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South African Culture: Fly Fishing

To Lure a Catch: A Beginner's Guide to Fly Fishing

Jenny Blair Hunter

Rising to the challenge of catching fish has fascinated men for centuries. It started in Greece in 180 AD, when a young Greek caught a spotted fish in Macedonia with an artificial fly.

Fishing appeals to all ages and depending on the type, there is a vast choice of places to go - from streams, lakes, lagoons and oceans.

Today fly fishing is one of the fastest growing pastimes in South Africa, Japan, USA and Europe. "Fly fishing is very popular in South Africa, and amateur anglers enjoy the challenge of hooking and landing a fish. Most fly fisherman lead the way in conservation and 90% of the fish they catch are released," says experienced fly fisherman David Hudson.

For too long fly fishing has been regarded as an elitist sport in which the fishermen wore tweeds and the women wore pearls, but those days in South Africa are over and the sport is open to anyone.

Its advisable to buy the best equipment you can afford. For about R1,000 you can equip yourself with the required gear: rod, reel, line, leaders, flies, flyholder and the net. The rod and reel are two of the most basic pieces of equipment, and are both available in a large range of sizes. A 3-4 weight rod is recommended for beginners as this will allow one to fish in both dams and rivers.

It is wise to get advice on equipment from reputable fishing retailers, and discuss with them the best fly for the area you are going fishing.

You can fish dry or wet - the preference for either is determined by conditions and personal choice. You use different lines for dry (floating) and wet (sinking) fishing, instead of investing in two different reels you can buy two spools which you can interchange. When fishing in fast flowing streams or deep dams, it is advisable to use pinch-on sinkers to get the fly down to the required depth.

Is it better to fish up or down a river, is a question many a novice fisherman asks. When fishing dry, it is easy to follow your fly as it floats down the river, but this is not the case when using wet flies.

Fish normally congregate where fast water enters a pool. The beginner must allow his fly to enter from above, by releasing the line letting the current take the fly into the pool then by waiting (count to 15), and retrieving, resulting in good results.

Once a new fisherman has some experience, read some fishing books and exchanged ideas with experienced fishermen, he learns that there are more than one way to fish. Its often a good idea to have a few drinks in the local pub, to find out what the locals use and how they use it.

Hudson has a very practical approach to clothing: "It is not necessary to buy the latest imported fishing gear. Rather wear any casual outdoor clothing like long trousers, long sleeve shirt, and a wide brimmed hat. Add a pair of gumboots and a fly vest, Polaroid sunglasses and a good sunscreen. It is always advisable to wear clothing in colours that blend in with the environment."

FISHING TIPS

• Have some casting lessons before you go fishing. Practice makes perfect and leads to successful fishing
• A good fishing retailer will have names of people who can give you lessons
• The activity and hunger of the fish depends on the water temperature
• Fish with an experienced fisherman rather than on your own
• Your equipment should always include a net
• Before you start fishing, work out the best place to land the fish
• The best time to fish in the winter is during the day
• The morning or evening is more suitable for the warmer months
• Don't retrieve your line too soon after casting. Count to 20 before retrieving
• Don't net a large fish before it rolls over in exhaustion.

Where & When to Fish

The mountain streams of Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal Midlands are all known for their trout fishing - both brown and rainbow trout but rarely together. Drakensberg has good highland streams. Licences can be purchased cheaply from park offices. The South African trout season runs through September to the end of May. The optimum fly-fishing period is September and October, and again in April and May.

Federation of South African Fly Fishers

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