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...

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.