MONDAY 31 DECEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER
In this the final Newsletter of 2012 I have collected a few of the highlights that featured in past year’s newsletters. These highlights were not chosen by any popular poll or reader’s vote or anything like that. They are no more or less than my own subjective choices. I hope you enjoy them.
QUOTES OF THE YEAR
I’m not against golf, since I cannot but suspect it keeps armies of the unworthy from discovering trout.
Paul O’Neil.
Fishing largely consists of not catching fish; failure is as much a part of the sport as knee injuries are of football.
Robert Hughes
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
Sir John Buchan.
FLY OF THE YEAR – Herman Botes’ Papa Roach
CLICK ON IMAGE S TO ENLARGE
 This celebrated pattern was covered in a posting on my site by Gijsbert Hoogendoorn and Warren Van Rensburg. I think the Papa Roach could well lay claim to being the single most important South African stillwater pattern of the last decade or more. http://www.tomsutcliffe.co.za/fly-tying/312-herman-botes-papa-roach
I must say that variations of the Spider, especially Pete Brigg’s Spider pattern, ran a close second as did a few of Agostino Roncallo’s amazing patterns.
MOST DELECTABLE GEAR OF THE YEAR
Hardy Bros’ Perfect Diamond Jubilee Reel
From Clem Booth in London, who had this to say:
‘As promised, some images of the Jubilee Perfect by Hardy. Only 250 of these reels have ever been made; this is No 80. In my case, it will not live in a drawer but on the river, hence the loaded fly line and furled leader!’
(Sorry to tell you all, but according to Hardy Bros they were completely sold out!!)
MOST CREATIVE PIECE OF FLY TACKLE
A fly box by Steve Boshoff. Undoubtedly the work of a master, this gem had to take the year’s first prize!
MY IMAGE OF THE YEAR
I took this picture on the Sterkspruit in October this year, fishing with Tony Kietzman and Brian Hammond. I like the composition and the tone of the image, but most of all I like the close association it brings to the fishing I enjoy so much in this part of the world.
Taken on a Canon 40D, f11 at 1/320th , ISO 400, 10-22mm lens
TWO BEST NON-FISHING OUTDOOR IMAGES OF THE YEAR
Gazing Afar – Ritchie Morris.(Ritchie is a Cape Town-based fly fisher and photographer.)
Duck in flight – Denver Bryan (Denver is an international professional who is highly rated.)
BONSAI TROUT OF THE YEAR
No horse in the race. It goes to Mario Geldenhuys and Steve Boshoff fishing on a stream up in the Eastern Cape Highlands, but they’re not saying where exactly for obvious reasons. Nor what size fly or tippet diameter was used.
TROUT OF THE YEAR
From Brent Flack-Davison:
’We just fished a tributary of Lake Ontario for steelhead and brown trout. We caught mainly browns between 6-16lbs, several steelhead and a few river rainbows that looked like rugby balls. We had to follow numerous fish downstream as we were only fishing with 8lb tippet. A very lucky day to remember!’ 
YELLOWFISH OF THE YEAR
…was this monster caught again by Mario Geldenhuys when we were fishing the lower Sterkspruit near Mosheshe’s Ford between Barkly East and Rhodes.
BEST NEWS OF THE YEAR - TIFFINDELL SOLD
The once popular Tiffindell Ski Resort, also well known to many fly fishers for its beautiful and productive trout lake, was sadly liquidated in 2009 after a lengthy court case and has since stood empty. Rhodes my favourite, dreamy mountain village took a serious knock when the Tiffindell ski resort closed. Tourism to the village fell off steeply.
The good news, especially for the folk in the village of Rhodes who benefited greatly from its winter traffic of hopeful skiers, is that the resort has been sold on auction and the new owner, Lew Campbell, hopes to have it up and running again by 2013.
LADY FLY FISHER OF THE YEAR
Sharland Urquhart will probably skin me for this (she hates any limelight), but she’s my lady fly fisher of the year by miles. She wins because of all that she quietly puts back into the sport and for all the help and assistance she equally quietly gives to so many anglers in a host of different ways. And because she is still one of the most enthusiastic fly fishers I know. For assisting her along this road her hubby Gavin would get the husband of the year award – if I had one! 
