SA Bass Aug 2017

South Africa: R39.00 (VAT included) Other Countries: R34.21 (Tax excluded)

August 2017

Issue 196

the Night Fishing Claw Dam - Zimbabwe Tackle Prices Top 5 Baits

Ned Rig

Columbia River Smallmouth >> Choosing a Spinnerbait >> Dealing With Tough Scenarios >> What’s For Dinner? >> Jig vs. Pre-spawn Bass

For Everyone That Loves Bass Fishing

www.sabass.com

has gone digital !!

GET YOUR FAVOURITE SA Bass MAGAZINE As we went to print with this issue the ICAST Show (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) took place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Closer to home our local SAFTAD Show (SA Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributors) will take place in August and we are quite eager to visit and see what new products our readers can look forward to see on the shelves.

But more important, our 2017 Cast-for-Cash season came to an end and at the time of going time going to print with this August issue, SA BASS was hosting the FLW South Africa Championship at the Vaal River. Our top Cast-for-Cash anglers from across the country came to compete for the four Costa FLW Series Championship slots later this year. Except that it is an historic event and a dream come true, they will also represent South Africa officially on international level, placing them on the same level as any Protea angler. The Costa FLW Series Championship is on the same level as any other worldseries championship, whether it be soccer, rugby, athletics or bass angling. In our next edition we will have a full report on the FLW South Africa Championship.

Our new Cast-for-Cash tournament season starts in August with tournaments in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal, Western Cape and now also in North West. We wish all participants, new and old, the very best and we look forward in meeting them at the tournaments. The FLW rig will again be visiting the different regions during the season, but for more information visit our website www.flwsouthafrica.com For everybody the end of winter is approaching and for those of you who are still staging, it is time to drive yourself back out of the deep water. It is now time to beat your PB! Yes, I know it is still a bit cool out on the water, but those little green fish should get you all fired up.

I am sure I caught your attention when I mentioned improving your PB and this is truly the time of year that you can catch big bass. This is only achievable if you fish the ideal spots and the baits that will drive the bass to strike. You should keep in mind that the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish that you would attract. As the bass start to pre-spawn they tend to move into clearer water, but don’t be over eager or you might get ahead of them.

Most bass have started to resurface, but they are not yet as aggressive as in summer time. It is not summer and therefore the fishing is not the same, if it was it would be dull, and for me fishing would not be the same. I consider fishing to be a challenging experience every day I go out on the water.

Although having a boat is a luxury, you should keep in mind that if you live near a small pond, that it could hold some big swimmers.

The most important thing to remember when you are busy searching for your new PB is to be responsible when you are handling the bass with great caution. Bass fishing is a catchand-release sport and if we want to keep it alive, we need to fish with care. The longer we keep our little green fish away from their nests, the more vulnerable their eggs are to surrounding vultures. So I hope you can imagine the ripple affect we have on our sport.

Bennie Wiese / Editor

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Contents

SA BASS Magazine

is published monthly (12 issues per annum)

by WJ Lindeque cc t/a BB Print (CK99/23366/23)

Office hours:

Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 08:15 to 16:15

Contact numbers:

Office: (087) 808 5406, Alternative: (083) 306 2718 Fax: (086) 234 5026

Postal Address:

SA BASS, PO Box 24938, Gezina, 0031, RSA

Publisher:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Editor:

Bennie Wiese - bennie@sabass.com

Assistant Editor:

John Badenhorst

Field Editors:

Bryan Leppan, Colin Willmer, Derrek Stewart, Dewald Viljoen, Divan Coetzee, Evert Laubscher, Gareth Dryden, Gordon Brown, Hendrik, Joe Dreyer, John Badenhorst, Kevin Lofstedt, Louis Bezuidenhout, Mzi Tyhokolo, Neels Beneke, Philip Kemp, Roger Donaldson, Rowan Zerf, Rudi Dreyer

Junior Field Editors:

Jean-Michel Gravenor

International Columnists:

Bertrand Ngim, Clint Skinner, David Swendseid, Gareth Rawlins, Matt Williams, Tylor Brinks

Advertising Manager:

Wilma Lindeque - wilma@sabass.com

Subscriptions:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Facebook Administrator:

Chris Greenland

Digital subscriptions:

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Layout and Design:

Storm Deezigns - dee@stormdeezigns.co.za

Distributed by RNA:

Jannie Junius (011) 248 3536

About SA BASS magazine: SA BASS, which is editorially and financially independent, is a monthly magazine catering exclusively for the bass angling community in Southern Africa. SA BASS is distributed country-wide by RNA to outlets, not only in South Africa, but also in Namibia, Swaziland and Botswana.

SA BASS is designed as a specialist bass fishing publication and has catered for a welldefined niche market since April 2001. It enjoys the support and endorsement of nongovernment organisations, but is not affiliated in any way to these bodies or to any other publishing, environmental or political interest group.

Our mission is to promote bass angling as a socially acceptable and popular outdoor recreational activity, and in addition, to encourage acceptable angling ethics. As such, SA BASS provides pertinent information on a wide range of subjects. These include providing a platform for informed debate on issues affecting the sport of bass angling, providing information on bass angling strategies and techniques, bass angling waters and opportunities, and also creating awareness of new products.

Within this editorial mix, due consideration is given to developing the sport among all the 04 SA BASS August 2017

country’s people (including the youth), and to the practical conservation of the country’s natural resources.

Copyright is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publisher. All enquiries regarding editorial correspondence, manuscripts and photographs should be directed to: editor@sabass.com Address contributions to the editor.

Manuscripts, photos and artwork will be handled with care, but their safety cannot be guaranteed. Enclose a stamped, self addressed envelope with all editorial submissions.

The publisher and editorial staff are not responsible for researching and investigating the accuracy or copy right of the material provided for publication in SA BASS magazine. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publisher does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Readers are advised to use this information with the understanding that it is at their own risk. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor, editorial staff or SA BASS Society.

REGULARS & FORUMS 06

TACTICS “How to…Fish The Ned Rig” The Ned rig has taken the country by storm; it’s new and exciting.

08

INTERNATIONAL “Columbia River Smallmouth Adventure (Part 1)” In spring 2017, I visited renowned U.S. smallmouth bass fishing expert David Swendseid in Central Oregon and we headed to the Columbia River.

– Fishingboy and David Swendseid

15

SA BASS “TACKLE PRICES” Many years ago, I remember complaining about the high price of tackle, so maybe we simply just like to complain.

(Well, I do anyway).

– Kevin Lofstedt

16

TACTICS “Top 5 Most Overlooked Big Bass Presentations” In today’s market there are such a huge variety of lures available. Everyone knows the usual culprits for catching big fish…

– Robbie Olivier

How to use QR-codes 1. Open the QR-code reader/scanner app on your smartphone. Most smartphones models often have an app pre-installed. If not, visit your phone’s app store and download the app.

2. Keep a steady hand while the QR-code is centred on the screen.

3. As soon as it is done scanning, whatever information should present itself for your viewing pleasure.

18

INTERVIEW “Jigs vs. Pre-spawn Bass” Near the beginning of spring, when bass are in their pre-spawn mode and have not come up into the shallows, you can have some unbelievably good days by fishing deep with the correct lures.

– Bennie Wiese

34 36

20

SA BASS “A Day on the Lake at Shiyalongubo Dam - Part 1With Michael Cronjé” Keeping abreast of all the latest fishing stories from my fellow bass anglers I bumped into Michael who has been fishing a pretty patch of water just outside Nelspruit.

– Roger Donaldson

PRODUCT NEWS

43

CLASSROOM “Night Fishing” Catching bass at night is always an interesting topic for me, as not a lot of people actually try and catch them after dark – Hugo Lerm

“New quatix® 5 marine GPS smartwatch” Garmin® adds autopilot control, ability to mark MFD waypoints and more to its new quatix® 5 marine GPS smartwatch series.

MASTER CLASS

44

“Choosing a Spinnerbait” I have these tantalising visions of the bass I’ve witnessed caught on a spinnerbait.

There have been many. I can’t bare it any longer and I need to tell you my secrets of where, how and when – Roger Donaldson

VENUES “Claw Dam” Claw Dam in Zimbabwe near the town of Kadoma has become a frequent venue for tournaments both locally and internationally. With Zimbabwe, the venue for the 2017 Region 5 Tournament Claw Dam was selected as the waters to be fished.

– Clint Skinner

38 SA BASS 28

SA CLASSROOM “What’s For Dinner?”

Or more importantly, know what your target fish is eating and know its behaviour.

– John Badenhorst

30

INTERNATIONAL “Masvikadei Classic” Much of Zimbabwe had seen record rainfall already which curtailed some venues from being available; thankfully the facilities at Masvikadei meant that it was still an option. Forty one teams entered for the two day event held over the weekend of 5 and 6 March.

– Clint Skinner

“Tough Fishing” Spinnerbaits, lipless and crankbaits will always put aggressive bass in the boat, while worms and pitching baits are more suitable for fishing thick cover.

Getting a bite when the bass are inactive can be frustrating, especially during a tournament when you need at least five bites for the day.

– Bennie Wiese

40

48

STRATEGIES “Dealing With Tough Scenarios” Every fishing trip is bound to present you with some unseen obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve results.

– Divan Coetzee

INTERNATIONAL “Yeongsan River Tidal Assault (Part 2)” Continuing from where we left off, we devoted the morning and early afternoon fishing two irrigation channels on the south bank, notably the 3ft deep shallow water bank cover and culverts.

– Fishingboy

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 01

MY CAST

14

READERS-go-BASSING

24

Cast-for-Cash - Tournament Results

33

GEAR UP

ON THE COVER “Columbia River Smallmouth” Image: Bertrand Ngim SA BASS 05 August 2017

>> SA BASS TACTICS

How to…

Fish The Ned Rig The Ned rig has taken the country by storm; it’s new and exciting.

I

’m sure you’ve heard about this rig already. It is an amazing little finesse bait that’s not only catching fish, but it’s proven to be a must have on your boat and yes I’m saying it again, it’s catching a lot of fish.

You get the guys that are trying to create the rig by trying to use their own innovations, which will work but not as 100%.

Let’s take a look at the type of lure itself; the most ideal lure to use is a three inch stickbait type of lure, preferably a floating type.

If possible the Elaztech material is ideal because you will be able to catch a lot of bass with just one lure.

You might have thought that by taking a 6” Senko and cutting it in half… well, I won’t suggest that course of action. Senkos are not that tough at all and if you do catch a fish the lure is going to be damaged a lot. The tougher plastics are the way to go unless you don’t mind using a lure per fish.

By using a lure that is floating it will help your rig to stand up. The buoyancy of the floating worm will make it fall slower and many hits will come while the lure is descending. In my fishing exploits the lure rarely made it to the bottom. But when it actually gets to the bottom, the Ned rig will end up standing and when you move it, it will be hoping along the bottom like a real unsuspecting fodder fish. This is what we would refer to as bass candy and that will drive the bass crazy.

