The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine Issue#40

FAILURE is not an option

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CONTENTS

Cover:

28. UNDERCURRENTS: MAKHULU BAAS

A self-confessed irreligious man of science, Conrad Botes struggles to reconcile that worldview with the magic, big-fish juju he found in one very specific make and model of cap.

42. C IS FOR COMMUNITY

From secret societies and public clubs to rowdy festivals and informal hang-outs, we’ve scoured the land for this A-Z of the South African fly fishing scene. Come on you fly tying Unabomber... It’s time to leave your cave.

62. SHEEEEEET

One Arctic summer, pike with great incisors, vole-inhaling grayling, and the mysterious sheefish brought Brent Flack-Davison and his mates to Alaska for an eight-day float through the wilderness.

76. A LONGA WAY FROM HOME

Jazz Kuschke interviews Johann Rademeyer about a recent trip to Angola’s Rio Longa, the tarpon fishing he found there, and why the entire trajectory of his life might have changed because of it.

88. CLIFF HANGERS

Saltwater fly fishing maverick Jimmy Eagleton climbs for a living on offshore oil rigs. So when it comes to accessing hard-to-reach gullies, caves, and cliffs to target small yet feisty saltwater species that most of us ignore, he’s in his element.

Dangling off a coastal cliff face in the Western Cape, Jimmy Eagleton goes where we wager no fly anglers have gone before. Photo. Ryan Janssens.

Muscles meets mussels as Jimmy Eagleton climbs out of the drink after taking a fall. (page 88). Photo. Ryan Janssens

make every shot count

The entire Sextant rod family shares a smooth loading, quick recovery action that allows for precise accuracy at short distances without sacrificing the power and backbone necessary for punching flies at longer distances through the wind.

THE SEXTANT SALTWATER SERIES. 7 MODELS FROM 6 - 12 WEIGHT

est 1969

THE ROD YOU WILL EVENTUALLY OWN

MAKE THE CIRCLE BIGGER

While my wife and I were on honeymoon in Italy in 2016, I snuck away for a day’s fishing with venerable Italian guide Moreno Borriero. He took me on some skinny sections of the Tiber River and we spent a fantastic day fishing for brown trout and grayling.

Over the course of the day, whether driving, fishing, or stopping for a brilliant lunch of porchetta and wine and, as I enthused about how much I was enjoying what Moreno had at his disposal, we compared notes about our respective fly fishing scenes, his in Italy, mine back in South Africa. I was surprised to hear that things were very different in terms of the fly fishing community. In Italy, Moreno explained, the club scene simply wasn’t thriving whether through a lack of interest from the youth, a failure to facilitate exposure to fly fishing from the older guard, prohibitive costs, etc.

Admittedly, that was seven years ago, so things might have improved since I was there, but I remember two massive takeaways at the time. The first was wishing for the Italian scene to get an injection of energy and a transfer of knowledge, and the second being incredibly grateful for what we have in South Africa.

For many people, clubs are how you get into fly fishing. Sure, your dad or mum may teach you how to fish but joining a club takes it further. Not only do clubs give you access to water, they also facilitate the teaching of new skills and, if you make the right friends and know how to keep a secret, informationsharing. This opening up of the fly fishing world goes beyond just the formal clubs though. There are festivals held all over the country, some old, some new, that bring people together,

usually over a pint or three. And there are community fly tying evenings too, both informal and organised through decadesold assortments of clubs, shops, random gurus, and generous know-it-alls. You’ll find the ones that suit you soon enough.

It’s easy to get a little too insular in this sport/hobby/ obsession, to rely on learning everything either online or the hard way, on your feet. But there’s a middle way too that entails getting involved in your own fly fishing community. And if that community aspect doesn’t exist in your town or region, or exists in a way that you don’t like? Make your own scene happen. It’s really as easy as getting a regular group of like-minded anglers together for a braai and a dop, having one or two people demo a fly-tying technique or perhaps a casting demo. A plan is made to fish the following weekend and dates are booked for a follow-up session the next month. From there, new waters are secured, secret handshakes agreed upon, a code of omerta installed and the snowball gathers momentum. You’ll be surprised by how quickly your world expands and your fishing improves. Before you know it, decades will pass, and you’ll be living in a shed in Kamchatka with bears for pets. Thank us later.

For all the info you need on the clubs, festivals, and other events happening in your neck of the woods, check out our COMMUNITY story on page 42. To our readers from other parts of the world, much of this article might seem irrelevant to you but, who knows? It might also inspire you to get a country membership for next to nothing (our currency is weaker than a 0-weight in a typhoon), visit Southern Africa, meet some great people and experience some of the incredible fishing we have in this neck of the woods.

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

Tudor Caradoc-Davies

ART DIRECTOR

Brendan Body

EDITOR AT LARGE

Conrad Botes

CONTENT COORDINATOR

Matt Kennedy

COPY EDITOR

Gillian Caradoc-Davies

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Ingrid Sinclair

ADVERTISING SALES tudor@themissionflymag.com

CONTRIBUTORS #40

Rob Kyle, Conrad Botes, Alex Quatre, Brent Flack-Davison, Johann Rademeyer, Jazz Kuschke, Jimmy Eagleton, Roald Paul, Platon Trakoshis, Yuri Janssen, and the South African fly fishing community.

PHOTOGRAPHERS #40

James Kirsten, Brian Chakanyuka, Alphonse Fishing Co., Jan Verboom, Matt Kennedy, Brent Flack-Davison, Johann Rademeyer, Ryan Janssens, Joe Goertzen, Travis Craft, Patrick Tillard, Markus Janssen, David Pienaar

“So... er, if you want me to, I could shit on your head. I mean, if you’re into that. I’ve heard it’s good luck.” Alex Quatre gets propositioned by the local bird life (page 32). Photo. Brian Chakanyuka

CHUM

THE MISSION ON CNN, A CRAYFISH INVASION, THE GPS GADGET OF OUR DREAMS, TOPO DESIGNS MAKE LANDFALL AND BADGES WORTH COLLECTING.

CATCH THE MISSION

...ON CNN. Yes, you read that correctly. The Mission, along with a bunch of South African fly fishing personalities like Collen Tshabangu, Anthea Linsell, Trevor Sithole and Linda Gorlei have been featured in CNN’s 24 minute-long Inside Africa segment on fly fishing in Southern Africa. Now that we are globally famoose, you can say you saw us first way back when. Keep an eye on our socials for screening dates. cnn.com

KEEP AN EYE OPEN...

...FOR RED SWAMP CRAYFISH. These highly invasive critters have recently been found in the Olifants River irrigation system in the northern reaches of the Western Cape, which means somewhere out there a wannabe fish farmer messed up. While this kind of thing is obviously not good from an environmental standpoint, we would be lying if we weren’t curious as to how big the Clanwilliam yellowfish and smallmouth bass might grow on this new scampi diet. *Furious tying of crawfish patterns ensues while sobbing* capenature.co.za

WATCH MEND THE LINE…

…WITH BRIAN COX. While it seems impossible that any mainstream film on fly fishing will ever surpass 1992’s A River Runs Through It, we’re open to contenders. In Mend the Line, Succession’s Brian Cox plays mentor to a damaged American-Afghanistan campaign veteran, whom he teaches to fly fish as a way of dealing with his trauma. If Cox invokes his Succession character Logan Roy just once in telling a mosquito to fuck off, we believe he will automatically surpass Brad Pitt and co.

SEND US YOUR NU…

…WE MEAN FISH PICS. The year is flying by and soon it will be Christmas, but more importantly, that means entries are open for the next iteration of The Mission’s Feathers Award. We’re celebrating the most remarkable fish caught on fly on the African continent in the past 12 months (winner announced in January 2024). This is your opportunity to share your stonkiest, trickiest, most noteworthy fish, along with the back story. Size is not the only consideration, as we will consider location, rarity of species, and difficulty of the catch. Hiking to mystical Wakandan spirit lakes to catch a unicorn fish on a phoenix feather Papa Roach is more than likely going to beat gooi-ing bread flies at Baberman at your local cholera-pond (though we appreciate those too). Send entries to info@themissionflymag.com.

TOPO DESIGNS…

…COMES TO SA. Lauded US mountain clobber brand Topo is now available in SA. Originally intended to bring back classic styles moulded with the functionality of reliable gear, Topo stays true their roots, prioritising form and function in a graceful duality. Hard shell, reliable, and durable materials are combined with ergonomic pleasure and bursts of technicolour. Their collaborations are epic (e.g. Redington and Howler Bros), their designs are unmatched, and their mission is totally green. outsiderco.co.za

STAY CONNECTED…

…AND NEVER LOSE SIGNAL. There’s often a moment when you arrive at your destination for a fishing trip, but you lose signal (which is half the point) before you do the “I got here safely” check in with your significant other. What about other scenarios when signal would really help – like when five days into a fish-packing mission deep into the wilderness, Kevin (it’s always a Kevin) breaks a leg, but you have no signal? What if your phone is dead? Enter a potential game changer to the world of remote internet connectivity: The drop-, dust-, and waterproof Motorola Defy Satellite Link is a mobile hotspot device which connects your phone to the internet with satellite coverage, just as you normally would with Wi-Fi or mobile data. With their Bullitt Satellite Messenger app, you’re always in reach – even where there’s no Wi-Fi or cellphone reception. The app runs off the mobile device, so if your phone dies you can still send an SOS. Genius. motorolarugged.com

“SHARE YOUR STONKIEST, TRICKIEST, MOST NOTEWORTHY FISH.”

TAKE A GANDER AT…

…BEN GRIB’S MARVELLOUS BADGES. You know those national park badges that American hitchhikers have stitched onto their backpacks, or placed as stickers on their bumpers? Local artist and illustrator Ben Grib has brought out his very own Saffa edition of beautifully drawn illustrations that capture the essence of each of our national parks (there’s also one dedicated to Western Cape parks). Bonus: a free print is available to any traveller who can prove they’ve been to all 20 listed parks. bengrib.co.za

THE BABER SCOPE

YOUR FISHING FUTURE ACCORDING TO YOUR STAR SIGN AS READ BY BABERMAN, THE LEGENDARY GRUMPY CATFISH.

Cancer (The Crab) June 21 – July 22

LISTEN TO…

…MY KIND OF RIVER. What if you could design your perfect river? One where anything goes - dorado in the headwaters, nubile nymphs in the middle sections, tailing tarpon below, etc etc?

On Patrick Tillard’s excellent podcast, My Kind of River, guests get to do just that and in the process tell the stories behind each choice they make. From Yuri Janssen (our Lifer in this issue) to author David Profumo and travel specialist Pete McLeod, his guests design rivers we’d all want to fish. Think of it as Desert Island Discs, but for fly fishing. patricktillard.com/podcast

GET YOUR MITTS ON...

...SOME NIFTY RECYCLED GEAR. Instead of seeing them disappear and get sent to a landfill site, Xplorer’s new RE-XPLORE initiative re-purposes old or unwanted waders, bags, and fishing gear. Then, like magic, your old waders re-emerge as anything from neoprene beer coolies to rod straps, cooler boxes, laptop sleeves, and reel pouches. xplorerflyfishing.co.za

Housekeeping! Not the hotel type but the kind you need to do yourself. With deep winter having set in in the Southern Hemisphere and the Sun in Geminaai, it’s a good time to get your shit sorted for the fishing to come when the sun reappears. Clean your lines, tie flies, service reels, and take a good hard look at the tides, the moon phases, and the calendar, so you can scuttle sideways from Cousin Brad’s wedding if needs be. But beware. Now is not the time to overcommit to future kak trips with average peeps. That trip of a lifetime could be bubbling under like a crab curry. Give it time to emerge then nab it with both claws.

Leo (The Lion) July 23 – August 22

You’re a regal kind of cat and a bit of a twat, but we won’t hold that against you. It’s just who you are. Thing is, you need to decide if you’re going to keep playing it safe, Leo. Are you the fat tabby molesting over-fed goldfish in a bowl, or are you the jaguar leaping into the Amazon and moer-ing caiman for shits and giggles? Instead of embodying the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz, this year for your birthday, we suggest taking on the fly fishing adventure of your lifetime. You know, the kind of adventure you dine out on for decades to come. With nine lives, what’s the worst thing that could happen?

THE LARGEST FLY TYING SELECTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

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.

MISSING A GOOD TRUCKER TO COOL YOUR PORRIDGE, OR A STICKER PACK FOR YOUR TRUSTY COOLER? THE MISSION HAS YOU COVERED.

WWW.THEMISSIONFLYMAG.COM

BOOZE & BEATS

THE BEATS - THE “RAGE AGAINST THE BABY SHARK” MIX

This issue’s playlist is a smorgasbord compiled by The Mission and Feathers & Fluoro crews consisting of two tracks per person. Considering we have guys who fish for everything from 3” minnows to massive tarpon and sailfish, it’s no surprise that their music tastes consist of a diverse spread of bangers. Listen at themissionflymag.com

Dr JD Filmalter

Rage Against the Machine - Guerilla Radio

Flume, Chet Faker - Drop the Game

LeRoy Botha

ZZ Top - I Gotsta Get Paid

Dave Matthews Band - Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)

Platon Trakoshis

Mayra Andrade - We Used to Call It Love

The Human League - The Lebanon

Leonard Flemming

Springbok Nude Girls - Peace Breaker

Pinkfong - Baby Shark

Peter Coetzee

Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

Maxwell - Lifetime (Remastered 2021)

THE BOOZE - RHINO WHISKY

Wander the liquor aisles of the Northern Hemisphere and you’re likely to find that most African booze (sometimes even wine) tends to get that heavy-handed Out of Africa safari branding. You know… Leopard spots, bold prints, and back stories about mystical elephant dung resulting in magic juju karate juice. Despite the direct messaging inherent in its name, its packaging, and its cause, Rhino Whisky is the polar opposite of that stuff. For starters it is an African brand, but the whisky is straight out of Scotland, distilled and double-cask matured in the Speyside region. It’s a delicious dram that’s got a malty aroma, light fruit notes, and a biscuity sweetness rounded off with notes of vanilla, oak, and caramelised fruits. The real kicker of this 43% ABV single malt Scotch? 20% of the profits from the company’s sales go directly towards saving rhinos in Africa. Considering that at its worst, 1 028 rhinos were killed in South Africa alone during 2017 (at a rate of nearly three rhinos killed every day), these incredible pachyderms deserve all the help they can get. If that can be achieved by raising a glass of great whisky, we’re all in. Available in South Africa and Canada. rwhisky.com

Andre van Wyk

Zach Bryan - Open the Gate - Live

Zach Bryan - Jamie (with Charles Wesley Godwin)

Fred Davis

Porno for Pyros - Tahitian Moon

Powderfinger – Don’t Wanna Be Left Out

Matt Kennedy

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go

Junip - In Every Direction

Brendan Body

Modest Mouse - Float On MGMT - Pieces of What

Tudor Caradoc-Davies

Mason Jennings - Crown

Queens of the Stone Age - Carnavoyeur

Conrad Botes

The White Stripes - Blue Orchid

Stoned Jesus - I’m the Mountain

RIVER SNAPPER

ONE OF THE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPS OF OUR ESTUARIES AND COASTLINE, THE RIVER SNAPPER (AKA ROCK SALMON) MAY NOT GET AS BIG AS ITS AFRICAN COUSINS LIKE THE CUBERA, BUT IT’S CUT FROM SIMILAR GENETIC CLOTH. LEAD AQUARIST AT USHAKA MARINE WORLD AND PROTEA ANGLER ROB KYLE GIVES US THE SKINNY ON THESE FATTIES.

