocks involved in any bass-ical equation so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s add up our options here. When it comes to rod choices I always believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thing of personal comfort. Ultimately rod selection goes in hand with what lure you are choosing to use but general rule of thumb here is most anglers will opt for using a slightly heavier style rod. Again remember the tactics and angling you are going to be employing are of a rougher nature due to the target areas we are aiming for. Whether using bait casters or spinning reels our line/braid choices are going to be some-what heavier as well so keep this in mind. When it comes to lure choices and rig setups I want to empathise that angling heavy cover doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t automatically mean soft plastics rigged weedless. It is an intimidating thought casting out anything else but we have to lose this thought pattern. There are many heavy lures that can be thrown here producing bigger, better results than that odd dink here and there, it just comes down to presentation.

Example 1

Example 3

#SJOHJOH B CJH QPQQFS PS UPQ XBUFS QMVH UISPVHI B HBQ PS IPMF BNPOHTU UBOHMFE MJMJFT XJMM DSFBUF NPSF BUUFOUJPO FWFO JG POMZ Ã¶TIFE WFSZ RVJDLMZ GPS B TIPSU EVSBUJPO CFGPSF DBSFGVMMZ CFFO QVMMFE DMFBS XJUI B DPOÃ¶EFOU BFSJBM UVH

#VSOJOH B TIJOZ TQJOOFSCBJU PWFS UIBU TIPSU TUSFUDI PG XBUFS DPWFSJOH UIJDL FOUXJOFE HSBTT CFET XJMM SFDFJWF B MPU PG BUUFOUJPO 5IF JNJUBUJPO PG B TNBMM CBJU Ã¶TI SVTIJOH PWFS UIF UPQ PG BRVBUJD HSBTT JT BO BMM UJNF CJH CBTT CVTUJOH NPWF &WFO XJUI USFCMF IPPLT BUUBDIFE ZPV DBO TUJMM QVMM DMFBS TIFEEJOH PÃ² BOZ HSBTT UIBU NJHIU HFU DBVHIU QSPWPLJOH BO BHHSFTTJWF SFBDUJPO

Example 2 -BSHF EFFQ EJWJOH DSBOLCBJUT DBO CF BXFTPNF GPS XPSLJOH UIPTF UJHIU VOEFSXBUFS MPH QJMFT XJUI UIF MJQ EFÃ¸FDUJOH PÃ² NBKPSJUZ PG UIF DPWFS :FT ZPV TUJMM SVO UIF SJTL PG HFUUJOH TOBHHFE VQ CVU UIF SFTVMUJOH IVHF IJUT ZPV SFDFJWF XPO U MFBWF ZPV MPTJOH BOZ TMFFQ PWFS JU

Sometimes you just have to punch through SA BASS 29 September 2019

Pitching amongst sunken trees and matted grasses

Lastly and this is what it always comes down to, the cast. Boat bassing is this regard is, dare I say, much easier as you are raised up above the water at any given time with a full 360º open view with all the angles of a Rubik’s cube. That doesn’t exist really for the shore basser but does not mean you can’t get yourself stuck into some big tanks under that cover either. Depending on the cover will determine our style of casting. Punching and pitching are very common methods when challenging heavy cover and rightfully so. Punching as the name suggests is basically the manoeuvre of getting your lure through dense, aquatic vegetation. We can use creature baits Texas rigged or weighted jigs here to achieve getting down and through to where the bass are. Pitching is similar to flipping with the exception that instead of a pre-decided length of line to be used to drop your lure where needed you will cast under hand gently allowing line to freely flow off your spool while using similar lure choices as discussed above. 30 SA BASS September 2019

There are going to be a lot different hits and takes this September especially when you right in the thick of it so you have to pay attention or you could miss your chance. In the heat of battle it is easy to get excited and literally caught up in the moment when the waters erupt with your bass thrashing about. Stay calm and keep that rod up with the tension tight enough to allow you a fighting

chance. The idea is to try getting that bass out from hiding and into the clear, open water to lessen the risk of fraying your line or getting into a tug of war where vegetation and fish win. Walk those banks confidently this spring season and don’t back down from a heavy cover challenge. Get in there and witness the success first hand! Rods out and safe fishing everyone.

Texas rigged creature baits paying off amongst dense lilies

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>> SA BASS MASTER CLASS

A selection of brightly coloured lures for bedding bass are something hard to beat and should not be overlooked

>> Roger Donaldson*

Pre-spawn & bedding tackle – Part 2

>> In the previous issue we spoke about fishing for bass whilst they are preparing for the bedding phase. We were fishing tough situations where bass are still out in slightly deeper water.

hey’re not particularly hungry then as they are focusing on something entirely other than feeding. This does provide for some really interesting fishing and bass anglers need to think on a grossly different level to find the fish and then to get them to bite too. By now though there is a very good chance that the bass are far more actively cruising through the bedding areas right up shallow where they can be visible to anglers. In fact, with a pair of polarised sunglasses you are going to see some of the most fascinating activity from bass. Where you would normally have seen bass chasing baitfish and hiding inconspicuously beneath vegetation and behind laydown logs you will now expect to see them only fending off the baitfish and batting away any potential predators. Their intentions now are not to bite 32 SA BASS September 2019

and swallow, but rather to frightening away from this area in which they plan to lay eggs, or already have. It’s important to consider the bass’ intentions now because this has an effect on your strike sensitivity and your bait selection too. Being able to see the bass actually bite at your lure will help you understand what I’m getting at here. Normally bass engulf your bait and swim off a fair distance while busy chewing and swallowing. I really enjoy that and often toy with not striking the bass at all as they simply do not spit the bait out. However, at this time of year you can expect the bass to consider your lure far more carefully before biting and when they do bite it’s very likely that they will expel the bait within a second or two. This is in the case of soft plastic lures of course. To increase your chances of catching these selective creatures you can choose

from some different lures than your plastic variety. Let’s take a look.

