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Mountain Dam Adventure

Blog Post #2

I decided on the spur of the moment to cycle

to the town dam this morning, so with my rod safely in the pvc pipe case I made. And all my stuff in a back pack. The cycle was tiring, but the scenery is beautiful. On my way there I disturbed a female buck grazing next to the road,one of the perks of cycling.

The hills around here make it tiresome to cycle and the dirt road can make things a bit uncomfortable.

The proteas are starting to flower and the smell of the fynbos is amazing. I live in an awesome place!

After 40 minutes of peddling, I arrived. Only to find that the water is very murky and the dam level has dropped considerably. My dark colored flys didn't do much.I think with a brighter lure, I would have caught a lot of fish.

But fishing has never, for me,has never been about catching fish. So I fished on!

Because the level of the dam had dropped so much I was walking on extremely slippery clay/mud. Almost slipped and fell a few times.

So I carefully fished around a submerged tree and I got something a solid bite. After a short struggle I got him to the shore. As I brought it in, I stepped back........... and slipped and fell on my backside. Still holding my rod in one hand and my fly line in the other. A muddy, wet backside did not dampen my excitement.

It was a bass. A bit over 20 cm. I'm not complaining but a 20 cm BG would have put up a better fight, not that I'm complaining. After the photo I returned him to the dam and he swam away. I always release what I catch; I can't bring myself to kill fish, they are to beautiful and gracefull(I'm a giant softy!).

What really makes me mad and ready to swear are fools who leave rubbish around! Plastic packets, bottles, broken glass and rubbish. How much effort does it take to take the rubbish with you when you go? Well I came home with a back pack full of other peoples rubbish.

I didn't see any baboons this time, but their tracks where everywhere.

I took some more photos and then it was time for the 40 minute cycle back. Only stopping to pick some proteas for the lady folk, it pays to keep them happy!

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Comment by Mathew Blakeway on January 12, 2014 at 10:56am: I've been living here for about 6 years now, nut was never interested in fishing before.

Comment by Keith Ritter on January 12, 2014 at 10:52am: I'll bet if you fished on the bottom with earthworms you'll catch
A cat something similar to our bullhead. These fish are very adaptable and can survive where other fish can't. Did you grow up in this area?

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on January 12, 2014 at 10:22am: The bass sometimes eat the chicks that fall in the water...

That imagery is just sublime.

Youve answered my other question then - "What do the bluegill eat?

Comment by Mathew Blakeway on January 12, 2014 at 10:09am: These bass forage on blue gill, dragon nymphs, mayfly nymphs, water boatman, tadpole, frogs, smaller bass, grasshoppers, small crabs.

The blue gill eat about the same stuff. There is a tree that overhangs the dam, with a small colony of cape weaver birds and the BG even eat the bird droppings. The bass sometimes eat the chicks that fall in the water.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on January 12, 2014 at 9:43am: Great tale!

I also have a cringe when cleaning fish - Im not much for the blood and killing, either. I do it as a necessary part of the eating, but Ive had to come to force myself over the years.

I wish I could have seen you go down in the mud. Nothing like a muddy backside!

And there is nothing wrong with a 20cm, "hand bass," as I call them. Good for sport and to tell you your choice of flies and presentation are at least adequate.

What is the forage for these bass? Just bluegill, or are there native fish like minnows? And what do the bluegill eat?

Comment by Mathew Blakeway on January 12, 2014 at 8:19am: I haven't come across any catfish yet, there maybe. The dams around here are not often fished. I hope I will find some catfish. My list of types of fish caught is pretty short: bass and .......wait for it.......... Blue Gill!

Comment by Keith Ritter on January 12, 2014 at 8:01am: Love the post. Keep including the flora and fauna of your area. Are there any species of catfish in Your area. Catfish seem to be everywhere in some form or another.