WHAT: Lutjanus Argentimaculatus This is one of South Africa’s largest snapper species reaching a maximum total length of 120cm and a maximum recorded weight just shy of 17kg. They can read the ripe old age of 31 years. River snappers mature at between 47 and 53cm, and when they are about three to five years old. Spawning is thought to occur in offshore aggregations in northern KwaZulu-Natal during the summer months. They are widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific and their range in South Africa extends from Kosi Bay in the north down to Gqeberha in the south. As juveniles, they are estuarine-dependent. They grow up here before ultimately, in most cases, moving out to the ocean. There are, however, some individuals that choose not to move out to sea and these grow to impressive sizes within the confines of the estuary. They have been recorded at depths of 120m.

River snapper are voracious predators that eat anything from fish to molluscs and crustaceans, and have even been reported to eat rodents and reptiles which were trying to cross estuaries. They are generally ambush predators who lurk in or around profile, rushing out to grab their chosen prey item before retreating back to their lair. River snapper are definitely more active at night when they tend to move further from structure to hunt. Due to fishing pressure as well as estuarine degradation, river snapper numbers are declining and nowadays there are very few places left where it is anything other than exceptional to catch decentsize fish on a regular basis. River snapper have a minimum size limit of 40cm and a bag limit of five per person but, it should go without saying, anyone who keeps more than the occasional river snapper for personal consumption is nothing short of a doos!

WHERE: As far as fly fishing options go in South Africa, the only real places we have to target them are in the estuaries, as surf and offshore are not practical. Kosi is at the top of my list of venues to target rock salmon as it still has good numbers as well as some really big fish. Pretty much all the estuaries on the KZN and Eastern Cape coast, including the harbours of Richards Bay and Durban, will have rock salmon in them. The numbers and size of these fish will be determined by the state and size of the system. Some of the estuaries on the lower-KZN South Coast do still produce some quality fish and the same can be said for the Transkei estuaries.

HOW: In most cases, fishing for river snapper is all about working structure of some sort, like rocky ledges, trees, weed beds, and even sometimes just a drop-off to deeper water. While younger fish are more than happy to spend their time in relatively shallow water, larger individuals will almost always be found in or close to the safety of deeper water. River snapper are generally more active when the light is low, making first and last light the times to fish for them. For those brave souls up to the task, they are, however, definitely not opposed to eating a fly in the dead of night either.

I have found, though, that, when you’re fishing super-tight up against or over the structure where the fish hold up during the day, they will rush out a short distance to smash a fly or a lure, even in broad daylight. At Kosi Bay, I found something I hadn’t experienced elsewhere and that was that midday, in bright sunshine, was often a very good time to target them. This was when you could find big shoals congregating together close to the surface in the

Photos.James Kirsten

vicinity of the structure where they “live”. The reason for these shoals coming together in broad daylight close to the surface is a mystery, but we did get the feeling that they were possibly just enjoying the sunshine and warming up. The first person to cunningly land a fly close to these shoals of fish would generally get a super-aggressive eat, whereafter, in most instances, the shoal would disappear.

When it comes to fly selection, I don’t think there is any one pattern that is boss. Depending on the conditions, the time of day, size of fish you are targeting, etc., they will eat a variety of the usual saltwater patterns. A baitfish

pattern of sorts with a bit of bulk to push some water is a good place to start, but don’t be scared of throwing a topwater fly if you are fishing structure, as a rock salmon eating off the surface is quite a sight to behold. Just make sure your grip on the line is tight and hold on, as they will turn and bolt back to safety immediately. The usual theory of lighter/brighter colours for daylight and darker colours in low light generally applies, but there are days when they are rather fond of dark colours even in the middle of the day.

WHO: DIY or die, boetie!

“RIVER SNAPPER ARE VORACIOUS PREDATORS THAT EAT ANYTHING FROM FISH TO MOLLUSCS AND CRUSTACEANS, AND HAVE EVEN BEEN REPORTED TO EAT RODENTS AND REPTILES WHICH WERE TRYING TO CROSS ESTUARIES.”

Above and opposite page: James Kirsten with a cracking nkulunkulu caught at Nqabara Eco River Lodge on the Wild Coast.

MAKHULU BAAS’S LAST STAND

A SELF-CONFESSED IRRELIGIOUS MAN OF SCIENCE, CONRAD BOTES STRUGGLES TO RECONCILE THAT WORLD VIEW WITH THE MAGIC, BIG-FISH JUJU HE FOUND IN ONE VERY SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL OF CAP.

Jan Verboom

Icame to fly fishing quite late in life. After spending my youth spearfishing, bodyboarding, and fishing conventional tackle, it was my older brother Herman (aka Harry) who opened the doors of fly fishing for me when I was in my 30s. He’d relocated from Cape Town to Gauteng when we were in our 20s and quickly became seduced by the wonders of the Vaal River and its yellows.

Luckily for me, Harry was a great tutor and, though I started late, I learned the ins and outs of the fly world very rapidly. I began on the Cape streams but, when the first summer arrived, I was catching my first leeries (garrick) on fly. Harry was always there with some advice and a pearl of wisdom. We were holidaying in Struisbaai when I caught the leervis, and Harry was not impressed with my gear.

“Jirre boet! You cannot wade out onto the bricks wearing flip-flops. That T-shirt looks ridiculous, and wat de fok is that on your head? A bucket hat?! Nee man!”

Harry taught me that real fly fishermen wear fly fishing apparel. The message was clear. Don’t wear tekkies on the streams. Ditch the Ray-Bans, get a technical shirt, and a chest pack for your flies and tippets. And for god’s sake, wear a FLY FISHING CAP!

On that last point, Harry shared a big secret. He told me about the best fly fishing cap in the world, the Simms Double Haul. I had never seen anything like it. Eight slim panels, stitched together length-wise back to front, gave me the most comfortable fit I’ve ever experienced. It had an extra-long visor, extra-wide brim and was just extra befok on all fronts. I was sold.

And then came the kicker regarding care instructions from Harry.

“Listen here boetie, you must never, NEVER, wash your hat. Never. It will, like, kill its mojo.”

As the years rolled on my gear and my fishing kept evolving. I quickly graduated to saltwater and when I did spend time on the sweet water, it was for the underdogs – smallmouth bass and Clannies. I tried different rods and reels until I arrived at the point where I was happy with the gear I had. Flies are an ever-evolving affair, and each season I will try something new for a given species. I guess that’s the nature of fly fishing. You evolve. The one thing that stayed constant through the years was the orange Simms Double Haul cap.

As a man of science, it bothered me greatly that I started to believe that the hat brought me luck. But there was evidence stacked in the hat’s favour. Once I went to the Breede River mouth for a weekend and forgot the hat at home. I blanked. The next trip I was diligently wearing the hat and caught my personal best, a dusky kob of over a metre.

The cap’s reputation grew from strength to strength. In 2016 John Travis and I decided that we wanted to fish Gabon, and duly convinced Rob Scott of Tourette Fishing (now African Waters) to put together a fly fishing-only trip to Sette Cama. On the second morning I was cradling my first big West African tarpon, hooked and landed from the beach. The trip was legendary. John also landed a tarpon and Arno van der Nest caught a very big poon, minutes after mine was released. For some people catching a big tarpon off the beach would be a box ticked, an experience you can treasure and from which one can move on. But that first tarpon only cemented my obsession with them and I’ve been back to Gabon repeatedly.

Soon after the first trip, I realised that my original Simms cap had reached the end of the road. I went to Frontier Fly Fishing in Johannesburg and bought a new one, while the old one went into their “hall of fame” collection of used hats. It’s still hanging there today.

With a fresh cap on my pip I was on my way to Gabon yet again and I nervously wondered if it would have the same mojo as the old one? To coax the hat into doing its thing,

Photo.

I had a special embroidered patch made that I had sewn onto the front of it, above the logo Sette Cama 2018. The gamble paid off. On the last night of the trip, after losing eight tarpon, I landed the fish of a lifetime. The cap was duly christened “Makhulu Baas” – big boss. Years came and went, and Makhulu Baas was always there when I expected shit to go down.

About a year ago, I realised that Makhulu Baas should retire and I started looking for an apprentice. With shock and horror, I discovered that Simms had discontinued the Double Haul eight panel cap. I combed the interwebs for a replacement but it was too late. Most stockists of Simms gear were sold out of this specific item. As my latest trip to Gabon drew nearer, I realised I had no choice but to give Makhulu Baas a last chance to bring glory to House Botes.

Before we departed I sat Makhulu Baas down for a serious pep talk. “Listen here buddy, this is it. Tarpon or bust. No excuses. If not, I will toss you into the roiling black waters of the Atlantic so you can return to swim with the very poons from whence this obsession came. I fokkin mean it!”

Back in civilization after spending two weeks in the jungle, I wrote this message to my Feathers and Fluoro buddies.

Back in Libreville and home tomorrow. Our trip was super-difficult. Gabon is a tough place to fly fish because of the size of the systems, and on top of that we were thrown serious curve balls.

The surf formations change continuously and this year there were no sandbars on the outside or gutters where we could fish. The waves came in and broke right on the shore which made it impossible to fly fish. Even the spin fishermen struggled and gave up on it. This was a major bummer as many of our tarpon from previous trips were caught in the surf and from the beach. Then, on top of that, it hadn’t rained for about 25 days and it’s supposed to be the wet season. You want the rain because it brings the ocean-side fish into the river.

Despite that, we each got a poon, jumped a few more. But we didn’t see them rolling at dusk and dawn like we had on previous trips. We also both got big threadfin over a metre. And we got lots of smaller threads, jacks, grunters etc., and played with rats and mice in the river at low tide. But the fishing deteriorated to such a degree that the French spinning guys left the camp two days early. We stuck it out

and tried till after midnight on the last night, but didn’t connect with that big poon.

Last morning the Frenchie said we should go for a drift. I was sceptical as we were already busy breaking camp. And my goal was catching that poon off the beach, not from a boat. But it turned out to be a magical experience, the tide was pushing which meant the drift out of the river was slow. That forest is just magical, the most beautiful place on Earth (for me).

As we drifted out towards the beach at midday, Frenchie spotted a small black triangle on the glassy surface. Soon we spotted more… The tips of tarpon dorsal fins. Suddenly the boat was surrounded on all sides by a huge school of tarpon. Chaos ensued. MC foul-hooked a 60kg class poon on his first cast. I had two or three shots, but the poons rolled over each other to look at my fly. It looked like they were playing and pushing at the fly. Crazy. It was so beautiful to see. MC was getting spooled, so Frenchie sounded the engine to follow the fish and when he did they were gone in a second. Luckily the hook pulled on MC’s fish after about 10 minutes, so we went back to look for them. And, obviously, they were gone.

We did another short drift, and eventually Frenchie said, lines up, we must finish packing and head back to Port Gentil. MC and Frenchie were smoking as I stripped in my last cast.

And then. Bang. Ten metres from the boat I was moered by a big poon. The thing raced off with such speed, it’s difficult to describe. But the fly line snagged on a guide and parted like a gunshot. Thanks for coming.

As we started packing the horizon darkened. We finished as the first drops came down. And then the heavens opened and it poured down until we were back in Port Gentil.

I’m not sorry I lost that fish, the experience of the big school of tarpon that came to dance is something I will never forget.

It’s winter in Cape Town now, and every time I look at Makhulu Baas retired to a spot on the wall above my fly tying desk, I’m taken back to that beach in Gabon, the tropical heat and a boat surrounded by tarpon.

PS: Dear Simms. Please bring back the Double Haul eight panel cap. Makhulu Baas needs an apprentice…

“LISTEN HERE BUDDY, THIS IS IT. TARPON OR BUST. NO EXCUSES. IF NOT, I WILL TOSS YOU INTO THE ROILING BLACK WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC SO YOU CAN RETURN TO SWIM WITH THE VERY POONS FROM WHENCE THIS OBSESSION CAME. I FOKKIN MEAN IT!”

ALEX QUATRE

IF YOU HAVEN’T HAD THE PLEASURE OF FISHING WITH HIM, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN ALEX QUATRE OF ALPHONSE FISHING COMPANY IN THE FILM COSMO. ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED GUIDES IN THE SEYCHELLES IS THIS ISSUE’S HIGH FIVES GUIDE.

5 best destinations where you guide?

1. St François Atoll is good for the bonefishing. There’s a lot of life for the bonefish.

2. Cosmoledo, mostly for GT fishing.

3. St Joseph Atoll for permit fishing.

4. Farquhar for bumpies and big GTs. Big GTs.

5. Astove mostly for triggers on the east side, going to North Point. Also, in the lagoon, when the water is milky, there is good permit fishing.

5 fishing-connected items you don’t leave home without before making a mission?

1. Costa sunglasses with blue 580 lenses.

2. A Leatherman, the jack-of-all-trades tool.

3. Chewing gum.

4. A packet of smokes in case of emergency. You never know when you need to deal with some stress.

5. My GoPro. I like to take short release videos of any species that I catch.

5 bands to listen to while on a road trip?

1. Bob Marley.

2. Chronixx.

3. Celine Dion.

4. Jimmy Buffett (“It’s Five O’clock Somewhere”).

5. Local Seychelles singer François Havelock.

5 of the best things you’ve picked up from guiding?

1. I have learned a lot about the nature of saltwater and the behaviour of the fish. You can read the fish by watching their body language when you see them in shallow water.

2. Being a guide and having a nice office. You don’t get good water and good sunlight all over the world. I love my office. Some anglers tell me, “Dude, you’ve got the best

office ever.” My office is on the water. Being able to be in places that people pay a shitload of money to visit. I can be there for free even though I am guiding. It’s still amazing, seeing different atolls. There are people who have been waiting for five to 10 years for their chance to see those places. I can be there for months or years at a time.

3. How to fish with your mouth and not with your rod. When I guide, I’m fishing the whole time but I don’t have a rod in my hand. I am fishing by speaking. I still enjoy it when the angler catches the fish, because that means a plan came together.

4. Seeing triggers very close, like a metre away, seeing them tailing happily and you know they are still dumb. Those ones you can catch.

Photos. Brian Chakanyuka, Alphonse Fishing Co.

“MY OFFICE IS ON THE WATER. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FIVE TO 10 YEARS FOR THEIR CHANCE TO SEE THESE PLACES.”

5. Seeing tiger sharks up close. I have been very close to one. We were fighting a nice GT, maybe a 90cm specimen, and the shark swam so close to us we could actually see its eyes. Its head was a metre away from my feet. I shat myself, trust me.

5 indispensable flies for where you fish?