I prefer that the colour of the bait should have some sort of glimmer in it; this will only add more realistic effects to the bait that will make it even more irresistible for the bass.

Now that we covered the bait, let’s talk about the Ned rig hook you want use. You would want to use a type of stand up jig head.

I had the opportunity to test the new Poisen “OH” Ned jig. I found that this rig was giving me just what I need; it comes in different weight sizes and hook sizes.

The Mustad ultra-fine point hook makes the hook set an almost certainty, but these guys took it one step further… They have gone and made it weedless with two thin wire weed guards, which is quite impressive

06 SA BASS August 2017

if you think about it. Let’s get back to the jig head, you want a jig head that will stand up as much as possible, standing up somewhat is just not going to get the job done. These particular types of jig heads also tend to get stuck much less and when you rig your bait right you will have perfectly flush rig.

What’s also nice about this design it that you won’t pick up all that rubbish like weeds and slime and all that other goodies.

The roundness of the head will also allow the lure to rock back and forth but it will always end back in the upright position.

Most of the other stand-up jigs will stand at an angle which you don’t want for this particular rig. We are only interested in getting it in the upright position. That is why the Ned rig is so successful. Make sure you don’t just buy any jig.

You need to make sure the jig you get is going to do what you want it to do.

Now you know about the bait, you know about the jig head, you can see how… Now, let’s go fishing.

I’m particularly fond of using a medium light spinning rod for this rig with about six pound line. Yes, it’s light but if you consider the weight of the jigs are either 3/16 or 1/8, you don’t want to struggle with the wrong setup. The hook is going to be light wire and with too strong line and rod, you will most definitely straighten the hook.

Using the wrong setup will also kill the

action you want and everything will be in vein.

Don’t be afraid to use light line, you just need to have confidence in what you are using. Play around with line between four and eight pound test to find what you’re happy with.

When using the Ned rig I’m not fond of using fluorocarbon and braided line, the reason is that we all know that fluorocarbon line absorbs water and allows the line to sink and therefore it will drag the rig down when its falling, the lure needs to

fall on its own speed. Braid does the opposite because the line floats and that’s also going to inhibit the action of the bait. Because of this, I like to use copolymer line and I feel that this line will keep you in the neutral zone.

When we get to the fishing of the rig we need to keep in mind that we are using light wire hooks due to the size of the jig and that nothing should be forced, you don’t need to hit the bass so hard that it will end up cross-eyed. Setting the hook is the same as when you use drop-shot.

Just start to reel and pull the rod, don’t yank the rod hard.

The actual fishing of the rig is quite simple, you cast out your lure and let it sink and do its thing. Just let the lure fall to the bottom with some slack line, if the line is too tight it will fall towards the boat. You need to watch the line, look for bumps or jumps in the line. After a few cast you will know how long it takes to drop to the bottom and just by knowing that, you will know if the bass takes it if you can’t feel the bite.

When fishing the rig on the bottom, work it slightly, hop it a bit somewhat to try and entice the bass. It is a very simple but effective technique you can try. I can’t tell you enough times, that with this rig you need only to reel the line and pick up your rod. Trying to set the hook hard might only cause you well deserved disappointment.

I really think you guys will enjoy this new technique and have fun with it.

Even Dryden with a nice bass caught on a Piosen HO Ned rig

SA BASS 07 August 2017

>> SA BASS INTERNATIONAL

Columbia River Smallmouth Adventure (Part 1)

ΖQ VSULQJ Ζ YLVLWHG UHQRZQHG 8 6 VPDOOPRXWK EDVV ȴVKLQJ H[SHUW David Swendseid in Central Oregon and we headed to the Columbia 5LYHU RQH RI WKH WRS VPDOOPRXWK EDVV ȴVKHULHV LQ WKH 8 6 $ WR JR WRH WR WRH ZLWK HDUO\ VHDVRQ VPDOOPRXWKV LQ URXJK ZDWHU >> Story and Images by Fishingboy and David Swendseid (DUO Realis U.S.A)

Preview: Columbia River Special I spent two weeks, on and off the water, in Oregon and it was a blast. There is so much to talk about, from extraordinary fishing conditions to tactics for early season smallmouths during the spring transitional period in the Columbia River reservoirs, as well as new techniques smallmouth bass anglers in South Africa could assimilate to their regular approach.

In that respect, I feel that it is only appropriate for me to begin the SA Bass International Columbia River series with a preview article to give you a better perspective of the topics I will be covering in the upcoming instalments.

My journey to the U.S. Northwest David Swendseid’s Allison BasSport Pro XB-21 all washed and ready to roll. This is one of the finest bass boats when it comes to top speed and handling

As a bass fishing enthusiast, whether it is largemouth, smallmouth or peacock bass, the U.S.A has always been an angling destination high on my bucket list. When it comes to smallmouth bass, the Columbia River in the U.S. Northwest is a fishery that needs no introduction.

My bass fishing journey to the U.S. Northwest was a meaningful journey that had taken years to fulfil. It was not till 2015 opportunities that would set things into motion began to emerge after I had received an invitation to collaborate with DUO Realis’ David Swendseid on a spybaiting front cover story for Malaysia’s Rod&Line magazine (issue #235, July 2015).

Fishing with the spybaiting pioneer Conditions were pretty gloomy during my first day on the Columbia River. I shot this image during our approach at The Dalles Dam on Interstate 84 08 SA BASS August 2017

David Swendseid is a name that needs no introduction to bass anglers in the U.S. Northwest. He is the R&D Specialist and Pro-staff Manager of DUO Realis in North America.

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The historic Old Frontier Homes on the banks of the Columbia River overlooking The Dalles Dam

He has more than 25 years of tournament bass fishing experience and is a respected angler in Oregon. He was Angler of the Year in the ‘B.A.S.S Federation Nation’ championships in Oregon State in 2004, as well as the official smallmouth record holder in 1997.

Spybaiting and the silent capture technique may have originated in Japan’s Lake Biwa or some of the small lakes around the Tokyo region, but its exact origins are unknown.

The way that spybaiting actually evolved was interesting. It was a bunch of anglers out on Lake Biwa that were literally

The view of the boat ramp at Hood River Marina Boat Basin where we launched on Day-2

Contact us for a quote on any reel service or repair Services Repairs Maintenance Authorized

Tel: 078 548 1301 Email: hotreeltec@gmail.com Service Center

Image: Garrick Dixon SA BASS 09 August 2017

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The scenic riverside view of Shilo Inns’ courtyard

buying the props and installing them on lures. Those garage developments continue to evolve until they got to what is known as a ‘spybait’. When the craze started to become known, several lure companies came forth, taking this a step further.

However, spybaiting as we know today entails more than just propbaits. DUO was the first company to develop such a technique for the tournament angler. DUO alongside Swendseid took the development of the spybaits to the next level by investing countless hours of R&D. The end result of that meticulous development were the Realis Spinbait 80 and 90 sizes (and G-Fix variants), baits that have set the professional and amateur bass tournament circuits of North America ablaze with close to USD$400k in accumulative cash winnings and counting.

Since its launch, spybaiting has become one the fastest growing techniques in the tournament circuits in North America. The top pros in the FLW and B.A.S.S circuits, from three-time ‘Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year’ Aaron Martens, 2003 ‘Bassmaster Classic’ winner Michael Iaconelli to 2010 ‘Forest Wood Cup’ winner Kevin Hawk and many others, now see spybaiting as a tournament worthy technique and have turned to Swendseid for firsthand advice.

Swendseid is an instrumental figure in the development of spybaiting. His credentials are so remarkable that I was incredibly humbled to have received an invitation to fish with him, not just anywhere, but in the famed Columbia River bordering Oregon and Washing State, the best smallmouth fishery on the West Coast. So, what makes the Columbia River so unique?

The majestic Lyle Bluffs on the Washington State shoreline 10 SA BASS August 2017

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Swendseid puts the DUO Realis Jerkbait 100SP to work and caught some giant smallmouths

The Columbia River The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Its river basin comprises of some 668,000km2 from its source in British Columbia, Canada to its mouth at Astoria, Oregon.

The river is 2,000km long and its drainage basin is roughly the size of France and extends into seven U.S. states and a Canadian province. It is the fourth largest river in the U.S. by volume and has the greatest flow of any North American river entering the Pacific.

The Columbia River and its tributaries have been crucial to the region’s culture and economy for thousands of years.

They have been used for transportation since ancient times, linking many cultural groups of the region.

Submerged structures in the Columbia River as shown on the Humminbird ONIX8 chartplotter 12 SA BASS August 2017

The river system hosts many species of anadromous fish which migrate between freshwater and the saline waters of the Pacific Ocean, especially the salmon species which provided the core subsistence for Native Americans, as well introduced gamefish such as largemouth and smallmouth, walleye, bluegill and others.

Since the early 20th century, dams have been constructed along the river for power generation, navigation, irrigation and flood control. The Columbia River dams, totalling more than sixty, have transformed the river into a series of slackwater pools known as lakes or reservoirs. Those developments have greatly altered the river’s environment in the watershed, mainly through industrial pollution and barriers to fish migration. To be continued‌

There are lots of cool new products in Sportsman’s Warehouse tackle department

READERS

GO BASSING

To feature in “Readers go Bassing” send your story and pictures to editor@sabass.com All photos published in “Readers-go-Bassing” are for the exclusive use of SA BASS Magazine. Any photos previously published by other magazines will not be considered.

BOTSWANA Sunset fun in bass heaven! An explosive battle produced this 4.6kg bucket-mouth on a spinnerbait.

– Kaashif Essack

LAST CAST We were on a trip in Zimbabwe, fishing Ziri Dam. I told my Boet the morning of our last day, before heading back to ZA, we should “hit” the water and “pay” the one spesific bay a last visit. The plan was to get of the water at 10 o’clock, in order to start packing and head back to ZA. As it often is, we were in the moments of the “last cast”, and grinding away to pull the bunny out of the hat !

Only a minute or two before we were to start the outboard and head to shore I made a “monsterous” long distance spinnerbait cast next to a standing tree a mere six metres from a spawning bank. At first it felt as if I got stuck on a plastic bag filled with water, and then a tug of war erupted.

The “lady”; halfway to the boat ;made one lazy attempt at throwing the spinnerbait, leaving my heart to miss a few beats, and my legs turning into jelly! Once landed, she pulled the scale to 11.29lbs (5.12kg). Thank you for a great magazine; very insightful – Jarques Herbst

MY BIGGEST I recently accepted an invite to join some friends on their boat and everyone else was getting into fish except me. Not long before calling it a day, I thought I might have been snagged up on some weeds but when the weeds started pulling back I set the hook and landed the biggest one of the day! I got this one on a 6cm Seboko fished on the edge of the reeds. The fish was released to fight another day.

