FOSAF FLYFISHING REPORTS - Trout - North Eastern Cape Highlands

Rhodes.

According to Dave Walker the rivers are very low and crystal clear and the fish very wary. Yellowfish have moved up for the spawning season and although difficult to approach in the low water are providing good sport in the lower sections. Bookings are now open for the Wild Trout Festival which starts on 16 March and bookings have opened. For festival bookings and accomodation contact Margie Murray (045-9719003) who handles the tourism office in Rhodes.

Maclear & Ugie

Colin Moolman of the club reports that the rivers are extremely low with the Little Pot hardly moving although it holds some good-sized fish. On November 1^st after the fire season the forestry waters will be opened, and permits can be obtained for both their rivers and dams. The club itself has some well stocked dams outside the forestry areas which are currently producing rainbows up to 59cm. Another stocking of 13 000 fingerlings in all the dams is scheduled for November.

The annual Rapture of the River Festival was cancelled for 2018 but the club committee is so confident that that next year will be a bumper year for the rivers that the Rapture of the River festival has been scheduled for 10 to 11 May 2019.

Lady Grey

Denise Ross tells us the Karringmelkspruit is low but fishable and the fish this season are fewer in number but larger which is a promising change. Last summer’s flood made major changes to the river with some new pools opening up. It also inundated the new river-side chalet but fortunately it was insured and therefore quickly repaired.

Malcolm Meintjes and a fellow flyfisher inspect a Karringmelk pool