1. Out here in the Indian Ocean, the Alphlexo has to be the number one fly for bonefish, triggers and permit.

2. I prefer sempers to brush flies, but both of them work. When a GT wants to eat, it’s going to eat no matter what.

3. For bonefish flies, I like Gotchas and Christmas Island Specials.

4. The Reaper popper just to spice things up a little bit

when the fishing is slow. Get up on a bommie and do some species bashing for GTs, bohar snappers, etc.

5. Spawning shrimp. I like these a lot and fish them a lot for golden trevallies, big triggers, and sometimes I throw them to permit. It’s one of the flies I love fishing with the most.

5 of the most difficult guiding experiences so far?

1. When you see a nice fish on the white sand, in fact the only black thing on the sand, and you tell the guest, “There’s a black GT on the white sand!” and he says he doesn’t see it.

2. Casting on a fish. When you tell the guest to cast a metre away from the fish and he puts the fly on its head. It just doesn’t work.

3. Asking the guest, “Do you know the clock system on a skiff?”, and they say they know it well, 12, 9, 10, 11, etc. Then, when you see a fish and tell them “Nine o’clock!” but your guest is looking at three o’clock and can’t see the fish. This is very frustrating.

4. When you get a new guide in for training and you spend a week trying to explain to him how to do something. Then two weeks later he asks you how to do that very same thing because he didn’t write anything down. I don’t have time to babysit for the whole season.

5. When you tell a guide that you’re making a move to a specific area and just, “Give me a wide berth on the water of at least 150m.” He moves away, but the next thing you look and he’s 10m away from you, checking you out, spooking your fish. Then he comes at the end of the

day and asks, “How did it go today?” Also, when you’re shadow-guiding a new guide and you tell them it’s time to move and they tell you they are still waiting. I find that difficult, because I know they are standing in a desert. On the sea, we look for fish, we don’t look for camels.

5 fishing goals in your local waters?

1. I want to catch a GT over 140cm. My biggest is a 138cm, so I want to beat that by 2cm. I know, it’s not easy.

2. I want to catch another big permit. My biggest is 72cm. I have seen 80cm permit around and I want to pick up one of those. It’s like chasing a woman that always says no. I like impossible stuff.

3. Catching a 75cm bonefish, but on a 7-weight on 12lb tippet.

4. I want to catch a Napoleon wrasse of over a metre. My best is like 60cm. A wrasse is a wrasse, but at that size it’s still green. I want a blue one. I want one that’s going to put you in the coral and make you fight for it.

5. My biggest one is that I want to catch a marlin on fly. I have hooked one before. I want to land one, but I don’t want to do it on just any kind of rod, I want to do it on a G. Loomis Crosscurrent 11-weight. Not a 12-weight or a 16-weight, but an 11-weight. We’ll see who is the boss, even if it takes me four hours.

5 things that keep you busy when you’re not on the water?

1. I spend most of my time with my kids when I come back home. I take them to the beach a lot and go swimming.

We bump into a couple of permit every now and then. Showing them those fish and seeing how much they love it, that makes me really proud. I’m teaching my son a bit about fly fishing and he likes it a lot.

2. Sitting down, mostly with my kids, looking at photos and videos I have taken of the guests, showing them what I do and where I have been. My little girl especially loves the stingrays and sharks.

3. Chilling with friends, having a beer, talking shit after the season has closed. A couple of them ask a lot of questions about flats fishing because they have seen videos on YouTube. When I explain what it’s like they tend to remark how cool it is for me to see it in real life. It is special. Not everybody sees what I see every day.

4. Sharing my knowledge with people. I am proud to be

“YOU MAKE A CAST, THE FLY LANDS RIGHT AND YOU GET A GT TO EAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, LOOKING AT YOU.”

me, to do what I do, and that there are people who are getting into fly fishing now because of me.

5. I am showing my son how to tie flies, explaining which fly is for which fish. They aren’t perfect but will still catch a bonefish!

5 things about fly fishing that you may never understand?

1. Sometimes you get the right tides, right moon phase, beautiful water level, right temperature, and you know you are going to see something. But you get there and there’s nothing. Actually nothing. Everything is perfect; you’ve been there at times exactly like that and the plan worked and you found fish. But this time you are standing in an ocean of emptiness. Nothing. Not even a turtle. Next time you go there – same tides, same conditions – and it is full of fish.

2. Being out there on a flat and showing people things that you do not see every day. Maybe you see a pack of permit and you tell the guest and he doesn’t want to cast to them. I know that if you put the fly there, one of them is going to turn its head to check it out, while another is going to try get to the fly before the first fish. This is a special situation and every now and then you get an angler who doesn’t get it.

3. You see a GT and it’s 50m away from you. Your engine is not on, you’re just poling and yet the fish goes off the flats in seconds. I don’t understand how a fish can be far away from you and it swims off while another one comes and eats whatever you throw in the water.

4. The opposite is also true. You get an angler who is not that good at fishing and so you get him within range of a fish, but his cast is too short, so you get him closer. Again, he is too short, so you get him even closer, within three

or four metres of the fish, and it still doesn’t know you are there. You make a cast, the fly lands right and you get a GT to eat right in front of you, looking at you. Seeing those things, I don’t know how to explain something like that.

5. Sometimes you see 50 triggers at one time, cast at the first one, he destroys the fly and you get him in for a photo. Mostly, when you’re fishing for triggers, they don’t know you’re there because they are doing headstands. But, with the next 49 fish that you see, you put the fly two metres away from them and they speed off like they’ve seen a ghost. I don’t understand why that is. What makes those fish change their behaviour in seconds?

5 fish on your bucket list?

1. Tarpon. 100%. It doesn’t have to be huge. I just want to hook one of those things and make it jump and tail walk.

I want to see it with my own eyes and take it off my list.

2. Like I said, I want to pick up a marlin. A blue marlin. I don’t want a 500kg marlin. I’d like something that can teach me a lesson, like a 150kg fish that I can put next to a boat and have a photo with. I’m planning to do this in December when I am back home. Go for a run, a couple of beers, take a friend to drive my boat while I tease up a marlin.

3. Atlantic salmon.

4. Roosterfish.

5. I want to catch a rainbow trout. I know it’s going to be hard for me to trout set because most of my time fly fishing I have been strip striking.

My last five casts were to GTs on Farquhar just before the season closed. I was helping a guide find his way around and he was poling for a bit. He poled me into a good position, I made a good cast, the fly landed right, I started stripping and then, as soon as the fish was about to eat the fly, I missed the strip. As guides we are pros at what we do, but we also make mistakes. We might get grumpy with the guests because they miss the strip or trout set, but sometimes we do the same things.

SOUTH AFRICAN Community

Community THE A-Z

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ommunity AFRICAN FLY FISHING ommunity

FLY FISHING IS, MOSTLY, A SOLITARY PURSUIT, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE A HERMIT. BY JOINING A CLUB, ATTENDING A FLY TYING EVENING, OR HITTING A FESTIVAL, YOU’LL LEARN A LOT, MAKE SOME NEW CHINAS, AND PROBABLY CATCH MORE FISH. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE SCANNED THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF SOUTH AFRICA TO BRING YOU A ROUNDUP THAT INCLUDES VENERABLE INSTITUTIONS FORMED OVER 100 YEARS AGO, NEW CLUBS, SECRET SOCIETIES, AND EPIC EVENTS. WHETHER YOU’RE A VETERAN OR A NEWBIE, A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY OR NORMA NO-MATES, THERE IS SOMETHING IN HERE, AND OUT THERE, FOR YOU.

AUGRABIES YELLOWFISH FLY FISHING INVITATIONAL

What: The spectacular gorge and waterfall on the Orange River was named “Aukoerebis” by the Khoi (pronounced AWGGGRAA-BEES by everyone else), and the name means “great noise”. A great noise is what you might hear at night during the Augrabies Yellowfish Fly Fishing Invitational as attendees get loose after going tight all day. At this four-night event hosted by Craig Eksteen and the Kalahari Outventures crew, guests fish six sessions over several beats. It’s not often that South Africans are permitted to fish in national park territory, so if you’re looking for a yellowfish trip that combines a festival, a jol, and exclusive fishing, this is it. kalahari-adventures.co.za

Waters: The Orange River above and below Augrabies Falls. How much? Teams of two each will pay R8 995 per person (team entry is R18 990) and there are 16 teams. Includes accommodation, chow, prizegiving, and great yellowfish on fly.

BANKBERG FLY FISHING CLUB

What: This area of the Karoo around Somerset East is one of the unsung centres of South African fly fishing. There are four different biomes and a ton of productive fishing. Thanks largely to the efforts and enthusiasm of local fly guide Alan Hobson of Wild Fly Fishing in the Karoo, members have access to a handful of dams with productive weed beds and feisty fish, including a black bass dam and a few other trout waters, some of which are not open to day visitors. wildflyfishinginthekaroo.co.za

What: A mid-size club steeped in history, the Amatola Fly Fishing Club (AFFC) is the result of the 2013 marriage of the Stutterheim Trout Angling Club and the Frontier Acclimatisation Society (South Africa’s oldest fishing club, established circa 1894). With such deep roots it’s no wonder the AFFC has some of the Eastern Cape’s best waters. They host a fundraising jol at Gubu Dam in September every year. affc.co.za

Waters: The 109ha Gubu Dam, the Maden and Mnyameni still waters, and the lovely, Lilliputian Wolf River near Hogsback. How much? An initial R200, followed by R990 for locals and R750 for country members per year. Combos apply for couples and pensioners.

Waters: Four still waters including Besterhoek and Charlton dams, plus you get access to the Naude’s and Buffelshoek rivers. It’s hard to beat a session spent using Alan’s renowned bouncing beetle patterns off the Glen Avon Waterfall and into the maws of rainbows.

How much? R600 once-off, with a R500 sub. Certain waters have a day fee plus R50 for the gate.

IF YOU’RE IN THE AREA and you’ve had your fill of the club’s trout fishing, hire Alan to take you to some farm dams to fish 9-weights and poppers for behemoth barbel that have gorged themselves on dairy slurry. Or go to the Walter Battiss Art Museum in Somerset East for some kultcha. It’s a toss-up...

AMATOLA FLY FISHING CLUB

BARKLY EAST ANGLING SOCIETY

What: Often overlooked by anglers on a pilgrimage to its more famous sister, Rhodes, this understated rainbow trout fishery in the Eastern Cape highlands is run by an active committee that sorts out beat maintenance, riparian-owner agreements, and an annual festival. As one of the first clubs to employ a booking app, Barkly East Angling Society (BEAS) members can use their phones to book beats with SMS confirmation received immediately. Other clubs should take note. A year-long in-house competition allows members to tally their weekend fishing scores and be in the running for sweet gear and, if you’re lucky, maybe even a sheep. facebook.com

Waters: Barkly East and the surrounding area hosts plus-minus 450km of fishable waters, including the Karringmelk, Flooikraal, and Kraai rivers.

How much? Locals pay R250 and country members pay R500 annually, and both have a R50 per day fishing fee.

THE BLOEM BARBEL CHALLENGE

What: For this perennial fly-only event, hosted by Free State fly stalwart John Gavin, a fly fishing crew descends on Soetdoring Nature Reserve to catch barbel and carp. John says, “It’s about more than just fishing and braaing next to the water for lunch and having a catnap under a soetdoring tree.” Access to the same water has become challenging, but there are efforts afoot to find new catfish waters so that the Bloem Barbel Challenge can be unleashed upon the world once more. Details on the Central Free State Fly Fishing group on facebook.com

BARKLY EAST RIVER FESTIVAL

What: Over three days in November each year, the BEAS accommodates 40 anglers for the local river fly fishing festival. Anglers are split over a selection of waters, taken out by guides in small groups, and put onto the best fly fishing available. There are raffle prizes and lucky draws too. fosaf.org.za

Waters: Depending on what’s firing, waters could include the Kraai River and its tributaries Diepspruit, Vaalhoek, Saalboom, Ruitjiesvlakte, and Langkloofspruit.

How much? R2 500 per person excluding accommodation.

BOSTON FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: Boston is a farming hamlet at the foot of the iNhlosane mountain in KwaZulu-Natal. At the eponymous fly fishing festival, 18 teams of four fish four sessions on a selection of dams within the Elands River drainage basin on a catch-and-release basis. Each participant receives a goodie bag and evening meals throughout, while sponsored gear and fishing-trip prizes go to the top anglers per category. Funds raised go towards restocking dams and upkeep of the town by the Boston Country Club. facebook.com

Waters: Still waters donated by private landowners in the Boston and Dargle valleys. How much? R1 300 per person.

“CPS RIVERS INCLUDE THE SMALBLAAR/ MOLENAARS, ELANDSPAD, WITTE, AND HOLSLOOT PLUS THE FABLED, ACCESS-RESTRICTED JAN DU TOITS”

CAPE FLY FISHERS

What: A clandestine, invitation-only club in the Western Cape whose members include Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis Presley, Amelia Earhart, and Pope Pius the XXX.

Waters: Top secret still waters in the Kouebokkeveld inhabited by monstrous troot and guarded by vacationing Tonton Macoute from Haiti armed with dassies with great incisors. How much? How much does a soul weigh? Do you know how to dish out backhand panther-grip handjobs? Have you got spare Krugerrands? If you have the right answers to these questions, be on the corner of Buitengracht and Castle Street in Cape Town wearing a jackal-fur mankini at 3am on February 29 and wait for a pickup from a mustard-coloured Lada with a furry dash. Tell the driver, “My milkshake brings all the clannies to the yard and my waders smell like Apache trout,” then accept the suppositories he gives you and get in the boot. All will be revealed at the end of your trip.

CAPE PISCATORIAL SOCIETY RIVER FESTIVAL

What: Every November, the CPS hosts an excellent river festival with guided fishing on the Western Cape’s premier whiskycoloured dry fly rivers. Evenings include expert casting tutelage, fly tying tutorials, serious fish chats, and prizegivings. If you’re new to the Cape streams or have just started fly fishing, there’s no better induction. piscator.co.za

Waters: Smalblaar, Elandspad and Holsloot rivers. How much? R3 500 per person includes guiding, grub, and two nights’ accommodation at Du Kloof Lodge.

CAPE PISCATORIAL SOCIETY

What: In the storied Mercantile Building on Hout Street in Cape Town’s CBD sits the venerable Cape Piscatorial Society (CPS) headquarters. Take the oldest working elevator in Cape Town to the fourth floor. There you will find the club room, with one of the largest fly-fishing libraries in the Southern Hemisphere, a flea-bitten giant kingfisher, and long-dead, eye-patch wearing and pipe-smoking legends of the club peering down from the walls on old and new CPS members meeting up for fly tying evenings and slide nights. A super-active club with new member orientation, river clean-ups, and social gatherings, the CPS has a serious legacy and comes with the status of having established reciprocal relationships with other fly fishing clubs around the world. piscator.co.za

Waters: Main rivers include the Smalblaar/Molenaars, Elandspad, Witte, and Holsloot plus there’s an annual raffle for slots to fish the fabled, access-restricted Jan du Toits. Lakenvlei is the CPS’s alpine-esque still water above Ceres in the Cape Fold Mountains. How much? A start-up fee of R122 and an annual membership of R680, plus R370 for rights to the rivers or still waters.

in winter because that’s still water season and freezing suffer-fests are a thing. But book it in summer and there’s less competition for slots, there’s still quality fishing in the mornings and late afternoons, and you can enjoy a swim in the heat of the day.