– Tarn Smith 14 SA BASS August 2017

>> SA BASS

TACKLE PRICE$

Many years ago, I remember complaining about the high price of tackle, so maybe we simply just like to complain. (Well, I do anyway). Whenever I wish to “tackle” subjects which may criticise the very advertisers in this magazine, the editor I’m sure gets a very uneasy feeling in his gut. >> Kevin Lofstedt*

U

nfortunately, it has never been said that I’m backward at coming forward when there’s a fight to be had. My “impartiality” springs from my intimate involvement in a sport which I love. Having said that, let’s move on to the topic at hand. I will restrict my comments mainly to plastics, rods and reels. Most of us have that old packet of Zoom, or Yamamoto worms that we bought three years ago, and never quite got to use. We look at them and see we paid R45.00 for the pack! We then do some simple arithmetic whereby we add say 8% for inflation times two years and see the current price should be R52.50. But it’s not! It’s R90.00.

When we ask the tackle shops what is going on, we get the usual story about the “exchange rate”. (Is it just me, but do the tackle shops never seem to buy when the exchange rate is down, but surprisingly, when it up, they spend millions on stock). Now I’m not looking for a fight here, but I think we’re all getting a little tired of this same ol’ same ol’ story. For me, and I suspect many, many others I use two major brands. To protect the interests of those concerned let’s hypothetically say that we use Boom and Yumanot.

My homework reveals that they jointly have the “Lion’s Share” of the market.

When consumers are squeezed into a corner, they will react, and how will they do this? They will (reluctantly) switch brands. They will turn to “local manufacturers”. They will start making their own moulds and pouring their own plastics. This situation is not of consumer’s choice, but rather that crazy pricing giving angler’s very little option. (Remember, never get between a fisherman and his bass). Excessive prices will give us no other alternative but to “roll our own”, and we will!

Hardware: rods and reels. When I say reels, I mean Shimano reels because they’re all I will buy. Reels for me have seen the most realistic escalation of prices, and in general, are much more in line with the general inflation changes. Rods, on the other hand, are a whole different story.

For many years, I used to always buy Shimano Crucial rods, and besides regular breakages on the 7’2” tips, were generally good value for money.

Then, because I decided that I had paid my dues, I thought it was time to “spoil” myself with a pair of “top of range” rods. Titanium flexible eyes!

Light and strong; R3500 each. Pricey, but I used them for at least four years without any problems whatsoever.

Then, at De Hoop, a barbel decided that it was time to put this rod to the test, and after a few minutes; bang! A clean break in the middle. I was upset, but four years of hard fishing, I was happy to buy the same brand again.

This time, they were R5300! I bought a 7ft and a 7’6”. One week after the purchase, one of the eyes (not titanium like before, but a “cheapie” wtf?) well one of the legs on one of the eyes started coming loose. The importer said this was due to stress? Took it back to the shop, they spoke to the agent, and I was informed that they would not replace the unit, but reserved the right to repair it. To cut a long story short, I ended up demanding a refund

and finally went to a cheaper version of the same brand, and guess what... a much better unit! Go figure. So, to sum up, it seems that manufacturers are spend less making the units, and are selling them for more than ever before.

In closing, the words “buyer beware” are more important now than ever before. As fisherman we need to assert our right to a fair deal, and in the event of inferior quality, we need to demand a full refund.

Words of wisdom: Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!

- Will Rogers The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor or editorial staff – Ed. *Kevin Lofstedt is a regular writer and a well known veteran bass angler with three times Southern Gauteng Colours since 1985. He is also the main founder of Clearwater Bassmasters Bass Chapter (1994).

SA BASS 15 August 2017

>> SA BASS TACTICS

Top 5 Most Overlooked Big Bass Presentations >> Robbie R bbi Olivier* Oli i In today’s market there are such a huge variety of lures available. Everyone knows the usual culprits for catching big fish… jigs, frogs, etc, but in my experience there are some baits and rigs that can produce numbers and quality.

Stickbaits I am pretty sure everyone eryone fishes Senkos. It is probably thee most natural looking bait in water and is hard to beat when it comes b SSomething thi to shy fish, or catching numbers. that works really well to get bigger bites is pitching a big Senko. The sky is the limit to where and around what you should be pitching this bait. I like to pitch it with 30lb braid, or 20lb fluorocarbon line in some really thick stuff!

Jerkbaits Matching the hatch is always a good idea when it comes to jerkbaits. I do this, but with colours and not always with size. Just like most reaction baits, jerkbaits also require a set of good conditions. In this case cloud cover or wind.

Next time you’re looking for a big bite instead of picking up a spinnerbait, or swim jig try a bigger profile jerkbait, especially in more open water situations where you might need to draw bigger fish from a distance, as this bait’s speed can be altered to accommodate the scenario.

Weightless fluke I believe this technique works so well because it looks so natural in the water. In my opinion the bait needs to be almost neutrally buoyant, perhaps with a slight fall. Almost the same as a jerkbait, but a better alternative when there is no wind and it is extremely calm when twitching the bait. The bait can also just be left to slowly fall or a combination of both. Sure, all I have just said will catch a lot of fish more small than big, but a good method I have discovered is twitching the bait on the surface around isolated cover and points, if possible near deeper water. For some reason most of the time in our dams the true giants come up shallow alone. Not always, but most of the time me shallow isolated cover near deeper water can be deadly!

16 SA BASS August 2017

Shakey Head This is probably one of my most favourite baits to catch numbers of bass. Thi Thiss om m, bait provides some awesome action to a worm when just hopped on the bottom, but always watch your line while this bait is falling, as this bait gets smacked moree lingg often than not on the way down. Now, how do you make this bait more appealing gger to bigger fish? Adding a longer worm definitely is a good idea and will get bigger te is is bites, but this defeats the purpose of this bait. A shaky head’s biggest attribute m, I it’s easily approachable and not intimidating to the fish. By adding a long worm, nch h feel that it takes away from its objective, so I like to rather stay with the 5 to 6 inch ofilee worm, but just choose a worm that has bigger girth to it and so increasing the profile size of the bait.

The drop-shot rig The drop-shot rig is mostly considered a finesse presentation for numbers more than quality, but if used correctly, chances are that you can catch some really decent size fish.

Firstly, some clever guys have come along and developed a drop-shot jig hook.

Basically it is a drop-shot hook with a skirt on it, giving you a much bigger profile.

Bigger profile attracts attrac bigger bass, but at the same time can still produce numbers and the same goes for m my next point. Try up-sizing the worm, or fluke, you’re using on the drop-shot. I like to use the bigger profile and not a junior fluke. Try pitching the drop-shot on any standing structure that a bass can suspend on; brush, standing timber, boulders, grass clumps, jetties, etc. What this mean means is you can keep the bait right against the structure in the strike zone, off the bottom for a much longer period. *Robbie b Ol Olivierr ha has qqua qualified ua four years in a row for nationals and has Protea and President Colours.

YOUR FRIENDLY FISHING TACKLE SPECIALIST

YOUR FRIENDLY FISHING TACKLE SPECIALIST For more specific details: Follow and like us on Facebook: "Knotts Outdoor Paradise" se" Completely Focussed on Fishing

keith.knott@outdoorparadise.co.za Shop 1-3, Nazarene Centre, 418 Ontdekkers Road, Florida da Park, Roodepoort / Tel: 011 - 672 1273 SA BASS 17 August 2017

>> SA BASS INTERVIEW

Jigs vs.

Pre-spawn Bass

SA Bass Interview Gareth Dryden

Near the beginning of spring, when bass are in their pre-spawn mode and have not come up into the shallows, you can have some unbelievably good days by fishing deep with the correct lures. >> Bennie Wiese*

T

here are many questions and topics in bass fishing up for discussion that has potential for long debates.

Yes, how fast is your boat, or who has the fastest boat will be close to the top of the list. I believe the number one question will always be: “If you only had only one lure to use, what would it be?”

Near the beginning of spring, when bass are in their pre-spawn mode and have not come up into the shallows, you can have some unbelievably good days by fishing deep with the correct lures.

Gareth continues with a big smile. “There will always be that discussion about the one lure to pick. I do agree that because of the versatility of the spinnerbaits it can be the number one lure to pick followed by the plastic lures however, more often than not, the jig will be the chosen one.”

Many anglers believe that a jig is the only fishing tool for cold winter fishing. “One of the best lures to fish in the winter must be the jig, but it’s also a great lure for targeting pre-spawn bass. Because of the jig’s simplicity it can breed confusion with some anglers who have never experienced its fish-catching power. Till you get that first bite, it’s tough to understand what the bite feels like and whether you were fishing it correctly or not”.

Late winter and early spring you can target those big females that are moving closer to the spawning areas although most of these bass will still be in the deeper water.

Gareth starts to explain. “It is now that the jig starts to shine, the reason that it allows you to adapt faster when bass move to different structures and/or change depths… By just adjusting the trailer, you can match a jig exactly to the bass’s mood.” He continues: “Learn to watch the water temperature, when the water gets to 9ºC and rises to 12ºC, bass can start to move up to some of those spawning areas.”

Gareth explains further: “It does not matter where you fish, if there are bass in the venue you can be sure that the best spawning banks will be the ones closest to the deeper drop offs. These areas will also give the bass some security during 18 SA BASS August 2017

changing weather conditions. The bass will be close to these areas and will just look for some spots to stage until the right time comes to move into the shallows”.

The bass will know where to go this time of year, it is pure instinct although sometimes nature gives us a curve ball and by the time you think they have to spawn, many bass have already spawned. With the changing of the world’s climate it will have some effect on the wild life.

“One of the keys in fishing jigs for pre-spawn bass will be water temperature. It’s the best guide for determining your speed and for how long you must spend on an area or piece of structure and the retrieve. Remember the water will be cold, it is important to slow down. As the water gets warmer you will start to speed up the retrieve but conscious casts will also pay off more in this period of pre-spawn.”

Pre-spawning bass will use any type of structure to stage on their migration routes to the spawning areas. It could be brushes, lay-downs, walls, slipways or jetties in different depths. “Make as many casts as possible to these structures to entice the bass to hit the jig. Many of the bass that have just moved onto the structures will still be very weary so leave the jig in or next to the structure to soak a bit.”

“You also need to cast to all parts of the targeted structure.

Remember the bass are still coming around from their slowest part of the year, winter.”

There are many jigs on the market made from different materials; lead, tungsten, bismuth, aluminium and available in many sizes. “I have tested many jigs, my favourite jig will still be the poison that’s armed with a Mustad true grip hook, it offers a better and stronger hook set and the design of the jig head is also unique with the cavities for the paste on red eyes which makes the jig with the flaring skirts look very aggressive and intimidating.” Gareth tells me with a strong convincing voice.

“With the large selection of trailers that are available, these days you can easy match the trailer with the jig to the fodder that you are targeting. When the water is still around 9ºC, I

When fishing sta ined cold watter er anndd th I need thhe ji t ick cker e cover jig to ffall slower.

The jig must be bulky and you ca more n add rattles to it. colours work well The darker

When fishing clear water and the bass are sitting tight to cover, I use a heavier jig that will fall quicker to the bottom. The bass will not have enough time to have a good look at the bait if it passes quickly. Smaller trailers in natural colours work best

prefer to use lightweight jigs with trailers that will slow the fall of the jig giving it longer time in the different strike zones.”

