what am I doing wrong?

[Franktjie]

Hi guys,

My family regularly goes to warmbaths resort for holidays. And the only reason I tag along is to get my rods in the water. I caught my PB kurper (2.5kg) there in september this year, awesome fun on light tackle!!

Iv been tryin for yrs to catch barbel there, an despite what you may think, they are there for sure... To stand an that little dam an watch barbel longer than my arm swim by, can stop ur heart. Yet I've only caught small ones +- 2kg.

My cousin caught a 9kg barbel there many yrs ago, an that's where my OBSSESSION with fishing began, watching his rod bend, an then to watch the line move sideways across the water, (50m in like 4 seconds!) That's a sight ill hold till death, hahahahaahaha.

Iv used chicken livers, dough baits, worms, corn. Of those only worms have worked but only small fish.

I'd like to known what bait would work?
Maybe my presentation is wrong?
Iv read a lot on SL about fish heads? Would that work?

I'm fairly new to fishing, I currently have 3 7ft rods, and was thinking I could fish 1 on fish head, 1 on chicken livers- p.s what's the best presentantion for chicken livers. an 1 on a worm.

And seeing that the fish are swimming on top of the water at night, could I use lure maybe?

My theory is learn the basics 1st with fish under 10kg, because taking my 7ft rods to Bloemhof- sounds like a recipe for disaster hahahhahahhahaha....

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated, I will use it for every water I fish...

Thanks Franco.

 

[joshua02]

ive had the same problem as you, but fish normally work as long as you are using the right size. (dont use massive heads)

fish filets also work nice but small barbel like to chew on them.

if all else fails the best option would be leadheads

 

[Franktjie]

Thanks

How would I rig the fish fillet? What size sinker and hook?

And do you have any recommendations for leadheads?, as I've never used them before? Iv seen some videos on youtube, but they all on bass.

Thanks again

:fishn

 

[joshua02]

fish filets i cant them long and thin. i use a double J hook rig with 1 hook near the top and the other in the middle and secure it with a tooth pick. the bottom i cut the filets to make tenticals.

hooks i use bettween 4/0 to 10/0 for J hooks and 6/0 to 12/0 for circle hooks.

sinkers in calm water 2oz free sliding in heavy currents i use 4oz.

PM droomvanger he make leadheads but ive also had success with 2oz bucktails.

i cast the leadsheads behide the barbel then reel in fast to get the lure high the, i drop the rod tip and stop reeling to drop the lure on the barbels head

 

[aquadementia]

Best recommendation iis to fish a venue is ample barbel. Vaal, harties, roodekopjes etc

 

[joshua02]

aquadementia wrote:

Best recommendation iis to fish a venue is ample barbel. Vaal, harties, roodekopjes etc

There is the best advise actullay

 

[Cheetha FS]

Best bet is to look at the natural seroundings and type of local prey and make ur presentation as natural as possible. Can u give us a description of the spots?
Y

 

[Franktjie]

Thanks Joshua

 

[Franktjie]

Thanks aquadementia, ill definately have a look at those places in future.

@ cheetah FS, there are 2 dams on the resort, the larger of the 2(about the size of 3 rugby fields) was built in the last 5-7yrs. It has an island, surrounded by grass an some weeds near the banks, this is the dam where I caught my PB kurper, so I would assume that's there main source of food. This dam was allegidly stocked with big barbel, u can see them digging up the bottom early morning and late afternoon. They make bubble areas of approx 1m or more in size. Or maybe its carp. I watched a man get his 12ft stiff rod snapped in half, cursing an screaming!!! I definately think its oum snor!

The smaller 1( 1 rugby field in size)
Is were I fish most, definately kurper is there food source, as iv caught +- 400 over 10yrs. Features are sunken trees, island, over hanging trees with 100s of birds nests(big white birds that make nests in thorn trees). Lots of snags, 1 side is a rock bank, the other grass,thre are 3 paddle boats chained to a little dock for day time. There used to be a wooden bridge that goes over the dam, but it has been removed, which I think opens up the dam more an has created lots of hidding places for cats.

at night if you just watch the water you can see them cruising just below the surface. Always 3 points visible the tips of the 2 longest barbels on its mounth, an the snakelike movement of the tail. Iv spent so much time studying that because they are everywhere at night, an then to see them disappear because along comes big daddy cruising like a beast, I call him big daddy because the 2 points of the barbels at the mouth are further apart than the width of door. And he's longer than half a door length!!!!

Now that's a monster I'd love to catch! But would snap my rods like twigs lol!

 

[Droomvanger]

SOunds like a good venue to fish artlure style for them. Half of the work in artlure is to find/see the fish. Once you can see them you have a good chance of catching them. Polaroid glasses can amke it much easier to spot the fish. If the fish lay suspended on the bottom and you can spot them, use the technique Joshua recommends by casting over them with a leadhead and then quickly reeling it in just under the surface and drop it on their whiskers. If you reach them you can dip the leadhead on their whiskers which is easier than casting for them. Otherwize you can cast a small slow sinking Lume madpumkin for them next to trees and hold on! They take hard and I suspect they will be aggressive. Check out Owners thread on how to fish pumkins

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=83823&forum_id=71

You might not catch as many cats as on bait, but odds are good that you can hook into the big one's

 

[Franktjie]

Thanks Droomvanger awesome thread, now you really got my pistons firing

 

[Skuimkop]

Franktjie wrote:

Features are sunken trees, island, over hanging trees with 100s of birds nests(big white birds that make nests in thorn trees).

It does sound like a Artlure venue to me as well. What interests me tho is the fact that you mentioned that they are very active during the night. This is perfect for bait fishing. Baits to use are Kurper, just cut there fins off to make it easier for the Cats to swallow the fish. I would also strongly recommend day old chickens. Drop them under those over hanging trees you talked about. Cats love structures like sunken trees and to patrol islands, so it sounds like you can be in the pound seats with this venue.

 

[Franktjie]

Thanks a lot Skuimkop

Will definately put it into pratice. I was wondering? (Since the bait side an bit presentation is covered)... How do you know when to strike into a cat, I understand with artlure he's hooked up easily. But when u've got a fish head or day old chick as your bait, how do you know when you should strike, because iv heard sooooo many storys, ...wait for the 3rd run,... don't wait, strike as soon as you feel him... Unfortunately the biggest iv felt was a 2kg. And if you have a bait like a day old chick or a kurper do I just cast it out all day an night? Or do I have to recast or rebait after like an hour?

 

[i want fish]

if fishing a small dam heres my top tip! get some ox blood from a bucher and pour it into the water then take a stik or somthing and splash the surface this will call the cats lol as grose as it sounds it never fails as for the strike simplily free spool your reel count to about 10 tighten the drag and strike unless using a circle hook good luck bro ps. if using ox blood use ox liver as bait the bigger the bait the bigger the barber!

 

[Franktjie]

Now that's a nice tip, I can so totally do that,

Ek is maar mal genoeg om dit te doen,

So wen the fish takes, I free spoon for 10 seconds an then tighten drag an strike, if I'm using circle hooks no need to strike because the hook is designed to hook up itself right?

Thanks a lot skuimkop, I appreciate it.

 

[i want fish]

ja good luck bra and catch a monster!