Lake Naverone
- Thread starter Pershond
- Start date
Hey Pershond,
Lucky man, Naverone is one of my favourite places, and luckily for me, my god parents own it!
I've been going there since I was about 4 years old ( long before my god parents bought it ) and its where I learnt to flyfish way back then, and I've spent many many hours on its waters chasing trout.
The lake itself isn't huge, its 23 Hectares, so close of 50 acres, but there is a fair amount of bank access around 2/3 to 3/4 of the lake, as well as a good number of well situated jetties to fish off.
A Kickboat or Float tube would be best though, and they have boats you can use too.
Best areas for fishing can vary, but I've always had a great fondness for the shallows up on the opposite end of the dam from the wall... Depending on the season and such, there are great weedbanks which you can fish the margins of, and the little inlet is home to a few serious fish...
You've gotta be pretty sneaky up in this area, but fishing damsels and nymph patterns along the edges of the weedbanks on long leaders with strike indicators and patience can really pay off...
Like most Natal Lakes/Dam, the good old Mrs Simpson will produce for you if the fishing is slow, but teh guys how put the time in with imitative patterns really get best results.
Along the wall there is alot of deep water, and I've had incredible fishing late afternoon early evening off the wall fishing black beadhead nymphs and wooly worm variants fishing from the deep up into the shallow off the bank. Be wary of the late strikes as I've lost a large number of fisg and flies to trout hitting the fly as you're about to lift it out for the next cast...
I haven't fished much on the new lakes and ponds on the property, but they should be fishing well by now.
Another thing to look out for or the Grass Carp in the main lake... they are HUGE!!! And if you spook them in the shallows they charge out like a herd of Hippos and it feels like they are going to flip your kickbaot... they are upwards of 20 kilos most of them.... you can often spot them cruising on the surface in shoals up to 20 fish.... A few have recently been taken on fly, but no set pattern on them yet.... I just wanted to tell you about them so as you don't spend hours and hours casting to what you think is a world record size trout...
If you've got a floating and intermediate set up, 3 to 6 weight set ups, those will serve you best...
Keep your eyes open when walking round the lake, as you'll often see cruising fish in the shallows along weed banks, and with careful presentations, you can pick these buggers off nicely.
The fish should be on the feed nicely in September, and fighting hard in the cold water, so best of luck.
If you want some info on whats working when you are there, chat to the manager, or ask to speak to the owner, my god father, he fishes plenty, and usually has an idea of whats going on..
Hope this helps, enjoy the trip, its a beautiful place.
Nepps
Lucky man, Naverone is one of my favourite places, and luckily for me, my god parents own it!
I've been going there since I was about 4 years old ( long before my god parents bought it ) and its where I learnt to flyfish way back then, and I've spent many many hours on its waters chasing trout. The lake itself isn't huge, its 23 Hectares, so close of 50 acres, but there is a fair amount of bank access around 2/3 to 3/4 of the lake, as well as a good number of well situated jetties to fish off.
A Kickboat or Float tube would be best though, and they have boats you can use too.
Best areas for fishing can vary, but I've always had a great fondness for the shallows up on the opposite end of the dam from the wall... Depending on the season and such, there are great weedbanks which you can fish the margins of, and the little inlet is home to a few serious fish...
You've gotta be pretty sneaky up in this area, but fishing damsels and nymph patterns along the edges of the weedbanks on long leaders with strike indicators and patience can really pay off...
Like most Natal Lakes/Dam, the good old Mrs Simpson will produce for you if the fishing is slow, but teh guys how put the time in with imitative patterns really get best results.
Along the wall there is alot of deep water, and I've had incredible fishing late afternoon early evening off the wall fishing black beadhead nymphs and wooly worm variants fishing from the deep up into the shallow off the bank. Be wary of the late strikes as I've lost a large number of fisg and flies to trout hitting the fly as you're about to lift it out for the next cast...
I haven't fished much on the new lakes and ponds on the property, but they should be fishing well by now.
Another thing to look out for or the Grass Carp in the main lake... they are HUGE!!! And if you spook them in the shallows they charge out like a herd of Hippos and it feels like they are going to flip your kickbaot... they are upwards of 20 kilos most of them.... you can often spot them cruising on the surface in shoals up to 20 fish.... A few have recently been taken on fly, but no set pattern on them yet.... I just wanted to tell you about them so as you don't spend hours and hours casting to what you think is a world record size trout...
If you've got a floating and intermediate set up, 3 to 6 weight set ups, those will serve you best...
Keep your eyes open when walking round the lake, as you'll often see cruising fish in the shallows along weed banks, and with careful presentations, you can pick these buggers off nicely.
The fish should be on the feed nicely in September, and fighting hard in the cold water, so best of luck.