Wherever you are going to fish, anglers will be confronted with different water conditions and anglers have to adapt the style of trailer or jigs to have successes. Gareth shows some jig and trailer combinations that have worked for him in different conditions. “When I get confronted with clear water, and the bass are sitting tight to cover, I prefer to use heavier jigs that will go to the bottom quicker; the bass will not have enough time to have a good look at the bait if it passes quickly. Smaller trailers in natural colours work best.”

“Fishing stained, cold water and thicker cover I need the jig to fall slower, the jig must be more bulky and you can add rattle to it; the darker colours work well. If the water is stained and warmer I will use trailer that’s got more of an erratic action to it and more movement.”

Every angler has his favourite brand of trailers in which he has confidence in. You just have to go out and experiment with it to find the correct combination that works. Gareth explains: “When I am fishing clear warm water I need the jig to fish faster and try to stay away from the bottom. I use natural colours closer to the spawning areas where you can find the more aggressive bass. Natural colours that have more chartreuse or a bit of orange can work especially well. Yes, black and blue must be the most popular colours used by anglers although brown/purple, brown/green pumpkin, brown/orange and straight brown colours work well for most venues this time of the year.”

Gareth’s go-to-guide when selecting jig sizes: “When fishing shallow to around 20 feet I go with, ¼- to ⅜-ounce heads, I will go to size to ½- to 1-ounce as I start going down to the 40-foot mark. When you are going that deep you need the weight to have the constant contact with the bottom, and on that note, if you’re fishing in the wind, bump up the size of your jig head.”

I will use a ined and warm sta is er at w e th If action to it, more of an erratic trailer that’s got e movement mor

the bottom. Then, retrieve it with a nice slow 2- to12-inch lift of the rod tip. It’s all about resisting the urge to do too much, or to move the lure faster. This is a slow process, but the rewards can be great.

When a bass eats a jig, it can be anything from a soft “tick” on the rod tip, to a powerful slam. Either way, set the hook as quickly as possible because the fish tend to spit these lures out in the blink of an eye. *Bennie Wiese is the editor of SA Bass magazine and an experienced provincial bass angler.

Technique Around pre-spawn the fish can be located from the surface down to 40 feet and this will all depend on the daily weather patterns. The idea is to cast out and let the lure hit SA BASS 19 August 2017

>> SA BASS

m a D o b longu

Srht 1iWyithaMichael Cronjé Pa

Shiyalongubo Dam nestled in the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain Land

>> Roger Donaldson*

K

eeping abreast of all the latest fishing stories from my fellow bass anglers I bumped into Michael who has been fishing a pretty patch of water just outside Nelspruit. It’s these fantastic dams which take us back down to our roots, a place where we can fish in the relatively untouched serenity of the South African countryside. This particular stretch of water is also ideal for anglers with smaller boats and without outboard motors.

I got the opportunity to sit Michael down and he kindly offered to divulge the secrets of this lake and his tactics which have made him successful there. There was a lot to learn from Michael so it was necessary to split this article into two sections for our readers: “Michael Cronjé is the store manager at Angling & Outdoor World in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. He is an experienced and passionate bass angler, having won a local tournament title alongside former boat partner Charl Carey. Most of all, he just loves to fish!”

Roger: Tell us a little about Shiyalongubo and is it accessible to all anglers?

Michael: Shiyalongubo Dam is nestled in the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain Land, which contains the oldest and best preserved sequence of volcanic and sedimentary rocks on the planet. The dam was built primarily to provide water for irrigation to the farms in the Low’s Creek area. Positioned a meagre 70km from Nelspruit in Mpumalanga it makes for ideal day-fishing getaways. Construction is also currently underway to provide overnight lodging facilities for anglers 20 SA BASS August 2017

wishing to spend more than just a few hours on the water.

The final section of road leading to the dam is about a 12km gravel stretch that is in reasonable condition, but it would be preferable to use a high clearance or 4x4 vehicle for the trip.

The meandering mountain pass becomes precarious to traverse in wet weather, and would be too unpredictable to negotiate in an ordinary motor vehicle. Very importantly, no outboard motors are allowed to be used on Shiyalongubo Dam! Only electric trolling motors and oars, or flippers in the case of float tubers, are permitted as a means of propelling vessels. There is in any case no slipway to launch bigger boats from. One of the points on the dam has been cleared just enough to allow owners of small craft to get their vessel onto the water. It is not an ideal venue for bank anglers as for the most part the margins of Shiyalongubo Dam are overgrown with dense plant life. There are a few accessible spots, but in all likelihood, not an adequate amount to effectively target the local bass populace. All anglers planning a visit to this relatively untouched fishery must be in possession of a valid Mpumalanga fishing license, and also practice catch and release as far as possible.

Roger: Does the dam have largemouth and smallmouth bass?

Michael: The only bass species introduced to Shiyalongubo Dam is the smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu.) The majority of catches are in the region of 0.5kg and less, however, there are reports of more than a few bronzebacks being caught heavier than 2kg! The two other principal species of fish pursued by anglers and the resident smallmouth bass alike

When nobody’s around to help out, a fish-selfie has to do the trick. I never mind posing with arguably the most stunning member of the black bass family

to locating these two dissimilar species will vary greatly.

In an awfully tiny nutshell, smallies tend to prefer more rocky types of structure like rock piles and ledges, where customarily their large mouthed relatives would rather ambush prey around timber, weed beds and submerged grass. This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but just a general guideline.

Roger: What depth of water were you fishing in?

Michael: I was doing my fishing from a canoe that wasn’t fitted with any sort of fish-finding electronics, so to determine the exact depth was not possible. Having spoken at length to Karl Langeveld, who fishes Shiyalongubo Dam very often, and also saw it when it was at a very low level during the recent drought, I focused my attention on an area where the river channel runs very close to a prominent point. I was not able to get to a rocky stretch that I wanted to fish near the dam wall as the wind picked up slightly which made it difficult to row there and stay in position. I did pick up a couple of fish in open water about ten metres from a line of flooded trees near the shore…

Part 2 to follow in the next issue. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

are redbreast kurper (Tilapia rendalli) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). There have been no accounts of anglers catching largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Shiyalongubo Dam. In this case, that’s a pretty good thing. Many studies have been conducted concerning the prospect of smallmouth and largemouth bass living prolifically together in smaller bodies of water, but the general consensus is that largemouth bass end up replacing small mouths in these types of dams, and loss of smallmouth bass can happen very quickly. Largemouth bass adapt effortlessly in most dams and reproduce very easily.

In other words largemouth bass would most likely wipe out smallies from Shiyalongubo Dam if they were ever introduced.

I would like to advise anyone pondering the notion of secretly stocking largemouth bass into Shiyalongubo Dam not to do so for the above mentioned reasons. There are enough largemouth bass fisheries in the Lowveld already and to preserve this little gem would be greatly appreciated by many anglers.

Roger: What fish were you targeting on the day and how does this species differ from the other in terms of location?

Michael: There are not many opportunities for Mpumalanga anglers to fish for smallmouth bass locally, and having lived in the Lowveld for the past seven years, and threatening numerous times to wet a line in Shiyalongubo Dam, I decided to pay a visit to the venue in the beginning of April 2017. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are poles apart in terms of their behaviour, and consequently your approach SA BASS 21 August 2017

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June 2017 Results Gauteng Day 1 1: Team Valet Storage - 8.69kg 2: Team Quantum - 6.80kg 3: Team Gel Ev ents - 5.79kg 4: Team Madfin - 5.66kg 5: Team Ras Brothers - 5.26kg

Winners - Day 1: Mike Matthee & Wayne Louw

Day 2 1: Team Madfin - 5.43kg 2: Team Ras Brothers - 5.34kg 3: Team Hill Billy Poisen - 4.92kg 4: Team Gel Ev ents - 4.54kg 5: Team Greens² - 3.80kg

Winners - Day 2: Lesley Montgomery & Frans Swanepoel

24 SA BASS August 2017

Mpumalanga 1: Team Knotts Outdoor - 2.875kg 2: Team Mercury Pro Team - 2.330kg 3: Team EQB - 1.825kg 4: Team Bass Couple - 1.515kg 5: Team Zombie Bass - 1.510kg

VLNR: Corne & Jacques Schoeman, Slade & Shandon Hawman, Michael & Andrew Husgen, Keith Knott & Hugo Lerm.

Limpopo 1: Team Beli VC - 6.850kg 2: Team Beli Tomato - 6.540kg 3: Team JV Hidrolies - 5.495kg 4: Team Oud &Jonk - 5.425kg 5: Team Fear no Fish - 5.040kg

Back: Justy Varkevisser, Billy Eastman, Attie Barnard, Wessel du Toit, Stefan Badenhorst Front: Reed Eastman, Wayne Eastman, Johnny Verster, Zack Verster, Alexis Kuisis

SA BASS 25 August 2017

KZN 1: Team Strike King Bass Warehouse - 5,350k 2: Team Gamakatsu Outdoor 365 - 3,580kg 3: Team R&R - 1,325kg 4: Team One 3 Fishing - 0,885kg

L-t-r: Bryan Leppan, Michael Cannon, Wayne Easton, Neels Beneke, Ross Summerell, Ronnie Thompson

JOIN FLW TODAY The world's largest tournament-fishing organization ANYBODY CAN JOIN AND ENJOY MEMBERS-ONLY BENEFITS: * A credit card type FLW membership card * 8 digital issues of FLW Bass Fishing magazine USA * 12 digital issues of SA BASS magazine * Claim an official FLW SA record * Access to digital FLW USA archives * Monthly members-only tackle giveaways * 10% off all FLW Gear * FLW Fantasy Fishing Members Advantage tools * Monthly FLW E-Newsletter Payment option - Direct Deposit / EFT Payments: Account name: SA BASS Bank: FNB Pretoria North Branch Code: 251 045 Cheque account: SA BASS - 620 243 03 068 Reference: “FLW + (surname)” Fax proof of payment plus this completed subscription form to 086 234 5052; E-mail proof of payment plus this completed subscription form to hannes@sabass.com

Contact us: E-mail: hannes@sabass.com BB Print, P.O. Box 24938, Gezina, 0031

www.flwsouthafrica.com 26 SA BASS August 2017

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IF YOUR RECENT KNEE INJURY WAS CAUSED BY A TROLLING MOTOR RELATED INCIDENT.

YOU’RE A CAST-FOR-CASH KIND OF ANGLER

The Cast-for-Cash tournament series, the monthly social tournament trail for all those anglers who are mad about bassing and mad about fun.

For further information visit www.sabass.com

>> SA BASS CLASSROOM

What’s For Dinner?

Or more importantly, know what your target fish is eating and know its behaviour.

Nothing is safe, not even ducklings

>> John Badenhorst*

B

ass are notoriously greedy and will in most cases eat anything they can comfortably fit into their mouths and if it just so happens to be something that is an easy meal, then it’s a bonus for Mr Bass. Bass will sometimes even try to eat something around its own size too. I guess it all depends on how hungry that particular bass happens to be at the time.

