There are only so many flies you can tie during this time. So, to get ready for when we are once again allowed out onto the water, here is a quick rundown of some basic maintenance you can do on your gear to make sure it’s in top shape: Fly line loops and braided loops […]
A good pair of sunglasses is one of your most important pieces of gear, but with so many options out there, it can be a little difficult to know what to choose. Here are some insights (see what we did there) to help you make the informed choice: It’s great having a world class guide […]
Tidying his office and fishing room during the downtime, founder Jonathan Boulton came across a dusty old hard drive. On it he came across this clip he and his brother featured in many years back on Pongola. “Like the dusty hard drive, the drought took Pongola off our radars for three years and now we’re […]
This a quick and simple pattern to tie and one of my favourite patterns for Tigers, especially at Pongola where there is a large population of Tilapia. MATERIALS Hook: Gama B10s #2-1/0 or Gama SL12S short #2/0-4/0 Thread: Red or orange 140D Danville’s Weight: Lead wire 0.02 Tail: Fishient SF fibre, bucktail to prevent wrapping […]
Jack Lotter swears by the Dingane when targetting GTs in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Just before lockdown, Gareth Reid sat down with Jack at our Johannesburg store to chat through the pattern and get a better understanding of Jack’s tying process as well as the factors (density, shape and hook-keeling, among others) which he believes makes this […]
There are two very important aspects to a quality grip-n-grin ‘hero’ shot. The ability to take a great picture is one of them. Being on the opposite side of the lens as the subject is the other. Before you think this is some cheesy ‘how to’ guide on the best way to capture your good […]
As anglers we often debate our favourite species, but for me its more than just the fish, its the where and the how, the environment in which you pursue them and the technique used to fool them. One of my favourites is Tigerfish, more so the home-grown version, right here on Pongola dam with Rhino […]
It takes the proverbial ‘village’ as they say, here is a look at the people who make Mavungana such a slick operation. Jonathan Boulton Jonathan Boulton AKA The Boss. Jonathan started the business way back when Brad Pitt was still soaking wet after being dragged down the Blackfoot River in Missoula. A Zoologist by qualification […]
“Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like” – David Alan Harvey Much like telling a story, ‘evoking an emotion’ is the holy grail of photography. In order to achieve this you need to strike a balance between technical ability and creative license. To get the most out of your gear (so […]
If you had to by one fly line and one fly line only, let it be a floating line One of the most common questions we get asked is, ‘what line should I get?’ The answer, of course, will depend on various factors, and the ideal is to have a variety of lines to cover […]
Originally created by Drew Chicone for Tarpon and Snoek, this fly has wound its way through many different fisheries with great success. So it’s no surprise that we were keen to put it to the test on our very rare and often hard-to-temp Largemouth Yellowfish (a relative of the Masheer) on the remote Orange River. […]
Flyfishing takes us to some incredible places. Whether it be a local river not far from home or the remote depths of the Amazon Jungle, we’re always surrounded by amazing elements of natural beauty. This and the fact that catch-and-release is standard practice these days, only further motivates the need to have a decent understanding […]
Winter is the best time of the year for trout fishing. You’ll hear that often, but in truth many experienced fly-fishers much prefer the pre- and post-seasons to the dark months. Autumn really is a great time of the year to target aggressive, trophy stillwater trout… Read on to found out why (and how to […]
“As a flyfishing guide, I often used to sit at my fly tying desk before a trip and before I know it, I’m battling to find materials, scissors, beads and the like,” says guide Rowan Black. According to Rowan, he used to sit down at the vise and start with one pattern only to find […]
We did a quick trawl of the archives to show that Pongola is not just about the sheer number of fish you can expect to catch (and the potential of epic surface action), but quality of fish too. Here are a few of the good ones from over the years… Some tips and tricks […]
This super quick and easy tie has accounted for some spectacular fish on Jurassic Lake and on our home stillwaters. MATERIALS Hook – Grip 14731 caddis Thread – 70D Danville’s red or orange. Body – Tan scud dub or natural dubbin sand, Brown back strap or Kiley’s nymph skin. Tail – Saddle hackle Rib – […]
This fly is one of Rowan Black’s favourite quick-ties. “I don’t like spending hours on the vice tying perfect flies,” he says. “I generally tie a week or so before an upcoming trip and like to tie quick and easy patterns…” This fly has proven highly effective for Rowan at Sterkfontein Dam so far this […]
There’s no such thing as a perfect fly, but not all flies are created equal. This baby peacock (as tied by Nathan Pahl) ticks plenty of boxes and you cannot head to the Amazon without a few in your box. MATERIALS • Grip 21711 / NSL #4/0 • Veevus Monp Thread • Grip Stick On […]
Lake Strobel or ‘Jurassic Lake’ as it is colloquially known, is unquestionably one of the top rainbow trout fishing destinations in the world. During the summer months scores of fly fishers make the arduous journey down to the south of Patagonia to target gigantic trout in this harsh lunar landscape, and few are disappointed. What […]
This suggestive baitfish pattern (as tied by Rowan Black below) has a great action thanks to the Zonker strip and has proved very successful for us in the calmer waters of Pongola Dam. Tie it in a variety of colours and you’re good to go. Hook: Gama B10S #2 Thread: 140D Danville’s Tail: Zonker strip […]