Fishing - Trout

Dullstroom fishing report

Trout, both rainbows and browns, were introduced to South Africa around 150 years ago by colonial settlers. They are obviously restricted to the cooler, high altitude areas of the country including the mountains of the Western and Eastern Cape, the Natal Drakensburg and the Mpumalanga highlands. Fishing is in lakes and man made dams which are not subject to a closed season. Many rivers where fish breed naturally are closed in the winter months for spawning ( May - August ). Provincial licenses are needed as well as a day permit.

How to:
A 5-weight rod and a floating line is the most versatile outfit. Upstream dry fly and nymph fishing in the rivers and streams and then larger nymphs a attractor patterns in stillwaters, also fished on an intermediate or sinking lines.

Flies:
View a selection of flies for Trout. Click here.

Articles:
Trout fishing in the Dullsroom area, appeared in 'TheComplete Flyfishermen' in 2004:

Trout Fishing in Mpumalanga: I remember the days as youngster, driving through to the Kruger Park at the start of our school holidays; bristling with excitement we would break the journey and stretch our legs at the half way mark. We were already dressed for the lowveld and would get out of the car for sandwiches, coffee and mothers' reputable muffins, the icy cold wind and mist that inevitably hung in the air was always bracing and had a magical quality. Town names like Machadodorp, Belfast, and Dullstroom looked and felt as foreign as their pronunciation. The Pine trees along the roadside, the glistening lakes and gurgling streams where exactly what a youngster who had never been, imagined Scotland to look like. Who can say they were never intrigued as they drove out of Dullstroom, the Anglo dam on the left, looking ever so inviting, with its manicured edges and perfectly positioned casting jetties, exclusive trout fishing for the privileged and well connected. In those days flyfishing was very much the domain of the wealthy and the fortunate few. The few clubs and syndicates that existed had access to magnificent stillwaters and rivers such as the Lunsklip, the Crocodile and the Elands. What followed was the emergence of public fisheries, municipal dams that were controlled and fished by clubs creating slightly more affordable and accessible fishing. This exposed more and more people to the area, and the sport, yet still everything was in its infancy. Many can recall coming off the Dullstroom town dam in the seventies and heading for a pint at the old Excelsior hotel (now the Dullstroom Inn), " you wouldn't believe" it they would say, " there was nothing here, just Mr.Vaid and the Hotel, you could buy a stand for a less than three thousand Rand", how things have changed… From these humble beginnings trout fishing and the area has grown, some farm owners wizened up, creating syndicates and some even selling their land to developers. Country lodges became the vogue, well-stocked dams and weirs where one could fish in a dinner jacket and not get your shoes dirty. Six courses of pretty food, a good single malt surrounded by fine art and aging carpets. This was obviously not everyone's cup of tea, and provision had to be made for affordable but good quality fishing as the sport blossomed. The result now is small fishing towns, the nuclei of surrounding trout farms, day waters and municipal fishing, the quality of which varies tremendously. Each town has grown and expanded and the industry has supported more and more people to lesser degrees, some might argue there has been a little overkill, where one can finish the morning session, hop in the Discovery, and head for a skinny cappuccino in one if the dozen designer coffee shops before shopping for flies and advice in any of three different tackle shops all within a false cast from one another - but who said competition is not good. What is now available is a wonderful choice of venues and waters, to suit everyone's pocket and capabilities. The best thing is to contact the local specialist fly shops as well as the booking and information centers, they should be able to narrow things down perfectly for you, so if its river fishing you are after, with comfortable self catering accommodation and a land owner who will allow you to bring the wife's Maltese along, that shouldn't be a problem! Staying in these small towns is becoming more and more popular with anglers, they can enjoy the eateries and convenience of the shops while maintaining the flexibility of being able to fish various day waters in the surrounds as opposed to being tied down to the fishing on one particular farm should it not be satisfactory.

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The fishing:

Stillwaters:

Most of the dams in Mpumalanga were built on vleis and wetlands, few on streams and river systems. They are often fairly small ( 1 ha or so ) and not too deep ( 3 m ). What this does produce is fairly fertile aquatic systems and as long as water temperatures don't get up too much good growth, in fit and healthy fish. For obviously reason PFC's are not really necessary and a 9ft 5 wt with floating and intermediate lines is about all the hardware you will need. In the summer months damsels and dragons fished imitatively ( slow retrieves along the edge of weed beds ) will do well. If water temperatures get up one can go deep with a searching pattern like a small Cats whisker, black and peacock woolly bugger and the fail safe Walkers, Hamills and Mrs Simpsons. Late evening can provide excellent dry fly activity with imitative tricos if there has been a hatch of mayflies or an attractor like a red humpy or a small muddlers minnow, especially if there is a ripple on the water. During the windy months of August and September a lot of fun can be had keeping low and flicking hoppers off the wall to cruising fish, things can be quite manic if you are lucky enough to find yourself on farm burning fire breaks and camps - these fires create their own little weather patterns lifting terrestrials up and dumping them as the air cools over the water! Speaking of winter that's often when the trophy fish are taken, a stillwater with no inflow and no ability for fish to spawn results in mature hens and cock fish cruising the gravel beds in the shallows in frustration, often snapping at a well presented orange nymphs or egg patterns.

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The Rivers:

Mpumalanga Trout Rivers exist in two states. Sections of river, often found on old farms with well-established fishing have stone and concrete wall weirs built in-stream. This serves to increase depth and carrying capacity, but it also essentially creates a series of small still waters and can be fished accordingly. Otherwise always venture to where the main current cascades into the weir, these spots can be fished enjoyably with an upstream nymph, dry fly or combination of both. Other sections of river that have received little interference from man and still maintain there natural morphology of pool, glides and riffle systems. This dynamic nature, which is what a river is about, challenges the angler and test his skill to the utmost. Here a lot of enjoyment can be had by dropping down the rod weights as low as one dares. A two weight rod, a carefully constructed leader and a well ginked RAB will make time melt away as you walk upstream, prospecting the pools and pocket water, to be rewarded with a 10 inch, full spotted rainbow. After the rains these headwaters often flow strong and clear, and a team of weighted nymphs fished upstream on an indicator will do well. Remember to fish the heavier nymph first and then the unweighted, smaller pattern on the point, Ptns, Grhes, and zaks been the most productive. Bearing in mind a lot of these rivers such as the headwaters of the Elands Crocodile, Lunsklip, Strekspriut and the Spekoom are fairly small and can even be jumped across in some places, wading is not necessary and comfortable, dry access can be made from the bank.

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