The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine Issue #36 by The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine

GEAR OF THE YEAR ISSUE 36 NOV/DEC 2022

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THEMISSIONFLYMAG.COM

THE ITALIAN AFFAIR, WILD FISH FROM BORNEO, MIKE DAMES, LIONEL SONG, INSTA-FAMOUS FLIES, BEERS, BEATS & MORE

FAIL is not an SONAR TITAN TROPICAL/JUNGLE CLEAR TIP “The Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Jungle Clear Tip is my choice for fishing Amazonian Dorado in the Bolivian mountains. Its unique taper turns over big streamers in a single cast – crucial when you face a feeding frenzy or a dorado crossing right in front you and only have seconds to make the shot.”

- Marcelo Perez, SA Advisor

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LURE n option Harder coating and stiffer core to maintain

SLICKNESS AND ABRASION RESISTANCE

IN DEMANDING JUNGLE CONDITIONS

Excellent turnover due to short, powerful head Overweighted by two line sizes for quick loading and delivery of big flies to distant targets • 15’ clear intermediate tip for stealthy presentations • Slow sink rate gets flies just below the surface • Tropi-Core technology • •

Get the net.

Swiftcurrent Wading Jacket ™

Built with Bureo’s NetPlus® material, a 100% recycled nylon made from reclaimed fishing nets, the Swiftcurrent Wading Jacket is engineered to cast freely, eliminate line snag and keep water where it belongs—in the river.

W W W . T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M ISSUE 36 NOV/DEC 2022

CONTENTS Cover: After a torrid love affair with Italy and her fishing, Si Kay lies spent on the grass. Photo Stephan Dombaj.

34 GEAR OF THE YEAR – TACKLE We gave our team of contributors (ranging from veterans and newbies to guides and weekend warriors) a simple task. To tell us about gear that they love. In these days of sponsors and ambassadors, there was only one catch – it could not be something they sell or represent. The result? A huge selection of 100% unbiased real world recommendations. 46 GEAR OF THE YEAR – TIPS It’s all very well having the right clobber, but you need to know what to do too. So, with that in mind, we asked the same group for the best advice they have for other fly anglers, new and old. From the esoteric to the technical, they weighed in with pearls of wisdom that might just make you a better angler. 62 THE ITALIAN AFFAIR Filmmaker Si Kay went to Northern Italy twice this year. Once for pleasure in the heat of summer and once with the Fly Fishing Nation crew to shoot a job. To say he is now infatuated with the place would be an understatement. He tells us why. 76 THE ITALIAN JOB Lifestyle drawcards aside, when the South African Master and Junior teams visited the Trentino area a few months back, they were all business. They give us a technical breakdown of what worked. 86 INSTA-FAMOUS FLIES Catching fish on flies you tied yourself is first prize, we do not dispute that. But, if your time (or your skills) are limited and you want to maximize your time on the water, then it pays to rope in the specialists. Of all the impressive talent we see on Instagram on a daily basis, we have selected six standout South African fly tyers to place an order with (if they can fit you in).

REGULAR FEATURES 18 Chum 22 Booze & Beats 24 Wish List Fish 26 High Fives

94 Salad Bar 102 Pay Day 106 What’s in my bag 108 Lifer

“At some stage during the day, I would find a nice spot, secure the beer between a rock or two under the cold mountain water, ha ve a quick swim giving the beer time to cool, then relax and spend time just appreciating the wonder of my surrounds. Those are the moments in life where everything just feels right.” Si Kay in ‘The Italian Affair’ (page 62)

T&T Ambassador Alec Gerbec on the Snake River Wyoming

the next generation Ask a group of experienced anglers to name the greatest dry fly rod of all time, and the T&T Paradigm is sure to be mentioned more than once. Over twenty years later, we’ve followed the same inspiration that made the original into a legend to create a new Paradigm for the 21st century.

THE PARADIGM SERIES, 5 MODELS FROM 3 - 6 WEIGHT

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THE ROD YOU WILL E VENTUALLY OWN

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“Never complain about mosquitoes, you only talk about mosquitoes in a positive manner. If you start to complain they will enter your mind and destroy you.” - Rolf Nylinder, filmmaker

T U D O R CA R A D O C - DAV I ES

ALL THE GEAR, SOME IDEA

t’s easy when you get started in fly fishing to get a little too obsessed with accumulating gear. Quite often the bug bites so hard, you convince yourself you need rods for small stream stuff, the mid-sized fisheries too and of course a rod, reel and lines for marlin, tarpon and other large species. Over time you probably refine things a little in terms of what floats your boat, but that does not necessarily mean you have less gear, you just go deeper in one direction. Quite often, that de-cluttering or streamlining of gear and tackle, only occurs once you reach some sort of Zen understanding of your place in the fly fishing omniverse. You’ll know you are there once you have the scars from many a (mis)adventure, once you have tried every gadget and gizmo under the sun and you find yourself returning to the same stuff time and time again. Bearing all that in mind, we reached out to a bunch of anglers who have featured in this magazine over the last few years. We asked them to channel the dictum of minimalist Japanese clutter expert Marie Kondo and to select an item of gear that either “sparks joy” or that they wholeheartedly endorse and recommend. There was only one bit of fine print – the product they recommended could not be something they either sell or represent. We’re not massively anti the whole #Instagram #ambassador thing - it’s the way of the world now – but we wanted this Gear of the Year section to be free from bias or any

vested interests. So that’s what it is, 100% legit clobber that hard-fishing veterans and newbies alike would run into a burning building for (or something to that effect). The results are varied and fascinating. Watercraft came up a lot. From canoes to float tubes and SUPs, essentially anything that get you better access to fish. Of course, the obvious yet important stuff came up too – terminal tackle like tippets and leader material along with essential lines, rods and reels. As you might expect, there were also a bunch of assorted odds and ends from chafe cream to pliers, travel pants, hook sharpeners, storage boxes, boots and hats. Cognizant of the adage, ‘all the gear, no idea,’ along with their gear recommendations, we also asked the same group for advice. In short – pearls of wisdom they have learned while/from/ or thanks to fly fishing. We purposefully went broad on this to reflect the diversity of voices and the varied fisheries they frequent. The answers do not disappoint. From the mental game required to fish among crocs, to slowing down (everything), the three-cast rule, flats fishing insights, beer receptacle recommendations and a shit-load more, these pages are soaked with hard-won wisdoms from people who fish everywhere from tropical flats and jungles, to the Arctic Circle, Cape Fold mountains and E.coliriddled sewers. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did putting it together.

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“Always fish defensively in dangerous waters.” Lionel Song practising as he preaches in the Okavango Delta. From what we hear, the crocs have PTSD.

EDITOR Tudor Caradoc-Davies ART DIRECTOR Brendan Body CONTACT THE MISSION The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine for Soutie Press (Pty) Ltd 25 Firth Road, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa info@themissionflymag.com www.themissionflymag.com

EDITOR AT LARGE Conrad Botes COPY EDITOR Gillian Caradoc-Davies MANAGING DIRECTOR Ingrid Sinclair ADVERTISING SALES tudor@themissionflymag.com

THE MISSION IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR. THE MISSION WILL WELCOME CONTENT AND PHOTOS. WE WILL REVIEW THE CONTRIBUTION AND ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE USED AS PRINT OR ONLINE CONTENT. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MAGAZINE OR ITS OWNERS. THE MISSION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF SOUTIE PRESS (PTY) LTD. ANY DUPLICATION OF THIS MAGAZINE, FOR MEDIA OR SALE ACTIVITY, WILL RESULT IN LEGAL ACTION… AND AN ETERNITY SPENT BEING EATEN ALIVE BY ARCTIC CIRCLE MOSQUITOES WHERE ALL YOUR TROPHY FISH WILL EITHER BE BROKEN OFF OR SHOT WITH A LONG FOCAL LENGTH.

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CONTRIBUTORS #36 Si Kay, Jono le Feuvre, Mervyn Tan, Terry Babich, Fred le Roux, Tom Walters, Marthinus Maritz, LeRoux Roos, LeRoy Botha, Milan Germishuizen, Yaqoob Tarmohammed, Jurg de Jager, Richard Wale, Gordon van der Spuy, Anthea Piater, Lionel Song PHOTOGRAPHERS #36 Si Kay, Stephan Dombaj, Paulo Hoffmann, Mike Dames, Lionel Song, Mark Murray, Stu Harley, Liesl Braun, Matt Gorlei

@THEMISSIONFLYMAG

Back to The Flats

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CHUM A PRO’S SHADES, NOSE TO TAIL HUNTING, A FLY TYING COMP AND AN APP FOR FLY FISHING INSTRUCTION

CHECK OUT… … COSTA’S JOSE PRO frames. Part of Costa’s PRO series family, these legacy frames are named in honour of legendary waterman Jose Wejebe, who you may remember from ESPN’s Spanish Fly show. Featuring upgraded styling and performance additions to manage sweat, reduce fogging and keep the frames locked in place, the Jose Pro are built using the brand’s lightweight Bio-Resin, which reduces the carbon footprint of traditional plastic frames while maintaining Costa’s tough durability standards. Twinned with the legendary polarized, colourenhancing, scratch-resistant 580® glass lens tech for nextlevel clarity (also available in prescription sun lenses), with these bad boys you might just be able to fish like Jose. We can dream, right? costadelmar.com

“TWINNED WITH THE LEGENDARY POLARIZED, COLOUR-ENHANCING, SCRATCH-RESISTANT 580® GLASS LENS TECH FOR NEXT-LEVEL CLARITY” GET ON UPLAND CONSERVATION’S… … FEATHER AND FURS LIST. A lot of fly anglers are into wing shooting, which is why Dr Justen Dralle and Craig Burmeister of Upland Conservation (an organisation which aims to conserve, restore and rehabilitate grasslands), set up a side project called Feathers and Furs. The idea is simple – a significant number of birds and mammals are hunted for subsistence purposes in South Africa while the feathers and fur are

discarded. This project not only connects fly tyers with great local fly tying material (e.g. rabbit zonker, Grey Wing Francolin capes, Egyptian Goose biots and flanks, plus wild CDC), but also provides employment and social upliftment too. Having sold out this year at various club events, you best get on their back order list for 2023 ASAP. upland-conservation.co.za

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Largest variety of styles for an even larger variety of patterns

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Round 1 Winner - Henry Smith

ENTER... THE ‘SA’S GOT TALENT’ FLY TYING COMPETITION WITH GRIP HOOKS # 2 The challenge for the second round of this comp is a weighted minnow for trout. The prize is Grip fly tying material prizes of R500 for the challenge winner, while the overall winner will get both R3000 of prizes, plus their fly goes into production in the ScientificFly range. The judges are Arno Laubscher of ScientificFly and Grip Hooks, The Mission’s Editor-at-large Conrad Botes and former Proteas captain MC Coetzer.

ROUND 1 OF 5: GUIDELINES 1. Tying Category: Weighted minnow 2. Target Species: Trout 3. Fly Size: 1.5” – 2” 4. No articulated fly shanks to be used 5. Grip Hooks: 30012 #12-#14, 13812, 12803. (other grip hooks may be used) 6. Cut-off date for entries is December 15. Check out the Ts & Cs on themissionflymag.com

GET THE FIELDCRAFT APP… …WITH MARINA GIBSON. Many of us were taught to fish by our dads, but what if your old man wasn’t into fly fishing? Or what if he is Steve Hofmeyr and could not find time for you and all the other kids? Either way, we recommend you get some proper tutelage. Nothing beats someone taking you out on the water, but you can learn some great basics online with Marina Gibson’s instruction on the Fieldcraft app. As the founder of the Northern Fly Fishing School Gibson is no stranger to teaching people how to fly fish and it shows in her delivery in over three hours of expertly shot videos covering important skills like tying a perfection loop or learning how to roll cast. Fly fishing is booming (up 42% from 2010 to 2022) and dads can be absent. With over 40 lessons on offer, if you’re a newbie, this is a good place to begin. fieldcraft.app

“IF YOU’RE A NEWBIE, THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN”

THE BABER SCOPE YOUR FISHING FUTURE ACCORDING TO YOUR STAR SIGN AS READ BY BABERMAN, THE LEGENDARY GRUMPY CATFISH. Sagittarius (The Archer): November 22 – December 21 The immediate future looks good for you, you lucky bastard. Not only does everything you try your hand at – sunburnt skin origami; a Hail Mary steeple cast that gets you a world record golden mahseer; winning Lotto tickets and a spectacular threesome in one night – turn to gold, but due to your winning personality and finely tuned sense of humour most people actually like you. I, however, know the truth. You are one of the lizard people. Your origami skills are not fake, they’re just the outcome of advanced technology. That threesome was simply how you guys mate. I also know you ate the mahseer. Shame on you. Capricorn (Goat): December 22 – January 19 Your medial forebrain bundle (MFB) is where it’s at in the months to come, because that, you randy goat is your brain’s pleasure centre and whoooo boy if it ain’t on fire. Goats live for approximately 15-18 years (a max of 96 at the goat-human exchange rate of 5.33) so if you have been living conservatively buuuuuuuddddy, now is the time to ask yourself, “Why?” Europe is at war, the ice caps and glaciers are melting, Hardy will never bring back the original Fortuna X reels and Musk now controls Twitter, satellites and armpits. Continue to recycle, yes, but also allow yourself to stroke that MFB. Dedicate yourself to the pursuit of tarpon. Open a Church of Latterday Yellowfish Fans. Hell, take up Tenkara if it makes you happy.

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FODDER

BOOZE & BEATS THE COCKTAIL - APEROL SPRITZ

Yeah, yeah, real men don’t drink pink drinks. Well, this Italian aperitif is not pink (it’s naartjie, poephol) and it’s one of the best things to drink in the dog days of summer. Ingredients: 1 1/4 oz Aperol, 2 oz Prosecco (MCC is fine as a substitute), a splash of soda water Method: Build into glass over ice, garnish with the orange wedge and serve.

THE BEER - ACBC ‘THE JUICE, CITRA’

Head brewer at Afro-Caribbean Brewing Company, Rochelle Dunlop, keeps hitting it out the park and her latest, ‘The Juice’ is an all Citra hopped IPA with punchy aromas of orange rind and passionfruit. This beer is rounded out by a clean, pithy bitterness. 5.8% 330ml can. Get your orders in now for those dog day afternoons. acbc.co.za

THE BEATS - SUMMER GOLD

Longtime music contributor to The Mission, John Pienaar serves up another sublime mix featuring South AfricanCanadian Orville Peck, Death Cab for Cutie, The National, Dan Mangan, The Tallest Man On Earth, Spoon, Band Of Horses, SOHN and a whole lot more.