Jerkbaits I have an entire Plano box full of these slender-shaped beauties in different sizes, colours, and some with flashing tails and rattles. This is really the best time of year to make the most of the jerkbait, but you will need to put some effort into the action of your retrieve to get the most benefit – jerk them rapidly and watch them dart from left to right before the bass arrive out of nowhere to attack them. I am sure you would like to talk about colour selection here but admittedly, everyone has their own preference and I wouldn’t get too stuck on being sensitive to natural colours. Surprisingly, bright colours such as clown (bright yellow) and purple ghost (white and purple combination) have

proved to be extremely popular now and I would urge you not to overlook these. Once the bass strikes at a jerkbait the chances are that it will hook itself immediately so there is no real fear of having to strike to hook the fish as you would have done with a plastic lure.

Spinnerbaits Although I fish spinnerbaits throughout the year (often during windy conditions) I have had excellent results during the early season. Spinnerbaits inherently swim shallow and this is exactly where you need to be. They are also weedless which assists greatly in getting right up close and personal with shallow structures where the bass will be locating to now. Just as with the jerkbait striking is not necessary as it is with soft plastic lures. You will however need to keep the line taught and the rod bent with as much pressure as you would normally impart in order to retrieve the fish to the boat. Any slack in your line will give the fish a chance to shake the lure loose. I would also suggest rigging up with slightly heavier line so that you can fish with confidence around structure and also because it is very likely that you’ll be confronted by some larger bass at this time of year.

Top water lures Frogs, Zara Spook, Tiny Torpedo, and so many other varieties can be tremendous fun around this time of year. They all work most effectively when fished around the shallows and even more so when retrieved through an area which is under the protective guard of bedding bass. What’s more, large bass have an affinity for attacking surface lures and I’m confident that you’ll enjoy some record catches with your top water lures now. Although I’ve found particular success with the above lures and also watched my fellow anglers reaping the rewards here please don’t think that you can’t try all the other options available to you. Certain dams and structures call for many different options and this is what makes the spring season such a diverse and exciting time to target bass. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

SA BASS 33 September 2019

>> SA BASS

Catching with

CANDy

>> Dylan Wheeler*

The author used an ultra-light setup

34 SA BASS September 2019

A Ned-rig with a twist

any people may find winter fishing intimidating... but it never stopped us! My fishing partner, Max Evrard, and I have always enjoyed the challenge of bass fishing in winter. It is no secret that it takes a stealthy, slow and finesse strategy to hook even one good fish in winter so we decided to take it a step further and add a fun aspect to the difficulties of winter bass fishing by putting a “sweet” twist on the norm. Max and I recently popped into our local candy store to determine which “bait” would work the best. After much deliberation, we decided on three types of sweets. These were liquorice, sour worms and sour sticks. Our first choice was liquorice strips with a yellow centre which we thought would give a good ‘stick bait’ imitation, and when cut in half could be used a Ned-rig or Neko-rig. Our second bait of choice was sour worms. Worms for any fisherman are must-have baits. These bright coloured worms would not have been the first choice for many people, but that was all part of the challenge! With the idea in mind of fishing them as a Ned-rig or a drop-shot rig, I was instantly sold! Our third and final “bait” of choice were apple flavoured sour sticks, which closely resembled a watermelon seed finesse worm which we were certain would work well as Neko-rig or drop-shot. With “bait” in hand, we made our way to our favourite fishing spots on Witbank Dam.

Ever thought of catching bass on candy?

We arrived to a beautiful, still morning with a temperature of 80C and a water temperature of 120C, which seemed qui te quite promising. We started off by targeting the deeper water waters rs (±4 to 8m), with lots of ro rocky ocky structure. We fished for f about three hours witho out without so much as a nibble, and nd eventually decided to move on. We made our way to the deeper grass lines and still nothing! Feeling very discourage about our experiment, we switched over to standard equipment and picked up a few fish on darker finesse lures where we learned that the fish were in fact schooled tightly together. We found that the bass were taking the darker lures and not the liquorice, despite the fact that they were rigged the same way. At 2 o’clock the waters had warmed up to ±150C. We moved on to slightly shallower waters where the banks had received first sun. Still determined to make our idea a success, we switched

candy back to cand dy lures, swearing not to pick up another until rod unt til we something! caught som mething! from Still disheartened fr rom our quiet morning and d deciding on what to cast ou ut next, out Max recommende recommended ed the liquorice Ned-rig. As I picked i k d up my 5’6 ultralight setup, he turned to me and said, “Dylan... if you want to catch a fish, you need to stop being ned-ative!” These instantly lightened the mood and on my first cast near a rocky outcrop, within a matter of seconds... wham! Slightly unprepared for take and almost having my rod pulled from my hands, I managed to land a good catch of just over a kilo. My shouts of joy echoing through the gorge! Spirits now high and rod at the ready, we moved on to the next “bait”. Our brightly coloured sour worms! As the liquorice Ned-rig proved itself effective, I decided to keep this technique going. Moving on about

