Experienced Largemouth flyfishers should take advantage of the 'washed out Vaal' as it is now during this winter. The solids are slowly settling and fishing should improve well in the next month. If water clarity can improve to 500 mm it should be a bumper season with virtually no vegetation to foul your flies. Still, the natural filters which capture the suspended sediment are not there anymore so it remains a waiting game.

The mining sector along the lower sections, especially the Delportshoop region, has been dealt some blows by the recent floods. Some equipment ended up under water and some washed away altogether. These mines are often borderline lawbreakers with some mining in the floodline. Some operations are huge leaving behind moonscapes which the floods have excavated even further. It is very sad when this matter is taken up with the authorities and the answer is 'job creation', all at the cost of the riparian sections.

There have been no reports of sewage spills although Warrenton still remains a suspect setup. Barkley West may have experienced some damage as the station is on the floodline. It will be visited in a few days.

The summer Smallmouth season still promises to be one of the best in years.

Etienne Benade