TO LISTEN PRESS

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THE WINE CLUB - HAN DRINKS SOLO Bored by the same old plonk week-in week-out? Perhaps you need to freshen things up with a wine club like Han Drinks Solo? We chat to owner Jono le Feuvre (who is also co-founder of Cape Town coffee kings Rosetta Roastery) to find out why this is not your Uncle Jamie’s fuddy-duddy wine club. Tell us about the name - we assume you’re a lonely Star Wars fan? Well, the name is multi-levelled and misleading and, almost always, leads to awkward silences after I have to repeat it twice and then explain it. My wife is a teetotaller, so all my drinking is done solo. And my full name is Jonat(han). I am also a Star Wars fan but not in the way that many people think, which is why I often get into trouble with hardcore fans for being a little light on my Star Wars trivia. What I love about Star Wars is what it achieved in pop culture. To me, it feels like it was one of the first movies to legitimately live larger in the speech, and the lingo and the references of the everyman than it ever did when it was confined to the screen. The significance of Star Wars is the ability for cinema to shape how we think and speak. That is exactly what I’ve been hoping to achieve with my wine club, to take wine out of the “niche artefact” space, and to turn it into something that we can reference and discuss in depth. I guess I want to broaden its significance to our everyday life. Too grandiose? My bad. What are the biggest misconceptions about South African wine, both at home and abroad? I think there are two misconceptions at home, but they are connected. The first is that wine is an elitist drink. But if you sat around a braai with winemakers and grape farmers, you would get a very, very different view of wine. Wine is, at its core, about raw earth, alchemy, grubby hands, veldskoene, and sunburn. But it’s hard to use those elements in marketing pitches. The second is that wine is too expensive. Consumers all seem to understand that coffee needs to be fair-trade, and that the farmer needs to get paid more but, when it comes to wine, we’ve almost forgotten that farmers are even involved. The situation in South Africa is that wine grape farmers are among the worst compensated of the whole bunch (lolz). Apples, pears, and citrus are significantly more profitable. But, until consumers can experience that value, they won’t be willing to pay more for the drink. I’m not sure how to solve either one of those problems. Internationally, the biggest misconception around South African wine is that we don’t make great wine, we just make great value wine. The truth though is that we have already managed to impress international wine critics and journalists on every continent with just how superlative our wine can be. BUT, we are still waiting for those opinions to trickle down to the consumer. If you speak to wine writers like Neal Martin, Alder Yarrow, Jancis Robinson or Tim Atkin, they

all know that South African wine is one of the hottest properties on the planet right now. But, when you speak to a fine wine consumer who has money to spend and is filling her cellar with Burgundy and Bordeaux and Napa Cabs, then, man, we’re not even on the radar. Wine clubs have been around in South Africa for a while how is yours different? There are a couple of elements that I think are rare, if not unique. Our club slogan is “Wines that will make you sound smarter at dinner parties”. To achieve this, we attach a QR code to every bottle in the monthly mixed case. If you scan this code, it will take you through to a video made specifically about that wine where we discuss who made it, how they made it, and perhaps even a little bit of history or controversy around some of the elements in the wine. The idea is that, by the time you’re done, you should have both learnt something new about the glorious alchemy of wine but also, at a far less geeky level, you should have something to talk about when that awkward silence pops up during dinner with your in-laws. Also, people have definitely been anthropomorphising wine for millennia, but I feel like the way I talk about wine is something a little fresher. If I say, “Guys, don’t cellar this bad boy, you need to drink it now, because it’s far more Mickey Rourke than Raquel Welch” then you’re going to learn something about how a wine ages, and hopefully have a chuckle, too. And if you have no idea who either of those two people are, then you’ll Google them and learn something about pop culture as well. Tri-winning! After a baking hot day fly fishing on the Cape streams, you head to a Winelands restaurant with loved ones, find a piece of shade under an oak and order a picnic. Somewhere a dove coos. All you need now to punctuate this perfect day is to open a bottle of…? Ha, this is epic. I love the scene. I’d open a bottle of Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc. It has a screw cap, so you don’t need to pack a pesky corkscrew, and it also costs about R130.00, so if Uncle Jamie trips over the picnic blanket and spills everyone’s shit (I hate Uncle Jamie), then the financial loss is bearable. You’re at Thrift Dam in the most frigid corner of the Eastern Cape in July in balmy -10C weather. You’re still in your waders from the day’s fishing, huddled in a leaky cabin, about to feast on a 12-hour oxtail potjie. If this was Valhalla, you’d be happy. What bottle do you open? Given the scene you just set, I think I’d need two bottles. The first would be the Van Loggerenberg Graft Syrah from Polkadraai Hills. I’d polish that off on its own, without the distraction of food. But once the oxtail is ready, I’d crack a Warwick Trilogy 2018. Check out Han Drinks Solo membership options at handrinkssolo.com

WISHLIST FISH

RED KALOI RAINFOREST STREAMS USUALLY BRING TO MIND PINT-SIZED, NERVOUS FISH, BUT THERE’S NOTHING SMALL, SUBTLE OR HIDDEN ABOUT THE RED KALOI. A RHINO IN FISH FORM, THIS SNUB-NOSED WONDER WILL SMASH YOUR POPPERS, TIE YOU UP IN SUBMERGED STRUCTURE AND SERIOUSLY TEST YOUR TACKLE. SINGAPORE-BASED FLY ANGLER MERVYN TAN TELL US WHAT HE LEARNT ABOUT THEM ON A RECENT TRIP.

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What: The red kaloi, Osphronemus septemfasciatus, is one of four species of gourami within the Osphronemus genus. It is thoroughly omnivorous, eating everything from fruits and flowers to insects, crustaceans, fishes and amphibians. While according to local reports they are known to grow up to a whopping 15kg for the males and 5kg for the females, the common range based on expeditions so far is between 4kg to 8kg. Where: They are endemic to the island of Borneo, where you will find them in one of the world’s oldest rainforests. Their habitat is primarily restricted to the upper sections of clear-flowing forest streams, often tinted by tannins ranging from wine to tea colours, guarded by an impossible fortress of complicated submerged wood structure. How: From the few expeditions that have happened so far, red kaloi have a proven preference for popper flies. Depending on the weather, time of day, water flow and quality, they respond differently. From smashing poppers to giving the most subtle takes, they can either be incredibly aggressive or frustratingly reluctant, taking their time to size up the fly before turning away and disappearing into the depths. Hooking them is one thing, successfully landing them is another. No disrespect to the females but the trophy has to be the bulls. They are aesthetically majestic, significantly larger in size and possess pure brute power. Combine those attributes with the environment they live in, and you have your problem. You have to stop them or they will bury you dead in the underwater structure. You don’t get many chances with them either. I’ve had more than 10 opportunities, but only tasted success once. In terms of tackle, I was using the Sage Salt HD in an 8-weight with the Abel Super Series 7/8, loaded with Scientific Anglers’ Jungle Titan throughout my recent expedition. Out of six proper hook-ups (of the males), I only managed to land one weighing in at around 10.8lbs (4.9kg), after I switched up to 40lbs direct tippet. To stand a chance in the fight, I would recommend at least an 8-weight setup, as you need a rod with a powerful backbone. I’d also recommend tippet of 60 to 80lbs to hopefully be able to help stop these fish from heading back to their lairs in brutish fashion. Side note: Drawing lessons from this expedition, the setup I will be using when I head back again early next year will be the Sage Bass II Largemouth 330 Grain and Peacock 390 Grain rods, with Abel Super Series 7/8 and 9/10, coupled with 9- and 10-weight Jungle Titan lines from Scientific Anglers. Tippets will range from 60lbs to 80lbs. I may bring 90lbs and 100lbs as a contingency. Who: I went with my friend, Fajar Setyawan, from Spice Island Outfitters (facebook.com/spiceislandoutfitters); they run and organise fly fishing trips in Indonesia. Watch a preview of Mervyn’s trip at themissionflymag.com

HIGH FIVES

MIKE DAMES A R E N O W N E D H E AT H E N -WA R E A N G L E R W H O H A S D I V E D I N T O F LY F I S H I N G G U I D I N G O V E R T H E L A S T F E W Y E A R S W I T H M AV U N GA N A F LY F I S H I N G A N D A F R I CA N WAT E R S , W H E N M I K E DA M E S I S N O T W I T H C L I E N T S W R A N G L I N G TA R P O N I N GA B O N , T I G E R S AT P O N G O L A O R Y E L L O W S O N T H E O R A N G E , YO U ’ L L F I N D H I M CAT C H I N G H I S FAV O U R I T E S A LT S P EC I ES A L O N G T H E S O U T H A F R I CA N C OA S T. Photos. Mike Dames Archive

5 best things about where you guide? 1. Feeling like I’m in a BBC nature doccie on the beaches of Parc National de Loango in Gabon. 2. Watching tarpon roll into the lagoon and hordes of jacks on a killing spree in the waves – just shows how much we’ve plundered our oceans elsewhere in the world. 3. Experiencing the ever-changing Mavungana-Pongola tigerfish seasons. Each one is different to the last, so it’s always engaging and never gets stale. 4. Being surrounded by the red cathedrals of the mountains along the lower Orange River. Damn, we are not made to survive in that place, but I feel alive every second I am there. 5. The ability to spend the majority of my time on the water with like-minded souls and to show them what makes me tick. 5 items you don’t leave home without before making a mission. 1. Spool of .77mm Maxima Ultragreen. Barbed hook in the body? No worries, come here. 2. Obviously you cannot go anywhere without a Leatherman. I like the Wingman model, nice and cheap because they sink like a tungsten jig fly. 3. Jonathan Boulton’s Orvis Helios 3 Blackout 8-weight 8’5”... 4. Savage Gear Splitring and Cut Pliers. Cuts anything, keeps my digits from getting cut, and doesn’t stop working. 5. Assassin Spinmaster backpack. I’ve had it for years; it carries more than you need and it has never been washed or taken care of. If you were to take a genetic sample swab it would expose a plethora of species. 5 bands to listen to while on a road trip? 1. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. 2. Bakermat. 3. The Blaze. 4. Metallica... when big fish need hurting [sad face]. 5. Amadou & Mariam.

5 things you’re loving right now. 1. Stranger Things. So many of our spots are named after references to the series. 2. Zane Grey’s books on hunting and fishing from back in the day. 3. One-minute long fly ties on the ‘Gram. 4. Russian Fishing 4 [A simulator game with RPG elements – Ed.]. When I can’t fish I do it on the PC. Super-realistic, so expect hours in between bites. 5. Darling Brew JUST Beer... it’s jas, bru. 5 indispensable flies for saltwater? 1. A South African version of the Clouser Minnow, obviously. 2. Richard Wale’s Stella, from tigers to leeries on top. 3. Skinny Surf Candies. 4. LeRoy Botha’s Ironman. 5. Bulkhead Hollow Fleye... Dre [Andre van Wyk], you are a god. 5 indispensable flies for freshwater? 1. Tuscan Bunny. 2. Game Changers of any flavour. 3. Muddler Minnow (add Loon Aquel and you are a dry fly, larney). 4. PTN vibes for when they don’t want meat. 5. Phlexo Crab. 5 favourite fly-fishing destinations across Africa? 1. Pongola. It’s by far the most underrated tiger fishery. It’s technical and not short of handing out a “PK”*. 2. Gabon. When you want big, angry saltwater fish, this place is next level. 3. The lower Orange River – a place that resets the soul. 4. Thrift Dam, Winterberg. Ice cold, with trout that behave like wannabe saltwater fish. 5. My home waters in the Eastern Cape for my true love – rock and surf fishing.

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Mike with a pig of a spotted grunter.

Mike, a client and a Longfin Jack in Gabon.

5 of the best things you’ve picked up from guiding? 1. Patience. From things going wrong to unplayable clients, just remain chilled. 2. Listening. Clients are paying you for your attention. They are actually really rad people when you get to know them. 3. Don’t judge. The client with the dream tackle will disappoint. The one with hand-me-downs will be Top Gun. 4. No space for ego. Acting like you are the shit only gets you labelled as a... 5. Observation. From people’s body language to a tiger sticking his dorsal out 50m away – use your eyes and brain. They will surprise you. 5 people you would like to guide or fish with? 1. My mate Graeme Forrer. We push the limits together, play stupid games and win stupid prizes. 2. Nathan Pahl. Nate Dawg has been there for me since day one in my guiding career. Yet we have never really fished hard together. 3. My sister, Viv Dames. Same psychological issues as me and fishes like a boss but unfortunately we don’t get to fish together often. Wish she could see what I have seen. 4. Edward Truter. Another big player who’s had my back. Albany humour and wicked smart. 5. Martin Rudman. I have met very few people that can keep up with my fish/fishing talk.

5 of the worst things you’ve picked up from guiding? 1. Those first few days once I get back from location, I can be a bit grumpy. Decompress... what’s that? 2. Lodge Podge. Two back-to-back tiger seasons where the most exercise is carrying cans of fuel and drinking lots of beer. 3. A love for sleeping. 4. Starting to enjoy watching people fish more than doing the deed myself... Am I becoming an adult? 5. A hate for civilisation/normal life. 5 flies to pack (in the smuggler kit under your driver’s seat) to cover most species? 1. Olive Over White Clouser 2. Mrs Simpson 3. Small White Foam Popper 4. Original Zonker 5. GRHE 5 fish on your species hit list? 1. Asp, a piscivourous cyprinid? Yes, please. 2. Any species of Labeobarbus (yellowfishes) across Africa. Would love to catch some of those unknowns. 3. Tropical West African leervis. 4. Nelma/sheefish. 5. Barbus ecocinus (mangar).

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Smallmouth yellowish caught in a back eddy below rapids on the Orange River where it runs through the Richtersveld.

5 shower thoughts that have occurred to you while fly fishing? 1. When that elephant gets hooked on the back cast. Will he hit and run or give you an “in” bite? 2. Why aren’t there more village idiot fish? Have the clients wiped them out, because they appear to be extinct on guides’ days off? 3. The “women’s pheromones theory” behind why they always get the good fish can’t be true. I tied the fly on, and they literally haven’t touched it. 4. Why do we also have to send it when the fish are mostly hooked boat side? 5. Was catch and release invented before fly fishing? Because it is basically a prerequisite to joining the fraternity. 5 things (outside of the fishing) that make where you fish so special? 1. The African Waters operation in Gabon does so much to help protect Africa’s last true Garden of Eden. Check out @50_pristine_miles on Instagram, which documents their fight to remove the scarring of human plastic waste from Gabon’s remote beaches. 2. Mavungana Flyfishing and their fully-fledged tagging study on tigerfish, which are severely under-studied. 3. Just being surrounded by wildlife every day. Come on, elephants and hippos on the beach, FFS!

4. My fellow guides, without you gents I might have murdered someone and/or had a breakdown. 5. Knowing that the reason it is wild around me is that I have a small part to play in adding value to the natural world. Unfortunately, if it pays it stays. 5 of the most underrated species in your book? 1. Jack crevalle. They are everything you want a sport fish to be, yet people get over them or don’t care (maybe it’s only a Gabon problem). 2. Longfin jacks. Same as above just the jungle camo version. 3. Large and smallmouth yellowfish. True, we South Africans love them, but they deserve a star on the Hollywood Boulevard. 4. Bass. Cheap thrills, but try catch a true lunker. 5. Any large tilapia species. You might see them but they don’t want anything to do with you. 5 destinations on your bucket list? 1. Mexico. 2. Cameroon. 3. Socotra. 4. Lappland. 5. Gabon (it’s where I guide but I haven’t actually fished there).

Fly fishing for topwater tigerfish on Pongola Dam often comes with an audience.

“WHEN THAT ELEPHANT GETS HOOKED ON THE BACK CAST. WILL HE HIT AND RUN OR GIVE YOU AN “IN” BITE?” 5 things you would take up if you weren’t always fly fishing? 1. Rock and surf. 2. Spinning for kob. 3. Tie game-changers. 4. Jokes aside, I do all of the above more than I fly fish. 5. Basically see a psychiatrist. 5 essential ingredients for an incredible mission? 1. Mates. 2. Beer. 3. JBL speaker. 4. No one else for miles. 5. Preferably zero contact with the world. 5 things about fly fishing that you may never understand? 1. Fly lines... why are you being so difficult? 2. The elitist status surrounding the sport and refusal of some to try other facets. 3. Why is it so tailor-made? The rod and line that works for me will not work for you. 4. A quality spinning reel is leagues ahead in terms of engineering yet half the price of a fly reel. 5. Flies are the most effective artificial lures, yet fly fishing is the least effective method of presenting them.

5 common mistakes that most clients make? 1. Not getting acquainted with casting before the trip. We will refine it while fishing, but please, we want you to catch fish not learn how to cast. 2. Not reading the pre-trip info in terms of tackle. 3. When the guides say “get a midday nap in” we mean it. Those tarpon will eat you when the battery cells are drained. 4. If coffee is set for 5am please don’t come before 5. We are still making the coffee and it’s truly our only alone time outside of sitting on the loo. 5. Getting too competitive. A bit is lekker but don’t be sour if your mate or wife is shooting the lights out. Your last five casts were to…. 1. Sight fishing for double-digit tigers. I even “Czech Clousered” a few. 2. Feeding trout game-changers. 3. Sending tackle and redbait into the furthest submerged rock for galjoen. 4. Throwing chew toys for kob in the surf. 5. One midnight cast into the Ndogo Lagoon mouth, Gabon, with a slight bit of nervousness. * Abbreviation of “poesklap” which translates as “a proper smack”, but if you need an exact translation we suggest you Google it.

