Very good fishing at Inanda Dam
Carp - Another week of excellent fishing has gone by with most waters producing some seriously good fish. We have also heard some excellent news with regards to the water level of some dams, which seems to be rising steadily. Inanda Dam has risen a decent amount, which has been good for some anglers and frustrating for others. With the level of the water rising, most fish including bass, tilapia, barbel and carp will move into the shallows and feed on any forage they can find along the previously exposed shoreline. This can include a variety of items such as insects, worms, seeds, animal droppings and even grass and shrubs. This could benefit anglers who know how to adapt to new conditions, but for anglers who struggle to change strategy things may be a bit tough. Inanda definitely fished well over the last week, but Midmar and Albert Falls struggled to perform as well. The anglers with the most local knowledge of the contours and drop offs capitalised on the new water level and managed to land some beautiful fish in the evenings. From Dusi Point and above, the high density of algae build up has made fishing relatively difficult for some, and the only option has been to fish further down towards the camp sites and lower. In the cleaner water anglers have been more successful using Mustad Carp hooks which are coloured to camouflage against the bottom for a better presented bait. It is also advisable to purchase a spool of low vis braid as hook links/hair rigs. Sunline Super PE has excellent knot strength and abrasion resistance, with the perfect camo colouring to match.
Bass - It seems that bass fishing has gone the same way that carp angling has gone over the last week, with Inanda coming out on top again. With more water to fish, and newly covered foliage, frogging has been the number one go-to presentation. For anglers looking at fishing open water around the algae beds and trees, Strike Pro Thai Sticks have been extremely effective. For the fish feeding more aggressively in the afternoon, Horny Toads have been a good option. In the algae, it is 100% necessary to downsize on your nylon or braid to ensure penetration. Most lures do not punch through this algae and the ones that do, do not sink because of the drag on the line through the algae. Light penetration is also lower in these conditions, so colour selection makes a huge difference. Whites, blacks, junebug or electric blue are always winners. At Albert Falls things have been slightly different, having had slower fishing and smaller fish. Most boats have managed some decent fish, although fishing is tough and the big fish take a lot of perseverance. The river mouth has again produced more fish than most areas.
(File Photo: Wikipedia)
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