100m down the bank, I cast my first sour worm into similar structure as before and what do you know?! Another take! Sadly it was just a dink, but a catch nonetheless. We were still over the moon that our experiment was working! Having had success on the previous two baits, it was time to move on to our last one, the apple sour sticks. Attempting many different rigs this time, including Texas, Neko, dropshot, weightless and even going so far as to add garlic spray... Nothing! Apparently bass aren’t so keen on the apple/garlic flavouring! All three baits used, we called it a day and as the sun started to set we made our way back to the launch. So if you were ever wondering if you could catch bass using sweets, the answer is... you can! If you would like to see footage from our day, go check out my YouTube page, FISHING INFLATED. *Dylan Wheeler, also known as Dylan Pudding, is a brand ambassador for Waft rods SA BASS 35 September 2019

>> SA BASS

SpioenkoponDam a kayak >> Ivan Sonnekus

As it stands it’s a pretty good challenge to fish for bass in the depths of winter yet we still head out there with the hopes of landing that big one or sometimes just any size one as so many of us have experienced those days where there is not even one fish that comes out or not even one tug on the end of your line.

n this article I will be talking about kayak fishing Spioenkop Dam in Northern KZN in search for those ever-elusive winter fish while pushing through gale force winds and tsunami sized waves up the creeks and along the rocky banks admiring the scene and abundant wildlife, it is all in a day’s fishing on this great piece of water.

The area The dam is located towards the South West of Ladysmith in the Northern Part of KZN and impounds

36 SA BASS September 2019

the Tugela River, the dam has a capacity of 272 265 cubic metres and a total surface area of 15,3 square kilometres and was commissioned in 1972. The reserve has a variety of different wildlife that’s visible to visitors. The dam is mainly targeted for carp and barbel but there is still some great bass around as well.

Ready to rumble This time around I was using one of my friends spare kayaks as I have never been on one of these and wanted to see how it holds up to the ones that

I usually use and I must say that I was quite pleasantly surprised with it, ample space for all my gear and snacks for the day and very comfortable as well. As we came in at the gate it is just a question of following the dirt road all the way down towards the dam, turning left to go towards the boat club and camping sites, carried all the way on to go as far left down the length of the dam that was physically possible as it would save us quite a bit of rowing. Our target area was up towards the river inlet side of the dam which meant we were in for a long haul on the water to go look for the slightly cleaner water and rocky banks – if it is bass you are targeting this would be the direction that you would want to move towards as majority of people that was able to land any bass happened toward the inlet or slightly up the river even as this is where you would find more structure and be able to fish at various depths as well. The morning was an absolute jewel and the water looked like glass as the early sun reflects between some

Spioenkop Dam

dry trees onto the water, each stroke of the paddle makes the kayak glide with ease, I was thinking to myself this is going to be it, today we will land some bass in this difficult water. As we paddles on covering the better part roughly 7km on the water I start to see the banks changing from dull flat grasslands to rocky hills covered in acacia trees and the smirk on my face could write books at this point as my heart starts racing with the thoughts of big fish hanging around in this prime area! I locate a target spot and paddle hard as to be able to just glide in on position as I put away the paddle beneath the bungy cords on deck and reach back to grab the fishing rod and get myself ready for that first tug on the end of my line! Cast after cast I try it all, bouncing plastics off the rocks, jerking and rattlin’ even dragging a jig along the bottom I find myself working hard in the morning sun just to retrieve a bare lure with every cast. By now I have drifted all along the cliff face and

around the point as the wind started picking up quite dramatically but still, I will persist in my efforts to land a bass on this beautiful winters’ day. Around the corner the water colour changes for the worst and I get greeted with a full force wind in my face and realise just how sheltered I was along the cliff face, at this time we decided to move across the gully and pull up on a sandy bank to stretch a bit of legs and dig through the fishing bags to change tactics once again as there just has to be a fish willing to bite. Moving up along towards the river once more covering another 2km to head into the “tip” of the dam to make a last hoorah before we will need to start heading back as daylight is catching up with us fast, as we move into the big water of the dam leaving the security of moving close to shore we realise that the wind has now become really bad reaching speeds of about 30-40kmh gusts then I realised things are going to get real interesting on the way back but for now it was a question of keeping the head down

and pushing hard to cross the last section of waves to reach that magic spot we identified. Upon reaching the far side of the dam just about to enter the river section I revert to cranks and spinners to try and get the bite on just before we go back again. Every flick of the rod I’m concentrating so hard to make sure I do not miss that bump, I notice and feel every rock and piece of grass drawing a vivid picture in my mind so much so that I do not even need a DSi fish finder as the rod tells the story but yet there is not one fish that’s interested in my lures. After the third round of “last casts” I decided to call it a day and admit defeat for the day as I start packing the deck of my kayak again and just sit there for a moment in the “quiet” hearing the howling wind and water thrashing against the kayak as I just sit there bobbling in the elements gathering the last bit of strength to haul back towards the vehicles.

Admitted defeat Sitting there in a lost moment rods back into the holders and everything SA BASS 37 September 2019

packed tight on the deck of the kayak as we mentally prepare for the hard push covering the 9km back to the vehicles but now as we have it we have gale force hurricane wind blowing down the length of the dam accompanied by tsunami sized waves and in between it all here we sit in a plastic sit on top

38 SA BASS September 2019

kayak just realising how small we are in this great world. Nonetheless we agree the time has come as we dig the paddles into the water getting the boats moving, riding the monstrous waves and trying to just stay on top of the boat by all means possible, every so often a wave crashes over the deck feeling like you have just been hit in the face with a hand full of ice shards thinking that we just need to keep pushing as every meter is one closer to the end. Luck was on our side for now the wind is at our backs and we end up surfing the waves with the kayaks as we picked up speed and cruised back to the shore ready to start packing and getting out of these horrible conditions. Although it was a crazy tough day and between the three kayaks we could not manage to land one fish it was still a great day of fun out on the water, as any day out fishing beats a day sitting at home or at work, it’s all about the experience and being out there pushing the limits living close to mother nature and just being free that is what it’s all about.

Gear, conditions and tactics As we are in the depths of winter, we have not had any rain in the area for quite a long time, yet the dam

has kept its water level very well in conjunction with the previous year. The water was really cold, so much that it burns to the touch along with it being very murky I have decided to start out the day fishing weighted plastics right down on the bottom with a slow retrieval feeling every piece of the ground along with the drift of the boat. As the wind turned up slightly I moved over to a rattlin’ square-bill trying to agitate some fish into the bite and yet nothing happened, afterwards I moved over to a spinnerbait and then a chatterbait and still no results… As I approached the rocky sections I tried fishing with a football head jig bouncing off the rocks and crawling on the bottom hoping for that big momma to pick me up. But alas, this round belongs to the fish and I am yet to head back and try once again, next time in the summer after we had the first good rain. Until next time, always have fun out there and remember it is not always about catching a fish but rather getting out there to experience nature and free your mind from the everyday stress life puts on you, so pack your gear and grab those rods and go find a fishing adventure you will never regret it!

>> SA BAARS

SWAAILEMME Elke hengelaar behoort ten minste een Mepps Black Fury in sy besit te hê

Saam met die nuwe hengelseisoen wat S nou aanbreek kan ons uiteindelik begin kyk na hoe om swartbaars te vang. In die vorige aflewerings het ons eers gekyk na die soorte visstokke, die soorte ge katrolle en die soorte vislyn en waarvoor katro elkeen geskik is. elkee >> Hannes Lindeque*

et soos ‘n ambagsm ambagsman sekere gereedskapstukke uitstuur. (Daar is ‘n verskeidenheid van ander soort lemme, bepaalde het vir bepa l werkies, is daar ideale hengelgerei maar wat nie nou ter sake is nie. Indien die hengelgogga vir elke elk aanbieding. As dit kom by die keuse van jou gebyt het, kan jy ‘n diepte studie daaroor gaan doen.) kunsaas en die aanbieding daarvan, kan ons letterlik boeke In my arsenaal sal daar ten minste ‘n wit/chatreuse, “fire daaroor skryf (soos wat ons reeds die afgelope agtien jaar tiger” en ‘n “Junebug” kleurige spinnerbait wees. Wit is ‘n doen). goeie kleur indien die water helderskoon is en donkerder Ek onthou nog die eerste dag wat ek by ‘n kleure in meer troebel water. hengelgereiwinkel ingestap en gevra het, “Ek gaan Hierdie aas dryf nie en die swemdiepte word bepaal swartbaars hengel, wat het ek nodig?” Die eienaar het sy hoe vinng die aas ingebring word. Gooi die aas uit en trek hand uitgesteek en na die rakke gewys wat vol kunsaas dit stadig teen ‘n konstante tempo terug indien die water gehang het. Ek was oorweldig met die verskeidenheid en troebel is. Jy moet die lem voel vibreer. Sodra jy die lem kleure. Ek was nie daar om sy winkel te koop nie, ek wou nie meer voel nie, beteken dit dat ‘n vis die aas moontlik net kunsaas hê! gegryp het; daar is watergras om jou aas wat verwyder moet Vir diegene wat nog nooit swartbaars gehengel het nie, word, of jou vislyn is om die kunsaas verstrengel. sal my voorstel wees om met ‘n swaailem te begin. Die In helder water bring ek my aas in teen ‘n wisselende eenvoudigste aas wat nogsteeds baie effektief is maar selde trek-stop tempo om ‘n beseerde klein vissie na te boots. gebruik word, is ‘n nommer drie Mepps Black Fury. Die In koue water moet ek aanpas by die visse wat nie gaan aas het ‘n silwer lem met ‘n swart plakker en geel kolletjies lus wees vir ‘n honderd meter wedloop nie. Die aas moet daarop. Die swaailem is baie lig en sal verkieslik met ‘n baie stadig, (die lemme moet net-net draai), baie naby aan koffiemeulkatrol en gepaste stok gehengel word. die vis verby gebring word. Selfs ‘n tweede of derde gooi Spinnerbaits is die eintlike aas wat enige hengelaar gaan nodig wees om die vis sover te kry om te byt. regdeur die jaar, enige plek, enige diepte kan gebruik en Vir swaailemme gebruik ek ten minste ‘n ses-voet-ses nogsteeds sukses behaal. Die verskil in aanbiedings sal die medium-swaar met ‘n vinnige aksie stok, ‘n lae profiel deurslaggewende faktor wees. ‘n Voordeel van die aas is dat “baitcaster” katrol gelaai met 14lb monofilament- of dit nie so maklik vashaak en verlore raak nie. fluorocarbonlyn; wat ookal in jou begroting die beste pas. Die grootte en vorm van die ie lemme, die kop se gewig *Hannes Lindequ Lindeque is die stigter en uitgewer van SA asook die kleure van die frokkies kies (toiïngs) sedert 2001, die hooforganiseerder van FLW BASS seder speel ‘n belangrike rol in jou keuse. euse. Suid Suid-Afrika en SA BASS Cast-for-Cash Die waterhelderheid bepaal aal swartbaar-hengeltoernooie. swa die grootte en vorm van die swaailem se lemme. Sonder Wenk: Die beste plek om vir om te tegnies te raak – in swartbaars te soek is die plekke helder water gebruik ons twee ee waar ander te bang is om te “willow leaf ” lemme en in troebel oebel hengel - daar waar jou aas lemme water gebruik ons Colorado-lemme Spinnerbaits is een van die mees maklik vashaak en verlore raak. wat stadig draai en sterk vibrasies veelsydigste kunsase om te hê SA BASS 39 September 2019