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TIGERFISH EXPERIENCE PONGOLA

Mavungana Flyfishing Center

Main Road, Dullstroom, 013 254 0270

Mavungana Flyfishing JHB, Shop 3B

Illovo Square Shopping Center, 011 268 5850 travel@flyfishing.co.za

www.flyfishing.co.za

Photo Leonard Flemming

GOTY 2022

LEROY BOTHA

WARWICK LE SLIE

TACKLE, GEAR & OTHER CLOBBER

ED TRUTER

INNER

TREVOR SK

LeRoy Botha, Feathers & Fluoro member The first fish on my little Wychwood R&S 2-weight reel was a decent witvis. When that thing tore off and the reel started singing, I knew. Very nice little toy. A few years ago, a very dear mate gifted me a J-Vice. Never knew how good a vice could be, it changed my game. Warwick Leslie, renowned 4x4 oke My CTS Affinity X 7-weight is a weapon, I love fishing that thing, while wearing my Soft science boots. Oh and my Fusion 19 makes me smile a lot. Trevor Skinner, Ocean Active Dubai My Sightline Provision’s leather hip flask, is always in my backpack. Ed Truter, African Waters destination scout Eze-Lap Diamond Hone & Stone. If you’re anal about keeping your hooks sharp (and you should be or else what’s the point?), then these diamond hones are the best hook sharpeners I’ve ever used. I buy the 3-pack that comes with

the Super Fine Grit, Fine Grit, and Medium Grit models, and then I’m set to sharpen hooks from #16 to 16/0. I cut the plastic handles shorter, drill a hole through shortened end, and it goes on my neck-hung lanyard - shap shap! Ark Fishduc 350 - I love it that such great quality is made by a little South African firm that’s stood the test of time. All the ARK products that I’ve ever used have been excellent and 100% Africa-proof, but the Fishduc 350 is probably my favourite. Moerse tough, long-lasting and it opens up a world of possibilities, fun, and endless adventure limited only by your own imagination. Addis Roughtote 68L. A game changing black box (another South African business that’s stood the test of time). Buy a bunch in the 68 litre size, nest them when you don’t need them. But anytime you’re fishing, camping, etc. they make great back-of-bakkie storage for everything from food to fanny-warmers, dry storage on the boat (they fit perfectly across the Ark Fishduc 350), you can wash the dishes (or your newborn) in them, and are strong enough

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JANNIE VISSER

ATE SE NAKAD

RIVERHOR

U PR ND HAN T, J O KYL

R EGE DTF

WER

SCH

IGH

NIC

E KN

AND

EEZ

MARK SCHWARTZ

“THIS THING HAS FIXED EVERYTHING FROM BROKEN RODS, STEAM SIDE, TO OPENING CAR DOORS IN CAR PARKS ( YES WE LOCKED OUR KEYS IN, OUT OF SHEER EXCITEMENT TO FISH).” - KYLE KNIGHT to be seats for folks up to 115kg. Like duct tape, cable ties, and Ziploc bags, you just can’t have too many of these in your life, you’re welcome. Mark Schwartz, disabled fly angler My go to reel I always use is the Greys GTS 800 5/6 with Rio Intouch stillwater WF Floating line. Jannie Visser, pre-eminent Western Cape saltie Gear I would recommend is my Fish Cat float tube and/or my Aqua Marina fishing SUP. This opened up a whole new world on my doorstep. Nic Schwerdtfeger, Gaula River guide A Leatherman and my Simms waterproof waist pack. I’m unstoppable with those too for the kind of fishing that I do. I can fit a full day’s gear, water and food in the bag and I can fix/cut/plier anything with the Leatherman. Please note these are just as essential at Afrikaburn as they are on any fishing trip. They live in the Land Cruiser.

Riverhorse Nakadate, Texas-based storyteller, bass fan and free spirit Wherever I am, the canoe is there--to chase dreams and fish, sleep in on islands and alongside shimmering forest lakes, and especially for sunset picnics with chilled wine and the beautiful woman I love. Kyle Knight, chef and owner behind SKOUT My 20-year-old Leatherman. This thing has fixed everything from broken rods, steam side, to opening car doors in car parks ( yes we locked our keys in, out of sheer excitement to fish). If I was allowed to wear it daily just think of the good I could do. Johann du Preez, guide and artist Out of all the gear I have the most used item across the board is my rusty old Leatherman. I’ve lost it several times and it always finds its way back to me.

NTOYA RAY MO

JAMES CHRISTMAS

CHRIS CLEMES

GARTH N IEUWEN HUIS

CRAIG RICHARDSON

TIM RAJ

EFF

PJ VADAS

CAMERON MUSGRAVE

TIM ROLSTON

UDE EWAN NA

MYBURGH

VAN ZYL

STU WEBB NIC

NBURG K VAN RES

Ray Montoya, DIY dude Hand tied leaders built with Albrights using Seagaur fluorocarbon blue (the fifty meter spools). Garth Nieuwenhuis, Protea fly angler My Simms G3 wading jacket, sell a kidney and stay dry forever! This piece of kit has been absolutely indispensable in the unpredictable winter stilllwater fishing weather ensuring no matter what you can carry on fishing. Craig Richardson, ex Protea angler now guiding in Idaho Scientific Anglers Aptitude Smooth lines are game changer. Pick the right weight and you’re all set. Chris Clemes, owner of Chris Clemes Cane Rods I must say my probably longest standing piece of kit and which I use almost every trip is my Olney Crushable Felt Hat, it has been a companion for many years on trips around the world. Beniamino Pellegrini, DIY dude Mountain Equipment technical pants. They cost a pretty penny, but are rip proof, dull and drab and perfectly indestructible, saving your legs from kameeldoring, fynbos and harsh sun. Tim Rajeff, owner of Echo Fly Fishing I suck at organizing my gear. My flies, tippet, lunch, rain jacket, libations, all need to reside in the same place. A Simms Dry Creek 20L boat bag has become my best fishing friend. It has a fricken magnet that grabs the buckle so in less that 2 seconds I can close my bag and take off running or move to the other side of the boat. Oh yeah did I tell you it is waterproof? Tim Rolston, guide and casting instructor An Eze-Lap Model S hook sharpener, it is the best I have found for trout sized flies, although they make a large model for Salt Water applications. Hooks are NEVER as sharp as they can be when they come out of the box. Cameron Musgrave, Cosmoledo head guide Van Staal Titanium Pliers. I have had several pliers over the years and nothing comes close to these pliers. Bullet proof, low maintenance, zero rust, can cut any thickness of leader and nips 10lb braid easily. Ultra-light for their size and feels good in your hand. I hate trying to remove an 8/0 from a big GT and it feels like I’m using my wife’s tweezers! James Christmas, guide The YETI Zinger- a lot of people can’t stand the thought of too many “dangly bits” when fishing- but if you are like me and prefer not to be buying a pair of clippers every time

you go fishing, then the YETI Zinger is a game changer. Salt or fresh water, this thing just lasts! Ewan Naude, Feathers and Fluoro member and the most rugged man in Christendom My Maui Jim Red Sand prescription sunglasses. Super impressed with the frames, the prescription lenses and the optometrist I got them from in South Africa. Maui Jim in the US got me the glasses with prescription lenses within a week. PJ Vadas, Chef and owner of Vadas Smokehouse Anti-chafe cream is a must in all my fishing bags, Nothing like a 6km walk back to the car after an entire day’s fishing with severe chafe. I like the natural Squirrel Nut Butter stick. Myburgh van Zyl, chairman of the Cape Piscatorial Society C&F Design Micro Slit Foam Chest Patch. Everyone seems to have one these days and after using one you›ll understand why. Gives quick access to the day›s selection, and the magnets allow you to lazily drop drowned flies in the general direction of the patch and sort them out later.

MY CAMERA. ONE DAY WHEN I’M A RAISIN FROM SUN EXPOSURE AND MY NUTS TOUCH MY KNEES I’LL HAVE MY IMAGES. IT’S NOT JUST GRIP AND GRINS IT’S THE PLACES THAT FLY FISHING HAS TAKEN ME THAT I WANT TO REMEMBER. - STU WEBB, GUIDE Alan Hobson, guide and owner of the Angler & Antelope Underwater camera to take that dorsal fin ***k you picture. Fin freedom and the release gives me such a kick. Nick van Rensburg, former guide and one half of FlyBru I’ve been finding a bunch of application in Rio’s Sink Tip range. From their Replacement Tips to their MOW tips, they offer so much versatility, and great function for a lot of South Africa’s fisheries. For example, I love using Rio’s 10-foot Replacement intermediate tip on my 9-weight floating line, to pull the fly under the surface just that little bit more. From the Orange river to your local bass pond, having a few of these can make all the difference.

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“TROUTHUNTER FLUOROCARBON. I JUST TRUST THE FUCK OUT OF IT. ABRASION RESISTANT, KNOTS WELL AND HAS HARDLY EVER FAILED ME.” - JEFF TYSER ER OETZ

MCC

YSER

TUDOR

FF T

& JE

CARAD O

C-DAVIE S

LIONEL SONG

DANIE PIENAAR

GERALD PENKLER

Lionel Song, location scout and guide, Majestic Rivers I would have to say that my machete/panga is my essential piece of equipment that I carry crossways in the small of my back. I call it my one percenter, as it might be the 1% chance I have of surviving a croc attack.

Gerald Penkler, Holland-based DIY dude My eyes are almost permanently shaded by the Smith Optics Guides Choice sunglasses. Yes they are great at spotting and protect the eyes, but secretly it is the sexy raccoon tan that I am after.

MC Coetzer, former Proteas fly fishing captain Good leaders and tippet material are important for me. Rio leaders for fresh and salt are great and there is no better tippet material for salt and freshwater applications than Trout Hunter Fluorocarbon. It’s expensive, but it’s definitely the best out there.

Tudor Caradoc-Davies, The Mission editor Orvis Carry-It-All rod bag. I don’t even own this bag, but I have borrowed from two friends who do own one so many times for international trips that I must have used up my credits by now and it’s time to get one. It takes at least four rods, plus all your reels, lines, tippet and other bits and bobs and is accepted as carry-on by most airlines.

Jeff Tyser, Boston-based DIY dude I’m really no gear junkie, but I’d have to say TroutHunter Fluorocarbon. I’m sure there are some much more scientific reasons, but I just trust the fuck out of it. Abrasion resistant, knots well and has hardly ever failed me. The way I see it, if you can’t trust your weakest link, who cares about the other gear?

Danie Pienaar, Head of Scientific Services SANPARKS & DIY tiger on fly guy Fibreglass fly rods. Why? They suit my style of fishing and casting, they are great fish fighting tools, they come in all colours of the rainbow (for the fashion conscious) and they are pretty robust and cost effective. This is a deep

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THA FRANCOIS BO

rabbit hole and I now have 3-weight, 5-weight, 6-weight, 8-weight, 10-weight and 12-weight glass rods (makes are Glass Canon, Echo Big-water, Echo Bad Ass Glass and North Fork Composites), love them all and prefer a glass rod length of about 8 foot maximum.

JIMMY EAGLETON

Francois Botha, guide GLoomis GLX Cross Current 12-weight. 25 year old tech that still outcasts, outfights and outperforms any other rod. If you are worried about the physical weight of a twelve, maybe you should consider going for bonefish instead of GTs and Tarpon Patagonia x Danner River Salt boot. By far the most comfortable and durable wading boot I have ever worn – It’s not exclusively for wading and I use it for everything from hiking to sun tanning on the beach. A.J. Gottschalk, Florida-based creek cocktail king Beer for the flats skiff, always longneck bottles. That way you can put it in your back pocket and won’t kick it over or get your line wrapped around it on deck.

PETER COETZEE

Gerhard Uys, New Zealand-based Saffer Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Lumbar Pack. It is large enough for all my gear, food for the day, and a rain jacket to keep out the New Zealand elements. It is submersible and totally waterproof.

Jimmy Eagleton, pioneering Western Cape Saltie The Jetboil portable stove - still going as strong as the coffee it’s brewing, year after year. Peter Coetzee, Feathers & Fluoro founder Danco Premio titanium pliers. I went with the “fly” size because I was worried about weight. Titanium is quite heavy and I didn’t want the weight bugging me on hikes. They just did two weeks with me in the Maldives, which is largely deep wading, and so they spent most of every day submerged in salt. The novelty of titanium not being able to corrode just never wore off and every day I’d have a look at them with a dumb smile. Cutter position on top absolutely makes them, as you can be so precise. It’s worth noting the cutting blades can corrode, but the surface rust was easy to wipe away and I just kept them lubricated with silicone lube.

A.J. GOTTSCHALK

Stephan Dombaj, Fly Fishing Nation The old 990-4 Sage Method - the lightsaber. I use it for a limited range of things, but in its niche (permit with 14lb 14ft leader), it reigns supreme. Mako 9700 reel an impressive piece of kit. Again, super niche, but this is where the odd-balls excel. A lot of competition over trout and every day stuff.

STEPHAN DOMBAJ

Greg Ghaui, East and Central African-based guide My gear item of choice would have to be my side street sourced made to measure rubber tyre sandals. Sized and fitted on site from rubber tread of choice, they wear in so comfortably I can run, walk, wade and swim in them. They cost under three dollars and can be repaired or maintained with a couple of spare tacks. A single pair did 5 full years on the farm and on location in Tanzania, Cameroon and the CAR before the sole eventually perished! Scot de Bruyn, guide I bring a portable solar panel for charging my Bluetooth speaker/phone, which has saved many a slow day on the water. Matt Gorlei, former guide and one half of FlyBru I would 100% endorse a pair of trusty Simms Gortex waders, specifically something top end – G3/G4. An investment piece of gear that if looked after, regardless of how often you fish can last up to 10 years. I have a 12 year old pair, colour faded with a few patch and UV glue repair jobs but still 100 percent good for a week’s fishing trip in the cold. Fred Davis, Feathers & Fluoro founder Never turn your nose up to a rod or reel because it’s old. My 10-weight Scott Heliply - probably now older than the most social media influencers - is bullet proof and still has the best lifting power of any rod I’ve fished. It throws a beautiful loop too! Also, get yourself good goggles and good boots. If you can’t see it, you can’t stalk it. And if you can’t stalk it, you can’t catch it! Trevor Sithole, Alphonse Fishing Co guide I love those orange floating Xplorer landing nets. It is so perfect for everything I do both in the freshwater or saltwater environments, Trout or permit, bonefish, triggers, I use the same net. It’s my go to. David Karpul, Protea fly angler I think if I had to pick a single piece of gear that I think is great, but that is not generally known about or used, I’d have to say the Logic Analyser Test Hook Clips tool I use for making knots. In light tackle I tie penny knots and clinch knots super quickly and easily, and the thin nose means you need almost no tippet to get the job done. Gabriel Botha, filmmaker Abel Pliers - These are the embodiment of “only buy it once.” My particular pair has been passed down from my old man. With over 20 years of hard use they aren’t showing any signs of giving up. I doubt I’ve ever gone on a trip without them in my bag. Linda Gorlei, Protea comp fishing queen Wychwood Hover line – was gifted it by a Scottish mate years back and just love how it casts and how versatile it

actually is. I tend to use it more when fish are rising than a dry fly line as I seem to have more luck with it on various flies – most likely because I’m just too lazy to change to the dry line sometimes Andre van Wyk, Feathers & Fluoro member and the most legendary guide that never was Simms Wet Wading socks. I went through a multitude of socks before finding these and they are a god send. Spending 10 plus hours a day with your feet in the water, having the wrong socks can ruin your day quicker than a poke in the eye. I have no idea how or why they work, they just fucking do! Added bonus - they dry stupidly fast, so they are fresh for the next day’s wading. Platon Trakoshis, Feathers & Fluoro member Patagonia Men’s Terrebonne Joggers. Wearing tights under shorts has become very common, but I find they are too tight and clingy, and can be uncomfortable pulling leg and other hairs with the constant need to readjust. These joggers do everything that normal tights do but feel loose and are more comfortable, they dry faster, still have stretch and have a narrow ankle sleeve which tucks into socks/gravel guards. I’ve worn them on streams and in the salt and they are by far a better option. Mark Murray, manager at African Waters HPA Heavy duty ring pliers - yes they are for lure fishing, but these combined with a pair of Big Game Hunter braid scissors will outlast any fancy fly fishing specific pliers and I have used them all throughout my guiding career! I don’t go anywhere in the salt without them! Brian Chakanyuka, Alphonse Fishing Co. media guru An ice cold Seybrew. There’s nothing better than having a cold beer after an awesome catch to get your heart rate back down. Marina Gibson, international fly angler extraordinaire Apart from the obvious rod, reel and line, I’m a huge fan of my Golden Trout Lanyard, I wear it every time I go fishing or teaching and I feel naked if for whatever reason I forget it. I bought it years ago and it holds all my essential tools like my forceps, nippers, Monomaster for my unwanted line and dog whistle. Brett Bellairs, owner 131 A Gallery I’ve got the Thomas & Thomas Zone 9-weight and it’s the perfect mid-range rod for anything from pin point casts at grunter to tackling larger estuary species. Bang for your buck and a quality build. Leonard Flemming, Feathers & Fluoro member I love the Lemmel coffee pot because it’s super light, water reaches boiling point quickly and it comes in a fairly durable pouch that I hang on my backpack, saving packing room inside the backpack.