READ OF THE YEAR
The Trout Diaries by Derek Grzelewski is right up there with the best reads available in fly fishing. This South Island New Zealand based photo journalist has done a marvelous job of drawing you into the fishing life in this part of the world with text and illustrations. His website is also worth a visit http://www.derekgrzelewski.com/
To source a copy in South Africa try http://www.netbooks.co.za/
MOST INTERESTING FISHING REPORTS OF THE YEAR
The Nqweba Dam at Graaff-Reinet – From Pierre Swartz
‘The Nqweba dam at Graaff-Reinet has received lots of rain and is full to capacity again. The fishing has been truly magical with lots of carp and barbel being landed. I have recently been targeting big flathead mullet that were introduced into the system a few years back. These fish have grown tremendously large (up to 10kgs) and have settled well in the dam, breeding naturally and unhindered. The fishing in this area is truly spectacular with great views and scenery. The biggest one landed to date was 6kgs but I have hooked bigger fish. Once hooked they take off like a rocket and go straight into deep water, taking more than 100m backing in a few seconds. After the initial run starts a tug of war between angler and fish that can last for up to an hour. Truly magical fishing to say the least.’
Says Edward Truter who visited Pierre this year: 'Pierre, who is a natural when it comes to fishing, guides on the dam and knows every creek and cranny. Bank access is limited due the dam being in Camdeboo National Park, but Pierre can arrange a boat to take his anglers to wherever the fishing is at its best. The park also has a campsite and a new, fully kitted out tented camp that comes very highly recommended. Pierre can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 0787943821.'
Robin Douglas reporting on a trip to the Kern River California
‘…We eventually found a tiny little streamlet (you could just step across it) at 9200ft and it was absolutely chock a block with tiny but mature trout. I finally managed to catch a Kern River Golden Trout. The fly in his lip is a #22 parachute Adams so you can get an idea of the MASSIVE size of this fish. The fishing on this stream was really difficult as all you are able to do is poke the rod tip through the vegetation and fish with about 2 foot of tippet sticking out the end of your rod. This was lilliput water and lilliput trout at their best. I don’t know when I have enjoyed myself more.
I’ve been doing some ‘fishing’ on the net and the little fish I caught looks like the Little Kern Golden Trout as opposed to the California Golden of the South Fork of the Kern River. Really interesting stuff. ‘
The angler and Antelope in Somerset East
Said Alan Percy in his newsletter article on the trout and yellowfish angling in this beautiful part of the Karoo: 
‘All credit must go to Alan Hobson (owner of the Angler and Antelope) who has the energy of a nuclear power station. Alan tirelessly moves between fishermen, guiding, helping net fish, taking photos, offering assistance and always with a continuous supply of food and drink. A great ambassador and I believe, one of the leading authorities of fly fishing in South Africa.’
http://www.anglerandantelope.co.za
BEST GADGET FOR 2012
This fly threader, available from Frontier Fly Fishing, gets my vote.
CONDITIONS IN KWA-ZULU NATAL FROM JAN KORRUBEL
Last day of the year...another one done and dusted...and herewith the last report of the year!
The rains have eased off, and summer is (finally) in full swing with daytime temperatures soaring into the 30’s with high humidity like that usually found on the north coast. There has been a daily threat of thunderstorm activity with some majestic towers building in the sky, but nothing materialised. It has to break sometime...
In the mean time, the decrease in rain has brought the anglers out and the Stillwater reports note some good catches; double figure numbers in a few cases. Had a report that the Mooi River is clearing nicely in the area of The Bend, and as long as there is no major downpour, it should continue to clear even more. As viewed on my visit last week, the Bushman’s River is still has a good flow and is running nicely.
Midmar Dam is pushing over (see picture taken from the freeway while driving past) and there been some good yellows (Natal Scaly’s) taken higher up in the area of Balgowan. Can’t remember when Iast I had a scaly on the end of the line, so must get myself up and down there for a little look see.
Once again, a happy and prosperous New Year to you all.
Tom Sutcliffe
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