“THE CPS RIVER FESTIVAL WAS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO START MY FLY FISHING LIFETIME ADVENTURE.”

- MURRAY KRUG

MOST

PEOPLE TRY to book the Lakenvlei hut

“MY JOURNEY WITH THE CPS BEGAN IN THE MID-90S AND HAS CREATED PRECIOUS MEMORIES AND WONDERFUL TIMES SPENT BONDING WITH THE FAMILY, NOT ONLY ON OUR BEAUTIFUL WESTERN CAPE STREAMS, BUT IN THE REST OF SOUTH AFRICA AS WELL.” - IMRAAN PARKER

COMPETITION FLY FISHING

What: Perhaps for you the Zen-like allure of fly fishing is yawn-inducing? Maybe, whether it’s traffic, Scrabble, or Czech nymphing, you thrive off crushing the spirits of opponents? Or, could it just be that you want to improve as an angler and, if you’re good enough, represent your country and travel the world? Love it or hate it, competitive fly fishing will make you better at catching fish. Join the South African Fly Fishing Association or its various provincial chapters and find like-minded crews of competitive fly anglers all over the country. flyfishsouthafrica.co.za

DURBAN FLY TYERS

What: This club sprang up to cater for Durbanites who didn’t want to travel into the Midlands on a muggy Tuesday night to attend what was previously the only fly tying gathering in the area at the Natal Fly Dressers Society. The DFT (not to be confused with DTF) gather on the first Monday of the month at 7:30pm at the Westville Library. Attendees get an in-depth fly tying stepby-step, which the group shares online for everyone’s benefit. durbanflytyers.co.za

Provided: Hopes, dreams, and some Mrs Simpson re-designs. Bring: Your best shad picture plus fly-tying clobber.

EASTERN PROVINCE FRESHWATER FISH CONSERVANCY

What: This club was originally formed by municipal workers of Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha to fish local waters. Membership is now around 100 strong. fosaf.org.za

DULLSTROOM VILLAGE ANGLER EVENT

What: In October The Village Angler fly shop in Dullstroom hosts a two-day event for 25 teams of four anglers each who can cast their way into some sponsored prizes while fishing their hearts out on allocated waters. The event raises funds critical for worthy beneficiaries in the village, including Helping Hands Dullstroom. dullstroom.co.za

Waters: Exclusive, sponsored, and privately owned still waters around Dullstroom, including Wickhams Country Retreat and Walkersons Private Estate. How much? Plus-minus R3 500 per person, in teams of four. Includes meals both nights.

LOOKING FOR a bottle to keep you warm at night? Pop in to Wild About Whisky on Dullstroom’s main drag to get a drink at the bar or grab a quality bottle of Scotch to take home. wildaboutwhisky.com

Waters: Still waters include the trout-stocked Bulk River and Van Stadens dams, and the bass-stocked Sand River and Churchill dams. How much? R250 first, then R280 per year.

ELGRO RIVER LODGE FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: The Windknot Club of Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp has spaced this popular event over two weekends in October. Hosted at the accommodating Elgro River Lodge, participants are ably assisted by local guides into catching some stonkingly good midVaal yellows. elgroriverlodge.co.za

Waters: Sections over the Potchefstroom stretch of the Vaal River. How much? R3 995 per person.

FEDERATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN FLYFISHERS

The Federation of South Africa Flyfishers (FOSAF) fights the necessary legal battles to protect our favourite species and fisheries in SA and safeguard your chosen pastime. Without them, we’d all be poorer. For basically the cost of a case of Heineken (R360 for FOSAF subs vs R320 for the brewskies) you can do your bit for the future of trout and yellowfish conservation in SA. Don’t be a poephol, pay your subs. Check out their busy website for blogs, mailers, and fishing updates from the different provinces. fosaf.org.za

GARDEN ROUTE FLY FISHERS

What: For many years, fly fishing along the Garden Route was like the Wild West. Not much in the way of a sheriff, nor a train, let alone a posse. That changed when SA’s newest and one of its most energetic clubs, Garden Route Fly Fishers (GRFF), sprung to prominence thanks largely to the efforts of transplanted Joburger Chris Wood. With bimonthly evenings at the Duthie Room at the Bell Hotel in Belvidere (Knysna), the club meets to show fly fishing films, run instructional tying evenings, exhibit fly fishing destinations, and promote local fishing days. GRFF is a shining example of what can happen when fly anglers decide to create their own community from scratch. facebook.com

Waters: No private waters per se, but the Garden Route is dotted with estuaries, secret trout rivers, rancid catfish holes, and other earthly delights. The info is there if you know whom to woo. How much? Mostly free save for the odd exclusive event.

HAENERTSBURG TROUT ASSOCIATION

What: One of the oldest fly fishing clubs in SA, Haenertsburg Trout Association (HTA) members have access to a broad variety of species including stocked brown and rainbow trout in rivers and dams. Largemouth and smallmouth yellowfish are in the Letaba River, and scalies, bass, and bluegill at several other locations. Membership is exclusive, and outsiders need an in (so on that front there is a slight syndicate element to the club). Once you’re in, you’ll have access to free club accommodation on Ebenezer Dam and fishing throughout the club’s waters. htatrout.co.za

Waters: Sections of the Broederstroom, Helpmekaar, and Letaba rivers. Still waters include Ebenezer Dam and Dap Naudé Dam. How much? R1 000 joining fee, plus R1 950 annual sub?

ONCE YOU’RE DONE fishing the Broederstroom, pull into Zwakala Brewery mere metres from the river. After a tough day catching river trout, it’s hard to beat Zwakala’s Limpopo Lager and gourmet burgers. zwakalabrewery.com

“GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE GRFF WAS MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO A GATHERING OF FISHY PEEPS ON THE GARDEN ROUTE. THE OUTCOME? I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE GET-TOGETHERS AND INFO SHARING. IT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PLATFORM FOR NEWCOMERS TO THE WORLD OF GARDEN ROUTE FLY FISHING, AND AN AWESOME FAST TRACK TO GETTING INTO FISH.” - KYLE OVENS

HASTINGS EXCLUSIVE FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: Forget the Normans vs the English, over a weekend in May you can fight your own Battle of Hastings against chonky still water trout on private waters with private fellows in the pristine upper Dargle Valley in KZN. Teams of three are hosted at the Hastings Farm and served dinners throughout the tourney, with support from the Natal Fly Fishing Club and Xplorer Fly Fishing. A four-day round robin splits teams up across various trophy rainbow and brown trout waters. Proceeds support conservation of the local Umgeni River catchment and surrounds. hastingsexclusive.net

Waters: A variety of private waters throughout the Dargle Valley. How much? R4 500 per person.

HERMANUS FLY FISHERS CLUB

What: Look, the club exists, but their membership is closed, and they don’t really want any publicity, so that’s kind of that… wedonotexistonline.com

Waters: Some unspecified still waters around Hermanus. How much? Hard to say. Maybe it’s a Department of Home Affairs (you can’t get in) meets Hotel California (you can never leave) kind of scene.

JACARANDA FLY FISHING CLUB

What: From Bernoldus Niemand’s “Snor City” comes one of the more active clubs in SA. The Jacaranda Fly Fishing Club’s social gatherings are multi-pronged, including fly tying demos, casting clinics by accredited fly fishing instructors, and theoretical and practical fly fishing sessions. While the club doesn’t have exclusive access to any specific fishery, they do travel and organise trips for fly fishing all around the country. Go hang around Zwartkop Country Club in Centurion on the first Tuesday of the month to check it out. jffc.co.za

Waters: Non-exclusive. How much? R700 for adults, R400 for students.

KOKSTAD FLY FISHING CLUB

What: As founders of trout fly fishing in East Griqualand, this club offers underfished trophy still waters to their members and organise a competition each year, which helps sponsor the upkeep and stocking of private waters. facebook.com

Waters: Twelve Winterberg still waters including the trophy dams Huntley Top, Dorset, and East Hebron. How much? R675 per year.

KOKSTAD FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: Hosted by the local club, this fest serves up some monster autumn trout year after year. Twenty teams of four can be seen racing around local haunts, float tubes strapped to their bumpers, looking to secure catch-and-release records. facebook.com

LADY GREY MACNAB

What: The original Scottish Macnab Challenge involves shooting a stag, bagging two grouse, and catching a salmon in one day. Lady Grey’s local remix of this tradition involves shooting a francolin, potting a buck (often rhebok) in the mountains, and catching a trout on fly, all between 6am and 6pm, with the assistance of a guide. It’s NB to dress in camo – so that the bird, buck, or trout can’t see you, and so you can melt into the background when the hot steamy sheep’s pluck, i.e. haggis, is passed around back at camp. Everyone who finishes is a winner, receiving biltong and a lapel badge plus all the bagpipe solos they can handle. Unleash your inner Elmer Fudd. ladygreymacnab.co.za

Waters: The Karringmelkspruit for trout and yellowfish. How much? R8 000 per entry.

MACLEAR FLY FISHING CLUB

What: The Maclear Fly Fishing Club operates in a magical section of the Eastern Cape highlands which featured extensively in Sydney Hey’s Rapture of the River. This stunning part of SA will have you fishing in high Alpine forestry with wattled cranes and bearded vultures for company. Started back in the 40s, it has an active cohort of locals who fish together and keep things interesting with in-house competitions. maclear.co.za

Waters: Local forestry and private still waters making up 18 dams, plus rivers including the Tsitsa, Little and Big Pot, Hawerspruit, Antelope, and Mooi. How much? R550 per main member plus R100 per family member under 18. A membership includes summer permits for local forestry waters outside of fire season, with year-round waters elsewhere.

“CLUBS, WHETHER THEY BE FORMAL OR INFORMAL (LIKE THE LETHAL WOMEN IN WADERS POSSE IN KZN) COME ABOUT BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO SECURE GREAT FISHING, CONSERVE WHAT THEY HAVE, SHARE INFORMATION AND MAKE FRIENDS.”

MACLEAR LADIES FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: This women-only event, held over a weekend in September, is aimed at expanding fly fishing’s boundaries and eschewing stereotypes. Participants, which include experienced anglers and newbies, are guided on a host of excellent local waters. Longest bag wins the grand prize. maclear.co.za

Waters: Including Pot, Mooi, Wildebeest, and Tsitsa rivers. Dams come to the rescue when it rains.

How much? R1 250 per entrant.

MAVUNGANA FLYFISHING RHINO CHARITY EVENT

What: Contribute to the protection of our savanna unicorn while accessing some of the most productive waters in the Dullstroom region. Mavungana Flyfishing’s Rhino Charity Event in August is a sought-after ticket for many more reasons. First prize goes to the SOB that catches the longest fish, securing their spot on a comped trip to target tigers in Pongola or yellows in the Richtersveld. There are lots of other prizes too. Proceeds go to the crack anti-rhino poaching unit in the Kruger National Park, as well as tigerfish and yellowfish pittagging research. flyfishing.co.za

Waters: Private and donated still waters, including Hiddendale and Driehoek syndicates.

How much? R8 000, roughly the value of 10g of herbivore keratin on the Vietnamese black market.

NATAL FLY DRESSERS SOCIETY

What: Originally partly formulated by the godfather of South African fly fishing, Tom Sutcliffe, the Pietermaritzburg-based Natal Fly Dressers Society has been a KZN fly tying stronghold for decades. Members receive a notification from Jan Korrûbel of The Kingfisher a week or so before gathering at the Victoria Country Club on the second Tuesday of a month. Jan details what the evening will entail in terms of fly tying, and what materials to bring. facebook.com

Provided: The space, the knowledge, the experts. Bring: Your vice, your materials, your trout pictures.

NATAL FLY FISHERS CLUB

What: Members can go gaga over more than 50 freshwater fishing spots in the KZN midlands, from Kamberg and Dargle to Greyton (including the related festivals). Waters are managed largely through The Kingfisher in Pietermaritzburg, where keys and tips can be shared or bought. Their online booking system shows members which beats are booked or available for the month. The club gathers on pub night at Crossways Pub in Hilton on the last Tuesday of each month, when all sorts of topics and antics are discussed. A recent influx of members, and their 50th anniversary, encouraged the initiation of well received clinics where newbies can gain invaluable skills. nffc.co.za

Waters: Forty different waters, including premier wild-spawn brown trout streams such as Bushman’s, Mooi, and Umgeni rivers, and Grantchester and Mavela dams. How much? A R550 start-up fee and R950 for the annual membership.

“LOOK, WE DON’T LIKE TO BRAG, BUT WHILE THE SHARKS MAY SUCK AT LEAST THE NFFC CAN LAY CLAIM TO BEING SA’S BEST CLUB. WITH STACKS OF WATER UNDER ITS CONTROL, FROM DAMS TO MANY KILOMETRES OF RIVER, BY JOINING THE NFFC YOU CAN BASICALLY FISH A NEW SPOT EVERY WEEKEND.” - GRAEME STEART

QUEENSTOWN FLY FISHING CLUB

What: Headed up by local The Mission stockist Reg Morgan, the club offers a range of still waters. They use their annual festival to fund the stocking of local waters. But these aren’t just any old stockies. They come from the legendary fighting stock of Eastern Cape trout guru Martin Davies, and they grow into brutes that can survive warm summer months. qffclub.com

Waters: Private still waters on farms Oakley, Snowdon, Birds Rivers, Table Hill, and Pine Grove, and Uncle George Smith’s farms near Indwe.

How much? R150 to join and R1 100 annually.

SABIE TROUT CLUB

What: In the small country town of Sabie in Mpumalanga, previous winner of SA’s best small town, lies some tasty fly fishing. In an 8km stretch of the headwaters of the Sabie River, for the past 80 years the club has successfully managed what is considered some of the best trout fishing in the Lowveld. sabie.co.za

Waters: The Sabie River, below the confluence of Horseshoe and Lone Creek streams. How much? R150 per person for a day permit.

SOUTH COAST FLY ANGLERS

What: Omnivorous in their fishing tastes, gregarious and enthusiastic, the South Coast Fly Anglers operate out of southern KZN in the Port Shepstone area. Members range from young Protea comp anglers to mid-80s veterans, and their interests cover everything from fresh to salt, bass, yellows and scalies, to wave garrick and rock salmon. Monthly fly tying workshops are held at the local tennis club, where members compete in a yearlong, expertly judged tying competition and for which prizes are given at the end of each summer. While it might at first appear a bit Web 1.0 (in lieu of a website or an active Facebook page) special mention needs to be made of this club’s regular, densely populated newsletter put together by stalwart scribe Arthur Cary which details their many outings and gatherings. If you live in the region and fly fish, you need to subscribe. fosaf.org.za

Waters: KZN freshwater rivers and dams, Ramsgate, Southbroom, and Trafalgar for saltwater, and outings to Umzimkulu and Umzimkulwana rivers, Kokstad, and Matatiele for trout fishing. How much? A small start-up fee followed by R110 per year.