If you want some info on whats working when you are there, chat to the manager, or ask to speak to the owner, my god father, he fishes plenty, and usually has an idea of whats going on..
Hope this helps, enjoy the trip, its a beautiful place.
Nepps
No worries Pershond, hope its a succesful trip for you,.... do you know what Cottage you're staying in yet?
Also don't forget that Naverone has 7km of Umzimkulu tributary on it as well. Its a lovely strecth of water, which may be a little skinny after winter, but defintely worth fishing.
Tim - Anytime mate, I've been away from there for too long, would love to fish there again soon.
Also don't forget that Naverone has 7km of Umzimkulu tributary on it as well. Its a lovely strecth of water, which may be a little skinny after winter, but defintely worth fishing.
Tim - Anytime mate, I've been away from there for too long, would love to fish there again soon.
tyson horsfield
New member
a prefered fly is red eyed damsel near weed beds (olive colour) fished on sinking or intermidiate line prefereable sinking tho the weeds become a pain ,its worth it ,other than that i cud suggest sinking or intermidiate on the dam wall,watch out 4 snags n gud luck
remember during the mid day fish deep ,mornings n evenings watch the rises.. thats it from me gud luck
remember during the mid day fish deep ,mornings n evenings watch the rises.. thats it from me gud luck
tyson horsfield
New member
tyson horsfield
New member
lake navarone is stunnin place ,but dnt 4get insect repelant u mite need it n ps dnt b fooled bi the grass carp
tyson horsfield
New member
there ar a huge variety of things to do ,hiking to horse riding to .... u name it theyv got it
tyson horsfield
New member
there ar a huge variety of things to do ,hiking to horse riding to .... u name it theyv got it
Good place to fish, been going there since 1970, stayed in Barkers cottage, probably fallen down since. Depending on conditions, best places to fish are off the right bank from the office, use a 5 to 6 weight, (some big trout there) and at least 3x tippet. Good flies are wooly buggers with a bit of flash in the tail, and a green or brown red eye (Hugh Huntley Damsel Nymph - although that could be argued about as Laurie Potgieter tied a exact pattern fly in the late eighties.) If there is a bit of a breeze, start about 15 m offshore near the office, use an intermediate line, and drift down about 100 m along the shore, then go and do it again. Start by fishing deep, then work up to the surface. I have always found Navarone to work better in late afternoon than morning, so I fish the river early. You can also target the Grass carp, however if you pick up one of those, hold on for dear life. I have caught a few on green red eyes, not at Navarone, but at one of Mondi's dams just outside Underberg. Biggest one was 8.5 kg, witnessed by the late Bob Crass.
Enjoy
Enjoy
Nice to see you here Old Man
My brother and I are going here in two weeks for a week.
Can anyone tell me what flies and patterns I should be using this time of the year as I dont know a hell of alot about fly fishing.
Also from what I have read I should use predominantly green coloured flies for the grassies, does anyone have a secret recipe they would be willing to share? I would love to land a 20kg+ grassy on fly.
My brother and I are going here in two weeks for a week.
Can anyone tell me what flies and patterns I should be using this time of the year as I dont know a hell of alot about fly fishing.
Also from what I have read I should use predominantly green coloured flies for the grassies, does anyone have a secret recipe they would be willing to share? I would love to land a 20kg+ grassy on fly.
Just, follow Jay into the far right hand corner, where the stream comes in. There is a lot of weed, should be a bit stunted in winter, fish near the pine trees on the left. Use a green damsel red eye, with a long tail. Sight cast about a foot in front of the grass carp, which you will see cruising on the surface there, and then hang on.
My biggest one took me an hour and 10 minutes to land, then I could not get it in the net....more was left sticking out the net, than was in it....hahaha
Good luck
My biggest one took me an hour and 10 minutes to land, then I could not get it in the net....more was left sticking out the net, than was in it....hahaha
Good luck
tyson horsfield wrote:
Check a couple of posts back for the bling Dragon.
It will go down and is more nag resistant because of the collar that protects the hook point. Perfect for these tipes of situations. You can add a puff of marabou just behind the thorax to give it more motion on slow retrives also ues an unweighted one the fish love the slow sinking motion.
a prefered fly is red eyed damsel near weed beds (olive colour) fished on sinking or intermidiate line prefereable sinking tho the weeds become a pain ,its worth it ,other than that i cud suggest sinking or intermidiate on the dam wall,watch out 4 snags n gud luck
remember during the mid day fish deep ,mornings n evenings watch the rises.. thats it from me gud luck
Check a couple of posts back for the bling Dragon.
It will go down and is more nag resistant because of the collar that protects the hook point. Perfect for these tipes of situations. You can add a puff of marabou just behind the thorax to give it more motion on slow retrives also ues an unweighted one the fish love the slow sinking motion.