South African Bass

we-flyfish · #1 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 09:17 AM

Hi,

I am off to SA next week and happened to notice that the lake next to the Hotel is a good bass spot apparently..does anybody has any idea on good patterns...I planning to take various bait and lure patterns...

Ed

sunkistbob · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 10:25 AM

Pop into any half decent fly fishing shop over there and they would be able to advise you on patterns.

Assume you do want to fly fish for them?

Frog patterns, fry patterns and leech style patterns should do well but make sure they are tied on fairly stout hooks (larger, off course)

Ron Clay may also be a good person to PM as he is an ex Saffa and, I am sure, is rather clued up bassing with flies.

May I aks whereabouts you are going in SA?

Ben

we-flyfish · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 10:58 AM

Ben

Mpumalanga area I ve forgotten the name of the hotel and lake as my other half is organising it it was something like tulula lake but i googled that and nothing came up.

I caught a few bass in SA before fishing the water features on the arabella golf course near hurmannus ( forgive spelling!) having seen a fish in the reeds while playing a round I thought I wonder what it is and so to get it to move I threw hald a wooden tee at it and it shot up and nailed it. So i thought i d go back at dusk....I was having a wail of a time till the security turned up with the normal story of your not allowed to fish!

Ed

sunkistbob · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 04:31 PM

Should be loads of fishing shops that you can visit and many should sell big lures you can use.

Or tie up some yourself - most things big and fluffy or long and sinuous should suffice. Bass are generally greedy buggers. Poppers can be great fun too but not generally in Winter.

Are you taking convential tackle too?

Love surface fishing for Bass; big busting splashes!

Have fun!

Ben

we-flyfish · #5 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 06:29 PM

Just a fly rod due to baggage weight issues...i might try to find room for my little spinning rod though if you think it would be worth it!

Thanks for the advie I ll take some poppers...

Ron Clay · #6 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 06:41 PM

After living in SA for 27 years and after catching many large mouth and small mouth bass there, I suggest you take a 9 foot 4 piece 9 weight fly rod together with a #9 bug taper floating line.

My favourite "flies" for LM bass were Dahlberg Divers and poppers of various kinds. Although the average size of bass you are likely to catch will be about 2 lbs, you need strong gear as bass haunt areas of heavy structure such as sunken trees and lily pads.

Smallmouth Bass take small fish imitating flies such as Lefty's Deceivers. Damsel nymphs and Dragon Fly nymph imitations work very well.

If you can obtain a copy, "African Fly Fishing Handbook" by Bill Steele will point you in the right direction. Some of the content was done by moi.

we-flyfish · #7 (**permalink**) 15-09-2009, 08:17 PM

Thanks for all the advice i shall cobble some gear together later tonight as i fly out tomoorow.

ed

we-flyfish · #8 (**permalink**) 30-09-2009, 06:13 AM

I just got back from the trip...the bass were interesting and not anywhere near as easy as some people suggested I caught only 6 in three days but managed about 30 trout as well and had so many follows from large bass it became annoying. Not as annoying as my guide driving my sage through a bush shattering on day 2

thanks again

ed

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