“I AM HAUNTED BY [THE QFFC] WATERS. WHERE ELSE IN SOUTH AFRICA CAN YOU CATCH WILD TROUT AVERAGING FIVE POUNDS OR TWO FIN-PERFECT TROPHIES IN A DAY? A LIFELONG PASSION FOR TROUT FISHING HAS TAKEN ME TO FARAWAY PLACES BUT MY HEART STILL LIES IN THE MAGICAL DAMS AROUND DORDRECHT.” - ALEX JUNOD

QUEENSTOWN FLY FISHING FESTIVAL

What: During the icy winter school holidays of early July, the Queenstown Fly Fishing Festival is hosted in the Stormberg. Teams of four assemble to tackle some of the most bus-like trout that Martin Davies’ terminator brood has to offer. Attendees are hosted at the Aloe Grove guest farm for two nights and given the opportunity to fish a number of dams in the area. Time to break the ice with those float tubes. qffclub.com

Waters: Club-managed still waters. How much? R7 500 per team of four.

“SPECIAL MENTION NEEDS TO BE MADE OF THIS CLUB’S REGULAR, DENSELY POPULATED NEWSLETTER PUT TOGETHER BY STALWART SCRIBE ARTHUR CARY WHICH DETAILS THEIR MANY OUTINGS AND GATHERINGS.”

STERKFONTEIN EXPERIENCE

What: This annual event run by ye olde The Complete Fly Fisherman magazine not only boasts cameo appearances from one of SA’s leading lute makers but is also rumoured to be where the ground-breaking “Five Flies for Sterkies” series and its sequel “Five More Flies for Sterkies” were conceived. Expect tons of yellowfish in the dam, prizes, banter about the good old days/the yoof of today, and some noodley riffing from Cacofonix himself. completeflyfisherman.com

Waters: The magnificent Sterkfontein Dam and its smallmouth yellowfish.

How much? A babelas and your street cred?

SYNDICATES

A few not-so-secretive syndicates exist throughout the country, which might appeal to those less gregarious and more willing to dish out a bit of cash. For example, Transvaal Fly Fishing Club (tffc.co.za) in Middelpunt near Belfast in Mpumalanga is a perfect sporty destination for highveld still water trouties, while in the Western Cape Lourensford Fly Fishing Club (clayad.co.za) holds waters on the upper Lourens River along with a series of streamfed pools and the stocked Blue Gum Dam. Sniff around and you’re likely to find a sneaky syndicate near you. Whether they’ll have you is another story...

“TFFC IS THE TROUT FISHING FAMILY YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED. I WATCHED FISH GROW, I WATCHED FAMILIES GROW, ALL AROUND A SINGLE PURSUIT, STILL WATER TROUT. IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE YOUR OWN, AND AT THE SAME TIME BELONGED TO EVERYONE.”

- JADE DOS SANTOS

THE TOPS AT SPAR KAMBERG TROUT FESTIVAL

What: A classic on the KZN circuit, enter a team of four and enjoy the challenge of catching the longest trout possible in the Kamberg Valley. Fish must be measured against a provided tape, and those over 55cm are brought in just to prove it. Enjoyed by Kamberg veterans of more than 20 years, the festivities clearly keep anglers coming back for more. Competitors all receive goodie bags, and enjoy performing bands, beer, and merch. Think of it as the Lollapalooza of trout fests. facebook.com

STREAM AND SEA EVENTS

What: With their roaming Stream and Sea events, Pierre Joubert and his team build community and create a space where everyone learns from one another. Events take place monthly in club houses (e.g. the CPS), bowls and squash clubs, and coffee shops, and tend to cover fly tying clinics that include materials, casting demos, and destination presentations. Each evening is rounded off with some lekker chow and a couple of beers. streamandsea.com

Waters: Whatever Pierre has in his fridge…

How much? Clinics and fly tying demos cost between R100 and R300 depending on which celebrity is attending.

SUNDOWNER FLY FISHING ADVENTURES WINTER COMPETITION

What: A small, localised, first come, first served competition in Johannesburg, where 40 anglers compete over four legs to make the final 10 places. The longest bag length determines who rules the podium. sundowner.co.za

Waters: Still waters at Lanseria Country Estate. How much? R995 per day.

Waters: A mix of private and donated waters from the Kamberg Valley up to Highmoor Nature Reserve. How much? A team of four pays a total of R12 000, with potential early-bird and return discounts.

TRANSVAAL FLY TYERS GUILD

What: Vaalies get together, tie some flies, talk about their J Vice and get professional advice and demos from local legends. Hosted by the boys at Stream and Sea, the guild meets monthly at Fingers Crossed, Emmarentia. Materials are included for keen fly tyers to monkey-see, monkey-do the presenter’s pattern. flytyersguild.co.za

How much? Singletons pay R350, and fly fishing families pay R400 per year. Students attend mahala.

UNDERBERG/HIMEVILLE TROUT FISHING CLUB

What: A capital of fly fishing in the southern Drakensberg, with views of the mighty uKhahlamba mountains, members get their competitive fix on 20 well-stocked and productive still waters, and 60km of prime rainbow and brown trout river water. uhtfc.org.za

Waters: Fourteen beats over the Umzimkulu and Pholela rivers, and several still waters.

How much? A R450 joining fee and R1 100 per year.

UNDERBERG-HIMEVILLE TROUT FISHING CLUB RIVER & STILL WATER FESTIVALS

What: Fifteen teams of two can enjoy fly fishing in dairy country, with the backdrop of the Mountain Kingdom in the distance. This 70-year-old club hosts two annual events: an autumn river fest and a spring still water fest, allowing anglers to enjoy a two-day troutfishing extravaganza. Stay at local farm accommodation, enjoy Drakensberg lamb, and indulge in delightful trout fishing in a fun, everyone-wins competition. uhtfc.org.za

Waters: Local rivers and still waters. How much? R1 500 per team of two.

WILDFLY TOPS AT SPAR CORPORATE CHALLENGE

What: Whoa easy there, boozer, this is not (officially) a “How much whiskey can I drink in one weekend” competition, even if it is sponsored by a bottle store chain. TOPS at SPAR has long supported the KZN fly fishing scene and, in teaming up with WildFly, has created one of the earmark fixtures in SA’s still water festival scene. Held and hosted in and around Nottingham Road, the event takes place over four long weekends, consisting of three legs and one final. Only the best and bravest five teams from each leg (so 15 in total) make it through to the illustrious final, where they must catch hand-over-fist to stake their place on the podium. Rules follow a pyramid format in that teams can only submit four fish in their first session, and one fish in their fourth. This prevents the pros from walking away with a trophy year after year. Participants are spoilt with a top-tier hamper of gear and merch. With accommodation, breakfasts, and dinners included, the only time you might pay (again) is at the Notties pub fines evening, where all sorts of exposure take place. wildfly.co.za

Waters: Private still waters managed by WildFly from the Kamberg Valley to Loteni.

How much? A kidney valued at R7 295 (or just cash) per team member. The finale costs another kidney, which is why it’s a corporate challenge. Just make sure your company’s CFO makes the team.

WILD TROUT ASSOCIATION

What: The backbone of fly fishing in the Rhodes region, the Wild Trout Association (WTA) is not so much a club as it is an organisation responsible for upkeep and renewal of fly fishing at what adherents refer to as “the centre of the universe”. All riparian waters have to be booked and permitted through farm owners, as managed by the WTA. Father Christmas himself (Dave Walker of Walkerbouts Inn) heads up the WTA and is the Falstaffian figurehead for all things trout fishing in Rhodes. wildtrout.co.za

Waters: Beats along but not limited to the Bell River, Bokspruit, Riflespruit, Sterkspruit, Kloppershoekspruit, Kraai River, Loch Ness (Tiffendell Dam) and many more. How much? A per beat, per person permit is R150.

“WTA WATERS INCLUDE THE BELL RIVER, BOKSPRUIT, RIFLESPRUIT, STERKSPRUIT, KLOPPERSHOEKSPRUIT, KRAAI RIVER, LOCH NESS (TIFFENDELL DAM) AND MANY MORE.”

WILD TROUT FESTIVAL

What: Hosted by the WTA in Rhodes over a long weekend in March, and made possible by a variety of sponsors, this early autumn fest is one for the bucket list. Expect four days of fishing with a welltuned beat-selection system. Should you wish, you may also rope in the services of a complimentary “shepherd” (the festival’s egofree term for pro guides and savvy locals) who will take you out for the day and may or may not know something about sheep. Anglers generally return to Walkerbouts Inn each evening weary yet filled with glee – either from the great fishing and fantastic location, or from the tots of 18-year-old magic water they just downed at the customary roadblock under the willow tree enforced by the “A Team” (an infamous posse waiting to ambush innocent festivalgoers with a toll). wildtrout.co.za

Waters: WTA waters, including the Bokspruit, Bell River, Sterkspruit and others.

How much? R7 750 per person for the full monty (fishing, accommodation, and food) .

WINDKNOT CLUB

What: Started by Oom “Sage” Potgieter, membership is now by association. So if you’re looking to join their members’ WhatsApp group, you’d better have an in among Potch high society. The club’s overarching objective is to enjoy and conserve the largemouth yellowfish in their sectors so proceeds from their annual event at Elgro River Lodge go towards conserving the local Vaal River fishery, through working with local universities. facebook.com

Waters: Middle reaches of the Vaal River around Elgro River Lodge.

How much? Membership by association.

X-FACTOR TROUT CHAMPIONSHIP

What: A fly fishing fest in the middle of Jozi? Yes boet! X-Factor’s stockie championship features two qualifying legs followed by a grand finale to round off the winter season. Solo anglers and teams of two try to catch as many big rainbows or browns as possible in a three-hour span for each of the four legs of the tournament (three rounds plus a final). Prizes include trips to X-Factor’s destinations, including Barotse in Zambia, Lesotho, and an Orange River drift, as well as sundry gear prizes. xfactorangling.co.za

Waters: The X-Factor dam in eastern Johannesburg. How much? R850 per person per leg, R950 per person for the final.

XPLORER CONCEPT STORE FLY TYING EVENINGS

What: A laidback evening of fly-tying instruction in Durbs, dished up by the likes of Protea fly angler Shaun Dickson, on the second Wednesday of each month. Bonus: If you’re short on any materials you have an entire fly fishing store right there. These popular events are limited to 14 people so booking is essential. xplorerflyfishing.co.za

How much? R100 covers drinks (till they’re gone), chow, fly tying materials and a recap video. Bring: Your vice, mild banter, and trout-print underpants to be autographed by Shaun.

YOUR OWN CLUB

Clubs, whether they be formal or informal (like the notorious Tokai-based Whip It Wednesday crew or the lethal Women in Waders posse in KZN), come about because people want to secure great fishing, conserve what they have, share information, and make friends. Some, like the Bloemfontein Fly Fishers, The Bay Fly Fishing Group in Richards Bay, and the Queens of Dubai, sprang up solely to receive mags from The Mission,

but there’s a good chance they will grow into something bigger. Clubs featured here that are more than a century old would not exist had a bunch of anglers not acted on a bright idea after an excellent session one day. If you don’t have a club in your area or don’t have one that suits your needs, start your own. Maybe in a hundred years, you and your crew will appear in the dusty photos looking down on successive generations of anglers who love fly fishing and give a damn about the environment.

ZINGELA LADIES’ CLINICS

What: A women-only weekend introduction to fly fishing for Natal scalies held at the excellent Zingela Safari Company lodge in KZN. Hosted by Kat Calverley and Kirsty Kyle (of arguably the most fish savvy family in SA), you can expect expert tutelage in rigging, casting, and the actual fishing bit, taking you from zero to hero in a few days. zingelasafaris.co.za

Waters: A remote part of the Tugela River that teems with hardfighting Natal scalies.

How much? R3 500 including food and accommodation.

SHEEEEEEEEET

ONE ARCTIC SUMMER, PIKE WITH GREAT INCISORS, VOLE-INHALING GRAYLING, AND THE MYSTERIOUS SHEEFISH BROUGHT BRENT FLACK-DAVISON AND HIS MATES TO ALASKA FOR AN EIGHT-DAY FLOAT THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.

Photos. Brent Flack-Davison, Joe Goertzen, Travis Craft

All of us have that one fish, that one mysterious fish in a faraway place that just calls to you. Sheefish was that fish for me. I had heard about it while living in Alaska for a summer. Tarpon of the North, they called it. I mean, how could you not?

It took a few years after that summer but, finally, I had persuaded a few other guys who were interested and willing enough to fly about as far north as you can go to chase a fish we did not know very much about.

From our research, we knew that sheefish are the largest members of the whitefish family, reaching up to 60lb. They are only found in a few drainages mostly north of the Arctic Circle in North America and Russia. They spawn in fresh water but spend their lives in the salt. When they return to the rivers to spawn, they like holding in deep pools and can be taken on big baitfish patterns fished deep. They also taste delicious. That was almost the sum total of our research (done online), and that made them even more intriguing.

After about nine months of planning and five consecutive flights later, our group (Travis, Cliffy, Joe, Jason, and I) touched down on a high alpine lake a few degrees north of the Arctic Circle in a 1956 Otter float plane. Our plan was to float for 90 miles over eight days, starting off on a relatively high headwater and then reaching our takeout at the first of five native villages on the lower river close to the Arctic Ocean. The 90 miles of river was in pristine Arctic tundra – no civilisation, no roads, just the occasional bush plane.

We offloaded the gear out of the Otter, said goodbye to the bush pilot, and were lucky enough to get the seventh word he’d spoken to us the entire trip in reply. It sounded like “luck” but it was anyone’s guess. As the plane flew away, the quiet set in. With the quiet came the realisation that it was just us, our gear, and this river for the next eight days. Being immersed in civilisation was not something that I fully grasped until I stepped out of it completely. It was utterly exhilarating and unexpectedly disconcerting, all at the same time. We were here by the grace of this land.

We inflated our two rafts, set up our rods, stowed our gear and started rowing towards the outflow. We had spotted a large weed bed from the air and had heard that the lake held some good-size pike. The first fly landed close to the weed bed and was immediately smashed by a 35” pike. These were hard-fighting, mean Alaskan pike and we soon discovered that our 6” wire-traces needed to be three times longer to keep our line away from their teeth.

After tangling with those big pike for a couple of hours, we set up camp on a gravel bar just inside the outlet. We cooked some pike over a fire, drank whisky in the two-hour twilight, and settled in for the night.

“CONVERSATIONS RAN THE GAMBIT FROM FISHING TACTICS TO LIFE DECISIONS BUT, THROUGHOUT THE TRIP, THERE WAS ALWAYS A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE THAT PLACES LIKE THIS STILL EXIST AND THAT WE GOT TO VISIT THEM FOR A SHORT WHILE.”