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DA VI

TR EV OR

SIT HO LE

GAB RIE LB OTH A

MATT GORLEI

DAVID KARPUL

WYK

RAY

BRET

T BE

ANDRE VAN

LLAIR

LINDA GORLEI

MARK MUR

UKA

HAKANY

BRIAN C

PLATON TRAKOSHIS

MARIN

A GIBS

PAULO HOFFMAN ON

TOM

SUT CLI FFE

JO STEPHENS

MARLIZE BLOM HEYNS RYAN JANSSENS

“MY WARWICK MILLS TURTLESKIN SNAKE GAITERS. THEY ARE LOVELY THINGS THAT WEIGH AS MUCH AS A HANDKERCHIEF.” - TOM SUTCLIFFE Marlize Blom Heyns, Protea fly angler Shilton reels. You can use them in any situation, they are easy to maintain, and you can basically have them for life if you look after them properly. Jo Stephenson of Jo Stephenson Fishing The piece of equipment I recommend is my Kayak, I have a Nucanoe and a Hobie. They allow me to get to places to fish that can’t be accessed by the bank! Paulo Hoffmann, Fly Fishing Nation Patagonia R2 TechFace Pants - best traveling pants I’ve worn. Keeps you comfy from 0-25 degrees. I also love this custom carved flask made for me by a client and good friend. I am not superstitious, but this thing has always brought me luck on a salmon river…or maybe it’s the rum or whisky inside of it. Tom Sutcliffe, author and general fly fishing legend I seem to have an affinity for snakes or snakes have an affinity for me, not that it matters much either way. I have had a number of encounters and three friends bitten by snakes (all survived but one of the snakes died of gin poisoning). So, my first piece of equipment are my Warwick Mills Turtleskin Snake Gaiters. They are lovely things that weigh as much as a handkerchief. Not cheap but piece of mind

does not have a price to it. The other thing I recommend is a tiny diary, literally half the size of a cell phone that fits in your top pocket with a propelling pencil that has a clip that fits into it. The point of this is to record the really unusual events of the day. You will remember what you caught for sure, but you will never remember when and where and under what circumstances. For example, I had a lovely day on the Bokspruit River on a day which was out of heaven fish wise. The section is known as Black Rock. Just as I thought the day could not get better a whole covey of bald ibis flew across and landed in the cliff opposite. I made a note of it and have since written about it. What you caught etc is easily forgotten. So this is not a diary, but a reminder of those really unusual events. Ryan Janssens, photographer I bought a Laowa 100mm Macro manual focus lens for my Dorado trip in Argentina and I am loving it. It’s pin sharp, allows for insane detail and close up and doubles up as an awesome medium-long lens. Anthea Piater, Vaal and Zambezi guide Korkers Buckskin wading boots - they are light weight and have high ankle support, perfect for wading on the Vaal, and they have OmniTrax soles so you can alternate between a felt and Vibram sole.

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F U L LY G U I D E D F LY - F I S H I N G A D V E N T U R E S

We offer a range of guided trips to destinations in and around South Africa. We run short sessions in prime weeks to make sure you have an incredible and memorable fishing experience with the X-FA team. Orange River Drift Camp | Remote Lesotho Camp | Eastern Cape River Camp | Queenstown Trophy Trout Experience | Barotse Tigerfish Drift Camp

F LY F I S H I N G M A S T E R C L A S S E S

Our business started 14 years ago hosting small Euro Nymphing Clinics in order to help raise money for the World Fly Fishing Championships. Today we are running more clinics than ever before. Ranging from day classes to full weekend masterclasses, these expert-run clinics are suitable for all anglers from beginners to well-seasoned anglers.

Range of Waders, Boots and Float Tubes

Range of chest packs and vests

Range of Boxes and Accessories

Best Range of Specialized Lines

Professional Fly Selections

Competition Fly Hooks

Great Range of Flies

Wide range of standard and specialized Rods

O N L I N E A N D R E TA I L S H O P

At X-Factor Angling we pride ourselves in stocking a big range of the latest and greatest in the tackle, fly patterns, and fly-tying materials. Our staff are passionate anglers and with their international competitive experience, you can rest reassured that you are getting the best advice. Our Linksfield retail shop is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm by appointment only.

xfactorangling@gmail.com | www.xfactorangling@gmail.com | qw Shop number: 0734110544 | qw Trout farm number: 0737090405

TIPS GOTY 2022

N O F LY A N G L E R I S A N I S L A N D , S O W I T H T H AT I N M I N D W E A S K E D A B U N C H O F F R I E N D S O F T H E M A G FO R T H E I R A D V I C E . S O M E O F I T I S T EC H N I CA L , S O M E ES O T E R I C , S O M E M I G H T S AV E YO U R L I F E O R M A K E YO U R DAY. I T C O M ES F R O M G R I Z Z L E D V E T E R A N S A N D F R ES H - FAC E D N E W B I ES . A L L O F I T M A K ES S E N S E A N D C O U L D M A K E A D I F F E R E N C E T O YO U R F I S H I N G .

JANNIE VISSER

Jannie Visser, pre-eminent Western Cape saltie Local is lekker so get to know it. As my situation changed with kids etc, fishing trips are few and far between. Early morning sessions before work or over the weekend can be extremely good. Don’t dream of far off expensive places, this past year I had some of the best sessions ever on my local water just because we fish it often and know it very well. Riverhorse Nakadate, Texas-based storyteller, bass fan and free spirit 3/4ths of our bodies and this earth are water, so if you really want to roam and rule the world, find yourself a vessel, be it a sleek skiff or even an ultralight packrat that’ll ride in your backpack. This will forever change your stars. Trevor Skinner, Ocean Active Dubai ‘Hit it like it owes you money.’ Old saltwater proverb Mark Schwartz, disabled fly angler Even a puddle could potentially hold a fish, never go anywhere without your gear. Beniamino Pellegrini, DIY dude True deep sleep is achieved on a yoga mat with a balledup puffie as a pillow, miles from anywhere. Danie Pienaar, Head of Scientific Services SANPARKS & DIY tiger on fly guy When fishing for tigerfish in smaller rivers, have your shit together from your very first cast. The biggest fish often jump on your fly first. Also, keep moving. Cover the pool horizontally and vertically and then move to the next spot. You have a far better chance of connecting with a good size fish this way. Oh yes, and also strip-strike and keep your rod tip (preferably an 8-weight glass rod) down while fighting a decent size tigerfish if you want to have a better chance of landing them. And always remember, tigerfish are drinking buddies with hippo and crocodiles (see 1st point again). Chris Clemes, owner of Chris Clemes Cane Rods Never forget to pack a fly rod, you never know what opportunity might come along, even if it’s just a conversation starter with another fisherman who also hoped there might be fishing to be had.

JOHN THOABALA Alan Hobson, guide and owner of the Angler & Antelope Convert your net into a floating net. Deconstruct your net, slide the netting off, take a slice of pool noodle and use duct tape to wrap the foam around the frame of the net, put it all together and voila! You now give the fish a better chance of survival by keeping it in the water until you are ready with the photo shenanigans for the shortest possible time out the water. Keep the fish in the net, in the water, until it has completely recovered, before releasing it. John Thoabala, Mavungana Flyfishing guide, Dullstroom If fishing in the cold mornings (Dullstroom weather) take a flask filled with tea or coffee to keep yourself going. Lionel Song, location scout and guide, Majestic Rivers The best piece of advice to my guests is this ; “When you stop thinking about crocs, they start thinking about you.” Always fish defensively in dangerous waters. Johann du Preez, guide Not all spiders like to be touched and monkey tastes better that you’d think.

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TECHNICAL TIPS Ed Truter, African Waters destination scout Embrace the three-cast (and related 13-minute) rule. Never make more than three casts without some form of positive feedback. If no feedback (e.g. fish movement in your ‘radius’, a follow or strike), make a change, which can be anything from subtle (e.g. changing the angle of presentation, slightly longer pause between strips, adding 50cm of leader, sitting down behind a bush, etc.) , to major (e.g. changing the fly, the sink rate of the line, your location, etc.). The 13-minute rule is similar but refers to engaging with a potential date - if no positive feedback, move along (though it could probably be the 3-minute rule). Ray Montoya, DIY dude When sight fishing flats, don’t look for fish, look for anomalies in existing patterns. Garth Nieuwenhuis, Protea fly angler Learn to tie a penny knot, stupid strong in both mono and fluoro. YouTube is your friend. Get the muscle memory grained in with some old tippet whilst relaxing at home for a week and you will spend less time fiddling and more time fishing for the rest of your life, an absolute no brainer. Craig Richardson, ex Protea fly angler now guiding in Idaho Standardize your leader so even when you don’t know where it landed you have an idea of where it should be. Tim Rajeff, owner of Echo Fly Fishing If I am nervous, if the conditions suck, if I have to cast far, my mantra is to delay most of my casting force until the very end of the casting stroke. My brother Steve says, “wait until the rod has reached twelve o-clock before you apply the power”. Try it, a late power application will help your cast and cure haemorrhoids. Tim Rolston, casting instructor and guide Get proper casting instruction from a certified instructor as early on in your career as possible. Most people end up spending hours and more money trying to fix ingrained faults than they would ever need to spend on getting it right first time. Trevor Sithole, Alphonse Fishing Co guide Fly casting instructors will always say a good fly caster should not look at their back cast, but should feel the line

instead. Yes that does work to a certain extent but at the same time if you are new to fly fishing and do not know what to feel, it’s hard. I always advise my guests to look at their back cast, because with enough practice when a fish suddenly arrives from the wrong direction, there is a good chance you will put the fly where it needs to be. Tony Kietzman, guide and trout bum Get as close as you can and shoot line rather than false casting, apart from alerting fish, every time your loop crosses your shoulder something can go wrong, these mess-ups square themselves with each false cast and are generally a series of loops which we turn into knots when trying to disentangle them. Marina Gibson, international fly angler extraordinaire Learn to double haul before you go on your first saltwater trip! The DH takes your casting into a new realm and you’ll be able to get more distance, reduce your false casts, and get your fly to your target much quicker. It helps to learn how to side cast properly as it’s likely that you’ll have windy conditions during your trip. Side casting with a double haul for the win! James Christmas, guide Practice casting until your back cast is a mirror image of your forward cast. So many great opportunities are missed because if a great fish suddenly appears behind you and you struggle with the back cast, then often all you are left to do is smile and wave… Jono Shales, Exmouth Fly Fishing Learn to cast backwards while looking backwards and learn to shoot line into your back cast. This is the foundation of distance, speed and accuracy casting. Nick van Rensburg, former guide and one half of FlyBru Always have a pair of low light sunglasses packed in your bag. On days where the light fluctuates, these can really change the game. Personally, I’m a Costa fangirl, but a decent pair of yellow lenses really doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if they’re just kept handy for times of need. They’re also great for eye protection at dusk and dawn, where unprotected eye balls are susceptible to a cheeky poke. Myburgh van Zyl, chairman of the Cape Piscatorial Society Check. Your. Fucking. Knots.

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ED TRUTER

“EMBRACE THE THREE-CAST (AND RELATED 13-MINUTE) RULE. NEVER MAKE MORE THAN THREE CASTS WITHOUT SOME FORM OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.” - ED TRUTER MC Coetzer, former Proteas fly fishing captain Pay more attention to leaders. Most of us do it when we fish for Trout, but they are equally important in the salt and too many guys simply tie on basic tapered Maxima leader. Try fishing for Grunter with a good tapered leader (something like a 10foot Rio Saltwater leader tapered to twelve pounds + 3 foot of 10 lbs Trout Hunter Fluoro and 3 foot of 8 lbs Trout Hunter Fluoro), and you’ll notice the difference in accuracy and presentation immediately. Gabriel Botha, filmmaker When fishing is tough don’t simply think about what you should be doing but rather what others wouldn’t do - fish the overgrown beat, throw a popper in the rapids, swim to that impossible spot etc. Unusual things tend to happen when you do something unusual. Tudor Caradoc-Davies, The Mission editor Either move or cast, don’t do both. I can’t tell you how many shots I have stuffed up by trying to edge forward or readjust my footing while trying to cast. Stephan Dombaj, Fly Fishing Nation Learn to fish the fly, not the line! This revelation, as obvious

as it might seem, requires a lot of refinement on the gear and skill end. Anthea Piater, guide When fishing the Vaal, don’t be shy to swop to a dry fly when there’s a hatch. There’s nothing more rewarding than catching a surface smashing Smallie. Peter Coetzee, Feathers & Fluoro founder, DIY dude Look far. When wading deep, try spotting at the end of your visual range. It’s not the comfortable place to look, but it will buy you the most amount of time to approach and position. I’ve often waded deep parallel to guys who haven’t done this, and watched fish a long ways off flee and move off. Anticipate. Always prepare for what you expect to find around the next corner. I force myself to do this now, as frustrating as constantly changing rigs might be. Walking around a corner to deeper water with wave action? Tie on that heavy fly. Walking a river bank to the next set of rapids but passing an area with a calm bay? Tie on the trouser worm. We all know how fleeting a shot can be.

“GET AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN AND SHOOT LINE RATHER THAN FALSE CASTING” - TONY KIETZMAN

PREP WORK

JIMMY EAGLETON Greg Ghaui, East and Central African-based guide My advice would be for someone traveling to fish and in general to stack the decks in favour of variety and versatility. Not more gear/tackle/clothing etc but more versatile gear that covers a larger base. So much only becomes clear when faced with what is actually in front of you that planning and packing beyond a point is just baggage. Apply the big broad strokes and leave space to shake and move on the ground/water. Scot de Bruyn, guide Always bring a variety of lines when going on a trip. Weather is not your friend and it’s hard to predict conditions in advance. I always bring 5-6 different lines and spares on every trip.

Jimmy Eagleton, pioneering Western Cape Saltie There is no such thing as bad weather for Western Cape salties. Only the wrong clothing. Justin Rollinson, FlyCastaway guide A good pair of polarized sunglasses of your preferred brand, preferably with glass lenses. We are going fishing not to a pool party. Marlize Blom Heyns, Protea fly angler Dress for the occasion. We know us South African peeps are strong and like to be tanned, but always have a rain jacket or fleece close by. You cannot beat Mother Nature, I have tried, I promise.

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MARK MURRAY Ewan Naude, Feathers and Fluoro member and the most rugged man in Christendom Observe more. Don’t rush to fish. See what the water is doing. Fish ultimately give themselves away before you make the first cast.

Andre van Wyk, Feathers & Fluoro member and the most legendary guide that never was Slow the fuck down, whether it’s walking, wading, casting, tying flies, tying knots, watching a piece of water.. all of it benefits from stepping back and slowing down

Myburgh van Zyl, chairman of the Cape Piscatorial Society Slow down, in every sense. Unless you’re running down a Rooster Fish, there’s no need for you to operate at a pace higher than “Mild” on the water.

Mark Murray, manager at African Waters When fishing, Slow down!!! All the answers are right in front you. Don’t just start bombing out casts like there is no tomorrow!

Peter Coetzee, Feathers & Fluoro founder, DIY dude It’s not golf. Not everything will be found walking. Some of my most special fish have come as a result of spending hours in a spot waiting for something to happen. One particular session involved just sitting on some turtle grass for a few hours until fish appeared.

Ed Herbst, South African small stream legend If a pattern had proved unsuccessful, I would change it at the end of a run and before moving to the next promising stretch. A friend advised me to change the fly at the beginning of the new stretch and to carefully watch the water while doing so. Often, during this period of quiet observation, a trout would reveal itself.

Scot de Bruyn, guide Learn to read water! Whether it be river/ lake or tides. Spend some time observing rather than fishing. You will learn faster as your blinkers will be off.

John Thoabala, Mavungana guide, Dullstroom Always read the waters before you thrash/splash the water with your line and chase all the fish to the other side of the dam or downstream!

