Flyfishing report: Trout - Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands

Here in Hilton, we received our very first frost of the season only about 10 days back, which is very late. Old timers tell us that we have had frost here as early as the 15^th of April, but in recent years we have gone through winter with fewer than 10 frost days, whereas 30 years ago it was anything from 20- to 40 days a year. Where I live sits at 1 111 m Above Sea Level and the 'Trout Zone starts at 1200m ASL....make that 1300m. So don't worry....there's way more frost between the 1300m and 1800m contour, but the advance of deserts is best tracked at their edges.

Speaking of Deserts.....and who knows if this is related to the weather, but gee my fishing, and that of my mates, has been slow. Sure, I got a good fish up at dam no 8 a week or two back, and my friend Jack got 3 "half metre" Trout in 3 hrs at Lungana, but aside from that it hasn't been great. Lots of stockies sometimes, sometimes only one or two stockies, but not a lot to get out of bed for.

It sounds like the various winter competitions which are held in these parts haven't done a whole lot better, and they have the advantage that many of those waters are largely closed to fishermen the rest of the year, and when the "cattle gates open", it has known to be like the clubbing of seals. On day one at least, and then sophisticated scoring methods have to account for the fact that by the last "sesh" the fish are all in hiding.  I think the mark of a good fishery/fisherman/season is when fish are being produced consistently over time, and it is on that basis, and notwithstanding some "wow factor" on day one of a competition here and there, that I am declaring it a rather slow winter season so far.

Highmoor is closed now until September, but a few forays up there revealed heavily trampled paths along the north-east shoreline, where anglers have learned that you can sight fish to some rather large cruising fish. Maybe I was late to the show, but I saw a lot fewer fish cruising the margins than in prior years. 

But rather than get down in the mouth about the fishing seemingly being a bit slow, I am staying true to that great big experiment called fly fishing, and tests will continue until findings are conclusive. (Which is NEVER, in case you were wondering). So I have another swat planned for a few days’ time, and I am mentally preparing for a low and slow approach to the water's edge, a start with small midges on a floating line and a 4X tippet, and progression to something more 'agro', only when that fails. On the "agro" front, I have been trying an adaptation of the late Barry Kent's fly the "MF". This thing is next level, and if it can't scare a Trout to death, then I just don't know.  For those who are interested, keep a look out on Truttablog, where I plan to show the pattern (and perhaps some results) in coming weeks. 

Tight lines

AndrewX

Early morning on a Midlands stillwater.