The next morning, we floated down to the main channel and got hit by a gale-force upstream wind. Thankfully, the river was heavily braided, and we tried to shelter through the side channels. As we came out of one of the braids, one of the crew looked back up the main river and spotted a school of chum salmon at the entrance to a creek (no easy feat with one-foot waves). The chums were thick and tight into the bank – perfect to wade fish. Once they reenter the rivers, they get a gnarly black, green, and red camo pattern – punk salmon, basically. We swung big, weighted, flashy streamers which they hit hard. Mixed in between the salmon were Arctic char and grayling too, which were a welcome surprise.

Summer is especially short and very intense this far north. It was mid-August but the days were still 20 hours long. Instead of the usual five species of Pacific salmon that most Alaskan rivers contain, the Arctic drainages predominantly have chum salmon. As a result, the bears were smaller on average. It also meant the resident fish were not as concentrated around spawning salmon as is normal in Alaska and, in some cases, salmon eggs and flesh were not even their main forage, as they focus on fry and voles instead.

Most of our prior grayling fishing in other Alaskan rivers had been with beads and flesh flies. In researching the trip, we found someone who had floated this river before. He was not much of a fisherman but mentioned that some of the grayling that they had caught had voles in their stomachs... Interesting! We tied up some deer hair mouse patterns and decided to give them a shot. After a grayling slammed the mouse on the third cast, we fished them exclusively. These grayling were looking for voles and would hit them so aggressively.

I grew up fishing for smallmouth bass on the Olifants River in the Western Cape and the smallies there would jump above and then come down on the fly using the water tension to help get the fly into their mouths. Amazingly, these grayling were the same. Their mouths were way smaller than a typical smallie but they were determined to gouch this hunk of mouse protein into their mouths at all costs. The takes were explosive and made for pretty constant action.

On a backcountry float, existence becomes defined by the river. The terrain, the flow, the fish, the conditions become your civilisation. There is no guide, no phone-afriend, no fly shop. There are no distractions: no phone, no internet. You just take in each bend as it comes and figure out the river as it changes along the course you are floating. Life settles into an easy routine. Around 5pm, everyone’s attention would inevitably shift to looking for a long gravel bar on an inside bend to set up camp for the night. The next salmon caught would be swiftly dispatched for dinner. Once we found a good gravel bar, we’d pull

up, secure the rafts, and haul all the gear off the boats. Without discussion, everyone would separate into various camp setup tasks: fetching firewood, making a fire, setting up the kitchen tent, heating some water for tea. After all, we are not barbarians. We’d strip out of our waders and get our personal tents organised. Then it would be time to pour some whisky, sit in front of the fire, and talk through the day.

That’s when the real magic set in, sitting in the long Alaskan twilight with a night sky none of us had ever seen before, in front of the fire with the river flowing close by. Conversations ran the gambit from fishing tactics to life decisions but, throughout, there was always a deep sense of gratitude that places like this still exist and we got to visit them for a short while.

We fished the next several days having no wind but instead we had the famed Alaskan bugs. Thankfully, there was frost on two mornings which killed off most of the insects. It was only late August, which is just the beginning of autumn, but then again in the Arctic it starts snowing by October. We continued to have incredible grayling and chum salmon fishing yet, weirdly, after getting those big pike on the headwater lake, we had not seen any pike since, even though we tried in most backwater sloughs we’d seen.

But we were there for sheefish, and they were always in the back of our minds. From our research, we knew that they favoured the big deep pools in the river. Among the three people fishing at any one time (with two on the oars), someone always had a sinking line with a well-weighted baitfish fly. We’d seen no sign of them over the first three days, but the river was getting bigger and the pools deeper.

Sheefish caught by Travis Craft (above) were the target, Chum salmon (below) was on the dinner menu. From left to right, the crew included Clifford Hestermann, Brent Flack Davison, Jason Crouch and Joe Goertzen.

“AROUND 5PM, EVERYONE’S ATTENTION WOULD INEVITABLY SHIFT TO LOOKING FOR A LONG GRAVEL BAR ON AN INSIDE BEND TO SET UP CAMP FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT SALMON CAUGHT WOULD BE SWIFTLY DISPATCHED FOR DINNER.”

On the fourth day, we were floating through a deep, boulder-strewn pool. A long bar of silver followed a fly up to our raft from deep down but turned away before we could get a good look. A few minutes later, Jason went tight. SHEEFISH! Once we’d stopped hollering enough to think straight, we beached the rafts to finish fighting the fish from shore. After some big runs, strong headshakes, and dogged fighting, we landed it. And there it was… Sheefish! We’d come a long way for this and here it was finally – relief! And then excitement to catch our own kicked in.

Just ahead of us was a major confluence that we had read was a prime spot. Excited, we came to the confluence about half a mile downstream only to find it was six inches deep. What a let-down. We drifted on in disbelief but, thankfully, the next river bend was deep and stacked with sheefish. We pulled the rafts over and fished from shore, swinging big flies through the pool. The action was constant for about two hours only stopping when we got tired. It’s likely that these fish had never seen a fly before.

We eventually got back on the river as we needed to make more mileage. We picked off sheefish over the next few days specifically targeting the long deep pools, but it wasn’t crazy as it had been at the junction pool. Runoff from recent fires had tainted the water dark on the 30mile braid we were on, which seemed to turn the fish off.

On the second-last day, we had about 15 miles of river to go. We found a few back sloughs that held pike which were fun on poppers. We floated down a few more miles and our tainted channel met up with the main river again. The junction pool was deep and slow… Perfect! All rods went tight on the first drift. We were not far from the takeout spot so we decided to make camp on the gravel bar close to the tail out of the pool. With most of the gear offloaded, the rafts were light and we were able to paddle them back upstream in the slack water on the edges of the pool to re-drift it. The pool was absolutely loaded with sheefish, and we had a blast drifting through it for several hours. We took a break to set up camp, make a fire, and have dinner.

“AFTER A GRAYLING SLAMMED THE MOUSE ON THE THIRD CAST, WE FISHED THEM EXCLUSIVELY.”

We woke up on the last day and faced the reality of the trip home, re-joining civilisation and the promise of a warm shower. We only had a short float to our takeout which meant we had a few hours to fish the junction pool. The fishing hadn’t slacked off at all and we got into fish from the first drift. We all took turns fishing over the following hours until it was time to start getting ready.

On the last drift, Cliff was on the bow and hooked into a fish. This fish was taking a little longer than normal to land so Cliffy was starting to cop some good-natured grief. The ribbing continued until we got a glimpse of the fish Cliff was fighting – the energy changed in an instant. It was big, very big! We were too far from the inside bend gravel bar to paddle over there so we had to head for the outside bend which was filled with downed trees and debris. Cliff kept the fish close to the boat and we managed to manoeuvre into a tight clearing among the

trees. All focus was on landing the fish, just waiting to get it into the right position and have a clear shot with the lip gripper among the snags. The planets aligned and we got a clear shot at grabbing the fish. What a slab! We’d caught a lot of fish this trip but this one was truly big. It measured out at 45” and a solid 31lb – 5 lbs heavier than the current 26lb record on 20lb tippet. What a fish to finish the trip.

Sinking into the airplane seat on the way home, I felt a mixture of tiredness, relief, and a tang of sadness. Tiredness from a physically demanding week, relief that our trip into the unknown was successful, and sadness because the sheefish was not as mysterious as it had been before. Maybe it was not my one fish anymore. But that’s how our love of fishing and fish themselves evolves. Besides, sheefish and I would always have that summer of ’21 together.

“CONVERSATIONS RAN THE GAMBIT FROM FISHING TACTICS TO LIFE DECISIONS BUT, THROUGHOUT THE TRIP, THERE WAS ALWAYS A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE THAT PLACES LIKE THIS STILL EXIST AND THAT WE GOT TO VISIT THEM”

A LONGA WAY FROM HOME

14 DAYS IN MARCH

OVER A COUPLE OF PINTS, GUIDE JOHANN RADEMEYER FILLS JAZZ KUSCHKE IN ON A RECENT TRIP TO ANGOLA’S RIO LONGA.

There are many students of fly fishing but not everybody graduates. Few go on to become professors (though a good bunch like to lecture). The real masters, though, are those who combine a sponge-like thirst for knowledge with natural fish-finding (and catching) instincts. This combo might make Johann Rademeyer the next Karate Kid.

Johann came to fly fishing relatively late, seeking a new way to target the tailing spotted grunter which, over the years, he’d figured out on all manner of artificials, including jigs. After not just ticking that box, but pretty much outclassing every Mr Miyagi who mentored him on what most consider the pinnacle of South African estuary fish, Johann moved on to yellowfish on the Orange River, and then bonito from shore. He caught well over 20 this past summer. Then he went to Angola looking for tarpon.

Since everything he touches turns to gold, you can guess the rest.

ON WHAT DREW HIM BACK

I went to Camp Yetu on the Rio Longa last year to shoot footage for a tackle-range release for Fishman Tackle. I was there to work, so fishing wasn’t part of the schedule. It was a shore-spinning shoot featuring mostly beach stuff but, to get to the good side of the river mouth, you must cross with a boat from the lodge. Every morning on the boat ride we’d see tarpon rolling everywhere. Then I’d go and sit on the beach and film the guys spinning while the tarpon were still rolling behind me. Once the spinning session was done, we’d head back on the boat, and guide AJ de Beer would take a little spinning stick and have like three throws and go tight and it’s like, oh fuck! The other guys on the shoot didn’t even bother, firstly because they didn’t have the right gear and secondly, because they wanted to make the most of their time for the shoot.

Back working for Mavungana Flyfishing on the Orange River in South Africa, I struggled to get those poons out of my mind, especially while talking to clients around the fire at night. They all asked about the possibility of targeting them on fly there. It had been done before by the odd client, and Justin Kemp and Wesley Rapson did an exploratory trip up there a few years back with AJ’s brother Zander. Hearing those stories just got me more psyched and every time I got back into signal after taking a group on the Orange I would get in touch with Spyker Kruger from Camp Yetu to ask him about the river conditions and what was happening. Spyker, who owns the concessions and has exclusive rights for spinning in the area, had long desired to expand the lodge’s offerings to include

fly fishing. After a final discussion with fellow guide Mike Dames, comparing the potential at Rio Longa to Sette Cama in Gabon where he guides part of the year (plus a few teasing WhatsApp messages from Spyker asking when I would visit), I couldn’t resist any longer and promptly booked my tickets.

ON LOGISTICS

Getting to Camp Yetu is not unlike getting to a lodge on the Zambezi. You fly to Luanda (there are direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg). After that four-hour hop, Spyker will pick you up and you do a road transfer. The Angolan roads are still in a terrible post-war state so the 200km drive takes about another three-and-a-half hours.

“I STRUGGLED TO GET THOSE POONS OUT OF MY MIND, ESPECIALLY WHILE TALKING TO CLIENTS AROUND THE FIRE AT NIGHT.”

ON THE RIO LONGA

It’s a special river. Rio Longa flows through wetlands and dense jungles, creating a unique environment. It’s pretty wild, with a variety of snakes and small game as well as crocs in the river. When it reaches the coast, it turns sideways and flows horizontally for a couple of kilometres, not unlike some of the systems in Gabon. The mouth of the Rio Longa also has some really interesting features; one side has an open beach with the ocean and the other side is full of mangroves. The current is almost always going out to sea, with a lot of water moving down even on a pushing tide. Only during a spring high tide is there a bit of a standstill, but there’s never a push like on

the tidal estuaries I’m used to on South Africa’s Garden Route. Because of that, the mouth of the river creates this kilometre- to a kilometre-and-a-half-wide back eddy, providing still water and allowing you to fish in different areas with different currents and seams.

ON HIS FIRST POON

We were anchored up just on the riverside of the mouth, fishing in the faster water. There was another angler in the bow casting in the front 45 degrees and I was at the back, putting out swings, reminiscent of how I had fished for largies on the Orange River. On the fourth or fifth swing, I went tight…

After I hooked it, the tarpon jumped once and made one solid run before coming up and then running toward the boat. I stayed with it and luckily managed to net it on the first pass. To be honest, it didn’t give much of a fight compared to the other ones I caught later, but it was such a relief to get that first one in hand and the monkey off my back.

ON WHAT HE’S LEARNED ABOUT THE FISHERY

Every day, the fishery changes completely. I guess that’s one of the things that intrigues me about it so much. One day you’ll be swinging for them in heavy current with a sinking line, and the next morning they’ll all be in the back eddy, with schools of fish moving on the surface.

What is fascinating to see is how they pick up on any line formation in the water, whether it’s a current line, or where the sea water and tannin-stained river water meet, or even just a line made by the wind. Within a couple of minutes, you’ll see them congregating on that line. When the line disappears, they might be between the floating weed islands, where the crabs congregate. Then you’ll see them hit the islands, knocking the crabs off the weeds. It’s a pretty remarkable sight. Those weed islands and the river coming down are all linked to the rains upriver. When it rains, well, it pours. That weed is like a fly and fly-line magnet. I got tangled up too many times to count.

“THE BIGGEST ONE I GOT ON THIS TRIP WAS ON FOOT. IT WAS ON A SPRING HIGH TIDE AT THE MOUTH.”

ON THE BIGGEST POON HE CAUGHT

The biggest one I got on this trip was on foot. It was on a spring high tide at the mouth and all these weed islands were washed up right close to the shore. The poons and other creatures were going mal right there at my feet. As mentioned, it’s not a light weed off which your fly line will just bounce. When I hooked this poon, there was just fly line everywhere and it tangled in the weed islands on shore. I somehow managed to free the line and get it all back on the reel and beach that fish. It was a wild and immensely satisfying moment, especially being all by myself with no one to help land it or take pictures.

ON OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Offshore on the reefs, there is a big variety of fish. We went trawling one day and caught massive barracuda up to 1.8m and were chasing rugby fields of jacks just behind the backline. There’s also the opportunity to go

for big game pelagics like sailfish, tuna, dorado, and amberjack. It’s a massive fishery, so even if the weather is not favourable for tarpon fishing, you can still have a successful trip. Aside from tarpon, there are longfin jacks, jack crevalle, threadfin, and Senegalese kob in the river. We also caught a nice brown snapper in the sea and some small cubera in the river. The possibilities are definitely there, similar to Gabon, but not quite as wild.

We caught threadfin and corvina (Senegalese kob) on spinning gear but not on fly. When you’re on the beach, you have to make decisions about whether to use fly or conventional tackle depending on the conditions and the other anglers around you. One day I lost a big threadie (or maybe something else) on fly in the mouth. I’d just caught one on spinning gear and the water was not too deep — like three metres — so you could easily get down with the fly. I switched to the fly rod

and a large tarpon-style fly with a long, thick Zonker tail in orange. As the fly came up on the drop, I felt a big hit but couldn’t connect. When I checked the fly, the tail was gone, almost like how a big shad destroys the backs of flies and lures. All of that being said, I didn’t really put in the time on any of the other species. The goal was always to go there and focus on the poons. I experimented a lot and learnt quite a bit. Especially about hooks and flies.

ON WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT HOOKS AND FLIES

The (correct) hooks made a huge difference. I know what I’m going back with next time but it’s a pretty contentious issue, so maybe I’ll talk about it more after the next mission. As for flies… Well, I spent a lot of time in between sessions tying, but next time I will go back with less variety and more of the tried and tested

patterns. I took a couple of patterns that [Mavungana Flyfishing’s] Jono Boulton gave me and caught that first one on the swing on a big, bulky fly of his, but after that first day we were mainly chasing rolling fish, and for that we needed flies with much thinner profiles. You needed to be able to put it out there fast and give it movement. They’re also a lot quicker to tie!

