LAZING AT LAKE LIFTON By Andrew Mather

I awoke to watch the inky blackness of the night start to retreat. Winter sunrises are amazing especially if your room has panoramic views and you can snuggle under an electric blanket.

We had come away for a weekend at Sani Valley Lodge just outside Underberg. Some will remember this dam being called “Lake Lifton” a long time ago. I don’t know if you are like me but I’m always playing my cards right, albeit often close to my chest, to go fishing. Often the problem is that the accommodation is limited and by the time the fishers have plotted a trip there is often little thought to our better halves.

So why would you want to come here. Well it gets you big brownie points. The Units at Sani Valley are all 4 star. One can book a cozy little two sleeper cottage if you want to be on your own. I had a motorcycling buddy who did this often when he went off riding, except he left the wife behind and brought the girlfriend along, but that’s a story for another time!

We stay in Rainbow cottage with sweeping views of the lake and mountains. The unit is very well appointed with three double bedrooms and each with their own bathroom. A patio, the full length of the cottage, a comfortable lounge dining room with a obligatory wood fired heater. This alone would satisfy the choosiest of partners. During the day there are walks around the property and a spa! So what can a flyfisher do while your partner is enjoying the spa… well fish of course!

The lake is large, some 102 hectares. The food is plentiful, and the trout grow big. The lake has had a good number of 10 pound plus fish emerge over the years. Motorised boats, float tubes and the like are allowed on the dam and often the best means of getting up to the inlet streams.

We rose and watched the sunrise drinking steaming hot coffee followed by a fried breakfast before we ventured out. We opted for waders so that we could enter the water to fight the fish. The spot we had chosen had an irregular spattering of reeds about 5m out. We figured that being able to wade out close to them that we could lift the line above and prevent a tangle and inevitable breakoff.

The three of us decided to try different flies to see what was going to work. A streamer on intermediate line certainly got a lot of interest but while there were lots of chases, I don’t recall one making it to the net. There were some fish moving around the top and looked like they were taking something. Well what the hell lets chuck out a little nymph. I used a #16 pink tag nymph. Actually, the yellowfish lads will recognize this fly. A really successful fly on the Vaal and Orange. I hung it below a thingabobber and cast it out. Then sat back to wait.

It’s times like this that one appreciates the beauty of your surroundings. Across the windless lake the cottages and surrounding hills reflected across the water creating a magnificent distraction. The mirrored water was broken by a dimple which I saw out the corner of my eye. My thingabobber had sunk leaving a perfect ring of ripples. It was then I felt the weight of the fish.

In a split second the fish turned and headed out into the dam. I let it run. It didn’t seem to change its direction or speed as the backing clicked through the eyes and outward. Time to try turn her. She turned and I reeled in line. Closer and closer inshore she came. All was going according to plan when she made a run for the clumps of weed. Having seen how cleverly they wrap you up I released all pressure. My heart was in my mouth as the barbless hook could come out at any time. I slid down the bank into the water and waded out a few metres. The fish must have sensed me and turned away from the weeds. I put pressure on again and this time managed to navigate her between the weeds and safely to the net. The fish are strong and nicely conditioned.

After the excitement the three of us got our lines out and stood watching the water. The fish were taking so gently and after several missed takes the lads were even more determined. Warren’s thingabobber dips and he responded with a tigerfish set. The spray from the line ripping up off the water actually created a perfect miniature rainbow. The tranquility and beauty of the rainbow only lasted a fraction of a second as the bobber headed straight towards him landing in a tangle in the shallows.

It wasn’t long after that that Warren went tight. This one meant business. It steamed straight out into the dam. He saw the flyline go, then the backing kept rolling off his reel. He started shouting that he was going to be spooled. “It’s over ten pounds…bring the net”, he bellowed. Now those who have fished with him will know that call. Warren had his Abel packed with plenty of backing but in no time, the line was rapidly running out. At this point he jumped into the dam and waded out as far as his waders would allow. The fish was about 120m out by now. Slowly he got it to slow down and recovered line before it once again took off. Eight minutes later he had the fish in the net. Sadly, it wasn’t ten pounds but a really good fish. The cold water and the hook in the tail had played their part.

Savs on the other hand was also having a great time. Well mostly. There was a big fish he hooked but as luck would have it the fish managed to get the line tangled around the weed. We thought the best way to get it to the net was to take the net to it. I jumped in the water and waded out. Carefully I drop the net into the water with the intention of scooping the fish out. Alas it was not to be. The fish was gone. I still don’t know if the net touched the line and popped the tippet or the fish managed to get some slack in the line and it threw the hook. Savs was gracious in the disappointment of the moment.

There were plenty of fish about. Warren and Savs spotted an otter coming into the shallows. As it cruised into view the realization hit them that it wasn’t an otter at all. It was a fish. All hell broke lose as lines were recast in an effort to hook this monster. Well he didn’t get that big for nothing. He turned, cocked his finger and disappeared into the depths as silently as he came. Warren later remarked that it was probably the biggest fish he had see in this dam ever, and he has been fishing this dam for decades!

Sani Valley Lodge and Hotel Sani Pass Road Himeville +27 (0) 33 702 0203 +27 (0) 82 561 3275

Email: info@sanivalley.co.za