GO SLOW

“IT’S TAKEN ME A LONG TIME TO REALISE THERE IS A GREAT EFFICIENCY GAINED IN TACKLING UP AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT.” - TOM SUTCLIFFE

BRIAN CHAKANYUKA

PHOTO FINISH Gerald Penkler, Holland-based DIY dude Take 5 mini breaks during your fishing day to take photos. This makes me take a step back, appreciate the surroundings and capture a story rather than a few hero shots. Platon Trakoshis, Feathers & Fluoro member Taking photos of fish is something everyone is doing. But far too many have fish that look beaten, tired and not so healthy. This usually happens when the fins are all flattened and generally the fish just looks unhappy. Here are two tips that are better for the fish and the photo. 1. When you land a fish keep it in the water, don’t lift it out onto dry land or the bottom of the boat. It has just fought for its life and needs to breath, so keep it in the water until the camera is ready. It’s like you doing a 100 meter sprint and at the finish line someone stuffing a wet cloth over your mouth and nose.

2. If the fish’s fins are not standing up, as the photo is about to be taken, lift the fish out the water and give the fish a gentle shake. It’s fins will pop up and it just looks so much healthier and what it looks like in water making for an overall better photo. Brian Chakanyuka, Alphonse Fishing Co. media guru Always! I mean always check your memory cards and battery are in your camera before heading out. The worst feeling I’ve had is getting to the flats and realising I forgot my batteries on my desk. Ryan Janssens, photographer The wider the lens angle, the bigger the fish... Don’t make the mistake of shooting your trophy fish with a long focal length, the camera removes 10lbs :). Save the long lenses for detail and artys shots, get right up in there with a wide angle if you want to emphasize a trophy fish.

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SAFETY FIRST Kyle Simpson, Alphonse Fishing Co. guide My first aid kit with my goodies inside, dental floss for an after lunch floss. Nothing like a good floss. And Myprodol. Jeff Tyser, Boston-based DIY dude Don’t put your water bottle in the same waterproof backpack as your 30K camera. Andrew Harrison, KwaZulu-Natal-based Scalie molester Make a decent wading staff that you can attach to your belt while standing in a river waving you stick. I’ve seen my arse too often on slippery boulders but a comedy show for my son. Have buggered shins as evidence. Linda Gorlei, Protea comp fishing queen Make sure that you close your vest pockets or fanny pack zips properly after you’ve changed a fly – because when you take a swim (and there’s a lot of that with me these days), your good nymph box is not easy to replace overnight L Mine is somewhere way down the Sarca river

in Italy heading for Rome. Second to that, I recently heard you can insure for such – do it! David Karpul, Protea fly angler People new to wading in freestone rivers tend to wade by constantly stepping up onto higher rocks and dry rocks. It feels intuitive. This leaves them quickly exhausted, and pooped at the end of the day. Rather follow the low ground, the balance is easier, you have to climb fewer steps, and the water actually helps support you. Marlize Blom Heyns, Protea fly angler African travel rule of thumb…we all like Brandewyn and Coke with ice, but don’t grab dodgy ice. You don’t want two days of the African version of Delhi Belly. Myburgh van Zyl, chairman of the Cape Piscatorial Society Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. There’s no romance in dying alone under a bush somewhere in the wilderness.

KYLE SIMPSON

“NOTHING LIKE A GOOD FLOSS” - KYLE SIMPSON

“IF I AM NERVOUS, IF THE CONDITIONS SUCK, IF I HAVE TO CAST FAR, MY MANTRA IS TO DELAY MOST OF MY CASTING FORCE UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE CASTING STROKE. - TIM RAJEFF

MIND, BODY & SOUL Cameron Musgrave, Cosmoledo head guide Stop and smell the roses. So many guests are far too focused on catching that dream fish and chasing the numbers, that very often they miss the bigger picture. Stop and take multiple moments to truly absorb the environment you find yourself in, be it on a remote atoll, in the mountains or in the jungle. The reality is that in a few days’ time you are going to find yourself in board meetings, sitting in traffic or behind your desk in your shitty office. Ray Montoya, DIY dude Have unwavering confidence in your proposition, but be emotionally prepared for rejection. Collen Tshabangu, Mavungana Flyfishing guide, Dullstroom Don’t leave fish to find fish. The result is ever so painful. Kyle Knight, chef and owner behind SKOUT This quote from Henry David Thoreau resonates a lot with me of late. “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” Nic Schwerdtfeger, Gaula River guide Fly fishing is a great vehicle for so many things, conservation, travel, adventure, and learning how diverse and fragile our environment is. Above all, our collective goal should be to keep the natural world as intact as possible. Make smarter choices, make sustainable choices, make more informed choices. Support companies that support conservation that will let you and generations to come keep fishing well managed fisheries. PJ Vadas, Chef and owner of Vadas Smokehouse Don’t let your ego get the best of you. As someone that is pretty new to fly fishing and tying, I ask as many questions as possible even if they may seem stupid. This has helped me tremendously. Matt Gorlei, former guide and one half of FlyBru When it comes to targeting a species focus on the species you want to catch, but do not disregard the activity and the other fish around you. A lot can be learned about a species in a system by catching other fish in that system. My firsthand experience of that is targeting largemouth yellowfish on the Vaal/Orange system. You have smallmouth yellows,

catfish, carp, bream and mudfish all feeding in a system, often the catfish and smallmouth can lead you towards your largemouth by understanding that different species can pick up similar habits in the same system. Overall advise would be to fish and learn the system to find your target species – instead of getting in your head about how a specific fish feeds and get preconceived ideas on how you would need to catch them. Francois Botha, guide Rule number one: Always have fun Rule number two: Never leave your rod (how can you follow rule number one without a rod?) Rule number three: Always say yes to a beer (see rule number one) A.J. Gottschalk, Florida-based creek cocktail king Don’t take the fish or yourself too seriously. At the end of the day, permit are just fancy jacks. You might be, too. Warwick Leslie, renowned 4x4 oke Best advice is to not expect much from a trip, hard to be disappointed then, and fish a comp, it will teach you a lot, perhaps about yourself, not really the fishing. Stephan Dombaj, Fly Fishing Nation Ride the waves as they come. Both on fishing trips and in real life. A lot of things are beyond our control and sometimes we just have to go with the flow. You might discover something out side of your comfort zone that might stick with you forever. Gerhard Uys, New Zealand-based Saffer You Tube everything. I started fishing later in life and am constantly frustrated at what others have known for decades. You Tube helps you fill the gaps. Also, get out on solo missions, you learn when you are alone. Luke van den Heever, Garden Route guide Always help someone whenever you can both on and off on the water. It will always come back around, especially in the South African fly-fishing community. Fred Davis, Feathers & Fluoro founder I’ve found that the less I worry about the size, and especially the number, of fish that I’m catching, the more enjoyable the overall experience. I notice more of the little

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NIC SCHWERTFEGER

“ABOVE ALL, OUR COLLECTIVE GOAL SHOULD BE TO KEEP THE NATURAL WORLD AS INTACT AS POSSIBLE.” - NIC SCHWERDTFEGER,

things around me and, in a beautifully ironic twist, I find that without the pressure I end up catching more bigger fish anyway. Jo Stephenson of Jo Stephenson Fishing The best piece of advice I was given, and that I always pass to new anglers is… fish the fly right to the end! I have caught some great fish by doing this and missed a couple of nice fish by ignoring this advice. Stu Webb, guide Fish until the whistle, I’ve had many hard days turn around at the death and be some of the most memorable. Finish how you started! Also, never don your tailing glove/net or talk about photos until the fish is 100% yours. Amie Battams, UK Based Fly Angler Chat, make time for people on the bank. Personally I enjoy those small moments when you connect with people and have a fleeting chat. It benefits my mental health and could benefit someone else’s. Take a little time to listen to thy fellow fisherman and be kind. But also… don’t take no shit.

Paulo Hoffmann, Fly Fishing Nation Be well prepared for your trips, but don’t get too attached to personal items. Things will go wrong, stuff will get lost and that’s the nature of things. Don’t let a broken rod, a lost piece of luggage or a stolen wallet ruin your good spirits - it’s just things! Tom Sutcliffe, South African fly fishing legend I notice how often I tackle up at the truck and then walk for however long down to the river. I don’t know why we do it. Instead of hooking up on bushes and god knows what else, why not rig up when we get down to the river? It’s taken me a long time to realise there is a great efficiency gained in tackling up at the very last moment. LeRoy Botha, of Feathers & Fluoro We tend to get stuck reading the instructions. Every piece of water is different - learn the rules, but follow your gut. Rolf Nylinder, filmmaker Never complain about mosquitoes, you only talk about mosquitoes in a positive manner. If you start to complain they will enter your mind and destroy you.

THE ITALIAN AFFAIR W I T H A B E L O V E D PA R T N E R A N D A DAU G H T E R , F I L M M A K E R S I M O N K AY I S N O T O N E T O S T R AY B U T, W H E N I T C O M ES T O M AT T E R S O F T H E H E A R T, T W O R EC E N T T R I P S T O I TA LY C O N V I N C E D H I M T O M A K E S PAC E I N H I S L O V E L I F E . Photos Simon Kay, Stephan Dombaj, Paulo Hoffmann

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have fallen totally in love with Italy and I know for a fact that I will be returning at every given opportunity for the rest of my years. In the past three months I have had the luxury of visiting and fishing her northern regions twice. The first was an impromptu DIY style solo mission through Trentino, Lombardia, Piedmonte and Alto-Adige. The second was focused on Trentino as I joined the Fly Fishing Nation crew and Marina Gibson for the first time on a content creation project for the area’s tourism board. The real beauty of this entire thing is that I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of what’s on offer but I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Italy has my heart. Here’s why. Her curves. Some of the things etched in my memory are the landscapes of Italy. Something magical happens when you approach the Alps or large mountains in general. Especially when you haven’t been close to that sort of environment in a while. The air feels fresher. The eyes explore. Excitement grows. You are reminded in an instant that you are a part of something bigger. In Northern Italy you are constantly surrounded by mountains. All the villages are built within Alpine valleys. The main roads hug the rivers so I spent a lot of time looking out the window while driving, constantly saying to myself out loud, “I should fish that”. The landscape of the area is truly incredible. Mountains covered in greenery (except the higher peaks of course) and dotted with villages. You will often see a building perched on the side of a mountain and surrounded by trees with no perceivable roads leading there and think to yourself: “How the hell did they…?” It’s magical. This beauty is magnified when you are standing in a river high up in a valley with a fly rod in hand. You can’t help but feel as if you have gone back to a simpler time when the modern world’s tech worries had not yet even been invented. Her personality. This are by far her most beguiling trait. The Italians have an energy. The way they interact is so full of zest and emotion. The only way I can think to describe it is by reliving my first morning of the first trip… After a great night’s rest, I walked around to the other side of the BnB and entered the attached cafeteria. These little spots are coffee bars by day, normal bars by night, and they are everywhere. In every village you will find at least one and it is the only way to start each day. Coffee in Italy is delicious and unbelievably affordable. It’s integral to the fabric of life there (accompanied by super-sweet breakfasts of pastries, jams, and cakes). Top tip: A cappuccino will fly for breakfast, but I’ve heard of people being kicked out of coffee bars for insisting on lattes in the afternoon. After 11am, espresso is the way of life.

“YOU CAN SPEND YOUR TIME SWINGING BIG FLIES IN BIG WATER FOR BIG FISH. OR FISH SUPER LIGHT TACKLE IN TINY MOUNTAIN STREAMS.” Anyway, as I opened the door that morning, the roaring energy of what lay within poured out. “Ciao, Ciao, Ciao!”, as the locals of the area enjoyed their morning espresso and chats, standing and sitting around the bar counter like it was happy hour at a pub on student night. My entrance caused a pause in the action, and everyone gazed my way. I was new, an outsider. I unleashed the go-to universal quick-half-nod-look-half-smile greeting in three directions to spread it. I got a couple in return, and everyone went back to business as usual as I ordered my first café of the trip. Her cooking. While we are on matters of taste, we cannot ignore what Italy is perhaps most famous for. After a day out on the water, or perhaps for a break mid-way through the day when the hunger starts kicking in, is when Italy reveals one of her best traits. Put it this way, one does not go to Italy with the idea of losing weight. Even if that was your idea, you would not succeed. The temptations

are too great and too delicious to pass up. Prosciutto, cheese, pasta, pizza, gelato, polenta, game, beer, wine, prosecco… the list goes on and on. On the second trip through Trentino, we experienced some of the best local restaurants. Every day, if I sat down for too long after lunch, I would take an unexpected siesta. On my DIY trip I learnt something while buying some snacks in the supermarket. At the meat counters of most grocery stores, they will often make sandwiches up on the spot for you with freshly baked rolls, freshly sliced cured meat and cheese of your choosing. This became my go-to. I would find a shop enroute to the river and pick up a sandwich, some fruit, and an Italian beer. At some stage during the day, I would find a nice spot, secure the beer between a rock or two under the cold mountain water, have a quick swim giving the beer time to cool, then relax and spend time just appreciating the wonder of my surrounds. Those are the moments in life where everything just feels right.

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There is quite a bit of info online and access to water is pretty simple to acquire, so a DIY only mission is definitely doable. That said, having a guided experience or fishing with someone who knows the water made a huge difference to me. During my time in Trentino on the Fly Fishing Nation mission, our guide on the trip, Stefano Fedrizzi, had so much knowledge of the area and how different rivers would react to changing weather etc that, even on days where I would never have though it possible, we were put on to some fun fishing. In Lombardy, during my solo trip I had one guided day out with an awesome dude, Francesco Chiminelli Cescone (aka Cesco). Not only did he show me some magical water that I would never have found myself, but he also gave me tips for the rest of the area. Some prefer to save the money and DIY and I completely understand that. However, I have slowly come to realise that the money saved is not worth the time lost and if I can spare the cash I will get a guide at least once at the start of every trip to a new area.

Her treasures. So, what about the main course, the thing that drew me to Italy in the first place? Put simply, the variety of fishing on offer is almost unfathomable. The rivers hold marble trout, brown trout, hybrids of the two, rainbows, grayling and, in some of the bigger rivers and lakes, barbel, carp, chub and pike (and more I’m sure). The insanely picturesque high-altitude rivers and lakes often hold just as picturesque brook trout and artic char too. The fishing is so diverse that no matter what your preferred flavour you will find something to your taste. You can spend your time swinging big flies in big water for big fish. Or you can spend the day getting very technical and nymphing for finicky grayling. You could fish super light tackle in tiny mountain streams that appear to be plucked straight out of the mind of JRR Tolkien. You could take a relaxing mountain walk to an alpine restaurant and fish for brookies enroute. You could even take a hike or an e-bike to one of the numerous Alpine lakes and spend time long casting dries on top of the world, firing up some hot coffee now and then and enjoying the crisp mountain air. The reality is you don’t have to limit yourself and can just pick and choose depending on your mood and conditions on the day.

“THE FISHING IS SO DIVERSE THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PREFERRED FLAVOUR YOU WILL FIND SOMETHING TO YOUR TASTE.” 70

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mental intensity of the fight increased 10-fold as it went on another run and thoughts of knot failure or tippet breaking suddenly rushed through my mind. Thankfully the Italian fishing goddess smiled upon me, and I landed my first ever marble. Nothing big, some would say small, but for me it was huge in terms of the stoke it generated. It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Late one evening in a green valley high up in the mountains I stood there quietly, looking at the almost unrealistic blue shade of the water flowing by over the grey rocks as the light began to vanish. I had just lost my last big nymph which was my go-to that day because the water was pretty deep and fast flowing with the fish hugging the bottom. In fact, calling that fly a nymph is generous. I tied it using a ghastly big orange bead, and some dubbing thrown on olive thread to make it seem more artsy. I was fishing with Italian fly fisher and filmmaker Mikael Masoero (@ spaghettifishing), who I had connected with via Instagram (aka fishing bromance Tinder). He was showing me these waters close to his home and we had landed some nice rainbows and browns in between intermittent lighting storms which cleared into searingly clear skies and proper heat. The mountain weather was hectic. While I was looking at my fly box trying to decide what nymph to use next, Mik moved upstream. As I was about to tie on a classic PTN I saw something out of the corner of my eye, a disturbance on the surface of the pool right in the bubble line. Then again, and again. I felt the excitement swell. Dry time! I couldn’t see what the hatch was and I didn’t have time to get too analytical as the light was almost gone. I tied on what I often try first, a little elk hair caddis. I popped it near the head of the long pool and watched while holding my breath as it approached the area where the rises were. 1… 2…. 3…. Oooooo…. Nada. Fuck. That was underwhelming. I let the fly continue its drift further down the pool for completeness’s sake. Just before I was about to lift my line, GWA! A little piscivorous shit hit my fly hard! YES boooiiiiiii! I admired the way the brown fought and I felt it was going to be a great way to end the day. As I got it closer and could see it in more detail under the surface, I realised something. This was a bloody marble trout, a fish I had never caught nor seen in the flesh! The

Beautiful scenery, amazing fishing, delicious cuisine, bubbly people, and great coffee. I could end it off right there, but I would be leaving out one of the most important elements of what makes any adventures special, those you spent time with along the way. On my DIY trip I spent hours with a guy called Sergio Baiguera in his fly shop, Fly Fishing Pesca Sport in Brescia, discussing our fishing escapades without uttering a single word in the same language. There was the time spent with both Mikael and Francesco on their home waters. I was also lucky to have only had truly friendly and helpful hosts wherever I stayed. On my trip to Trentino a huge highlight was the crew I was hanging out with, the Fly Fishing Nation boys Stephan, Paulo and Pacu (my current best canine friend), Marina Gibson, and local guide Stefano. We were working damn hard but it always felt like fun. I finally knew what it meant when people said that, when you are doing something you are truly passionate about and surrounded by like-minded people, it won’t feel like work. All in all, on both trips I couldn’t really have asked for more. Perhaps I would have liked to have landed some of the bigger fish myself but hey, if I ticked all the boxes then I would have slightly less yearning to return as soon as possible. In the meantime, I dream of my next trip to Italy and I look forward to her warm embrace. Right now, this love letter will have to do. Also, I’m not possessive. You are welcome to go and meet her. I’m confident you’ll fall for her too.

