This winter in Gauteng has been unusual, with conditions feeling that the season started late and will end later by about a month. Cooler temperatures only settled in properly during mid-June particularly in the hilly and valley areas around the Cradle of Humankind and Pretoria East/Bronkhorstpruit. These regions remain the heart of Gauteng’s trout waters, hosting the majority of well-managed venues.
The late and prolonged summer rains created excellent conditions for aquatic life. A surge in insect populations has provided an abundant natural food supply for trout, influencing their feeding behavior and making fishing both rewarding and technical.
- Sundowner Lanseria Country Estate (Cradle area)
- SunOx Fishing (Pretoria East)
Water & Habitat Conditions
SunOx Fishing (Pretoria East)
- Maintains pristine water quality and extensive invertebrate and baitfish habitats.
- Trout stocking this season has been conducted five times, with fish adapting from stocky behavior to more natural, semi-wild feeding patterns.
- Anglers are consistently encountering trout feeding near the surface throughout the day, with the primary diet being tiny mayfly and midge emergers.
Lanseria Country Estate (Cradle)
- Dams have good water quality but low clarity, which carries certain advantages: trout cannot see the angler as easily, yet still pick up flies effectively.
- The two LCE dams are pond-style waters, making them non-intimidating, accessible, and ideal for quick fishing getaways or novice fly fishers.
- Habitat: limited weed and structure, meaning fewer invertebrates, but a large baitfish population supports healthy trout.
1. A slow-sinking intermediate line with a Black Woolly Bugger (orange bead), fished very slowly along the bottom and held on “the hang” close to the bank.
2. A static nymph setup under a bung, with a blue/chartreuse blob combined with a small black nymph (orange bead), presented deep.
Recommended Fishing Strategy
1. Early Morning (Sunrise to ~9am)
- Best with streamers on a slow intermediate line.
- Productive patterns: Black Woolly Buggers, Pappa Roach, Red-Eyed Damsel, Snake Fly.
- Retrieve: slow, steady, mimicking natural prey movement.
2. Mid-Morning to Midday
- Switch to static methods: nymphs, buzzers, or washing-line setups.
- Lines: floating or slow sinking intermediate.
- Patterns: #18–#22 naturals (slender mayfly nymphs, chironomids, buzzers).
- Trout are feeding steadily, requiring delicate presentation and patience.
3. Afternoon Golden Hour (4–5pm) mainly applicable to SunOx
- Dry fly and emerger action peaks during this window.
- Productive setups: Dry flies, emergers, hopper-droppers.
- Patterns: #20 Griffiths Gnat through to #8 Foam Hoppers.
- Fish are aggressive, but presentations must be precise with longer leaders.
Tackle & Leader Tips
- Longer leaders are essential for stealth and natural presentation.
- Avoid going too light on tippets: medium to large fish are regularly breaking rigs.
- A balanced approach with 5X–6X tippets works well, with step-ups recommended when fishing larger hoppers or streamers.
Final Notes
- August continues to deliver productive fishing across Gauteng, with mild but stable conditions, clear waters, and trout actively feeding throughout the day.
- SunOx Fishing rewards anglers willing to match the hatch with technical presentations, while Lanseria Country Estate offers accessible, confidence-building fishing with reliable streamer and static nymph tactics.
- Adaptability remains the key to success — those adjusting strategy as the day progresses are consistently seeing the best results.
- Anglers may find similar fishing conditions across other trout fly fishing venues in Gauteng.
Report prepared by Wayne Sinclair (Sundowner Flyfishing Adventures)
A good rainbow from SunOx
A casting clinic at the Lanseria Country Estate
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