ON WHEN HE’S GOING BACK

I’ve got my eye on another stint this year but whether or not that trip works out, I will definitely be back there in March and April next year. You want the rain, so April is the peak season. Also, from April you can start fishing at night, which we weren’t able to do this year because of turtle hatching season. Even though I couldn’t explore the night-fishing possibilities, those 14 days earlier this year changed my outlook on fish, fly fishing and, potentially, the entire trajectory of my life.

Cliff Hangers

SALTWATER FLY FISHING MAVERICK JIMMY EAGLETON CLIMBS FOR A LIVING ON OFFSHORE OIL RIGS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSING HARDTO-REACH GULLIES, CAVES, AND CLIFFS TO TARGET SMALL YET FEISTY SALTWATER SPECIES THAT MOST OF US IGNORE, HE’S IN HIS ELEMENT.

Photos. Ryan Janssens

In freshwater it’s referred to as micro fly fishing. In the small, intimate, crystal- clear Cape streams between small waterfalls and mountain-size boulders, fly anglers pursue indigenous species like sawfin and Cape kurper, or exotic aliens like smallmouth bass and beautifully marked rainbow and brown trout.

In the Western Cape saltwater scene, Conrad Botes was one of the first to popularise fly fishing for blacktail as a cool and shameless act, and now a lot more salty fly anglers find relief from chasing difficult species or supersized specimens by going light in the salt. Sometimes it’s a second rod fallback when your dreams don’t come true. Other times it’s just a light, single-minded affair.

Often, when fly fishing in the Western Cape salt for bigger species like yellowtail, leervis, or kob, the results do

not justify the effort and soon you find yourself suffering from a mild case of the fishing blues. That’s when I ditch my yellowtail gear for a 5-weight and hit the cliffs at Cape Point. Remember what it was like when you were a kid with a hand line trying for anything and everything in the rock pools and gullies? This is just that, but the grownup version in the form off rock climbing over water. I call it deep water solo climbing. There is no need for climbing gear or a climbing partner to assist you. A miscalculation in ability will simply send you plummeting into the water to test your swimming skills.

You may be thinking, this is just a grown man catching silly fish in a reckless way. But for me it’s not. A lifetime working as a climber on oil rigs has honed my skills for this. Every route is systematically worked out, with climbing gear, to subconsciously map the way in and out. Once you’ve done it a few times, the way of least resistance becomes clear.

There is always a nice balance between nervousness, excitement, and eagerness to have a go at this kind of fishing without the climbing gear. Like a perfectly timed cast, it can take a few tries before you execute the route smoothly and effortlessly. By shifting your bodyweight between foot rests and hand grips, it becomes a rhythmic vertical dance. Some grips on the rock face are familiar and reassuring, like shaking an old friend’s hand. Just like a good foot rest, you know where you stand.

The goal is to access gullies, caves, and undercuts that have never been fished before. The size of the fish is of no consequence. This kind of pursuit is all about curiosity, so your ego is best left at home.

“THERE IS ALWAYS A NICE BALANCE BETWEEN NERVOUSNESS, EXCITEMENT, AND EAGERNESS TO HAVE A GO AT THIS KIND OF FISHING WITHOUT THE CLIMBING GEAR.”

THE FISH MIGHT BE SMALL, BUT THE CONTRASTS OF WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE DOING IS HUGE.”

I always pack minimally: just a 5-weight rod and small box of flies with 8lb leader and a stripping basket for the leadcore line. The space in the backpack is reserved for anything that my Jetboil stove can warm up. The first thoughts that go through my mind when I go assover-end into the water are, “What went wrong?” and then, “How good will that warm cup of coffee be?”

Fly fishing the cliffs and caves is a mini-adventure with an all-out sensory overload. The waves are loud when you are literally standing in them, and the force when they collide with the cliffs is frightening. The fish might be small, but the contrasts of where you are and what you’re doing is huge. For me it’s always surprising to think that I am less than a hour’s drive out of Cape Town’s CBD, standing at the bottom off a sheer vertical cliff or inside a cave with deep water right at my toes.

From the first cast, the bite is usually on with some hand-size models being landed. I always hope for a bigger one to put a stop to the child’s play. A big jutjaw (Parascorpis typus) is first prize, while a large cliffhanger bream (Pachymetopon blochii) is a more realistic target. Historically known as hottentot, restaurants have moved away from this racially-charged name and call this fish Cape bream. I prefer a much older Afrikaans name for the species, hangberger (cliffhanger), because it refers to the fish’s habit of frequenting rocky ledges.

All the small cliffhanger bream are uniform in colour and body shape without reflecting hues, while bigger ones are more varied. From slender to short and chubby, some are chocolate brown, others are black and any shade in between. This all adds to the character of a trophy-size cliffhanger. But the one thing the big ones always have is a prominent eyebrow hump with a green tint.

Once you set the hook on one of these bigger specimens, there is a lot to contend with. Undercut currents, swaying kelp heads, white wash and backwash down from the cliffs. You can’t pull too hard and you can’t give too much line. To make things even more exciting, the big ones bite the same as the hand-size nibblers. Or it could be that the nibblers are drawing in the bigger fish. So you never know what’s coming once those nibbles start. Landing just one trophy cliffhanger with that distinct eyebrow hump with an emerald green tint, will have you sifting through the small ones

with a smile and will provide plenty to focus on for days on end. Adding to that, there is a lot of surprising bycatch with the weirdest names like the “French mistress” Fransmadam (Boopsoidea inornata) and John Brown (Gymnocrotaphus curvidens). Both these bream species reach that magical 30cm size.

Some fish you will chase for years. Whether it’s a 1m kob, garrick, or kingfish. For me, it’s to get just one yellowtail off the bricks. Despite that goal, I have no regrets when they pass right in front of the cliffs and I only have the 5-weight rod. Having fun without the glory of big fish I consider a real superpower. It can be surprising how these mini-adventures with often-overlooked bream species can fill your fishing calendar. In summer it’s a nice remedy for fishing blues, but the real value of these bream is their willingness to feed during the winter months.

So have a go at the light side of saltwater, it doesn’t have to be on the wild side.

“THE GOAL IS TO ACCESS GULLIES, CAVES, AND UNDERCUTS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN FISHED BEFORE.”

SHOP THE MISSION

flavour like vanilla or fruit).

jetboil.johnsonoutdoors.com

Black Diamond Technician leather approach shoes.They are not made to get you around the mountain. They are made to get you to the mountain and up over the cliffs. blackdiamondequipment.com Sling neck scarf. A lot cooler than a Buff and you can manipulate it in so many different ways.

The Mission Dad Cap. I just like the fit and that you can bend the front to the way you want it. themissionflymag.com/shop

Airflo Sixth Sense full lead core fly line. The zero stretch of this line and its thin diameter adds so much to the fight . You feel every move the fish makes and hook sets are super positive. airflofishing.com

Shilton CR3 reel. The only fresh water reel that has lasted in a saltwater environment. shiltonreels.com

“BEND THE FRONT TO THE WAY YOU WANT IT.”

Jetboil Flash Java Kit for a cup of 100% Arabica bean coffee (choose any brand, just not one with an added

Patagonia Guidewater submersible 15L sling. It’s a water proof bag, they weren’t lying. patagonia.com

“FEEL EVERY MOVE THE FISH MAKES”

PEAK PERFORMANCE

Got a sea ledge or a remote kloof packed with unmolested fish that you want to check out? Before you go swinging off cliffs like Alex Honnold meets Tarzan, you might want to check if you have the skills, stomach, and clobber to get both in and out. We asked Roald Paul – a competition fly angler with the Gauteng North Fly Fishing Association who also happens to work for South Africa’s premier climbing gyms, City Rock (cityrock.co.za) – for advice.

Roald says, “Combining climbing and fly fishing can open a whole new world of unexplored waters that were previously unfishable. Depending on the environment, it might mean a scramble down to your spot in approach shoes with your gear strapped to your back. However, should this be a technical or overhanging wall, you will be better off abseiling into the area.”

How to prepare: “If you plan on accessing a cliff face, make sure you have a head for heights. Most people don’t know how they will react until they are exposed to a 15-30m sheer drop and vertigo kicks in. Go to a climbing gym and see how it feels to be 15m off the ground. Climbing regularly will also get you physically and mentally fit and is a fun way to exercise.”

Safety: “The most important part of climbing or rope access is to ensure that you’re fully prepared and know what you are getting yourself into. You should make sure that you received the correct training by attending an abseiling course or taking someone with you who is experienced in this field. Being outdoors, whether that be fly fishing, climbing, or hiking, means there is inherent risk and danger involved. Make sure you tell someone where you’re going and have a backup plan should things go pear-shaped. You should have with you a first aid kit, space blanket, headlamp, hard shell helmet, and a whistle for drawing attention.”

Backpack: “You will want to pack all your rods and gear away before you start your scramble or abseil down. This will free up your hands and make your life a lot easier. Osprey backpacks have a lifetime warranty and are therefore a good investment. You will ideally want a 40 to 65-litre backpack such as an Osprey Aether or Kestrel that can take heavy loads, are water resistant, and will fit all your gear. Combining this with a few dry bags to keep your electronics safe is the preferred option.”

Scrambling: “The easiest method, which requires almost no gear, is to scramble down to your spot using your hands and feet. All that you need is a good pair of approach shoes, a head for heights, and to be sure-footed. However, should the terrain be technical, you might have to abseil into the area especially if you have a heavy pack, rod tubes, net, and other specialised gear that you want to keep safe.”

Abseiling: “The easiest way to access a cliff face or gully would be to abseil into the area using a single-line rope. This means you’d need to rig up an anchor point using a solid rock, tree or, alternatively, more specialised gear such as camp and hexes. It’s important that you set up a solid anchor point using accessory cords or slings in combination with locking carabiners. This will protect your rope as well as the tree you intend to use.”

Rope: “For abseiling, you will need a single-line static rope such as the Beal Intervention, which is 10.5-11mm and ideal for wet and dry conditions. Generally, a rope in 40-80m will get you down most places but remember that the longer the rope, the heavier it will be. You can use a Petzl GriGri belay device in dry conditions and a figure-eight descender for wet conditions. This in combination with a Prusik knot for backup will mean that you can use your hands freely when fishing from a cliff and still be attached to the rope.”

Harness: “You will want a comfortable sitting harness that will be durable and offer you support. There are plenty of options available, but the Black Diamond Momentum is a good harness that will meet these requirements.”

Shoes: “No need for specialised climbing shoes, however a good pair of approach shoes is recommended. These will make hiking into your spot easy and give you all the grip you need should you have to scramble or climb out of the location. The La Sportiva TX4 is the ideal shoe for technical approaches. Made from leather and Gore-Tex it’s comfortable, water resistant, has lots of grip, and will protect your feet. Alternatively, a good hiking boot with a Vibram rubber sole would offer similar protection and grip.”

Getting back out: “This is where the hard, physical work really begins. It’s normally easier to climb up than down so, if you abseiled in, you might be able to see an easy scramble available and can simply climb out of your area and retrieve your rope. However, should this not be an option, you will have to use your rope to ascend the rock face using a Petzl Ascender or ‘jumaring’ device in combination with a long sling. Combining this with your GriGri you can then ascend the rock face and self-belay out of the location.”

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Image by Jackie Badenhorst

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“PUT SOME FISH IN IT TO COMPLETE THE LOOK.”

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CAP AND HAT COUNTRY

AMPAL CREATIVETRIPPY TROUT

Back by popular demand, Ampal Creative’s Trippy Trout nylon cap from 2016 has been re-released with an upgraded sweatband, plus it now comes in a longer duck-brim option. Made from lightweight nylon ripstop with a DWR coated upper, it has mesh side panels for breathability and a fit that is unstructured like a vintage baseball cap but deep like a trucker or fitted hat. And of course, it sports that Trippy Trout artwork that caught our eye in the first place. theampalcreative.com

ORVIS - VINTAGE WAXED COTTON

BALL CAP

This classy vintage baller is made of waxed cotton in a one-size-fits-all shape, shedding raindrops and rays all the same. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za

ORVIS – 1971 CAMO TRUCKER HAT

Based on a design originally intended for wingshooting, the 1971 features a moisture wicking band, a 100% recycled dark under-brim to reduce glare, an adjustable snapback for a comfortable fit, and a patch for sticking flies. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za

SIMMS - DAD CAP

Blerrie flat caps, yeehaw truckers and boonies – gah! Reach a certain age and all you want is a bendable, comfortable, cool-looking brim which lets everyone know that you’ve walked the walk. Exuding unflinching dadness, the low crown fit of Simms’s Dad Cap fits the bill. simms.com, frontierflyfishing.com

FISHPOND - LOWCOUNTRY HAT

Picture Jako Lucas wranglin’ redfish in the Gulf of Mexico, his Texas ’tache bristling in the sun, and you get what Fishpond were describing when they referred described this hat as “distinctly Western accents meet a timeless coastal style”. The 4.5’ brim and bowl of the Lowcountry is weaved from Mexican palm, creating a UPF 50+ equivalency that will protect your money maker from all sun-related harm. This is the hat your mother wish you wore. fishpondusa.com, frontierflyfishing.com

“DISTINCTLY WESTERN ACCENTS MEET A TIMELESS COASTAL STYLE.”

VISION - RIVERMANIAC

PLATON TRAKOSHIS REVIEWS THE 9’ #3 MEDIUM RIVERMANIAC

Photos. Matt Kennedy

Ithink I am not alone in this but, no matter how great my gear is, I am always curious about whether there is a setup that might just be even more optimal for the fishing I do. It’s a curiosity thing. While I have not had a lot of experience with Finnish brand Vision’s gear and tackle, what I have had has been good, so I was stoked to get a chance to test out the Rivermaniac mediumaction fly rod on our local streams.

On the rod front, Vision are well known for their stream nymphing rods like the Nymphmaniac and they have done extremely well on the award front with plenty of anglers singing their praises. The challenge for me was to see how the Rivermaniac would perform on our local waters, which are predominantly dry fly streams and on the smaller side. The Rivermaniac comes in a handsome rod tube and rod bag. The quality of the bindings and rod guides looked good. The matt copper colour appealed to me because I prefer to have a dull finished rod for these skinny streams where the slightest rod flash can give you away.

Despite what the comp guys and their 10ft-plus rods might argue, at 9ft the Rivermaniac feels a little long for our local streams. That said, the length does help with reach and getting over fast water when the streams are high. I often use a 9ft rod in the early season high water and I see the Rivermaniac as being perfect for that kind of job.

I matched the rod up with a weight-forward 3-weight floating line and was fishing a 12ft leader and about 3ft of 6x tippet. Within the Vision Rivermaniac range you can choose between a medium or fast action rod from 3 to 7-weights. I was fishing the medium action version. The rod has plenty of power but is still soft enough to handle the thin tippet and skinny water and present flies delicately and accurately.