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“I’M NOT POSSESSIVE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO GO AND MEET HER. I’M CONFIDENT YOU’LL FALL FOR HER TOO.”

TERRY BABICH FRED LE

MARTHINUS MARITZ TOM WALTERS PHOTOS MATT

LEROUX ROOS

GORLEI, LIESL BRAUN

W W W. T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M

ROUX

HILE SI KAY MAY HAVE WALLOWED IN THE LIFESTYLE ASPECT OF ITALY IN THE PREVIOUS STORY, WHEN THE SOUTH AFRICAN JUNIOR AND MASTERS’ TEAMS DESCENDED ON TRENTINO FOR THIS YEAR’S FIPS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, THEY WERE ALL BUSINESS. HERE’S THE COMBINED FEEDBACK OF WHAT TWO BALLIES (OLD GUYS) AND THREE BOYTJIES (YOUNG GUYS) LEARNT. Johan Janse van Vuuren with a beast brown.

THE BALLIES - Terry Babich (TB) and Fred le Roux (FLR) THE BOYTJIES - Marthinus Maritz (MM), LeRoux Roos (LR) and Tom Walters (TW) GENERAL Best part about fishing in Italy? Catching hybrid trout. MM Being able to fish beautiful new waters and species which I have never fished for before and putting my skills to the test to figure them out. LR Worst part about fishing in Italy? Nothing, it was absolutely awesome. MM & LR Trying to pick up girls with sign language. TW DIY or guided? Get a guide. This is not necessarily to teach you how to fish, but most definitely to get you onto water and advise where the fishing is best at that given time. There is an abundance of waters to fish in that area. Knowing how to get to them and where to fish is going to save you a lot of run around time. The guide will probably either be able to get your permits or tell you how to get them. The area has water police so it is essential to have a licence. Also, be prepared to travel from a central point. We travelled up to two hours away from our hotel to get to different waters. TB Although the comp rivers were good, if you can get onto some of the smaller tributaries and streams you might find yourself fishing the most beautiful streams around with an abundance of different circumstances in which to fish for them. In some the fish are extremely forgiving and will devour any reasonable well-presented fly. FLR

Tom Walters

“THE SOUTH AFRICAN JUNIOR AND MASTERS’ TEAMS DESCENDED ON TRENTINO FOR THIS YEAR’S FIPS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP” W W W. T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M

Above: Stefan Von der Heyden. Opposite Page: Marthinus Maritz

TACKLE Tackle wise, a ten-foot rod (3-weight or even 4-weight) is a must. Italy has been experiencing some very high temperatures and some of the rivers were low so the ability to fish further away from your body can be a determining factor. Although most of the fish were small in the comp, many an angler was cleaned up by some of the big brown and marble trout, and a couple of fish of over 50cm were landed. Johan Janse van Vuuren landed a whopper of a brown in practice and I had a 54cm marble and 43cm grayling in one competition session. On the fly line side, a competition Euro nymph line and a floating line would be what you need. The floating line as a dedicated dry or dry and dropper line while the euro nymph is the line you fish the most. TB Fish the lightest tippet you can. 6x would really be on the heavy side. 7x or 8x is where you want to be unless you book water that is known for bigger fish. We had one such piece of water in a practice session on the Sarca River that had been stocked with bigger fish and that had a rod limit imposed on it. Competition angling specifies that your leader cannot be longer that two times your rod length and I would say that for Euro

nymphing you would always fish maximum length. On the dry line fish, the longest, lightest tippet you can fish effectively. FLR Best set-up? Vision Nymphmaniac 10-foot 3-weight with 17-foot micro leader 4x and 3-foot tippet section. MM Hanak Superb 3-weight 10-foot with a vision ultra-light nymphing line with straight indicator to a tippet ring then fluoro tippet as a leader. It is what I’ve found works best to do quick switches between dry dropper, double nymph and single nymph which were the three most effective techniques. LR Vision Nymphmaniac 10-foot 3-weight, with the Vision Nymph and dry 4/5 weight reel. On that I have the Vision Nymphing line. My leader choice would be 20foot in total, 11-foot of 5x Rio Colour indicator, 1 foot and a half of black and white Rio indicator in 5x and then another foot and a half of coloured Rio indicator before a tippet ring and your 7X tippet. The reason for the different colour indicator is to break up the colour and help you pick it up in bright conditions. TW

“TACKLE WISE, A TEN-FOOT ROD (3-WEIGHT OR EVEN 4-WEIGHT) IS A MUST.” W W W. T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M

“GET A GUIDE. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY TO TEACH YOU HOW TO FISH, BUT MOST DEFINITELY TO GET YOU ONTO WATER AND ADVISE WHERE THE FISHING IS BEST AT THAT GIVEN TIME.”

LeRoux Roos

FLIES At the end of the tournament some boxes were displayed consisting mostly of Hare’s Ear Nymphs in every conceivable variant you can imagine. Mostly well received flies for the grayling were with silver, copper and pink beads on size 18 and 20 jig hooks in natural colours. For dry flies CDC variations were the order of the day. But with the water colour being so variable from spot to spot even on the same river, you might want to have those in a variety of colours ranging from white and natural to black to maximise visibility. For example, there were parts of the Sarca River that were green, opaque, almost blue and clear. TB Best dry fly for Italy? Gordon van der Spuy’s CDC caddis. MM Front loader elk hair caddis. LR A natural deer hair caddis with black CDC wrapped over the head. TW Terry Babich and his 54cm marble trout.

Most highly recommended nymph? Garth’s nymph with a rose-pink bead. MM Gasoline Perdigon. TW

Low light sunglasses or standard polarised? Standard polarised. MM &TW Low lights seemed to be a bit nicer. LR

Best bead colour? Copper. MM and LR Light metallic pink. TW FINDING FISH In the case of the rainbows, although they weren’t in abundance you would find them on the seams and behind the rocks in all the normal places, but the browns didn’t behave the same. Some days they moved into the sun-lit water and other days they hid from the light. You could sometimes find them in a very fast shoot and other days hiding in the thinnest of pockets on the edges out of the flow. When the water warms up and the sun is higher the fish favour the shade. If the water bottom turns slightly green, fish the colour changes. When it’s hot fish the deeper water. You have to cover water and establish a pattern of where the fish are holding. FLR Our local fish travel much further for food that the fish abroad. The insects in Italy are much bigger and more prolific than ours so the fish can afford to be more fussy. The drift can be a slow one for the rainbows, getting the flies down to the bottom where the fish hide behind rocks and sit in the slow current and seams. The browns wanted an extremely slow drift. You almost had to get into the shade of the smallest of rocks to be able to entice them out to eat the fly. Pin point accuracy was required. TB

Felt vs rubber soles? Felt. MM & LR Felt. I wore rubbers and although it was great for walking, I really battled on rocks in the water as you just don’t get that same grip on the algae as you do with felt. TW Dry dropper or single dry when targeting Italian trout on the surface? Dry dropper - MM Dry dropper on nymphing rig. LR Either was productive if it was fished right but I would generally say single for the pocket water that’s quite fast and then have your dropper for the deeper stuff where you can get a better drift. They would often prefer the nymph over the dry when covered with dry dropper. TW Biggest lesson learned in Italy? Fish will sit in places that you would least expect, so every piece of water needs to be covered. MM How to approach your water and look after it so that you can come through the good water multiple times and still get fish out of there. LR Most of the water we fished was quite pressured from teams before us, so testing different patterns and techniques was crucial. Whether it was trying mop flies in milkier water or really slowing down the drifts in clean fast water. TW

“MANY AN ANGLER WAS CLEANED UP BY SOME OF THE BIG BROWN AND MARBLE TROUT, AND A COUPLE OF FISH OF OVER 50CM WERE LANDED.” W W W. T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M

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INSTA FAMOUS FLIES C AT C H I N G F I S H O N F L I ES YO U T I E D YO U R S E L F I S F I R S T P R I Z E , W E D O N O T D I S P U T E T H AT. B U T, I F YO U R T I M E ( O R YO U R S K I L L S ) A R E L I M I T E D A N D YO U WA N T T O M A X I M I Z E YO U R T I M E O N T H E WAT E R , T H E N I T PAYS T O S TA C K YO U R F LY B OX ES W I T H F L I ES T H AT W O R K . T O D O T H AT I T ’ S W O R T H T U R N I N G T O T H E S P EC I A L I S T S . O F A L L T H E I M P R ES S I V E TA L E N T W E S E E O N I N S TA G R A M O N A DA I LY B A S I S , T H ES E S I X F LY T I E R S A R E W E L L W O R T H P L A C I N G A N O R D E R W I T H ( I F T H E Y CA N F I T YO U I N ) .

LEROY BOTHA aka @leroy_botha He’s known among his inner circle as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) for good reason. LeRoy, whether fly tying, making lures, making music or art is pretty much a savant at whatever he touches. From immaculately packed bass bugs, to his oft-copied grunter inventions like the Ironman and Shawn, his flies catch both fish and the eye. Home waters? I have a near life-long connection and love for the Eerste and Berg Rivers and some of their much lesser known tribs. On the Garden Route, for about 25 years now, I’ve grown just as attached to the headwaters of the Gouritz River system and, of course, the many grunter flats between Kleinbrak and Sedgefield. On the fly tying front, do you specialise in or lean towards anything in particular? I get bored very easily. I think I’m too curious to ever choose a lifelong specialty. I love experimenting, but I will never tire of simple small stream flies and deer hair bugs. Sometimes I get the urge to do something ridiculously complex. It can be very amusing. Grunter flies are a neverending vortex of wonder, but they can be strange things to concoct. Man, I’ve tied a lot of Ironmans. At the risk of sounding like wankers - do you have a fly-tying philosophy? Well, that’s a book, isn’t it? Two things come to mind, though. First, limit your wraps. If it has no purpose, it shouldn’t be on the hook. That counts for materials and thread wraps on the simplest flies to the most complex. Second, crucially and perhaps more ethereally are the fly-tying lessons I’ve learned from becoming bloody good at folding an awesome paper plane. I apply these principles to every single fly I design. Maxing out on hook gape is the natural result of both of these ideas. What are the triggers that you favour when building different flies? Another book. The triggers for the many different species I target are so nuanced. I will say that blue UV flash is deadly on just about every freshwater species I’ve caught. Yellow hotspots are almost mysteriously amazing in the salt. And, ‘materials that provide movement’ are somewhat overrated. Subtlety is often more than enough. How can people get hold of you to order? Email me at leroybotha420@gmail.com or just send me a DM on Instagram (@leroy_botha). Order early if you’re planning a trip. Also keep an eye out for special edition ties at flyrevolution.co.za

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MILAN GERMISHUIZEN aka @triple_m_flies Got crabs? Best you get some quickly if you have a serious saltwater flats trip on the horizon. If you are not going to tie them yourself, look no further than FlyCastaway guide Milan Germishuizen who, when he is not on location in the Indian Ocean, ties a mean merkin and other patterns. Home waters? South Africa would be my main focus, places like Sterkies and the Orange River, but I tie a lot for the flats of the Indian Ocean, more specifically St. Brandon’s Atoll and now recently, Providence Atoll in the Seychelles. Speciality? I tie a lot of crab and shrimp patterns, probably because we tend to target large bonefish and Indo Pacific permit on our off days while guiding. I also really enjoy tying large baitfish patterns for GTs.

Philosophy? I wouldn’t call it a philosophy but what I find more important when tying the crabs and shrimps is to keep them simple and easy to tie. I sometimes tie a few complicated patterns that work really well but, in my experience, quick and simple is generally better. Triggers? To me the most important factors are sink rate, static movement, profile and trigger colours. A good balance of all of those things and you’ve got a winning recipe. To order: You can get in touch with via Instagram, either on my personal profile @milangermishuizen or on my fly-tying page @triple_m_flies.

“TO ME THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS ARE SINK RATE, STATIC MOVEMENT, PROFILE AND TRIGGER COLOURS”

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YAQOOB TARMOHAMMED aka @jozifly When you hear whispers that “the Vaal is on fire” there’s no time to waste. But before you and the smallies get mediaeval on each other, you’re going to need some ammo. Yaqoob ties stunning fast-sinking bombs that will get you into the zone and into fish in no time. Home waters? Well, living in Jo’burg the options are few and far between, specifically for one who prefers rivers over stillwater. So, The Vaal River would probably be my home water and one I am grateful to have a short drive away. Speciality? I enjoy tying anything, from small nymphs and dry flies to large streamers but given the waters I have at my disposal, along with my preferred method of fishing that specific body of water, nymphs have definitely taken centre stage for me. Philosophy? I believe that in fly tying there is no “set in stone” way of doing things and that everything credible out there is a guideline. It’s definitely a good thing to understand what you’re trying to imitate and have a basic understanding of the fundamentals , as well as an understanding of the materials and how they function. So, I’d say it would probably be “tie flies with purpose and intent.” Other than that, let the fish decide. Triggers? I tend to revert many established guidelines or what worked for me in the past, plus a lot of thinking out the box. I guess many of us think of triggers as those bright fluorescent and flashy components in a fly but, for me, it’s always a question of “why would a fish choose to eat this fly?” This could be as simple and all-encompassing as matching the hatch, to representing vulnerability, to the choice of colour, size, shape/silhouette and definitely materials that introduce movement/life and allow the fly to behave in a certain manner and have that “buggy-ness” element too. Trying to emulate what may attract or trigger a fish to feed is an endless journey for me. And I like more of those bright fluorescent colours that fool me more often than the fish, To order: Instagram (@jozifly) or email: joziflyfishing@gmail.com

“I BELIEVE THAT IN FLY TYING THERE IS NO “SET IN STONE” WAY OF DOING THINGS”

JURG DE JAGER aka @jurgdjager Looking to connect with something meaty? Jurg ties the kind of baitfish patterns that you just know will entice big bullies in from the deep. Home waters? My home waters used to be in and around the Strand in the Western Cape where I grew up until I relocated to Johannesburg just before I turned 17. Would love to revisit the Strand with a fly rod. For the past seven odd years I’ve mostly been fly fishing in the middle regions of the Vaal River and some of its tributaries. I’ve also recently visited Sterkfontein Dam a couple of times late in the season of 2022 and it has almost instantly become my favourite place for sight fishing yellowfish on foot. Speciality? The imitation game is what I prefer when tying flies. But don’t get me wrong, fooling a fish on any type of fly creation is something special. Flies I enjoy tying include various baitfish patterns for fresh and saltwater species; Largie Muise, Belly Scratchers and Sculpen Head streamers; Sex Dungeon creations; a weedless bass frog and Vaal River carp flies. Philosophy? Keep your tying station organized and your creations within your ability. Be patient in your design process and don’t overthink things. Triggers? With every fly I start with, I try to add a combination of things that makes for one big trigger. That means choosing the right materials, the right colours, a realistic profile and movement. Always test your creation after it is done. It’ll give you a good idea of what you did right and wrong. To order: If you’re interested in ordering some custom flies you can check out some of my creations on Instagram @jurgdjager or jjdejager34@gmail.com

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RICHARD WALE aka @ogflystudio From running fly shops to working in the boating industry, guiding and tying innovative flies, Rich gets around. Keep an eye out for his Stella pattern both for topwater tigers at Pongola and estuary salt species too. Home Waters: Western Cape salt water (estuaries, coastal and inshore) and Western Cape fresh (Cape streams, still waters and rivers). Speciality? Salt water flies - baitfish & crustacean patterns. Although I do enjoy tying for trout, yellows & bass too. Philosophy? It’s important to fish your flies and understand how they will behave in the water. It is great to have pretty flies as it gives the angler confidence but, how the fly moves through the water is just as important as how it looks in the water. Be opened-minded and always willing to learn and experiment. Triggers? Colour hot spots (like a red gill slit on a baitfish pattern) and movement. I love a fly that has natural movement even when static. Oh, and big eyes on baitfish patterns. To order: Hit me up on richard@ogflystudio.com or @ogflystudio on Instagram

GORDON VAN DER SPUY aka @the_feather_mechanic Gordon van der Spuy is well-known in South African fly tying and fishing circles. An actor, fly tying author, fly tying teacher and, if you catch him at the right time, someone who will sell you some exquisite flies. He ties Cape stream dries that lash fish. If salmon flies are your thing, he also ties classics that would give Edwin Rist (the villain from The Feather Thief) a hard-on. Home waters? My home waters are the streams of the Cape, but I regard the Bokong River in Lesotho as my home waters too. Speciality? I have a special affinity for tying dainty dry flies.