Selecting lures these days are pretty easy and in many cases the lure that catches your eye on the shelf might just catch the eye of a hungry bass and then its game on.

This being said, there are so many choices in swimbaits, crankbaits, spinners and more that it can get confusing to even the most ardent angler.

The term “match the hatch” has been coined by our fly fishing brethren and entails matching their fly presentations to whatever insects or fish or invertebrates their quarry happen to be feeding on. The idea has in recent years caught on more and more in the world of bass and every other aspect of angling too. Bass have a big menu to choose from and if we as anglers can understand their quarry better, we 28 SA BASS August 2017

have a better chance of making the right choices when it comes to bait selections for specific waters. With that, we give ourselves a better chance at getting quality fish.

The most common food item on the menu for bass happens to be minnows and small fish from the barb species to the kurper family and of course juvenile carp, barbel and even smaller bass. Some dams will have a bigger concentration of redbreast kurper, while another dam will have more three spot barb serving as natural bait for bass.

Understanding and doing a bit of research into the other fish species available on the menu will give you a better understanding of what the bass are eating. This in essence is common knowledge but here is the twist… do you know what kurper actively feed on? Do you know where the three spot barb forages and under what conditions?

Knowing what the bass are actively eating is one thing but part of the bigger picture is to figure out what their prey is doing. Let’s for instance say that in a particular impoundment, bass are actively feeding on redbreast kurper. Redbreast kurper enjoy eating algae and prefer

Daphnia close up Daphnia to scrape it off standing timber or the outer edges of reed beds. This attracts the bass to the same area since it not only affords protection but offers a take away meal too. Make no mistake that these fish eat a host of insects, small larvae and even smaller fish or frogs.

Recently on an outing to Witbank Dam, we did a spot of research and also had a chat with some local bass anglers to find out a bit more about the bass there. The info we got, gave us an indication of where, more or less we will be able to stalk them and given that its winter fishing, this info was indeed very welcome. Through various anglers two methods came through clearly and the first on being to fish drop shot around the 16 to 18ft. contour lines. The second method was to use suspending jerkbaits around the edges of weed beds and over weed beds in around 9ft of water. Being more of a finesse angler myself, I opted for the first option with limited success. On our second outing to the same dam we found a nice channel running between standing reeds and some weed beds. This channel also had some isolated weed patches in-between. Using a small paddle tail bait rigged Mojo style, we quickly had a few fish for our efforts. Two of the fish we landed regurgitated and this mess landed on the boat. Upon closer inspection we found it to be a huge amount of daphnia. On our third trip to Witbank we followed the food, in other words, we tried to find daphnia and as these little insects attract smaller fish that feed on them, it creates a chain reaction where bigger fish will come to eat the smaller fish and the big fish we were after were sitting slightly deeper waiting for and unsuspecting meal to swim along. Fishing the outer margins of the slightly deeper weed edges with a suspending jerk minnow or a slightly

bigger paddle tail soft bait resulted in a good amount of decent fish. With the upcoming spring and the rains that usually come with it, frogs will be laying their eggs in and around almost every pond in South Africa. This will result in thousands of tadpoles in the shallows which will attract feeding and hungry fish and in turn will attract the bigger predators to an easy dinner.

Knowing bass and their behaviour is very important in our quest to catch them. If we add knowing how their food behaves and where it might congregate, we can remove a huge amount of guesswork and improve our chances of getting quality fish even in cooler weather. Thanks to Google and loads of research done on our local dams, it’s relatively easy to find information on the fodder species available in these impoundments. When we study the actual food source and what it feeds on, we essentially close the gap between blanking and catching.

The most common food item on the menu for bass happens to be minnows and small fish

Soon frogs will be laying their eggs in and around almost every pond

*John Badenhorst is assistant editor of SA BASS magazine and a keen angler himself. He is also a regular contributor for SA BASS and a custom lure maker for Wolf Lures, Flies & Feathers.

Tadpoles in the shallows will attract feeding and hungry fish

SA BASS 29 August 2017

>> SA BASS INTERNATIONAL

Masvikadei

>> Clint Skinner

MUCH OF ZIMBABWE HAD SEEN RECORD RAINFALL ALREADY WHICH CURTAILED SOME VENUES FROM BEING AVAILABLE; THANKFULLY THE FACILITIES AT MASVIKADEI MEANT THAT IT WAS STILL AN OPTION.

30 SA BASS August 2017

Forty one teams entered for the two day event held over the weekend of 5 and 6 March.

T

he dam had dropped back to 102% full but the rivers were still flowing and the spillway was still shrouded in layer of spray as water plunged down what is commonly known as the plug. Pizza Inn had sponsored pizza and after the captains meeting teams enjoyed a few slices while catching up with fellow anglers from around the country. Thanks to Simbisa for the kind donation through your Pizza Inn chain!

Threats of rain saw anglers packing all the rain kit as they prepared. Good fish had been found in practice both up the rivers in the dirty water as well as in the crystal clean water of main lake so there was a plan available for most if only the pattern held out. 05:45 saw the boats head through the starters for safety checks and off they went to their starting spots.

Masvikadei is without a doubt one of the more attractive fishing venues, the Gold Dust township which was mostly constructed during the farming boom years has plenty of houses available for rent so the majority of the competitors had good accommodation away from the weather. The dam itself offers a bit of everything with lots of most types of structure available. Unfortunately during its building many of the trees were removed. There is deep water with cliff faces, rocks piles, anthills and a multitude of different weed types. The river section goes on and on and many found this flowing water irresistible resulting in some high speed racing to get to the no plane area first.

Some anglers, as always, found it easier than others with several 10kg

plus bags coming out.

Others discovered their lack of time on the water counting against them but all in all day one made for interesting fishing.

Harare Bass Chapter had set the weigh station up and fish were quickly bagged, weighed and released. Once collated results were sent out with most anglers getting an early night after a hard day on the water.

Day two dawned and tired bodies gathered to do it all again. The conditions were perfect and the race to the river paid off early for Glen Fowler and KJ Elkington with them getting three fish early quickly. Glen (Pumba) proving himself very efficient as the net man. Unfortunately I was

motor before continuing again. Where there is a will there is a way.

Harare Bass Chapter has a new title sponsor for 2017 in VeriFone.

Along with their other sponsors both for the year and for the tournament itself a very respectable prize table was laid out.

Transcom Sharafhad also donated a batch of winter jackets and shirts allowing spot prizes throughout which were well received.

Lure choice as always varied but creature baits and fluke were without a doubt right up there.

Some of the better fish still found their way to eat a frog and the ever reliable spinnerbait bite was producing the odd quality fish. the loser here being second in the queue and watched all three being caught 20m ahead of me but great sportsmanship and banter flying as they were brought to the boat.

The river bite slowed up and boats dispersed to other parts of the dam as the morning progressed. Most anglers seemed to find day two a lot tougher though although those that were on fish were catching solid fish.

Seldom do these events go without incidents and several boats had problems. Two had steering issues and two more had engine/ gearbox issues yet the tenacity of Zimbabweans saw three of these four teams complete the tournament. Well done to you all! Richard Collyer and Ant Phillips were one of the teams driving in straight lines, stopping and then turning boat with the bass

Placings were as follows:

Team placings:

1st

Dave Beattie

1st

B. Cooke and L. Macdonald

2nd

Strati Orphanides

2nd

N. Gulab and B. Gulab

3rd

Neil Gulab

3rd

D. Beattie and J. Saul

Duma was a 4.30kg fish caught by K. Simons.

SA BASS 31 August 2017

Masvikadei Classic Interview with Dave Beattie Q. So Dave, well done on your name cropping up in the top end of the results a lot recently in Zimbabwe!

While you have always been up there, what can you attribute your recent run of results to?

Dave: Thank you, Clint. My recent positive results come from the fact that the lake conditions of the various venues have suited my style of fishing. The November win at Claw Dam was under summer conditions with warm water and prolific weed growth in the shallows. This weed growth brings the bait, and therefore the fish, into the shallows and that suits my style of fishing. Even though the water was very high at Mazvikadei, it was still warm and the fish were active in the shallows.

Q. How do you approach a tournament like a classic or a national test? What preparation is actually done behind the scenes?

Dave: First and foremost, all tackle must be thoroughly checked, cleaned, lubricated and in good working order. I will determine the colour of the water and base my bait selection on that. I carry a wide selection of finesse baits and power baits, i.e. pitching baits, frogs and spinnerbaits. I endeavour to have one day of practise in order to ascertain what’s going on with the lake, and also what stage the fish may be in by tournament time (spawn, post- spawn, etc.). This information should help you select what line size you need to use as well. It is important to cover water so that if you figure out a pattern, you know where to go to try and duplicate those conditions.

Q. If you were to fish a “One Lure, One Rod” tournament on an anonymous dam, what would your set-up be and why?

Dave: I would go with a spinnerbait and 17lb fluorocarbon line on a 6’6” medium-heavy casting rod with a standard Curado reel that has a 6.3:1 retrieve ratio. This would let me cover water and give me a chance to catch some big fish. If the tournament was in the middle of winter, I would choose to fish a 5” Senko on 15lb fluorocarbon on a 7’2” Crucial rod and a Curado reel.

Q. Your recent victory at Mazvikadei - Can you share how you caught your fish?

Dave: Yes. Basically, I used two rods. The first set-up consisted of a 6’6” medium-heavy casting rod, a standard Curado reel that has a 6.3:1 retrieve ratio and I was slow-rolling a ⅜oz small-profile Stanley wedge spinnerbait on 17lb fluorocarbon line. The second, and most important, set-up consisted of a G.Loomis GLX 7’5” fast-action pitching rod, rated 17-25lb, paired with a Shimano Castaic pitching reel with 65lb braid. On the terminal tackle side, I used a ¾oz tungsten sinker and a 3/0 EWG Superline hook from Gamakatsu. I was pitching a Berkley Pit Boss or a small Wild Thing in green pumpkin to chicamba weed points. The bite was mainly on the bottom in 6 to 8 foot water. The spinnerbait was used to cover the water between pitching areas and produced some nice fish as well.

Q. Any words of wisdom for new anglers out there?

Dave: My wife equates my success to a quote from the legendary golfer, Gary Player: “The more I practice, the luckier I get”. It couldn’t be truer. Like all sports, practise is essential. In order to win tournaments, you need to catch the big fish, not just a limit of keepers. The big fish are smarter and you won’t fool them with a poor presentation. Don’t worry so much about filling out your limit; figure out how to get the big fish in the live well. I strongly recommend that every time you visit a venue, write down what you glean from your visit. This includes time of year, water conditions, etc. As equally important, record what other anglers did to beat you. These notes will help you immensely in years to come. With regards to your fishing plan, you must be willing to be adaptable and versatile; if your plan is not working, try something else. If your area seems dead - move! Be prepared to try something different.

