Sterkies never fails to educate and entertain. Every summer we make multiple pilgrimages when we know that the water temperature is optimum….which was the first lesson learned on this incredible body of water.
It unequivocally the finest dry fly venue for small mouth yellow fish in South Africa…..if not the world. The small mouth yellow contrary to popular fly fishers belief is not just attuned to caddis or mayfly nymphs and the array of dries that they readily feed on, but in fact will eat practically any fly in certain waters. Over the years from the Lesotho Highland to the great orange river, i have witnessed yellows take an ugly wooly bigger or any minnow / streamer pattern that you happen to put in their path….sinking or floating line matters not.
But at Sterkies it is all about their focus on the surface. Yes they will obviously take a number of small nymphs, but I will venture to say that you will catch as many if not more on dry and even those that happen to take the nymph often do so on the drop….having seen it gently presented and falling through the water column.
This venue has become incredibly popular, which as we post more pics and produce entertaining clips on the catches compounds the future rod pressure….but amazingly it handles it and the fishing never fails to impress.
With the Yamaha Yellowfish Invitational that we recently held, 24 great mates once again enjoyed the this unbelievable fishery, with a total 218 Yellows, the odd Bass and Barbell being recorded.
The key is too ignore the churning mass of tails and look beyond the frantic fornicating to the yellows that are inconspicuously patrolling the drop off, searching for a windswept meal. And with the number of fish on offer, it really is only a matter of time. That said, you will see 100 times more fish than you will catch, so knowing where to target feeding fish is half the battle. For this you need to walk or cruise on a boat and spend time observing the water, movement around structure, scum lines and any likely looking habitatIn terms of patterns, stick to dries, it’s productive and so much more exciting….watching the yellow saunter up and gently sip it in, right in front your eyes.
Generally, you can’t go wrong with an Elk Hair Caddis, (size 14-16)….infect a number of dries in a 16 – 18 will give you great results. Hoppers and Beetles are also a necessity in your fly box and as the Good Doctor taught me….’Moenie vir n groot beetle skrik nie!’
It all about finesse, so make sure that your 5wt rod (I prefer a Xplorer Guide Series for its gentle presentation) and floating line….RIO Gold, has at least 12 feet of fluorocarbon and that your leader is degreased. Have your leader ‘invisible’ to these sharp eyed predators is essential.
The trick, aside from have a precisely configured rig is not to fish these waters aggressively. You need to throw your fly in front, not on a feeding fish and if anything, only give it the slightest twitch. Most times it is a matter of leaving the fish to find your fly, so resist that temptation to retrieve, just keep in control of your line and wait for the magic to happen. When it does, don’t strike, just let the fish set your hook as it races away…gently lift your rod and enjoy.
As such, he is included not as a Guide in terms of the someone who can give you any indispensable tuition or direction, but to provide us with some fishing tales from the events that WildFly hosts and of course from the locations that the the WildFly team happen to be filming.
The real account from a social fisherman's perspective...
- The Trout Report - November 15, 2022
- It’s not a Competition - August 10, 2022
- Fixated Fish – TCC Leg 3 - July 14, 2022