Text and images by George Brits
If you had to design the perfect stillwater, you would probably not go wrong if you modelled your answer on the Aquarium dam at Leliekloof. In summer it has a thick seam of weed beds that runs around most of the stillwater and harbours a prolific body of insect life, including dragonfly nymphs as long as your thumb. The trout glut on this abundance and are fat and healthy. In winter, when food becomes scarce, the strikes are often aggressive and the runs hard and intense.
(Click in images to enlarge them)
The stillwater is 7 metres deep at its deepest and is best fished from a float tube. The depth of the water, coupled with its relatively steep sides has many advantages. First, it keeps the weed beds in check. By April when the fishing season opens, the weed beds are down to a thin ribbon, and makes for pleasant exploration. The deep water also provides shelter for the fish on days when the Karoo sun is at its most unforgiving. Note that due to the high summer temperatures, the fishing season only runs from April to September.
Like any body of water, the Aquarium can have its bad days. But on good days, you will find fish almost everywhere, from the rock bank where you launch your float tube, to the kranzes directly opposite the launch site, and along both banks leading to the inlet.
The owners of Leliekloof, Dries & Minnie de Klerk, have been stocking two more stillwaters on adjoining farms over the last three years. These have not been fished yet, and will only be opened to the fishing fraternity once their efficacy has been established. Then there are plans afoot to re-stock the main dam on Leliekloof. It became infected a few years back when floods washed Carp into it from dams higher up in the catchment area. (The Aquarium dam draws its water from a different catchment.)
Finally, the owner of the farm is busy building a new residence on the shores of the stillwater. Building activity will cease for most of the winter. However, it is still advisable to enquire about the building activities beforehand, especially if you are travelling from afar. Once the new residence has been built, guests will have exclusive access to the original farmhouse.
Dries & Minnie de Klerk
Cell phone 087 550 0589
See map directions below:
