24 SEPTEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER Angling is extremely time-consuming.
That’s sort of the whole point.
Thomas McGuane
 Jeremy Duthie at Gateshead
THE NEWSLETTER
This Newsletter now has 531 subscribers and seems to grow by the week. You are welcome to submit fly fishing news from wherever you hunt fish with a fly rod.
PACKING TO LEAVE
My study is a mess. Fly tying materials scattered over my desk attest to hurried attempts to fill holes in fly boxes, especially to add a few much needed Parachute RABs.
Stacked rods keep company with reels, nets, boots, flippers, waders stacked on the floor ready for packing. I leave this Thursday for Barkly East and Rhodes, on the back of reports that suggest water levels and fishing will be good, particularly in the Sterkspruit River. I will be staying on Birkhall and will try in my absence to keep the website updated with snippets of news.
A BROWN TROUT FROM HEAVEN!
From Tim Rolston who last week took a fish of a lifetime from a Western Cape stream
‘I saw it, the languid rise of a massive trout, bigger than I have seen on these rivers and quite obviously a brown, even at this distance the spots easily recognisable. It looked huge.
I watched for a while, and now and then, the brown would put in a spate of rises, each time his tail wagging good-bye well above the water.
I was determined to keep cool and get into position. I delivered a little Olive. Not a murmur. Next a size twenty ant, usually a very good bet. This pattern has produced most of my bigger fish on Cape streams and I was hopeful that it would break the impasse. However, two drifts and the ant was ignored, not so much as an inspection. What to try next?
I tied on a #12 black and red parachute spider pattern sporting long wiggling Coq de Leon halo hackle and lots of life simulating movement. The fly landed without so much as creasing the surface and drifted down the slow current on the edge of the seam that held the trout. I mended the line upstream and the fly drifted perfectly over the fish’s lie. A tilt of his fins and he inhaled the fly. I had to steel myself not to strike too soon. It’s easy to time things wrong with these larger fish, particularly browns that seem to feed with a remarkable lack of haste.
With heart pounding and legs shaking I landed my prize, an absolutely gorgeous dark spotted brown trout of 21 inches, fat as a brewer’s apron and probably touching the scales at around four pounds, a massive fish for these waters, possibly the fish of a lifetime.
(Well done Tim! This magnificent brown would be a fine catch anywhere in the world. Tim is a highly respected guide in the Western Cape, a fly fishing author and a superb fly tyer. His website http://paracaddis.wordpress.com is a gem, filled with valuable information and well worth a visit.)
MAKE A BID FOR A LEAPING RAINBOW AND HELP SARAH FOX HOSPITAL
Here’s a watercolour painting I did of a rainbow trout leaping after a hatch of Olives. The painting is 45 X 38 cms on high quality cotton art paper. The best offer will secure it.
All the proceeds will go to the Sarah Fox Children’s Hospital, an NPO in Athlone in Cape Town (http://www.giftofthegivers.org/sarah-fox-hospital/page-5.html ).Working on a shoestring budget with patients under the age of 5 years, this little hospital provides an environment for the convalescence and reintegration of these children with their families and communities.
The main conditions treated are severe burns, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, kwashiorkor, accidents and post surgery recovery. More recently, children have been referred to Sarah Fox Hospital not for medical reasons, but simply because they have no other place to go.
I will confirm with the person who puts in the best bid as soon as I get back from my upcoming trip to Barkly East. That will be sometime in mid-October. The hospital’s banking details will be provided to you and packaging and postage are included within South Africa. It will be the buyer’s choice whether he or she wants their name published.
If you wish submit a bid, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #323630;">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
A NEW FLY TYING THREAD
I have just received sample spools of VEEVUS fly tying thread from Morne Bayman owner of African Fly Angler and I’m really impressed. The 10/0 and 14/0 feel just as strong as regular 6/0!
I also received what looks like the perfect dry fly hook, the Dohiku HDD301,
and a very versatile grey, almost dun-coloured, UV Ice Dub.
Mornay has an extraordinary range of interesting stock for the fly tyer. Visit his website at http://www.theafricanflyangler.co.za/ or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #323630;">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FROM DAVE WALKER IN RHODES
Yesterday Dave Walker of the WTA wrote,
‘Thought you might like to know about a very pleasant surprise that occurred yesterday afternoon.
A fellow called in at Walkerbouts Inn and, on account of having fished in the area several years ago without a day permit, paid the Association R300! Unfortunately, he couldn't identify the actual beats. ‘Conscience money’ apparently prompted by the Wall of Shame notice spreading rather rapidly in fly fishing circles! All-in-all, it’s a clear demonstration of the power of the media as well as the conversion from poacher to gentleman!’
PS
And yet another lad called in a moment ago and paid for fishing done years back sans permit! This sort of action goes a long way to restoring one’s faith in previously-errant members of the fly fishing community!’
(Note: This follows the widely publicised announcement by the Wild Trout Association that anglers poaching its waters will be named and shamed. See 16 September 2012 Newsletter. Tom Sutcliffe)
AN APOLOGY
In my 16 September 2012 Newsletter I included two pictures of yellowfish taken at Groenkloof farm on the Vaal River just outside the town of Warrenton. What I did not include was the name of the angler, in this case Gerrit Viljoen, holding a magnificent largemouth yellowfish.
Gerrit Viljoen with a Largemouth Yellowfish
It was my error and although this kind of thing can happen when you’re running a weekly newsletter drawing on many disparate sources, it’s still the kind of slip up that remains inexcusable.
I extend apologies to Gerrit and wish him a heap more trophies this season.
FROM STREAM X
Floatant carrier
At last there is something that will hold your floatant powder. Stream X has just got in some caddies for the new size Loon Top Ride; single for the Top Ride or a double caddie for your floatant as well.
Productive Trout Flies for the Unorthodox Prey: The Oddballs
by Jeff Morgan. Soft cover, 136 pages, published in 2012.
R329.00
This book explores the concept of ‘oddball’ trout prey - which includes most important North American trout foods, minus the conventional bugs like mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies. Anglers are familiar with most of the oddballs – grasshoppers, chironomids, damselflies, but have not seen any full-length angling or entomological evaluation until now.
Other oddballs include baitfish, dragonflies, crayfish, water boatmen, snails and terrestrials, all prey that have consistently proven important to fishermen. There is a general discussion for each fly, thoughts on imitations (including tying and fishing techniques, reading water), and things you want to keep in mind for successful fly patterns.
See http://www.streamxflyfishing.co.za/products.htm for the full range of Stream X products.
WESTERN CAPE STREAMS
Although high after the recent rains, the streams down here are fishing well, with reports of good catches from the Holsloot and Smalblaar rivers. I think the next two months are going to see one of the best seasons we have had.
Chris Bladen on a typical Cape fly stream
QUOTE I fish better with a lit cigar. Some people fish better with talent.
Nick Lyons Tom Sutcliffe 24 September 2012 | 