>> SA BASS CONSERVATION

Unlawful gillnetting in South Africa

>> Philip Kemp*

on the sofa in early June this year, I turned on the television to watch h >> Relaxing Carte Blanche covering unlawful gillnetting in South Africa’s freshwater systems.. I caught up with advocate Bernard Venter in an exclusive interview to find out more e on this much talked about topic. PK: Tell us more about exactly what gillnetting is and the effect it has on the fish and our fisheries? BV: Gillnetting is an unselective way of catching fish, because most of the fish caught in a gillnet results in fish mortality. Fish get stuck by its gills in the net and the damage caused to the gills causes the fish to die. The problem with gillnet fishing in South Africa (and elsewhere) is the scale it is done at. The gillnets that we find in dams and rivers are just too long and too many to be a sustainable activity. PK: Would you describe this type of fishing as subsistence fishing or rather as commercial fishing? BV: This is not subsistence fishing, but commercial fishing in freshwater systems that cannot sustain such pressures.

Catch of the day; we discovered this pile of fresh fish hidden between the grass on the bank

PK: Please tell the readers exactly who you are and the role you play in saving our freshwater systems? BV: I am the trustee and the CEO for the Eco-Care Trust. We do aquatic monitoring in freshwater systems. Taking out unlawful gillnets in freshwater systems across the country is one of our main focus areas. PK: Do you consider unlawful gillnetting as a mayor threat in South Africa? BV: Most definitely yes. Unlawful gillnetting is a huge problem in South African freshwater systems and its getting a bigger problem by the day. PK: What does legislation in South Africa say concerning illegal gillnetting? BV: In terms of Provincial Legislation you need a permit to catch fish in public waters with a net. In terms of the NEMBA (Act 10 0f 2004) selling of live fish is a restricted activity, and you need a permit to sell fish. 40 SA BASS September 2019

PK: We know that there are many poor people living in informal settlements in South Africa and because of incompetent control on our South African borders the numbers are increasing. Would you say that these illegal immigrants play a big role in this problem? BV: The fish poachers in South Africa are mostly illegal immigrants working for syndicates in South Africa. We remove the nets weekly only to find new nets the following week funded by these syndicates. PK: I have experienced some hostility once when a friend and I tried to remove some nets at Mkombo Dam throwing stones at us. Do you also experience such hostility at times? BV: We often experience hostility from fish poachers and have in some instances had to take cover when shots were fired at us. PK: How do you think this problem could be overcome? BV: We are not against feeding hungry people, but then we need to do it on a scientifically and sustainable way. You need to select the water systems carefully, and not utilize dams with fish species that are endangered or under pressure to survive.

Parks board rangers taking out gill nets to the side

Targeting indigenous fish species is not the way to go, especially where there are alien fish species, such as carp, that can be utilized. You also need to know the size limits and quantity of the resource. People see dams and don’t realize that aquatic systems are like game reserves. The difference is in game reserves you can easily count the game, while in dams you can’t. You can see the rhinos are disappearing, but you don’t see the dwindling numbers of largemouth yellowfish. PK: Does this mean that Eco-Care Trust will support netting if it is done responsible? BV: We shall only support netting if it is done after a scientific study regarding the dam, species to be targeted, methods to be used, quotas, etc. has been done, and proper monitoring and control systems are in place and it is sustainable. Currently the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is busy drafting the Inland Fisheries Policy which will legalize gillnetting in inland waters. We are not against utilising our freshwater resources, but it needs to be done within the limits of the resource, and not targeting indigenous fish species. Dams with alien fish species such as carp can be utilized but the resource must be managed scientifically and in a sustainable way. It also very important to ensure that the fisheries are policed effectively, and not by the netters themselves! Out of experience we know that the government is not fulfilling its policing functions in this regard.