Philosophy? ‘Form follows function’ would be my fly-tying philosophy. Figure out what you need a fly to do and then tie it to do that. Triggers? I am a huge fan of profile, in-built mobility and chiaruscuro. Chiaruscuro refers to how light plays on the fly. Materials like CDC create a very life-like impression on the water due to the ways the light acts on the barbs and barbules of the material. Order: Drop me a mail on gordonvanderspuy@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram a @the_feather_mechanic.

W W W. T H E M I S S I O N F LY M A G . C O M

THE LARGEST FLY TYING SELECTION IN SOUTH

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Shop online at www.xplorerflyfishing.co.za COME AND XPLORE OUR NEW CONCEPT STORE • UNIT 4 MARSEILLES PARK , 25 MARSEILLES CRESCENT, BRIARDENE, DURBAN NORTH The Xplorer Concept Store has every single Xplorer product, plus a wide range of products from the brands below. Pop in for a cup of coffee, have a browse around and see the complete range of products, never seen in one shop before. Open until 5pm Mon-Fri and until 1pm on Saturdays.

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SCOTT FLY RODS – WAVE Scott has been busy of late, revamping their fresh and saltwater range. When it comes to positioning, while the Centric and Sector are the successors of the Radian and Meridian respectively, the Wave you could say replaces the Tidal as Scott’s mid-priced saltwater rod. The thing is calling it ‘mid-priced’ ($675 vs $1045 for a Sector) does not really do it justice because while the Wave may not set you back as much as the premium Sector, there’s very little it cannot do. The Wave borrows the best bits of

the Sector and the Meridian at a much more accessible price. It’s fast as all hell, accurate as pointing your finger and powerful enough for any application, from 6-weight bending bass and bonefish, to GTs and tarpon in the 12-weight. One of our reviewers is putting it through its paces for a full-length review, but in the meantime it’s available from Mavungana Flyfishing in 6-weight, 7-weight, 8-weight, 9-weight and 12-weight. scottflyrod.com, flyfishing.co.za

“SIMPLY TIE IT IN, WRAP AND BOOM!”

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS – REGULATOR SPOOL Line changing and, by association, line care are hands down one of the biggest ball aches in fly fishing, but with Scientific Anglers’ Regulator, it just got a lot easier. This ingenious gizmo allows you to switch out fly lines off your fly reel in minutes. Bonus, it does not use spare spools so you are left with a coiled fly line held in place with twistties rather than bulky spools, saving you storage space both at home and on the road. While changing line using this tool, we strongly recommend listening to Regulate by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg. It would be rude not to. scientificanglers.com, frontierflyfishing.com

FASNA – EGG-FLY Before Mop flies and Squirmies were dropping traditionalists’ jaws as sacrilegious yet deadly baubles, the dirtiest move a fly angler could pull was to fish an egg pattern. They still most definitely have their place in your fly boxes (and in fish diets) which is why if you’re looking to tie some up you should check out Fasna’s Egg-Fly material. Different to standard egg yarn which requires you to spin it up, Egg-Fly is built on a core like chenille. Simply tie it in, wrap and boom! Yolk’s on the fish. Available in a range of colours, it’s perfect for egg, worms and Wozzit patterns. fasnaflyfishing.com, xfactorangling.co.za

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HORIZON – TROUTSTALKER FLOAT TUBE It’s been a long time coming what with factory lockdowns and general global supply chain issues, but Horizon’s new Troutstalker float tubes have finally arrived in SA. You can expect the same tough 420 Denier Nylon fabric on the top and side panels and the same super tough 500 Denier 30oz PVC fabric for maximum puncture resistance on the bottom panel, plus of course the inflatable air backrest and air seat as standard. New features on this tube include tweaks to the stripping apron which now features a cam device to ensure it is tightly strung, cup holders on the pockets to ensure you stay hydrated on the water (yes, beer counts), additional grab handles and reinforced pockets to ensure they don’t flop around while you search for something. Weighing in at just 7.5kg, it has a 140kg carrying capacity so it should juuust be able to handle you and your gear after the festive season. frontierflyfishing.co.za

YETI – ROADIE 24 Remember the serial killer hitchhiker from Something About Mary asking Ben Stiller’s character what he would choose if he saw 8-Minute Abs in the video store next to 7-Minute Abs? We feel the same way about the Yeti Roadie 24 when comparing it to its predecessor the Roadie 20, because the 24 holds four more beers. If you are more of a wino, the Roadie 24 is built with extra length in mind for those long-necked bottles. Bottom line? Not everyone needs a gargantuan icebox and this easily packable cooler for bakkie or boat might just be the perfect size for two anglers on a day trip. yeti.com, upstreamflyfishing.co.za

STANLEY – PETER PERCH Stanley continues to modernize their brand with fresh new colourways and styles. There were the bright orange and camo Mossy Oak collabs and now the latest addition to the collection is the Peter Perch range. A Dutch wildlife illustrator with a wonderfully dark sense of humour, Peter Perch comes from a skateboarding and graffiti background which shows in the way he approaches fish art. Available in tan in the 470ml Trigger Action Mug or the Classic Legendary Vacuum 1L bottle, with this collab not only can you keep your drinks ice cold and piping hot, but you can do it with some extra street cred too. awesometools.co.za

KEEP YOUR DRINKS ICE COLD AND PIPING HOT”

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SALAD BAR

X-FACTOR – YELLOWFISH FLY SELECTION The Factor behind X-Factor is Dan Factor, consistently ranked South Africa’s top fly angler in competition circles. That means the man knows what he’s doing, especially when it comes to fly selection. Whether you’re on the Vaal, the Orange, chasing scalies, Clannies or the various other yellowfish species, it’s well worth taking a look at X-Factor’s yellowfish box. All the patterns have been developed with decades of competition experience and the latest knowledge on materials, yellowfish, and fly patterns. xfactorangling.co.za

LOON – ERGO PRIME TAPERING SHEARS You know that weird moment when the barber is almost done cutting your hair and he picks up a strange pair of scissors, takes a big section of your mop and then proceeds to cut into it like your maniac kid brother? Those are tapering shears that are designed to thin bulky sections without losing too much shape. Loon’s Ergo Prime Tapering Shears work in much the same way. Featuring one blade with teeth and one without, they allow tyers to thin or taper materials without leaving distinct lines. The broad blades offer a stouter feel and increased stability, regardless of what you’re cutting. The oversized handles are ergonomically designed to accommodate tyers with extra large fingers (yes you, Hodor), and include a removable Precision Peg for extra control. loonoutdoors.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS - TAILOUT TOOL ASSORTMENT Outside of heavy hitting saltwater fish that require serious pliers and tools, if you’re playing in the fresh or light salt scene you cannot go wrong with the Tailout trio of tools from Scientific Anglers. It includes forceps with ergonomic grip for crimping barbs and removing hooks, a nipper for trimming tags and cutting tippet and a zinger to make sure you don’t lose the nipper. You really don’t need much else. scientificanglers.com, frontierflyfishing.com

LOON - APEX HD PLIER A new player in the saltwater do-it-all plier game, Loon’s heavy duty Apex HD plier with built-in cutter demands your attention. Constructed of lightweight aluminium, it’s housed in a durable rubber sheath and secured with a coated steel-core tether, meaning it can take all the salty abuse, neglect and heavy use you can throw at it. Designed in conjunction with a bevy of fresh and salt water guides it’s been put through the paces to handle the most demanding fish and fisheries out there. loonoutdoors.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za

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SALAD BAR HOWLER BROTHERS – H BAR B TECH LONGSLEEVE Howler Bros consistently hits that Yeehaw/Aloha sweet spot between ranch and beach and the H Bar B Tech longsleeve is a prime example. Made of lightweight, quickdrying stretch nylon-poly fabric, with a vented rear yoke and ring snaps it keeps you comfortable while working out fish in the heat, yet is plenty stylish for general nonfishing activity too. Other fish-forward features include a sunglass cleaning microfiber at the right hem and a hidden zipper pocket at the lower right seam. howlerbros.com, upstreamflyfishing.co.za

RIO – AVID GOLD Rapidly becoming one of the most popular lines for South African trout fishing, the Rio Avid Gold hits that sweet spot between performance and price. Whether it’s short-range roll casts or long-distance doublehauling delivery, this line punches above its weight. With welded loops on the front and back to assist with fast rigging, these lines come in 3-weight to 7-weight options and all feature RIO’s superb SlickCast coating. farbank.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za

RIVER ROAD – CUTTER PRESS Like a biltong guillotine, but for foam, River Road Creations’ Cutter Press is an assistive device to be used in conjunction with the company’s wing and foam body cutters. If you struggle to get enough pressure on the cutters, this gadget will give you a mechanical advantage. Plus if you’re a budding Robespierre, you can pretend you’re executing Lilliputian monarchs. riverroadcreations.com, frontierflyfishing.com

RIO – ELITE GT & ELITE LEVIATHAN Plan on tackling the really big fish this summer? Then perchance you need to take a gander at the Rio Elite GT and Rio Elite Leviathan lines now with Rio’s SlickCast coating. For the depths you want the Leviathan which is designed to target the largest of tropical species with low stretch, and ultra slick performance. Featuring a 26-foot, fast-sinking head seamlessly integrated into an intermediate running line, it sports a tough, ultra-strong core that gives you the edge when keeping large fish away from coral and rock structures. Available from 300-750 grain. For the bullies of the flats, you want the Elite GT. Its short, heavy head loads powerful saltwater rods fast and the aggressive front taper allows you to cast large flies with ease. The low stretch “DirectCore” lets you drive home those solid strip sets while RIO’s slick, durable SlickCast coating gives you every advantage to get your fly out far and fast. farbank.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za

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FULLING MILL – MASTERCLASS TIPPET Think “Fulling Mill” and a fly tying and hook manufacturing behemoth probably comes to mind, but there’s more to this trans-Atlantic power player’s product range including some high quality tippet. Fulling Mill’s Masterclass Fluorocarbon combines Japanese raw materials with German engineering to create tippet that they claim has the lowest refractory index of any other fluoro on the market, meaning the fish are less likely to see it. With excellent diameter to strength ratio it’s incredibly strong, ultra supple and has great knot strength. It comes in interlocking spools of 7X (2.82lbs) to 04X (23.17lbs). fullingmill.co.uk, flyfishing.co.za

ORVIS – DOUBLE-SIDED FLY BOXES Double-sided goodness for maximal use of space – check. Microslit foam to tightly hold flies in place – check. Sealed box closure to keep moisture out, strong latch clips to prevent accidental opening and a clear shell to allow you to see the box’s contents so you find exactly what you need with zero faffing – check, check, check. Available in small (160 flies), medium (204 flies) or large (378 flies) sizes, with Orvis’s double-sided fly boxes you’ll want for very little. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za

“DOUBLE-SIDED GOODNESS FOR MAXIMAL USE OF SPACE”

GUIDELINE – ALTA 2.0 WADING BOOT Well, helloooooo Sweden! The team at Guideline have put together an impressive-looking pair of lightweight wading boots with a comfortable last, designed for long days of trekking and fishing. Made with nylon Airmesh laminated to closed cell foam to prevent water from soaking into the material, the Guideline Alta 2.0 boots are built to keep cool and shed water so your feet stay light and comfortable all mission long. The ergonomically designed, gusseted tongue is made of neoprene which relieves pressure from the top of the foot while the inside has a comfortable neoprene lining which reduces wear on the wading socks. Lightweight, yet rigid enough for the harshest of African fly fishing conditions, the Alta 2.0 is now available at X-Factor. guidelineflyfish.com, xfactorangling.co.za

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SALAD BAR

SMITH CREEK – WADING BELT Wiping out while wading is part of fly fishing. If you do that while wearing waders in fast water, you have to have a good wading belt, because without one your waders will fill up and well…you could drown. Seriously, this is not alarmist bollocks. Things can go very wrong, very quickly when wading swollen rivers with unsure footing. There are wading belts and then there are wading belts. Smith Creek’s Wading belt is the variant you want as it is made of extra thick nylon webbing and quality YYK components and is adjustable from 24” to 52” (61cm to 132cm). For extra safety, the buckle is designed so that it can be unclipped under extreme loading. Hang your gear on it AND bet your life on it. smithcreek.co, flyfishing.co.za

C&F – UNIVERSAL CASE SYSTEM We’re seeing a lot more anglers using C&F these days for the versatility the Japanese company brings to your fly storage game. The C&F Universal System Case with compartments is the perfect fly box to carry bush or bulky dry flies in the compartments. On the opposite face, the easy-to-use clips allow you to clip in any of the system foams, or even to change the system foam with a different one, when needed. Day on the Vaal? Clip in the Dry Dropper Foam which can accommodate smaller fly patterns and would be perfect for nymphs and pupa fly patterns. Chasing largies? Perhaps the Attractor (which can accommodate larger fly patterns), is what you need? From the Midge (small size nymph and midge patterns), the Threader (designed to help you get small flies onto your tippet or the Standard (a great all-rounder) - whatever the application, just swop foams in and out as you see fit. .c-and-f.co.jp, frontierflyfishing.co.za

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YETI – RAMBLER® 12 OZ HOTSHOT BOTTLE We swear by these things, not only because they are bulletproof thanks to their kitchen-grade stainless steel construction (they are), nor because they keep our coffee hot and our drinks cold (they do), but also because we’re enamoured with the cap design (seriously, this excites us). When shut, the 100% leak-proof Hotshot cap keeps the coffee off the rest of your kit in your bag, but when opened it can be sipped from any side. Just apply lips. In short, it was designed for sleep-deprived obsessives who need caffeine, but who fear liquid destroying their equipment. Fly anglers essentially. Available in seafoam, stainless steel and black from Upstream Fly fishing. yeti.com, upstreamflyfishing.co.za

“JUST APPLY LIPS” FLYING FISHERMAN – BOONIE AND STRAW HATS You may feel invincible in the baking summer heat, but the reality is the planet is getting hotter and that means you are more likely to get skin cancer if you do not take precautions. Sunblock helps as does long-sleeved clothing, but for your face a solid hat is a must. Flying Fisherman’s Boonie hat (Boonie… as in the Boondocks… as in the middle of nowhere…) is stylish yet functional for on the water use. Rated UPF 50, it sports a lightweight breathable quick drying material with vented mesh sides to help create a cooling affect while wearing. The Flying Fisherman Straw Hat is made from natural straw for lightweight and attractive sun protection. The full brim helps to shade your face, neck and shoulders from the sun and UV rays, while the the adjustable chin strap keeps it on your pip on a windy day. Bonus – you could probably run a Tiki bar convincingly wearing one of these. xplorerflyfishing.co.za

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DEEP WANTS

PAY DAY YO U R F ES T I V E S E A S O N R E A D I N G – S O R T E D

THE FISHERMEN AND THE DRAGON - KIRK W. JOHNSON From the author of The Feather Thief, the smash hit book about villainous flytying obsessives and a natural history heist, comes a new book The Fishermen and the Dragon: Fear, Greed, and a Fight for Justice on the Gulf Coast. Before writing The Feather Thief, US Army veteran Johnson founded The List Project, to help re-settle Iraqi allies, and his new book investigates tensions and deals with both refugees and fishing. Featuring xenophobic lies (that are all too common even today), the KKK, villains and heroes, The Fishermen and the Dragon dives into the ethnic collision between Vietnamese refugees who settled and began fishing in Galveston Bay in the 1980s and the racist locals who sought to chase them out. amazon.com You’ll love this if you enjoyed the pace and depth Johnson brought to The Feather Thief. REVISION OF A MAN - MATT SMYTHE There’s a good chance that the last time you read any poetry was back in high school. If that’s the case, it’s time to revisit the genre and, in our opinion, there’s no better poet to start with than Matt Smythe. Angler, hunter, veteran, lover, father, son, husband, Smythe, to put it bluntly, has lived. In Revision of a Man, he revisits and dissects with typical searing honesty and clarity the tropes of masculinity that have shaped his life and may well feature in yours too. As great poets do, with a simple turn of phrase or a moment glimpsed, Smythe’s poems can bring on real moments of emotion and connection. That’s the experience we had picking up and putting down Revision of a Man. Regardless of where you come from or the tack your life has taken, we wager this collection is going to have a similar impact on you. deadreckoningco.com

YOU’LL LOVE THIS IF THE VERY ACT OF BEING ON THE WATER CAN, AT TIMES, SEEM LIKE A POEM TO YOU.