Until next time, fish on Dad! 32 SA BASS August 2017

>> SA BASS CONSUMER NEWS

1. GARMIN QUATIX 5 >> Available for Garmin SA Pty (Ltd)

Quatix 5, the next-generation marine GPS smartwatch that’s specifically designed for life on the water. More than a watch, the quatix 5 provides comprehensive boat connectivity with compatible Garmin chart plotters and other marine electronics to offer autopilot control, remote multifunction display (MFD) waypoint marking, data streaming – including speed, depth, temperature and wind – sail racing assistance, and much more.

2. HILLBILLY POISEN TUNGSTEN POISEN WEIGHTS >>Distributed by HillBilly Poisen

HillBilly Poisen Tackle offers premium Tungsten Bullet Weights which are much denser, harder, and more compact than lead. This provides great advantages for anglers. Their more compact profile allows them to get in and of cover more easily and their increased density allows them to get to the bottom faster. When paired with a bead they also produce a louder fish attracting sound and their increased hardness transmits bottom structure far better than lead, so you can tell exactly where your bait is. These weights have a plastic tube running through the centre of them so your line will not be in contact with the hard metal. If you haven’t tried tungsten, you’ll be impressed with the feel you’ll get for where your weight is.

3. UNFAIR LURES’ PAUL’S RIP-N-SLASH >> Available from Knott’s Outdoor Paradise

Features a 3D bleeding gills and holographic tones. Equipped with a swivel line connection, its dynamic swimming angles are hard for fish to resist. Extended casting distance and irresistible darting action make Unfair Lures’ Paul’s Rip-N-Slash the ultimate search bait.

Holographic body, 3-D gills and realistic eyes bring this lure to life, and matched PvR TurboSet Hooks maximize hooksets. Swivel keeps lure running straight without any additional tuning. Deadly in saltwater or freshwater.

4. WATERSNAKE INFLATABLE PFD >> Available from World of Fishing

Jarvis Walker Waternsake Inflatable PFD’s in this range now conform to Level 150 / 150N AS4758.1 which is the latest Australian standards suitable for all conditions including offshore conditions. So if you’re heading out on the water, these will comply with regulations for South African water to. They will be also fine for use inshore as well whether you are kayaking or in a small watercraft on an estuary. This Yoke style Jarvis Walker water snake Inflatable PFD is designed with comfort in mind with the inclusion of a soft neoprene neck liner which will assist in preventing

chafing and even irritation. Inflatable PFD’s are our biggest selling type of personal flotation device with the biggest reason being that they are so much more comfortable and less restrictive as opposed to conventional life jackets or PFD’s.

5. JT PROP NUT >> Available from Knott’s Outdoor Paradise

The JT Prop Nut Offering several advantages over stock propeller nuts, the JT Prop Nut is built to make your trolling motor perform better, longer, and quieter. Designed to lessen prop noise and vibration, the JT Trolling” Prop Nut stabilizes the prop by providing a larger contact point. In addition, the JT Prop Nut also acts as a heat sink and has built-in cooling ports that reduce the operating temperature for longer battery and trolling motor life.

6. MEGASTRIKE FISH ATTRACTANT >> Available from Knott’s Outdoor Paradise

MegaStrike Fish Attractant has accounted for hundreds of thousands of dollars on the USA Pro Tour. This scientifically formulated attractant took years to develop and is now ready to help you catch fish. The developer identified specific amino acids that trigger a bass’ feeding response. He then formulated the smells and tastes to be identical to a bass’ favourite creatures. Mega Strike is a thick gel that stays on your lure longer and comes in a convenient squeeze tube. Try the newest, most scientific fish attractant on the market today.

SA BASS 33 August 2017

>> SA BASS PRODUCT NEWS

®

New quatix 5 marine GPS smartwatch >>

Garmin® adds autopilot control, ability to mark MFD waypoints and more to its new quatix® 5 marine GPS smartwatch series.

G

armin Southern Africa announced the quatix 5, its next-generation marine GPS smartwatch that’s specifically designed for life on the water. More than a watch, the quatix 5 provides comprehensive boat

34 SA BASS August 2017

>> Dewald Viljoen* connectivity with compatible Garmin chart plotters and other marine electronics to offer autopilot control, remote multifunction display (MFD) waypoint marking, data streaming – including speed, depth, temperature and wind – sail racing assistance, and much more. In addition to preloaded marine-specific feature sets, the quatix 5 also includes a host of built-in activity profiles for land and water sports like running, hiking, biking, swimming, rowing, and paddle boarding to name a few.

With an extended battery life, daily activity tracking, smart notifications, and Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate technology, the quatix 5 can be worn 24/7 and easily transitions from water to land. Built to withstand the harsh marine environment, the quatix 5 measures at 47mm and features a rugged yet sleek design with a stainless steel bezel, buttons and rear case that is more compact than previous models. Thanks to the new QuickFit™ bands available in metal, leather or silicone, users can interchange their watchband in seconds and without tools.

“From fishermen chasing bass to canoeists, kayakers and power boaters, the quatix 5 was designed for life on the water,” said Adrian van Lieshout, Head of Marine for Garmin Southern Africa. “It combines feature and design qualities from our popular fenix® 5 multisport watch series with boating, fishing, cruising and sailing capabilities to deliver the most sophisticated and connected generalpurpose marine smartwatch on the market today.”

When paired with on board Garmin electronics, the quatix 5 can stream NMEA® 2000 boat data to give users access to important sensor information like speed, depth, temperature, wind data and more – right from their wrist, no matter where they are on the boat. What’s more, when the quatix 5 is paired with a GHC 20 autopilot control unit, it can be used to control the autopilot to change heading, engage heading hold, steer to an active GPS route, and initiate patterns so that users can maintain control of the vessel, even if they’re not the one at the helm.

The quatix 5 also makes it easier than ever to mark and save a waypoint from anywhere on the boat – with the touch of a button; the quatix 5 can be used to remotely mark a waypoint on a connected chart plotter(s). And, users can also use the quatix 5 to control their on board entertainment system thanks to the built-in FUSIONLink™ Lite app that controls connected StereoActive™ products as well as other ANT-enabled stereo models.

Specifically designed for the water, the quatix 5 gives anglers a competition timer and fish catch log to help them keep track of the fish they’ve caught and the time remaining before getting back to weigh-in.

Water rated to 100 metres, the quatix 5 is built to withstand the elements and features a sunlight-readable colour display with an LED backlight so data is easily visible in any light. With an omni-directional stainless steel EXO™ antenna and high-sensitivity GPS with GLONASS support, it has the ability to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. The quatix 5 boasts up to 24 hours of battery life in GPS mode, 60 hours in UltraTracTM mode and two weeks in smartwatch mode (depending on settings).

In addition to the marine and multiport features, the quatix 5 can be worn for daily activity tracking so

users can wear their quatix as a daily timepiece. It boasts a variety of connected features and when paired with a compatible smartphone, users can get call, text and email smart notifications right on their wrist. The quatix 5 is compatible with Connect IQ™, an open platform for thirdparty developers to create content for compatible Garmin wearables, this is so users can customize their watch with apps, widgets, data fields and watch faces.

The quatix 5 is available now in two versions: the quatix 5 and the quatix 5 Sapphire. The quatix 5 Sapphire has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens and includes a stainless steel band as well as a blue silicone QuickFit band. It’s also Wi-Fi® enabled so users can connect their watch to their home network for automatic uploads to Garmin Connect™ when within range. The non-sapphire quatix 5 comes with a blue silicone QuickFit band.

Garmin was recently named Manufacturer of the Year for the second year in a row by the NMEA, an honour given to the most recognized marine electronics company for support of products in the field. Garmin’s portfolio includes some of the industry’s most sophisticated chart plotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar technology, high-definition radar, autopilots, highresolution mapping, sailing instrumentation, and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.

For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. *Follow Garmin at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/ garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.

SA BASS 35 August 2017

Justin Booth with a large Florida bass caught on a spinnerbait in the flooded trees on Lake Mteri

Choosing

>> SA BASS MASTER CLASS

A SPINNERBAIT >> Roger Donaldson*

I

have these tantalising visions of the bass I’ve witnessed caught on a spinnerbait. There have been many. I can’t bare it any longer and I need to tell you my secrets of where, how and when. I hope my fellow anglers who shared these experiences with me will forgive me for opening this chest of treasures to all the readers, but I cannot leave the planet without these enthusiastic bass anglers not knowing.

There are some vast differences in the colour, size, weight and blade configuration of spinnerbaits.

Truthfully, each factor needs to be considered independently in order to obtain the maximum results. In fact, should you fail to apply any thought to your action there is a good chance you will be left without any reaction to your spinnerbait at all. Getting to know how to select your bait for the best results will take some learning (time on the water), but I will do my best here to shortcut this process for you.

36 SA BASS August 2017

I remember two distinct occasions fishing on Rust der Winter Dam just outside Pretoria. The dam is renowned for its expanses of vegetation and shallow water fishing. Six years ago you could land a few bass in the 2 to 3kg range, but these large bass are very rare at this venue today. Nevertheless, if you wanted a chance at one Rust der Winter’s larger quality fish then a spinnerbait would certainly be the bait to use. I think my old friend Tony Wilkinson who holds the Rust der Winter record of 4,2kg will confirm this.

Because of all the vegetation in this dam you can now begin to define which spinnerbait will provide you with the most success and also the least frustration. Also, once you’ve done this you can take the same spinnerbait here and apply it to the next dam which boasts plenty of aquatic vegetation.

To retrieve a spinnerbait between aquatic vegetation at a depth more than 3ft will not be necessary.

Immediately now we can decide that

in order for the bait to stay relatively elevated in the water column (and not get dragged into the vegetation below) the lure should be of a medium weight (1/3 to 1/6oz). Heavier than this and you’ll be dragging a lot of weed and lighter than this you’ll simply be skimming across the top. Added to this the blade configuration should have a streamlined profile in order to slide easily through the vegetation with as little snagging as possible.

For this purpose a double willow leaf configuration will be most suitable as the splendour shape of the blades will not snag like that of the wider, broader Colorado blade. Ultimately, the effect you want to create in calmer water conditions will be for the spinnerbait to ‘trickle’ over and between the grassy stems, raising your rod tip to gently flick the lure free of the vegetation and allowing the blades to spin feely again. If you can get this right you’ll be having the time of your life.

Timber filled dams are equally as attractive for fishing a spinnerbait.

Very large bass similar to those found in Letsibogo Dam ambush their prey around the dead timber beneath the water.

One particular dam comes to top of mind in this instance, Lake Mteri in the Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe.

Dams which may provide similar opportunity will be De Hoop, Nandoni, areas of Albert Falls, Arabie, and Inanda Dam, Letsibogo in Botswana, and even on the Vaal River system to name but a few. Although all these venues represent vastly different fisheries the concept remains quite similar – rolling spinnerbaits through the limbs of submerged timber.

Bass locate to flooded trees in search of food and as a form of refuge from potential predators.