Bakkie full of illegal gill nets

One of the important recommendations of the report is that angling has a huge tourism potential and that is currently not properly exploited. Angling tourism is big money and creates job opportunities. Without preserving our angling waters there is no fishing and a huge economic opportunity lost. Eco Care Trust has a large support amongst the angling community and we will strive to keep it sustainable for all. We trust that this info and background will be of assistance for all. Readers are welcome to contact Eco-Care Trust for more information at www.ecocare.org.za *Philip Kemp is a well known angler in the bassin’ community and assistant editor of SA BASS. Editors note: After this “illegal netting attack” on Rust de Winter Dam, a group of concerning anglers came together and formed a WhatsApp called “Friends of Rusties”. Please call 083-333-0324 if you are interested in joining the group.

PK: What impact will the over utilizing of our ﬁsh resources have on the ﬁshing industry? BV: The angling industry is a very big industry and over utilizing the fish resource will totally collapse the industry to the detriment of the South African economy. A Recreational Angling Socio-Economics Report compiled by Dr Warren Potts from Rhodes University and several other academics has recently been released. According to this report there are approximately 1,327,633 recreational anglers in South Africa with an annual spending of R19 billion and an economic importance (contribution to production) of R36 billion. This industry currently supports 94,000 employment opportunities. SA BASS 41 September 2019

>> SA BASS

MIKE LONG:

A FALLEN ICON

MIKE LONG – A NAME SYNONYMOUS WITH BIG BASS CATCHES, AMERICA’S “BEST” TROPHY HUNTER, EXPOSED AS A FRAUD! WOW! I’M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE AUDACITY OF THIS GUY. >> Divan Coetzee

he allegations against him are insane! From snagging trophy fish and claiming false lake records to secret live-wells and intimidation. Kellen Ellis, owner and administrator of SD.FISH.com, come forward with some compelling video evidence and a 40 page article labeled “The dark secret of America’s big bass guru” covering the entire career of this once revered angler. It’s an interesting read, the full article can be viewed on Ellis’ page. I’ve taken out snippets from the original article to give you some perspective on how this guy (Long) operated. Ellis states: “Back then Long was the undisputed heavyweight champion of big bass fishing. He caught the ninth heaviest bass of all time in 2001, a 20.75-pounder. He owned five local lake records for bass and made claim to having caught several hundred more bass over 10 pounds. “Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World42 SA BASS September 2019

Record Largemouth Bass” by Monte Burke had hit bookstores a year prior and Long was prominently featured in the book as the leader of the pack when it came to the chase for the world record. He was the guy that the other players in that quest chased. And he was annihilating San Diego’s other top bass anglers in local team (2-person) tournaments, many times doing it without a partner in the boat. There was some controversy surrounding his success, particularly with his lake records and the tournament wins while fishing solo - but anyone questioning Long’s prowess at this point was met with resolute resistance from his supporters - myself included. I sincerely regret that.” Ellis broke ties with Long in 2010 after suspicious and circumstantial evidence presented itself. Ellis was left with the only conclusion; that Long was a fraud! Ellis lacked any concrete proof on the subject. Big bass legend Bill Murphy, shared Ellis’

sentiment with regards to Long, and would let his true feelings on Long be known before he passed in 2004. Ellis goes on to say: “Murphy absolutely thought he was a cheater. I had breakfast with Bill Murphy a few months before he died, he thought not only was he dangerous, but he was a cheater, and that he was spawning a bad element in bass fishing in San Diego County,” Zieralski told me in a phone interview this May. “He did not respect Long. He feared him. He feared the element that Mike was bringing into the sport.” Meanwhile, Long would dominate local tournaments and attain several lake records, the latter being a big deal in the U.S. The incentive to be on top was there, in the form of financial reward. Ellis states: “Mike Long would proceed to DOMINATE the Big Bass Record Club. In 1999, the club’s first year Long would take home $28,400 after taking first, third and tenth in the contest that year with bass weighing 17.95 pounds

(Lake Murray), 15.19 (Lake Poway) and 12.44 (Lake Poway)”. In light of Long’s success, the format was charged the next year. There was effectively no way to properly dispute an angler’s claim. In 2001, Long came out tops with a fish of 20.75 from lake Dixon. The specimen became known as “dotty”. In hindsight, I think it’s fair to question the legitimacy of the catch. All Long had to do was pass a polygraph test. He failed… he would later be allowed to retake the test. With all the controversy surrounding the failed polygraph, Long laid low for awhile with regards to submitting catches. Instead, he teamed up with an old school buddy and highly proficient angler by the name of John Kerr. Kerr says the following about Long: “He was catfishing off a point and I was done bass fishing for the day so I went over and started catfishing near him. We got to talking and he told me he was getting into bass fishing.” This would be the start of Long’s tournament career, he and Kerr did fairly well and managed many respectable finishes including several AOY titles. Kerr being the backbone of the team and Long contributing nothing but his name. In fact, Long on several occasions listed Kerr as his partner for the day, but ended up fishing alone. Long would end up with a winning percentage of 75% when fishing alone, and 25% when fishing with a partner. Kerr became suspicious, Ellis states: “Kerr was sceptical of Long’s success. What he saw from him as a teammate didn’t match the results that Long was generating as a competitor. And he had witnessed Long pull some things with lake record claims that made him question the man’s moral compass. Long’s lake records were especially dubious, and Kerr was far from the only one who doubted their validity.” Kerr and Long eventually parted ways after an incident in 2008. From there, Long would take even bigger risks in order to stay on top. Ellis writes: “In January of 2009,