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THE RIVER YOU TOUCH - CHRIS DOMBROWSKI

DELICATE PRESENTATIONS - ANDREW FOWLER

We were huge fans of Chris Dombrowski’s Body of Water (acclaimed as a classic by none other than Jim Harrison), which followed the Montana author, guide and writing teacher’s infatuation with bonefish and his relationship with legendary guide Bahamas David Pinder. So, when The River You Touch was released recently, we were over the moon. This is Dombrowski’s memoir, but it’s more than that. It’s a meditation on fatherhood, on carving out a life driven first and foremost by passions rather than paychecks (as hard as that may have been for Dombrowski and his wife Mary, a kindergarten teacher) and a lyrical love affair with the rivers, mountains and landscapes of Montana. milkweed.org

We’ve been lusting for some proper fly-fishing story-telling and in Delicate Presentations, Andrew Fowler (author of Stippled Beauties) delivers. The setting is the streams and still waters of the bucolic Natal Midlands. The characters include “Popjoy”, “Peabody” and “The Oaf,” a ribald collection of flyfishing obsessives who, we’re pretty sure, we might know. The stories cover their trout fishing hijinks and adventures across KwaZulu-Natal. Well-written, funny, poignant and with highly relatable fishing and characters, this is Fowler’s best work yet. Available to the public from 19 November at truttablog.com

You’ll love this if you have ever thought of rejecting conventional career trajectories to do what you truly want to do... e.g. fish.

FLY FISHING WORLD - LUBOS ROZA Now available in English, Fly Fishing World by multiple world fly fishing champion Lubos Roza from the Czech Republic, covers an array of techniques, equipment and flies used in competitive fly-fishing. At the same time, multiple gold medal winner Roza also shares a number of personal stories from major tournaments. Written in a very accessible way, the book offers valuable information for anglers of all levels, from the novice to the experienced competition angler. It is well illustrated with a number of high-quality photos and highly detailed diagrams covering rigging, casting, flies and troubleshooting. xfactorangling.co.za You’ll love this if you want to learn from the best of the best and become a better angler.

You’ll love this if (A) you enjoy trout-focused fly fishing storytelling a la Tom Sutcliffe and (B) if you enjoyed the rollicking tales and ribald characters of Spud, the semibiographical book by John van de Ruit, detailing life as seen through the eyes of a boy at a prestigious KwaZulu-Natal boarding school. If the characters in Spud took up fly fishing and stayed in KZN for a few decades, they could easily feature in Delicate Presentations.

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THE VAALIE T H E VA A L RI VE R H AS BE E N FI RIN G OF L AT E . PA RYS -A RE A G U I DE A N T H EA P I ATER S H OWS U S WHAT S H E PAC KS FO R A G RE AT DAY OU T F I S HI NG FO R S M A LLM O UTH YE LLOWFI S H. Photos. Anthea Piater Archive

Rod: I’m currently using the Reel Fly Fishing TechNymph 10’ 3-weight. It’s lightweight which helps prevent fatigue, and the extra sensitive tip is great for protecting thin tippet and for detecting every bump and bite. It’s extremely flexible and a proper workhorse for hauling in big fish and has stood the test against some challenging carp and cat fish which sometimes surprise you with a take while targeting yellows. Reel and line: My go-to reel is a Shilton CR3. I love the large arbour as it helps with quick line retrieval when fighting a speeding fish and it’s durability is perfectly suited to the harsh conditions of the Vaal River. I pair it with the Vision Ultra Light Nymph Line which, besides keeping the whole setup light, has a braided core which is a necessity for fighting yellowfish. Leader and tippet: My preferred leader is JMC Kamoufil as it has zero memory, so it can last you many river sessions without ever needing to be changed. For my Indicator line I use Vision Nymphmaniac bi-colour line in yellow and pink, or the Rio Two-Tone, in black and white. And one can’t forget 2mm tippet rings. These little things are super useful as every time you change your tippet you aren’t having to cut away at and shorten your leader or indicator line. Hanak sells refill packs which are super handy. For my tippet I use Stroft or Dragon Nano Crystal because they both have a fine diameter with a high breaking strain. Wading boots: Don’t underestimate the necessity of a good pair of wading boots on the Vaal. Felt soles are preferable as they have better grip than Vibram, especial when wading through salad. I’m currently using the Korkers Buckskin Mary, that come with interchangeable soles. They have high ankle support and extra padding in the sole, which is a game changer when wading long hours through the river. My boots are paired with a set of Orvis neoprene gravel guards which help to keep the grit out.

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Fly box: I prefer to carry one fly box to keep my pack as light as possible. I use the small Predator swing leaf box with foam inserts. This way I can use three panels for nymphs, and the last panel for “in case” flies such as dry flies, jig buggers and small streamers. Net: For guiding clients, I sometimes use a McLean Weigh Net which has a scale in the handle. Otherwise, I use the Predator large aluminium frame net. A deep, wide net is most suitable for yellowfish, and should be tough and lightweight. I use a magnet system to attach my net to the back of my pack for a quick release, with an additional bungee cord attached from the handle to my pack. This in super important so that you don’t lose the net if you drop it in the river. The Reel Fly Fishing Aero Drift floating net is also great because it floats and you won’t lose it in the current. Pack: I’m using an old USSL Water resistant laptop backpack to carry all my gear on the river. (Yes, I know). One day I will invest in an Orvis sling pack, but it’s been serving me well and I love that it doesn’t weigh a ton and you don’t have a million zips, pockets and gadgets to contend with on the front of your body. It’s small, neat and keeps everything out of my way, with my fly box and tippet holder neatly tucked in the side pouches for quick access.

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“ONLY TAKE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PACK LIGHT AND COMFY” Clothing: For ultimate sun protection I wear the Skout Supply hoodies. They are locally manufactured, UV safe and quick-dry, and they offer cuts for both men and women, so they are really comfy. Their patch caps are also a win because you can dry or store flies on-the-go. Tights or quick dry pants are also better suited than waders as they eliminate drag in the current and you won’t overheat during the day. Sunglasses: I have various pairs of polarised sunnies which help with spotting fish, and prefer the amber tinted lenses as they are suitable for most light conditions. Oh, and a trusty sunglasses’ cord It’s very easy to lose a pair of sunnies to a gushing river. Sunscreen: I won’t use anything less than a SPF50 water resistant cream, my favourite being the Eucerin Dry Touch Gel Creme which will never ever run into your eyes or leave you with greasy fingers. Extras goodies: Nippers, Wax indicator stick (Mouche or Skafars). This helps improve the visibility of your indicator when light conditions are poor. Ziplock bag - your best bet for water proofing your phone, storing car keys, and keeping snacks dry Always a safe bet: The Vaal can be harsh and things can break, so it’s good to be prepared so you don’t have to cut your day out on the water short. That’s why I will also carry electrical tape that is useful for mending boots onthe-go, reattaching broken rod eyes, fixing loose reel seats or broken sunnies, and can work as a Band-Aid. Mini cable ties will fix clasps, laces, net magnets and broken straps. Tips • If you don’t have felt sole wading boots, grab a pair of long oversized socks that you can wear over your shoes, it will improve your grip while wading. • Support local brands when buying gear and you won’t bust the bank. • Less is more. Only take what you really need so you can keep your pack light and comfy and you won’t drop and lose items as you rummage around full pockets looking for things.

LIFER

THE RACONTEUR M O R E AT H O M E I N T H E B U S H T H A N H E I S I N T H E B U R B S , C A PA B L E OF FIXING ALMOST ANYTHING AND FISHIER THAN A TIN OF EXPIRED PILCHARDS, LIONEL SONG IS A CHARACTER STRAIGHT OUT OF A WILBUR SMITH NOVEL (IF THE BARD OF THE BUSH WROTE ABOUT F LY F I S H I N G ) . H E ’ S A L S O O U R I S S U E 3 6 L I F E R . Photos. Stu Harley and Mark Murray

The first fish I caught was a carp at a place called Union Park dam just outside Pietersburg (Polokwane). Ironically it was I that was the hunted, as it was a place frequented by strange Walter White (Breaking Bad) lookalikes with bags of sweets waiting in dodgy hatchbacks under the blue gums... I finished my national service in the Para battalion and went straight in to the Timbavati. Next step was the Manyeleti, where I was involved in building and running trail camps. Next stop was Savuti, Botswana where I helped run the legendary Lloyds Camp and learnt more about animal behaviour, especially how to interact with lions and how not to get killed by elephants. After that it was a move to the Natal Midlands (base camp is in the Dargle), then all over Botswana, Zambia, Lesotho, Gabon, and now Tanzania is home. I guess my real home is anywhere wild and remote. A typical day starts with my Kilombero alarm clock going off at 5am – namely hippo, fish eagle and goliath heron chiming in to kickstart my day. If we have clients in camp, it’s kitchen first to make sure that brekkie is on the go and the packed lunches are sorted. I then greet guests and make sure they are good with tea, coffee and rusks. If there are no guests in camp, I task staff and find something broken to fix. If there are guests, I get their fishing gear sorted if they need help and get them on their way to a great day’s fishing. Once guests have left, I find something broken to fix, take time out to admire the view and remind myself how lucky I am to be me and that I could, at that very moment in time, be stuck in traffic on the N3. As I fix the broken stuff, I wait in dire anticipation for my guests to return with great stories of an even greater day spent out in paradise. We have a raucous supper being entertained by hysterical stories that folks tell when they have a chance to relax without the strictures of society (add some good single malt to lubricate the thought patterns). I switch off the generator and crawl into bed exhausted and happy. My home waters at the moment are the Kilombero River and its surrounds. It’s a fascinating and challenging river to fish as it is rather unknown from a piscatorial

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perspective. By that I mean there are fish that have been caught, but not yet classified. Yes, we have big Tanzanian tigers, and the most incredible yellowfish, but it is the smaller, less-known species that pique my interest, and it is these fish that I most want to catch. Call me a twitcher with a fly rod. The best advice I can give is: Love many, marry few, paddle your own canoe. I am most proud of my son Roan, who is an electrical engineer living down in Sedgefield in the Cape. The most amazing human being and I am very proud to be his dad. I am also very proud of all my amazing friends I am lucky to have. Something I really had to work hard at is that I found out at a late stage of my life that I wasn’t being true to myself and lacked confidence and self-belief. I was depressed. I thought that I was the only one, but it turns out it is a human condition that is often created by the society that we live in. I also had PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) just to fuck things up even more. Social norms are not always normal, it would seem. So, I sought help, and a man told me a story about myself that I found hard to believe at first, but on closer inspection realised that it was indeed me. I was a book that I had never read. I am now working hard to give this book called “Me” a great ending. Something that has come naturally to me is my ability to see into other people. I guess it must be down to being in tourism since 1987, as I think you become a fireside psychologist after meeting thousands of people in intimate settings. You won’t believe what people have confided in me. The most satisfying fish I ever caught was a 70kg tarpon off the Kwanza River in Angola. I have never been that emotional about a fish. Looking into its eye, I felt a primordial bond and it took me back to when animals ruled the planet, and we were bar snacks. Since then, I have never needed to catch another big fish.

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Lionel with one of the stunning Selous yellowfish found at Majestic Rivers (majesticrivers.com), the fishery he currently manages.

My go-to drink is a good single malt. It’s OK for an angler to lie when he has been caught banging his neighbour’s wife. One place, never again would have to be repeating my haemorrhoidectomy. My handiest survival skill is panga fishing in the rapids. A skill I would like to master is Excel. I could die tomorrow with a massive shit-eating grin on my face, no regrets at all. However, having said that, I trade in the currency of freedom and memories. The first is priceless and the second is the justification of my existence. I believe one should live totally in the present to be mentally healthy. Memories are the marrow in your bones that keep you wanting to make more. My entire life has been one big adventure, but being hijacked with my stepson and driven away in the boot of a BMW, and then managing to escape courtesy of my

Leatherman, rates right up there as0 one of the biggest adventures. Technology has changed the angler’s approach exponentially over the years, and now I feel it has become water golf. I still like the idea of minimum gear, flies etc. when out for a day on the river. Fish haven’t changed much, but as fly anglers we have. I still get the overall kick of being away from other people and immersing myself in the environment, not necessarily just the fishing. If I could change one thing in fly fishing, it would be the elitist stigma that our originators started. By this I mean that only certain species count on fly. There are still fly fishermen out there who haven’t caught yellows on fly. Looking back on my life, I don’t think I would change a thing, even the heartache needs to be experienced to quantify the joy in one’s life. I believe everything happens to you for a reason. Things will always get better. The last fish I caught was a small tiger.

“I AM NOW WORKING HARD TO GIVE THIS BOOK CALLED “ME” A GREAT ENDING.” 112

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POP QUIZ CUTTING EDGE OR BLUNT INSTRUMENT? SLICK AS A WHISTLE OR A R U S T Y T R O M B O N E ? TA K E O U R Q U I Z T O S E E W H AT ( I F A N Y T H I N G ) YO U P I C K E D U P F R O M T H I S I S S U E . I N C L U D I N G C R A B S .

Stu Harley stares into the void as he he tries to get to grips with the meaning behind Lionel Song’s favourite parable of the Irishman who fucked one goat.

1. Rolf Nylinder’s approach to dealing with mosquitoes is one of (page 14)? A. Mind over matter. B. Peaceful Sleep over Tabard. C. Long sleeves and mozzie coils. D. Garlic and Holy Water.

4. While in the Maldives, which object did Peter Coetzee stare at with a dumb smile each day (page 46)? A. His dreamy fishing partner Andreas. B. His Salomon Gore-tex hiking boots. C. His shrine to Hindu water god Viruna. D. His Danco Premio titanium pliers.

2. What is the weight gain condition Mike Dames has to be wary of as a guide (page 26)? A. First Year Spread. B. Skiff Mid-Riff. C. Lodge Podge. D. Boepensvark Lark. E. Guide Slide.

5. According to casting expert and owner of Echo Fly Rods Tim Rajeff, what will cure haemorrhoids (page 46)? A. Getting up from your desk at regular intervals. B. A late power application in your cast. C. A session on the Bokong catching smallmouth yellowfish on fly. D. A diet high in fibre and real foods.

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6. For Junior Protea angler Tom Walters attempting to pick up Italian girls was conducted via (page 76)? A. Sign language. B. Morse code. C. Barry White mix tapes D. The international love language of Euro nymphing. E. Memes.

Answers: 1. A, 2. C, 3. A, 4. D, 5. B, 6. A

3. Which of the following profound statements from this issue came from our Lifer Lionel Song (page 108)? A. “Memories are the marrow in your bones that keep you wanting to make more.” B. “Chiaruscuro refers to how light plays on the fly.” C. “We tend to get stuck reading the instructions – learn the rules but trust your gut.” D. “Have unwavering confidence in your proposition, but be emotionally prepared for rejection.” E. “Ride the waves as they come, both in fishing trips and in real life.”

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The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine Issue #36

Articles inside

High Fives

Lifer

What’s in my bag

Wish List Fish

Salad Bar

Pay Day

Booze & Beats