Constructing your spinnerbait to fish these areas effectively will deliver truly incredible results.

Lake Mteri was an example of absolute unadulterated exhilaration.

Very large bass similar to those found in Letsibogo Dam ambush their prey around the dead timber beneath the water. Getting to them requires that you place special attention to the tackle you are using in order to get the fish away from the structure.

But as for the construction of the spinnerbait we found that a slightly heavier lure would be more attractive.

The ‘thump’ of the lure as it struck the submerged wooden limbs was crucial and without that little entreat there would be far fewer results. Added to this we had chosen to rig up with large, broad Colorado blades to give off as much reflection and vibration as possible in the stained water with reduced visibility conditions.

There is an incredible amount to learn about when it comes to spinnerbaits and one article simply isn’t enough to get into all the intricate situations that would demand the attributes of this bold lure. Even the ‘skirt’ colours are something you must have fun dabbling with and which will greatly improve your strike ratio. Keep a couple of your favourites spare in case you run into a situation where the bass are absolutely tearing away at the perfect offering you’ve assembled for them. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

A selection of spinnerbaits with different weights, skirt colours and blade configurations

>> SA BASS

TOUGH

Fishing >> Spinnerbaits, lipless and crankbaits will always put aggressive bass in the boat, while worms and pitching baits are more suitable for fishing thick cover. Getting a bite when the bass are inactive can be frustrating, especially during a tournament when you need at least five bites for the day.

This is when finesse techniques can come into play. On every dam you fish, this technique can be fruitful even when it’s a tough day out.

>> The traditional drop-shot rig

38 SA BASS August 2017

>> Bennie Wiese*

F

inesse fishing for me is all in the delivery of small baits on the lightest line you can get away with. It works in deep water and is not just for clear water but it will also work in dirty water too. I have learned and experienced this over the years on the Vaal River where any skilled bass angler’s patience can be tested. There are days on the Vaal when only a small thin finesse worm will do the job, moving it slowly over the bottom. I believe that some of our dams get serious fishing pressure because anglers are getting themselves well-educated on the dams by using the latest in technology such as side image sonar.

Because of this fishing pressure, the bass are reacting more unfavourably to all pressure. So, anytime the angler can scale down and can get away with a lighter line, he will achieve a more natural action out of the bait. The best of all, you will get more bites and more fish. It will happen that you will get smaller fish, but just work the fish and area. I was fishing the Vaal River on a cold day in early July. I fished in a small area where I know there are always fish, even small, under sized fish. I got few small fish and then received a phone call. I did not move from the spot while taking the call, making cast after cast on the same spot. Suddenly the line just moved… I was fishing a four inch wacky type stickbait and I set the hook. All hell broke loose and when the bass was landed it weighed 2.8kg.

What a nice fish for the Vaal that time of the year.

>>

The best of all, you will get more bites and more fish. It will happen that you will get smaller fish, but just work the fish and area.

Drop-shotting One of the hottest tactics developed in the last few years, is a technique that is very effective in deep clear water. After getting confidence in drop-shotting, you will realise that this technique can be used to fish deep to shallow in clean to stained water, the whole year around. The bait is always doing something when you move the rod’s tip. Dropshotting is always a good way to fish in spawn, especially when you get those fish that don’t want to bite.

The right settings on a fish finders combined with a drop-shot rig can be deadly.

A drop-shot is rigged by tying a small finesse hook onto the main line with a Palomar knot and leaving a longer tag at the end where the sinker is attached. By placing a soft plastic lure above the sinker, you give the bait a nice bottom. This technique works well when you cover a large area and the bite is off. The Mojo rig is a modified Carolina rig using lighter line and baits with a finesse presentation.

Over the years the rig underwent many changes in the way that it is rigged; different ways of fishing it and all types of plastics have been tried and tested. Some anglers just use a small clip on weight, some favour to add a simple slip sinker to get more weight. For me the best way is the mojo way by using it with the aid of the tin rubber bands to keep the weight in position.

When the bass are really fussy use smaller 2 to 3 inch lures. Sometimes they prefer bigger lures. You must just experiment with size and ways that will match your style.

Ned rig Even with the Ned rig, that has taken the country by storm, you need patience. It is easy to use and can be very effectively fished around just about any hard cover or location. The key is to fish it on a slack line. The Ned rig excels when it gets to tough fishing, for this reason, its small profile and finesse action can be used to imitate most fodder the bass are targeting. It can be fished with great successes around points, cliffs, slipways and spawning areas. Cast it out to your target area and let the lure fall on a slack line, watch as it falls for the telltale flick in the line that indicates that there is a bite. Often you won’t see any indication of a fish biting, but when you reel up to move the bait; there will be a fish on. Regardless of the straight forwardness

>>

swimming action positioned above the fish, or in their face, especially those bass that are suspended. If you are using a fish finder you can determine on what depth the bass are holding and by attaching the weight the right distance away from the bait can target bass that are suspended, or keep your bait out of the grass. Suspend the bait off the bottom and leave the weight on the same spot when lifting the rod tip up and down. This gives the bait a natural falling action.

If fishing deep water a lighter line will get your weight faster to the bottom and will give the lure a more natural action.

Mojo rigging Some anglers call it split-shotting but it is still the same technique. Split-shotting is one of my confidence rigs and I have had many good days of fishing this way. By dragging a very light mojo weight, try to maintain contact with the of fishing it, one key element to remember while fishing the Ned rig, and this is that you shouldn’t set the hook traditionally. Because of the tiny gap on the hook it has the tendency to pull out of the bass’ mouth if you really jerk on it. Instead, just lean in and start reeling once you feel the bite. It seems crazy, but the fish will hook itself.

For the bass anglers that don’t have patience, this can be very frustrating, you have to cast a weightless lure and wait for it fall to the bottom, for the aggressive angler this is too difficult to do. *Bennie Wiese is the editor of SA Bass magazine and an experienced provincial bass angler.

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SA BASS 39 August 2017

>> SA BASS INTERNATIONAL

Yeongsan River Tidal Assault

(Part 2)

Bass fishing in tidal waters

The Yeongsan River delta is a tough but extremely awesome place to fish

Continuing from where we left off, we devoted the morning and early afternoon fishing two irrigation channels on the south bank, notably the 3ft deep shallow water bank cover and culverts. >> Words by Fishingboy | http://thefishingboy.blog138.fc2.com/ >> Images by Fishingboy and Kang Hohyeong

T

he results were pretty encouraging from the get-go. The majority of bites occurred tight to shoreline cover. The biggest fish we caught in the irrigation channel was 47cm in length. A fun fact to share, I actually caught the fish while we were reversing out of the channel.

Outside the channel, however, it was a different story.

Despite numerous attempts, we could not get dialled-in on areas where schools of carp were staging and getting ready 40 SA BASS August 2017

to spawn. Even more bizarrely, the frog bites were totally absent on any of the matted vegetation.

For that reason, we wasted no time and left the area to head for another waypoint about twenty minutes away where I was able to pattern similar areas with positive results. I was fishing a finesse punch rig on what looked to me like sparse matted vegetation and caught a 46cm bass.

We did not catch any giants but had fun catching decent size fish from the shoreline cover.

Deep-water cranking Following that, we headed upriver on another long run, which took about thirty minutes to an area primarily consisting of bluff stone banks. Compared to areas downstream, especially the Geumgang-Ri areas, the water quality upstream was, in my opinion, a lot better. In some of the images, you will notice the change in water conditions, from muddy to a greenish tint.

Unlike areas downstream where we were fishing in predominantly shallow muddy water, the areas around the bluff banks were deeper and the water was clear and the fishing was totally different. Instead of beating the bank vegetation, we would be fishing deep crankbaits.

When it comes to deep crankbaits, the first thing that comes to my mind is B.A.S.S Elite Series pro, Kevin VanDam. He is the all-time highest prize money winner on the pro-circuit and one of the best in the business when it comes to crankbaits, especially deep crankbaits such as his signature series Strike King KVD 10XD. If you had never seen this bait before, go check it out. In my opinion, the 10XD is the king daddy of deep crankbaits.

I rarely fish crankbaits, let alone deep crankbaits and I have to agree that the 10XD in the capable hands of Mr. Kang was truly an eye-opening experience for me. The 10XD dives 25’ plus deep on light line and it is the bait for bass in deep-water that will not react to other baits.

Mr. Kang caught a load of fish in the 2 to 3lb range on his 10XD that day. I ended up fishing badly and had problems getting adjusted to fishing deep-water. In a positive way, I was basically a spectator at the back of the boat during those couple of hours while Kang was pulling in fish after fish on his awesome 10XD that he bought in Japan.

Tackle tips Before I talk about the tackle tips that I wish to share, I want to highlight that the bass fishing on the Yeongsan

The Texas-rigged 8” Zoom Magnum Lizard was the deal of the day for me

River is all about patterning. When I was there during the summer of 2016, the fishing in the southern tributaries was predominantly about flipping and punching in bank vegetation. On the north tributaries, however, the fishing is more diverse. In addition to cover fishing along the banks, there were deep ledges that fished really well on deep crankbaits.

For most of the day, I was fishing a tried and true Texas-rigged 8” Zoom Magnum Lizard. I rigged the bait on a Matzuo 3/0 offset worm hook with a tungsten 3/8oz

SA BASS 41 August 2017

Quality improves with each cast on the 10XD for Mr. Kang

Tidal fisheries are always tough, but they are also outstanding in many ways. I adapted well to most of the cover fishing situations, but fell short when it comes to crankbait fishing in deep-water in areas upstream. No doubt, I will be looking forward future opportunities where I could put those valuable lessons learned to good use, hopefully soon.

Stay tuned for more exciting stories from South Korea in next month’s SA Bass. Thank you for reading. Fish hard, fish well and god bless.

Acknowledgements

Mr. Kang fishes the shaded part of the ledge where the water is about 8m deep

punching sinker. The bank vegetation was not remarkably dense and I was able to punch through cover with a 3/8oz sinker with ease. I was using 15lb-test Sunline Siglon 100% Fluorocarbon on my Daiwa Tatula 702MHFB worm/jig rod and high-speed Steez 100SH 7.1:1 baitcasting reel.

My host, Mr. Kang, however, caught most of his fish on deep crankbaits upriver in deep ledges. His preferred setup for deep crankbaits such as the Strike King KVD 10XD starts with a Bixod B315c (CB611M) crankbait series rod,

by JS Company Rods of South Korea, that is paired with a Shimano Metanium 6.2:1 baitcasting reel. He uses 14lbtest Sunline Shooter FC Sniper BMS that contains color visual bite indication.

A big thank you to all my sponsors for their support and contribution:TCE Sports Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) Nice Fish! Distribution (UK) Bitez (Singapore) SportyFish (Singapore)

River fishing challenges All in all, our day on the Yeongsan River was remarkably positive. We caught a load of keeper size (38cm) bass, 2lb’ers and even 3lb’ers in various fishing conditions. I learned a load of new stuff on what was actually my first real experience on a tidal river bass fishery. All in all, it was the numbers game as we could not locate or catch any big bass above 2kg.