Mattson took a call from Long inviting him to go fish Lake Hodges on a day the lake was closed, and told him he had waterdogs that they could use for bait. Waterdogs have been illegal to use as bait in California since March of 2001, but Long, working for a rebar company, had been on a job in Yuma, AZ and was able to purchase them there. Mattson declined, saying he didn’t want anything to do with throwing waterdogs or fishing illegally. He again suggested to Long that he shouldn’t be doing anything illegal given all the scrutiny he was under. But Long apparently didn’t heed his advice, and left Mattson a voicemail later stating that he had fished Hodges and caught a 13-pounder. “He was super stoked about it, I could tell in his voice that he legitimately caught it, you could tell when he did something legitimately, which was few and far between, but it wasn’t really legit because the lake was closed and the bait was illegal,” Mattson said. “I called Johnny [Kerr] and told him Mike got a 13 pounder out of Hodges, and Kerr said there was an upcoming tournament at Otay, and he thought he would weigh it in during the tournament. I said, “you think so?” He said, “he’s going to get a 13 pounder in the tournament, and I bet he says he gets it on a swimbait.” “I go, you know what, if that happens, I’m 100% sure that he’s cheating,” Mattson recalled. On January 24, 2009 Mike Long weighed 25.93 pounds in the won bass tournament at Lower Otay, fishing by himself (though he put John Kerr down on the entry form as his partner). His nearly 26-pound limit was anchored by a… you guessed it, 13.2-pounder. He collected $4,990 in prize money”. This is truly a fascinating article, I urge you to read all 19,000 words of it. It took Ellis ten odd years to compile all his data. The video footage that accompanies the article is just as shocking. I urge folks to keep their side clean. There is no place for snaggers and cheats!

COMING UP IN FLW COMPETITIONS

FLW FORREST WOOD CUP August 9 - 11, 2019 Lake Hamilton Hot Springs, AR

FLW Championship August 23 - 25, 2019 Lake Oanob Rehoboth, Namibia

FLW Championship August 23 - 25, 2019 Lake Mteri Zimbabwe

FLW RSA Championship August 29 - 31, 2019 Witbank Dam The Ridge Casino, Witbank, MP

Costa FLW Series Championship Oct. 31 - Nov. 2, 2019 Lake Cumberland Burnside, KY

Gauteng

KwaZulu-Natal

Back: Cornel & Ewald Smit, Loutjie Louwies, Jean-Peare Serfontein, Marc Auby, Adriaan Zwarts, Malcolm Coetzee, Japie Botha Front: Kamlesh Parbhoo, Troy & Bryn Batty, Johan Zwarts

L-t-r: Cliffton Bridge, Lionel Crow, Johan van Coppenhagen, Bryan Leppan, Charles van Heerden, Wayne Easton, Robbie Olivier

8.760kg

7.375kg

Venue: Rust de Winter Dam

Venue: Hazelmere Dam

Top ten places:

1: Team Cobat Transport* - 8.76kg

1: Team Gamakatsu Outdoors 365 - 7.375kg

2: Team Greens* - 7.945kg

2: Team Strike King Fishtec - 5.757kg

3: Team Raptor - 7.075kg

3: Team J & L Fishtec - 2.29kg

4: Team Rapala VMC / Nitro - 6.505kg

4: Team R & R - 2.27kg

5: Team Bass Outlaw s - 6.155kg

5: Team Halfw ay - 2.18kg

6: Team Greens* - 5.67kg

6: Team Graham & Son - 2.15kg

7: Team Dry den ProjectsÂ˛ - 5.64kg

7: Team Crank 'Em - 2.145kg

8: Team Mav erick - 5.58kg

8: Team Zman Fishtec - 1.905kg

9: Team RS* - 5.36kg

9: Team D & H Engineering - 1.815kg

10: Team Ama-Venom - 5.29kg

10: Team All The Gear, No Idea - 1.44kg

For the complete results and next venue: see our website www.flwsouthafrica.com T: 065 849 3264 E: hannes@sabass.com W: www.flwsouthfrica.net Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) is the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across various tournament circuits. FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, South Korea and South Africa. The FLW television show is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. PO Box 24938 Gezina, Pretoria, 0031 44 SA BASS September 2019

NEW season starts in September 2019

July Results Limpopo

Team Beli VC, Team Beli Farming, Team Bochum & Voetsek

10.730kg Venue: Nandoni Dam

Top ten places - day 1: 1: Team Beli VC* - 10.730kg 2: Team Beli Farming - 8.895kg 3: Team Bochum & Voetsek - 7.96kg 4: Team Tw ins - 7.000kg 5: Team Fear no Fish - 6.680kg 6: Team Kamikaze - 6.525kg 7: Team Erasmusse - 4.940kg 8: Team BB Mazda - 4.630kg 9: Team Optimax - 4.265kg

Catch more, bigger bass, read...

