Good time for KZN yellowfish

 

Carp

 

With holiday season well under way and a good number of families around the local dams, things are heating up. As always, there are youngsters with lines in the water hoping for absolutely anything to bite. 

Be sure to head down to your local tackle shop to learn a bit about the species which we could expect to catch and discuss the various techniques used to catch them. 

Carp fishing is by far one of the most popular species to target by a few anglers who enjoy a relaxing form of fishing next to the dam. It is the type of fishing that the whole family can get involved in and have fun 24 hours a day. 

Carp feed all day and night but do prefer the low light hours where they become far more active and begin to swim around in the shallows to feed on a variety of foods ranging from worms to nuts and seeds. 

The usual bait and most popular bait throughout the dams in SA has been standard Maize or Mielies as we call them. A variety of flavours can be used but the more popular ones seem to be the Aniseed, Bunspice, FX and Almond. One single kernel on the hook is all you need, fished with a Carp Bomb crammed with feed. Kingfisher readymade Carp traces are readily available and work like a charm.  

Albert Falls is relatively low and has not seen much action, not nearly as much as Shongweni, Nagle and Midmar dam which have all been performing relatively well. 

 

Fly Fishing

 

Now is the time to target the Yellows and Scalies, either in the now fuller rivers like the Umkomaas and the Umgeni. 

For the rivers make sure you have a good selection of Tungsten bead head flies in your box, there should include, Z Wing Caddis, Green Rack Worm, Heavy Metal Caddis I also like the Hare and Copper files. 

The other fly will include the following; a must is the Hot Spot Nymph, Copper Johns and then your standard Cadis and GRHE in flashback, which are hard to come by for some reason and selection of unbeaded nymphs in various colours. 

For still waters like Sterkfontien Dam that many anglers are making this venue their holiday destination, the same flies but not really in the Tungsten, stick to unbeaded as you are fishing shallow water. At this venue you will have a have a selection of dries, such as, Foam Wing Hopers, Beatles, Parachute Hoppers and Elk Hair Caddis.

 

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