42 SA BASS August 2017

Mr. Kang caught most of his big bass on a deep ledge upriver

>> SA BASS CLASSROOM

Night Fishing Topwater

Black spinnerbait

Black jerkbait

Black frog >> Hugo Lerm

C

atching bass at night is always an interesting topic for me, as not a lot of people actually try and catch them after dark. I’ve had some of my best fishing as the sun sets and the moon rises, especially during the spawning months. With night fishing your pressured water often produces good sized fish as they “learn� to feed more actively at night as to not get caught. So when the sun sets the pigs come out to play! The one night I will never forget was during full moon on Bronkhorstspruit Dam. We were catching decent fish the whole night anywhere and everywhere. The baits did not matter and they were hungry!

The first few fish I caught was when I was a young lad camping and fishing for carp. One evening I got really bored by just sitting and waiting, so I picked up my rod with a plastic still tied on from the days fishing and targeted a grass patch where I had caught a bass during the day. It was not long when I felt the distinctive “tap� on the line and the fish was on. I was amazed and got a few more that night. From there on, I would always try and make a few casts when everyone else is sleeping and dreaming of the catch of a lifetime while I am actually doing it.

Here is my take on the baits I use at night: Topwater baits - Zara Spooks for the active fish and a nice loud popper for the less active and curious fish. They will at times miss the bait if its fished too fast so slow down a bit more than what you would be fishing it during the day.

Jerkbaits - They work especially well when the bass are feeding in the shallows. Cast and jerk, they will smash it!

Soft plastics - I have caught on most baits in the same way and colours as I would use during the day. The key is to slow down and create extra vibration and noises so do not forget your rattles and scents.

Spinnerbaits - The vibration is most probably the biggest reason for the bass to eat it, but the moon also creates some flash for the bass to home in on.

I would really urge our readers to have a go next time when you are camping over and to experience the thrill of catching a night-time bass. Tight lines and don’t let the bedbugs bite!

People always ask: “What baits do I use at night?â€? Here are some of my tips and techniques for ďŹ shing in the dark. s 4HE BEST TIME TO lSH AT NIGHT IS DURING FULL MOON 4HIS IS not only the time that they are more active at night, but it also makes it possible to see where you are ďŹ shing.

This does not mean they do not feed on other nights but your chances are better to catch a lot of ďŹ sh. s -AKE SURE YOU FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL WATER RULES AND regulations and make sure you are allowed on the water. Some waters have a “no boats after darkâ€? rule.

Have your lights on and always be safe. Don’t go racing to your spots. s &ISH WATERS AND AREAS THAT YOU KNOW WELL TO PREVENT hitting rocks, trees and even jetties. s +EEP YOUR HEADLAMP CLOSE AT HAND s ! mASK TO KEEP YOU WARM DURING THE COLD HOURS OF THE morning is always welcome. s #HECK YOUR WEATHER FORECAST 9OU DO NOT WANT TO GET caught in a storm or serious wind in the dark. s 4HE lSH DO NOT SCARE SO EASILY AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO make very long casts. s &ISH AREAS WHERE THERE ARE LIGHTS CLOSE TO THE WATER This attracts insects such as moths and miggies.

These, in turn attract small ďŹ sh, and then the bass follow.

SA BASS 43 August 2017

>> SA BASS VENUES

CLAW DAM Claw Dam in Zimbabwe near the town of Kadoma has become a frequent venue for tournaments both locally and internationally. With Zimbabwe, the venue for the 2017 Region 5 Tournament Claw Dam was selected as the waters to be fished.

F

acilities at the dam itself are good by Zimbabwean standards. There is a very active social scene at the club, ablutions are well maintained and the camping facilities and grass to water’s edge make it a pleasure to be staying at. Easy to use launch facilities and the ability to leave your boat in the water overnight just metres from your tent make for easy starts. With power available all one needs is an extension and all batteries are on charge.

The dam itself has more structure than many. Fed by three main rivers there is ample area to fish both main lake

44 SA BASS August 2017

>> Clint Skinner and river patterns. With plenty of dead trees, anthills, rock piles and weed lines the dam has most types of structure and there always seems to be something to throw a lure at.

No matter what your favourite presentation is, Claw should allow you the opportunity to throw it. In a mining area the dam is often well stained after the rains and often stays that way well into late winter. Rocky main lake points, the ever present chicamba weed and grass lines, water pump stations and even sometimes using a crocodile as structure all can produce.

MAIN STRUCTURE TYPES: Anthills

Trees Without a doubt one of the things that will produce fish are the trees. Main lake has a decent supply and the further you go into the rivers the heavier and thicker the trees become.

Many of the above trees are found on or around anthills, with the weed growth, other aquatic vegetation, timber and anthills all combined these can be the making of epic days of angling.

Just remember what’s below and make sure your line is of suitable quality and diameter and don’t forget to keep checking it for nicks and cuts.

Having been born in the town of Kadoma I spent many years on these shores as a child. In those days there were no bass in the dam but several bream species and the hard biting and fighting tiger fish. I have pictures of myself at three years old holding tiger fish that were almost as long as I was. Great memories and no doubt some of the reasons I am still fishing today. The tiger are no longer as common as they were, however be prepared at any time to experience the thrill as one hits your lure. There are several other species that are likely to bite with the ever present Robustus, Mozambique bream and Niloticus all getting involved somewhere. Ever present is the threat of the Nile crocodile. All Zimbabwean waters must be treated with respect and anglers on Claw will no doubt run into several of these giants out on the water. Please be careful and don’t make the mistake of taking them lightly. Often seen cruising in the deeper water, I have had close encounters rounding an ant hill and disturbing a sunning croc!

The dam itself has seen several lost boats as people get confused by the twists and turns. Seeing a boat running in the opposite direction before weigh bay is no fun so pay attention to where the launch is. You don’t want to be that one boat heading away from the launch with minutes to go.

The bass, that’s what it is all about, is it not? Well, at times the dam seems to just shut off. Fishing becomes toil and one works for hours without any luck. Just as quickly though one can find they switch on, fish of up to 6kg

Chicamba and other surface weed This is stuff anglers dream about. The abundance of grass lines and areas of chicamba leave many an angler drooling and some unsure of how to proceed. These lines can also break hearts or destroy confidence.

I clearly remember the SA Presidents Team finding the fish in 2014 at this venue, but not managing to boat the giants that were smashing the lures until the day after the tournament had finished (much to their dismay).

Rocks While the shoreline is littered there are many submerged piles and finding them can be well worth the effort.

Many a difficult day has been rescued by spending time soaking a bait on these or putting a drop shot overboard if the going is tough.

have been caught during international tournaments at this venue and many PB’s come from her waters so keep throwing and one never knows just what can happen.

Often frustrating Claw Dam has the ability to produce that kicker at any time. If tough it can be won or lost on numbers though and coming in with an incomplete bag can actually sink you. In 2008 the Zimbabwean Presidents Team caught 50 more fish than the SA team did to win by 99 points. This despite Justin Karan bringing two fish over 5kg to the scales for the SA side on the final day. Numbers clearly won that tournament for the Zim side.

Personally I find the first cast or two important. Boat traffic is a definite switch in the dam and after the first few casts the bite often shuts down until the waters settle. We had fished a club league here as practice before a classic in 2012 and our entire club only brought seven fish weighing 10lbs to the scales. We anticipated an extremely difficult classic two weeks later and it appeared this was the case when after three hours between three of my club’s boats we only had one fish (a solid 7lb fish). The guy who landed this fish was convinced he was going to be well up the rankings and decided to stay in that area while I made the call to try elsewhere. An hour later my partner and I had our bags and continued to cull to about 20lbs each. At the weigh bay the other club mate presented his single 7lb fish and was most upset to be in the lower half of the field.

Claw is that type of dam and fortunes can change fast.

Until next time, fish on Dad. SA BASS 45 August 2017

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SA BASS 47 August 2017

>> SA BASS STRATEGIES

Dealing With TOUGH SCENARIOS Every fishing trip is bound to present you with some unseen obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve results.

Wave action dilutes your presence and oxygenates the water

>> Divan Coetzee

T

hese obstacles come in a variety of shapes and forms, elemental factors contribute greatly, but most of the damage is probably self-inflicted; being unprepared, or even worse, being unwilling... For the purpose of this article, we’ll discuss the factors beyond our control; this relates specifically to the elements: high winds, no wind, extreme heat, falling water levels, ultra clear water and muddy water.

To better understand how you should approach each scenario, you must first understand how the fish react to these conditions. Consecutive days on the water are probably the only viable way to establish some form of reference framework (not always possible due to work commitments). I prefer to pre-fish venues when the weather gets nasty, this gives me a ‘worst case scenario’ instead of a false sense of security. You need to experience the bite under several different sets of conditions in order to formulate an educated opinion on how things should transpire.

High winds I’ve always had mixed feelings about high winds... boat control becomes first priority and your presentation might suffer because of it. It’s difficult enough to keep an eye on the electronics and still fish your bait effectively, 48 SA BASS August 2017

never mind having to play chess with the wind as well.

Fortunately, the wind also works in your favour. Wave action dilutes your presence and oxygenates the water, whilst the wind concentrates organisms and baitfish. With so much ambient noise; bass tend to feed more positively and are less likely to spook. Look for active fish in the back of wind-blown bays (depending on seasonal stage). Alternatively, during the cooler months it is recommended to stick to main lake points. Use the wind to help you cover water, also use baits that have a decent hydrodynamic signature (action / vibration). Spinnerbaits and cranks are the obvious choices; followed by whatever tickles your fancy. Consider using baits that don’t need proper bite detection (high wind makes bite detection difficult). Hiding from the wind seldom helps your cause, best to meet it head on... knowing what your vessel is capable of is very important! Don’t push your luck. Nothing ruins a day’s fishing like an upside down boat.

Reconsider your options if you deem the water to be unsafe.

No wind Beautiful days rarely translate into good fishing, other than during the spawning season. Why is this? Probably due to the fact that there’s no ambient noise. Bass need to operate under some sort of cover in order to hide their intentions; this could be under the cover of darkness, wind or depth. Baitfish can sense a bass from some distance on calm days; thus can easily avoid being eaten. The bass in turn – aren’t stupid, they know better than to chase bait that can see them coming. Bass would rather suspend feeding activity until conditions are more favourable, I’m not saying they won’t bite, but it will definitely be slower than usual.

Slowing down your approach will be key; saturating your bait (leaving it motionless) will serve you well. Weightless baits and drop shot excel under these conditions, and if you have the correct electronics for it – you can do some video game bassing as well. As with high winds, no wind also has its advantages relative to the seasonal stage – during the summer months I prefer it if the wind blows, but during winter, no wind is best as this allows the water temperature to rise quicker, thus improving the bite.

In hope these insights guide you to success, remember to keep an open mind and fish each day on its merits. In the next issue, we’ll cover the remaining topics. See you on the water!

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