SA baars BASS MAGAZINE Since 2001

10: Team Pure Chaos - 3.995kg

For the complete results and next venue: see our website www.flwsouthafrica.com

www.alphalaboria.co.za

Polokwane / Pietersburg

VisitVisit www.flwsouthafrica.com www.flwsouthafrica.com for entry for entry forms, forms, dates, dates venues and and venues. results. For general enquiries phone 082-416-5524 SA BASS 45 September 2019

Limpopo

Mpumalanga

Team Beli VC, Team Bochum & Voetsek, Team Fear No Fish

L-t-r: Jono Yearsley, Wiehann Riath, Jannie Erasmus, Ian Palmer, Juan & Jessie Swart

10.000kg

6.365kg

Venue: Nandoni Dam

Venue: Vygeboom Dam

Top ten places - day 2:

Top ten placings - day 1:

1: Team Beli VC* - 10.000kg

1: Team Woolly bugger Farm - 6.365kg

2: Team Bochum & Voetsek - 7.735kg

2: Team X Factor - 5.800kg

3: Team Fear no Fish - 7.640kg

3: Team Yellow Bass Eagle - 5.655kg

4: Team Tw ins - 7.550kg

4: Team Sukkelaars - 4.850kg

5: Team Beli Farming - 7.240kg

5: Team Six 8 Custom Baits - 4.070kg

6: Team Optimax - 4.810kg

6: Team Stan Rio Pipe and Steel - 3.955kg

7: Team BB Mazda - 3.950kg

7: Team Millies - 3.860kg

8: Team Vhav enda bricks - 3.915kg

8: Team Bass Fev er - 3.255kg

9: Team SA BASS LP - 3.480kg

9: Team Keeping it Reel - 3.155kg

10: Team Kamikaze - 3.420kg

10: Team Aquaholics - 1.885kg

For the complete results and next venue: see our website www.flwsouthafrica.com

T: 011-251-9999 E: info@garmin.co.za W: https://garmin.co.za

Polokwane / Pietersburg

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46 SA BASS September 2019

July Results Mpumalanga

L-t-r: Marlin Wolmarans, Henk Venter, Jannie Erasmus, Ian Palmer, Adrian Leite

6.145kg Venue: Vygeboom Dam

Top ten placings - day 2: 1: Team Six 8 Custom Baits - 6.145kg 2: Team X Factor - 4.805kg 3: Team SA BASS MP - 3.655kg 4: Team Sukkelaars - 3.450kg 5: Team Woolly bugger Farm - 3.33kg 6: Team Stan Rio Pipe and Steel - 2.500kg 7: Team Bass Fev er - 2.33kg

Catch more, bigger bass, read...

SA baars BASS MAGAZINE

8: Team Keeping it Reel - 1.745kg 9: Team Millies - 0.75kg

Since 2001

10: Team Rage - 0.69kg

For the complete results and next venue: see our website www.flwsouthafrica.com McCarthy Volkswagen Wonderboom

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>> SA BASS

Solly’s Angler’s Corner* T

his family business started in 1937 as a general dealer in Ophirton, Johannesburg. In the early 1960s a few rods and reels were introduced. By the mid to late 60s, due to public demand, the range grew and a corner was allocated for the fishing tackle... thus “angler’s corner”. In 1969 it was a fully stocked fishing department of what was available at the time... the demand and range gradually increased. In the mid 70s and early 80s, out went the groceries, crockery, cutlery, etc, and in came a bigger range of fishing tackle. The family decided to expand the business by opening other branches. They now have branches in Ophirton (Booysens), Fourways Crossing, Pretoria, Vereeniging and Rustenburg. They recently renovated their Vereeniging store and introduced some new products in the different departments. They also moved their Pretoria branch to Melyn Retail Park to bigger and better premises. All their branches have a specialised bass angling section to provide the discerning bassin’ enthusiast with a wide selection of rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and lures. They cater for all types of anglers, from beginner to pro and carry all the latest fishing tackle available at very competitive prices. They carry top brands like Megabass, DUO, Lucky Craft, G.Loomis, Shimano, Abu, Daiwa, Rapala, War Eagle and much more. Also, their branches have a variety of accessories such as hats, rain jackets, fish finders, GPS handsets, aerator pumps, and a section with basic camping gear. To top it all they offer excellent customer service as well as rod & reel servicing and repairs. All their branches are closed on Fridays between 11:30 and 13:30 and only their Fourways and Pretoria branches are open on Sundays from 09:30 to 12:30.

Be sure to visit a branch near you, or give them a call, or drop them a mail with your requirements and they will gladly assist you. *Solly’s Angler’s Corner stores are situated in: Johannesburg (011) 493-1848 / 493-1452, Fourways Crossing (011) 465-2937, Vereeniging (016) 422-5545 / 455-2513, Pretoria (012) 348-0207 / 348-9597, Rustenburg (072) 252-8852. E-mail: sollys@netactive.co.za 48 SA BASS September 2019

R16 900