I did get out in September, my first day fishing the Vaal since the river levels got too high in 2009, it wasn't great. I suppose to some extent I was to blame being in a bit of a masochistic dry fly mood. I focused on searching for fish moving on the surface, paddled almost 1km upstream. On some days this works – one will eventually find consistent feeders but on the particular day I blanked. Even in the late afternoon session fish were picky. I tried nymphing the rapids but hooking up with the algae got the better of me.
One bonus for the day was getting close to this juvenile Black Winged Stilt.
The Actual Vaal Report by Herman Botes
The caddis took their good time to do their thing, but boy , when they started the main hatches… it was worth the wait. Strangely this year the daily hatches hit their peaks quite late at dusk. Normally in spring the caddis species are full force anytime after 3 pm in early spring.
Needless to say, dusk is the magic hour, when you would swear you’re in fishing heaven with caddis popping off like popcorn and the yellows rising mad. The low light and drifting buffet results in the fishing pushing right up into the thin water at the pool heads and current breaks(ridges) as well as sitting right back in the tail-outs.
For success only 2 things are required … ultra stealth (don’t move around too much) and a HERMAN-HAMER. This Klinkhamer variant is so effective that if your targeted fish does not eat it , it means you cocked up on your presentation. Sometimes ,out of nowhere a fish would it eat drag-and- all. The pattern is published in Favorite Flies Vol. 4 - named klinkhamer variant. Don’t leave home without it.
On the nymphing front : - the green hydroshycidae larva # 10 are prolific as well as the smaller cream specie #14. The small cream specie is responsible for the current mass hatching. I was lucky last week to capture an actual pupa – at night with my headlamp & seine net. Description ; # 16 / abdomen – bright yellow ! / wing buds – black / thorax & head – ginger brown / antennae & legs – body length and tan. Now I understood why my Plaza Pupa is always a hit.
Cheers
Carl and Keith.
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