Pretoria area fishing

[Adjvan]

Hi Everyone

I'm like lots of people new to this.

I want to go fish in the Pretoria area but don't want to fish in a sewage dam.

Is there somewhere safe I can go with my wife and
5 year old?

And I also just need some instruction on the bare basics of baiting rigs etc. for species. (Dont want to read entire websites if you know what I mean)

 

[kerneelsie]

Hallo adjvan. Do you want to go for the day or overnight? and when you say Pretoria area is harties and bronkhorstspruit too far?

 

[kerneelsie]

Adjvan. lets start with tackle... If i were you i would personally rarget carp and barbel, conventional or pap gooi approach! you can catch plenty of fish and by altering your hookbaits a little you can also catch bigger fish in the 6-9 kg mark. Firstly i make my own traces, but you can buy ready made traces at any tackle shop... get the trace with the smallest hooks. When fishing the smaller the hook bait the more fish you will catch! buy plain floaties (small floaties) and you can make your own dough (ask wife to help if you don't know how). Most people make the mistake to fish with too big hooks and too big line. i would suggest 9-10 lb line for carp, so play the fish nice and gentle. Bait presentation. once you bought the ready made carp traces(use the spring as it is easier to bind the mieliebomb without it falling off) with small hooks etc. I would reccomend supercast 2 kg feed as your binding agent. use a cup/coffe mug and pour 2 scoops dry feed to one cup of water, leave it for 20 minutes. once it is nice and tough "brei or compress" a mieliebomb which fits in one hand. now you can bait the hooks with a single floatie and piece of dough as backing and just dough on the bottem hook. Now you can spice the ball and dip the baits into your dips you bought. Dips i would reccomend that should produce fish in every dam for me at least. 1) fx, 2) banjo, 3) almond, 4) tutti frutti 5) stuttafords. Cast the bait out, put on a policeman and set the drag setting on your reel very loose, but not too loose as you do not want it to overwind. NB!!! make sure your hooks are allways nice and proud so the can hook the fish properly. Barbel is very easy... basically a fish head or day old chick will always do the trick! bash the fish head to release the smells, for added attraction. Dams to go to. don't go to rietvlei or bonnacord dam (unsafe and not many fish). Roodeplaat is a good dam, however month ends and weekends can become very crowded. roodeplaat nature reserve is good for a day trip, but lacks proper toilets,but hengelaarsfriend is not bad. I would reccomend bronkies nature reserve, great day destenation, very safe and good ablussion blocks with plenty of fish, grass may bother you a bit though if the wind is strong. Harties i would only go for the day... oberon/ eagle waters is my favourite place to fish there. cought plenty of fish between 7-10kg on pap gooi. however do not sleep there it is not very safe. i think that info should help a lot. read through it and if you have any more questions feel free to ask please! good luck

 

[Adjvan]

Hi Kerneelsie

Thank you. I think this will give me a good start.

As an after thought - Let's say you go fishing in a river for kurper for instance - will you use the same method as bass (casting and reeling constantly) or whast would be best.

Sorry I know it's a lot of stupid questions until I find my feet.

 

[kerneelsie]

There is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers!. Kurper is way different to carp fishing. in a river you will allways catch kurper...the trick is to get the bigger ones! personally of you are going to try for kurper with bass approach... exept in Botswana for nembwe... My advice to you is a oldie, but goodie! all you need is a small!!!!! weight and relatively small hooks (almost like a vaaldam strop, but smaller weight), and a (dobbertjie/float). I prefer to catch kurper in 1,5-2m of water. All you need is a hand or two maroek, throw it in an area and fish the kurper with brown bread or worms! if you are lucky you will have the fishing day of your life! if there are too many small ones try to fish just outside the maroek feeding spot to get the bigger ones (sometimes this pays of). It is very simple method, but very affective. Early morning and late afternoon works best for me. NB!!! rather too little than too much maroek! Good thing about kurper is you do not have to cast that deep. You can catch them on bass lures, but not as many as you will with worms and bread. When they are there however, you are going to be aan like Japan! Hope this makes sence.

 

[IWyk]

To be quite honest for a family with a child of 5 I would steer away from all the dams around Pretoria, Bon Accord, Harties, Roodeplaat even Rust de Winter.

Rather go to the Vaal river(you do not need to travel far), Parys has some lovely places for a family with proper facilities for mom and the youngster.

On the Olifants river, Mpumalanga, there are also beautiful places such as Olifants river lodge.

Much cleaner water and safer for a young family.

Just my opinion for what you have mentioned.

 

[Lacost]

Hi

I must agree with IWyk

Even Loskop a bit far but also not that far

 

[kerneelsie]

HAHAHA i think the Vaal system has the dirtiest water of them all at the moment, according to Carte Blanche and the news lol. But i agree rather sit an hour longer on the road and have a great day at a dam at vaal river, coz on a not so good venue you are just going to play speedcop the whole day watching your policeman. The Vaal system is probably the best fishing in the country. Unfortunately nowadays no place is completely safe anymore. good luck with the fishing. I want to spend a few nights on the vaal rivier. Barbel and carp. Where can i fish that is not to overcrowded and safe for my wife and i?