Flyfishing report: Trout - Mpumalanga

DULLSTROOM.

John Hunter of the Village Angler reports that most venues in the district are pleased with conditions this winter. The dams are full, and trout for stocking have been readily available. The winter has been relatively mild so far, and, in addition to popular lure patterns, dry flies—or a dry fly with a small nymph below—have worked well in the afternoons. John is disappointed that only five teams have entered the Dullstroom Village Flyfishing Festival on 11–12 September. The event is an important fundraiser for local charities, and prime waters are opened especially for it. More information is available at https://www.fosaf.org.za/calendar.php.

Both Millstream and Walkersons have been fishing well with a 2,5kg rainbow taken on a Woolly Bugger at Millstream.

The DFFA will hold their AGM on Saturday 22 August followed by a Trout-A-Faire festival. Their Janson’s dam is regularly stocked, and the adjoining Skinny Stream (upper Crocodile) is producing regular catches.

John Thoabala at Mavungana says both their nearby Laverpa dams and the trophy dam at Birds of Prey were popular over the school holidays. Recently the lower Laverpa produced a 3,3kg fish at the inlet while a 4.3kg monster was recently netted at their trophy dam.

At the Transvaal Fly Fishers Middelpunt waters (www.tffc.co.za.) all 7 dams totalling 20 hectares are full and there were 2 stockings with catchable trout in June and one recently in July with more to follow in August.

SABIE.

 Johann van Vuuren, chairman of the Sabie Trout Club at sabietrout@gmail.com. states that they had a well-supported club event on the nearby Maggsleigh dam last weekend. These dams are now crystal clear, and a careful approach is required. As often happens with low temperatures statically fished flies including dries are producing. The river is also flowing well for wintertime and is very clear and regularly stocked. Visitors wishing to fish the river may get day tickets at Merry Pebbles and Uvuvi in Sabie, or Angling and Outdoors in Nelspruit.  Membership of the club is growing, and club membership renewals are due this month.

Dam 7 at TFFC’s Middelpunt waters.

A Maggsleigh Dam - early morning mist.

Rainbow caught during the Maggsleigh event..