The 2019 Cape Piscatorial Society River Festival by Andrew Mather

from November 2019 Southern African Flyfishing Magazine

Slow and easy does it by Andrew Allman

The view from my room was spectacular. The mountains were shrouded in mist and adorned with white water rushing down the slopes creating the most amazing waterfalls. As the wind blew up the mountainside the waterfalls disappeared back into the air atomised before they had the ground.

This is the sight that greeted all the aspirant attendees at the Cape Piscatorial Society annual festival.

The rain kept coming. Jonkershoek recorded 186.4mm in 18 hrs. The rivers started rising rapidly in response. By the Friday evening it was clear that the conditions were almost impossible to fish, even for experienced flyfishers let alone less experienced anglers that might be fishing a river for the first time.

So the CPs organising committee set about arranging the Saturday around mainly indoor activities. The rugby at midday helped break the day into two distict halves....not that we saw many flyfishers going to fish after the rugby. I think too many lemonades had been consumed!

The sun broke out on the Saturday morning and most took advantage of this reprieve. Tim Rolston got busy with demonstrations and advice.

On a good day you can expect these little beauties...the fly isn't half bad either Mr Brigg

**Gareth and Matt set up their vices and tied some of their favourite stream patterns**

Saturday night dinner and prize giving went off very well with every entrant receiving a prize. Many items were lovingly handbuilt and donated to the festival. The major fly fishing shops were also very generous in donating prizes to the CPS. To all the people that did donate I can say on behalf of the entrants that they are most appreciated.

Oh lastly the guides decided that since we didn't actually get our feet wet...well in the river I mean... they are prepared to take each entrant onto a steam when conditions improve. Great gesture...great bunch of guys!