When needed, I found the Rivermaniac could push out one hell of a cast and getting distance was easy with the rod loading well and keeping a tight loop. For the Cape streams, longer casts aren’t usually necessary and we tend to fish quite short but, every now and then, I wanted to produce longer casts to get to the head of some of the

bigger pools where wading closer was not an option. The rod handled this with ease.

Having heard that the Rivermaniac was designed to be more of a dry fly rod, but to offer nymphing versatility too, I had to give it a bash and see how the rod performed because you often need to revert to nymphing these streams when the surface action is non-existent. It’s not a Nymphmaniac but is made of the same materials with a different taper and length optimised for dry fly fishing, so I found that it handled nymphs beautifully. I was fishing a tandem fly setup with heavily weighted flies under an indicator. It’s a rig that can be tricky with softer, shorter rods, but the length and strength of the Rivermaniac pushed out the heavier flies easily. I managed to get tight loops and casts to the far side of the stream when needed and where the river was wider.

On one of the streams I fished, the bank gets quite bushed in and the river too deep to wade. With a nymph on I was keen to get a drift through this deeper run. As I edged along the side of the bank, the rod’s 9ft reach really helped me to get a good cast upstream past an overhanging branch that I was convinced would hold a fish. As my indicator drifted back it bumped and I thought it was probably stuck on the lower parts of a branch that I could see hanging in the river. Then the indicator stopped entirely and I lifted into what turned out to be a really good-size rainbow for that stream. It fought strongly and was trying hard to get back into the undercuts of branches and roots, but the Rivermaniac has a strong enough backbone to bully plucky fish, so I managed to land it.

Ultimately, the Rivermaniac’s biggest appeal is that it is very versatile. Whether you need to fish dry dropper, run nymphs through pockets and deep runs, or lay down delicate dry flies, in any technical small stream situation, it won’t disappoint. I really enjoyed fishing with it and was impressed by how it handled all scenarios. It would be the perfect rod for the early season on the Cape streams. And if I was planning on fishing either Lesotho or larger Eastern Cape rivers, it would be my go-to rod for sure. streamandsea.com, visionflyfishing.com

“WHETHER YOU NEED TO FISH DRY DROPPER, RUN NYMPHS THROUGH POCKETS AND DEEP RUNS, OR LAY DOWN DELICATE DRY FLIES, IN ANY TECHNICAL SMALL STREAM SITUATION, IT WON’T DISAPPOINT.”

A HEAD FOR ADVENTURE

COMING FROM A STORIED SOUTH AFRICAN FLY FISHING FAMILY, YURI JANSSEN WAS NEVER GOING TO BE SHACKLED TO A DESK 24/7 AND HIS CV (LESOTHO, RUSSIA, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC) SHOWS AS MUCH. IN HIS CURRENT ROLE AS HEAD OF ADVENTURE AT THE GLENEAGLES HOTEL (GLENEAGLES.COM) IN SCOTLAND, HE TOOK A MOMENT OUT FROM CATCHING BROWN TROUT ON THE RIVER SPEY TO TELL US ABOUT HIS LIFE, GO-TO LIBATIONS, AND THE LOVE HE HAS FOR HOME.

The first fishing experience I remember was fishing for bluegills and red breasted tilapia in an irrigation dam near Stanger in KwaZulu-Natal. I was using a homemade bamboo fishing rod, float, split shot, and worm. My brother and I used to spend our summer holidays with our great aunt from Scotland who had access to several bass dams in the coffee plantations. Although I cannot remember it, I’ve been told my first fish was in a lagoon on the South Coast not far from Ramsgate.

I was born in Durban and grew up in Underberg where I spent most of my school years. Glenlivet on Speyside in Scotland is where I lived while I was at the University of Aberdeen. I lived in Hilton outside Pietermaritzburg during my guiding years with Tourette Fishing (now African Waters). While guiding on the Kola Peninsula I was based in Tribeca in Manhattan in my off time, and for the last five years I have lived near Comrie in Scotland, a small Perthshire village situated on the banks of a once famous, autumn-run salmon and sea trout river.

My first real job after leaving school was running a small hunting camp in Pilanesberg National Park up in the North West province. From there I moved on to the world-renowned Mala Mala Game Reserve, where I worked as a game ranger and camp manager for three years. I had a four-year interlude as a student in Aberdeen, followed by three seasons in Russia. I flew to the Kola Peninsula in northern Russia which was to become my seasonal base for the next three seasons, while spending my winters living in New York. After Russia, there was a brief pause from fishing while helping my family open a restaurant, coffee shop and deli in Cheshire. Then it was back to South Africa where I joined Keith Clover during the early days of Tourette Fishing, guiding in Tanzania, the Okavango, Lesotho, the Tugela at Zingela, the Pongola River, and Sterkfontein. The next several years were spent

working throughout a large chunk of sub-Saharan Africa as a photographer and filmmaker, until 2017 when I returned to Scotland to join The Gleneagles Hotel running their outdoor and country pursuits.

After a scenic 20-minute drive along a rural backcountry road, often stopping to watch large herds of red deer, my days are split between the office, meetings, working on our newly formed adventure division, and hosting media, journalists, and guests in the field.

Although I now live on the River Earn, a small Scottish sea trout and autumn-run salmon river, I spend most of my time exploring highland streams and hill lochs for native brown trout. In South Africa, growing up, my backyard home waters included the uMzimkhulu, uMzimkhuluwana and Polela rivers in Underberg and several high-altitude streams up in southern Lesotho, not far from where we lived. In the late 80s, while attending a primary school fly fishing clinic, I met the renowned author and photographer Wolf Avni. Somehow, I managed to crack an open invitation to fish Goschen Lake (KwaZuluNatal) at Giants Cup, a picture-perfect trout paradise that most kids our age only ever dreamed about. The condition was that I helped Wolf in the trout hatchery each morning. After lunch I was free to fish to my heart’s content. While success was acknowledged, Wolf instilled in me the value of blank days, keen observation, and always remaining curious.

Although I love to fish lighter, slower-actioned rods, my favourite all-round- go-to rod is a Sage XP 9’ 5-weight built in the late 90s which, in my opinion, is one of the best rods Sage ever produced. When conditions permit, I’m a big fan of old-school bamboo rods, which are pure joy to cast and fish. If money was no object, I’d commission someone to build me a full armoury of bamboo rods.

Photos. Patrick Tillard, Marcus Janssen and David Pienaar

The definition of home is an interesting one. I think home has little to do with your physical address and a lot more to do with a place and its people. I have been fortunate, having lived in many countries, each with its own culture and magic, but I find myself being drawn back to Africa, the people and our unique sense of humour. As a young person, you only truly learn the definition of home when you leave it. My understanding of the definition of home dawned on me after an eight-year stint away from South Africa. Not long off the plane, I was kindly invited by Keith Clover (who later became the best boss I ever had) on an exploratory fly fishing trip to a small Midlands stream, where we camped out for a few nights. I don’t remember much about the fishing, but the crack around the campfire that night will remain with me forever. The only way I can describe it, would be as a laughing ultramarathon. When the whisky had run dry and the raucous laughter had finally died down, a fiery-necked nightjar called out and right there and then I realised I was finally back home. So yes, Africa is certainly home for me.

The best advice I have ever been given is to always remain curious and never stop learning. Do what you love and you will find your flow. Finding flow is when you find something you are passionate about which has value. This is usually achieved when your mind or body is stretched beyond its comfort zone while striving to achieve something difficult but meaningful.

I am most proud of my wonderfully diverse group of friends (they all know who they are), which includes my lifelong fly fishing companion and younger brother Marcus.

I cannot think of any standout party trick, however, I do have a rather funny story that occurred at Kharlovka Lodge out in Russia, involving a group of Norwegian and Canadian fly fishermen who both liked a party. There were three fishing lodge rules: 1) Fish hard, 2) party hard, and 3) never be late for the chopper! New arrivals tended to overindulge on their first night, but this group of fly fishers redefined first-night bonding. At midnight, the 30-minute warning for lights out was given, which was met with a roar of disapproval. A half-hour extension was granted on the proviso that everyone was in bed by 1am. Night duty staff reported back to the manager that help

was needed in the lodge. Manager begrudgingly left his cabin to find 12 naked guests playing the burning toilet paper game whereby a two-foot section of toilet paper is lodged between the butt cheeks of two participants. A third person lights the toilet paper in the middle and a double shot of vodka is issued to the first person to flinch. We all had a good laugh, and everyone agreed to head straight to their cabins. The following morning, when no one turned up for breakfast, we sent staff to knock on everyone’s doors, only to be told no one could be found. After a search party was sent out, all 12 fly fishermen were found naked in the home pool, taking mock grip and grinstyle photographs with a mounted wooden carving of a 47lb salmon nicked from the fishing lodge mantelpiece. First night excitement taken to a new level!

Being a creative, free-spirited person, working and fitting into the corporate world has challenged me to dig deep. My greatest joy comes from inspiring and helping others to discover the joy of the natural world, which seems to come naturally to me.

My go-to drinks depend on where I am. Fishing the tropics – Mojito. Fishing cold climate – any single malt except the peaty ones from Islay. Bush parties in Africa –Rum & Coke. On Safari – a cold beer.

One place, never again: living in New York City. My New York adventure, living in a Manhattan high-rise, was one of the greatest adventures of my life. I urge everyone to live in a big city at least once, but I hope never to have to do it again.

One place I have to return to is South Island, New Zealand. One could spend an entire lifetime fishing out there and only scrape the surface.

I think there are a few instances when fishermen should be forgiven for lying. While I’m all for making fly fishing more accessible, sharing tips, and giving advice, I feel that disclosing sensitive fishing locations is certainly one example when it’s OK to tell a white lie, especially when your guide has specifically asked for the location to remain a secret.

The handiest survival skill I have is being able to sleep anywhere.

“I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME EXPLORING HIGHLAND STREAMS AND HILL LOCHS FOR NATIVE BROWN TROUT.”

“I THINK HOME HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH YOUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS AND A LOT MORE TO DO WITH A PLACE AND ITS PEOPLE.”

A skill I would like to master is fly tying. Although I would call myself a competent fly tyer, it is a skill I would like to refine and master one day. Particularly dry flies.

The most satisfying fish I ever caught was a 9lb 8oz New Zealand South Island brown caught in a very tricky situation. It was only landed by incredible teamwork between my brother Marcus, who spotted the take, and our salt-ofthe-earth fly fishing guide, Ian Cole, who expertly netted it as the hook straightened and the fish rolled about in the shallows. Marcus and I had talked about hunting big South Island browns together when we were little boys and so it was an incredibly emotional moment. You can see every bit of it in the photograph.

The biggest adventure I’ve ever been on happened when, after spending a few weeks fishing in Cuba, I had to get to a job in the southern part of the Central African Republic. My itinerary involved four days of flying, including a leg from Juventud, to Havana, to Paris, to Joburg, down to Pietermaritzburg to collect camera gear, back to Joburg and then onto Nairobi to meet the client’s aircraft, north to Bangui in the middle of a civil war. We had French Foreign Legion spaced out down the entire length of the airstrip.

After clearing customs, we took a smaller aircraft south towards the rainforest region, where we landed on a small makeshift bush strip. From the bush strip it took another four hours in Land Cruisers to reach camp. I then spent the following seven nights on a tiny makeshift platform high up in the forest canopy looking for a species of antelope called bongo. The only respite from clouds of mosquitoes was during the violent tropical storms which, ironically, was the only time we managed to sleep.

Fears remain unchanged if you don’t address them. Most of what we fear is in our minds and when you finally decide to deal with them, you realise that more often than not, the fear was based more on fiction than reality.

Before I die I would love to live self-sufficiently offgrid close to a small trout stream. I believe Western modern-day living, including eating ultra-processed foods, uncontrolled use of pesticides, and irresponsible use of social media is becoming detrimental to society. The happiest and healthiest people I have ever met have always lived simple lives.

What I get out of fly fishing has certainly changed over the years. Many years ago, I was invited to fish some of the very best waters in British Columbia where the fishing lived up to its hard-to-believe reputation and I had an amazing time but, since then, I have never booked a serious fishing trip alone. Nowadays it’s all about the company I share on the water and my favourite parts are the end-of-day stories around the dinner table or campfire.

If I could change one thing in fly fishing, it would be that we need to become more conservation minded and think about future generations. If everyone adopted [founder of Patagonia] Yvon Chouinard’s approach, the future of fly fishing would certainly look a lot brighter.

Something I have changed my mind about is that I used to think high modulus, fast-actioned rods were all the rage but, in hindsight, I realise that the joy of fly casting was lost. There is certainly a call for this type of technology for certain applications in fly fishing but certainly not in my preferred world of hunting trout on small lakes and streams.

A spirited brown trout on dry fly was the last fish I caught between this sentence and writing the paragraph above. I am currently sitting in a fishing hut on the River Spey. I meant to diligently work my way down the home pool with a 13-foot double-hander, but I simply couldn’t ignore all the head-and-tailing action all around me so I swapped the Spey rod for my 5-weight.

Check out Yuri’s interview with Patrick Tillard on the excellent podcast, My Kind of River (instagram.com/ mykindofriver).

S A V I N G S A N

CONSERVING SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST

D F I S H

MOST THREATENED MIGRATORY FRESHWATER FISH

Photo: Jeremy Shelton

Co-founder Fishwater Films

POP QUIZ

BUSHY AND BUOYANT OR WET AND DREDGED? DORAH THE EXPLORER OR COUCH SNORER? TAKE OUR RAPID-FIRE QUIZ TO SEE IF YOU ARE TRUMP LEGAL DEFENCE OR MENSA MENSE

1. Which South African estuarine fish is so nice they named it twice (page 26)

A. Couscous.

B. Doukdouk.

C. Gnoefgnoef.

D. Nkulunkulu.

2. If you were chowing “a steamy sheep’s pluck”, you would be... (page 42)

A. A popular chap on New Zealand’s South Island.

B. The human embodiment of a Woolly Bugger.

C. Doing your best Elmer Fudd impression at the Lady Grey MacNab.

D. The owner of a kilt.

3. According to Brent Flack-Davison, sheefish... (page 62)

A. Are known as “Tarpon of the North”.

B. Are members of the Elopidae family.

C. Taste kak.

D. Spend their lives in the salt but spawn in freshwater.

4. The owner of the fishing concession at Camp Yetu on the Rio Longa in Angola is (page 76)

A. Spyker.

B. Yster.

C. Naaimasjien.

D. Vleis.

5. When targeting jutjaw and cliffhanger bream, some of Jimmy Eagleton’s by-catch includes (page 88)

A. Fransmadam.

B. Jack Smith.

C. John Brown.

D. Deutschevrau.

E. John Dory.

6. According to Yuri Janssen, 12 Norwegian and Canadian anglers at Kharlovka Lodge in Russia were found naked in the home pool taking photos with... (page 112)

A. Vladimir Putin.

B. A large bear.

C. A carving of a 47lb salmon.

D. Their wives.

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

Cormac could never understand why he always seemed to be fishing alone at the Boston Festival.

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