SA BASS Sept17

September 2017

has gone digital !!

GET YOUR FAVOURITE SA Bass MAGAZINE Michael Matthee and Wayne Louw took the top honour at the FLW South Africa Championship that took place on the Vaal River around Vanderbijlpark. The top one hundred anglers from Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KZN, and the Western Cape that had qualified during the year through the SA Bass Cast-for-Cash trails. Once again, congratulations to the first ever FLW South Africa Champions. They will go and compete during the month of November 2017 in the USA at the international Costa FLW Series Championship. Justy Varkevisser and Henry Peterson will also represent FLW SA in the same tournament.

I also competed in the FLW South Africa Championship and to honest it must have been the toughest tournament I have ever fished. The cold weather was not the only problem, it was the strong winds up to 38km per hour that made it difficult, and yes, the bass also had “lock jaw”.

We all enjoyed fishing and this event will stay with me forever. The MC, John Badenhorst, made it exciting in the mornings with the lively music he had decided to play for the anglers. Even some of the officials started to come out of their shells and started dancing for the enjoyment off the anglers; thanks Hannes I enjoyed it!

Well, the new season would have started in August so please visit the FLW South Africa website for more information. In this new season, North West will also start their league by challenging the rest of South Africa’s Castfor-Cash anglers for the ultimate prize; the Costa FLW Series Championship 2018; will your name be there to officially represent South Africa? See you at the next event.

Nothing compares to bass fishing in tournaments.

Mental willpower is the key element to being successful, not like other sports where physical strength and speed seem to be the main factors.

If I could tell you what I’ve learned during this past season, was that concentration, confidence, and mental awareness are by far the most important aspects of this sport. It is so easy to be distracted, lose concentration and before you know it, its noon and you missed five fish and have an empty live-well.

Its spawn almost all over the country, or getting close to it, and this is a question that anglers are always asking; what are the long term effects of removing the spawning bass from the nest? I believe if you read this, you also enjoy reading about bass as much as I do. We must understand that all females must have at less two of her offspring that have to survive in order to replace her and one male to keep the population stable or we will have a problem with over population. So my point is, the odds are already against the fry when they hatch to survive to their fist spawn, so if we catch every bass from the nest, we diminish their odds for survival.

Go out and enjoy this spawning session!

Bennie Wiese / Editor

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SA BASS 01 September 2017

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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: (065) 849 3264, 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:

www.magzter.com

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

September 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

SA BASS “1:1 On Gear Ratios” I recently had a few older reels coming across my bench proudly labelled “High Speed 5.1:1 Gear Ratio” – Dewald Viljoen

08 10

SA BASS “Guardians of the Bass Universe” What is there left to say about spawning season that has not been said before? Not very much I guess... – Kevin Lofstedt

FLW “FLW South Africa Championship” The very first official FLW South Africa Championship took place at the Vaal River, Vanderbijlpark where one hundred of the best local bass anglers competed to see who the very first FLW South African Champions would be.

– Hannes Lindeque

14

KLASKAMER “Heerlike Lente” Ek is soms huiwerig om artikels oor lente te skryf.

– Philip Kemp

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

SA BAARS “Waar Byt Die Vis?” Dit is seker die vraag wat die meeste gevra word tussen al die hengelaars regoor die hengelspektrum, of dit nou vir swartbaar, karp of enige ander spesie is – Colin Willmer

30 34

20

STRATEGIES “Dealing With Tough Scenarios (Part 2)” In the previous issue we discussed high winds and it’s polar opposite – no wind – Divan Coetzee

DESTINATIONS “Letsibogo Update 2017” Driving to probably the best place in southern Africa for trophy bass fishing is always an exciting journey.

– Chris Greenland

SA BASS “Bassin’ – A Spectator Sport” With the upgrades in technology over the past two decades in Southern Africa, we have seen leaps and bounds in progress towards greater media social interaction – John Badenhorst

26

SA BASS “Lockjaw Bassing in Small Dams” As a bass angling enthusiast, I always strive to catch bigger and more bass! So, when one of my friends, Adam asked me to join him on a trip to the infamous Natal farm dams I couldn’t resist the offer – Louis Bezuidenhout

SA BASS “A Day on the Lake at Shiyalongubo Dam - Part 2 With Michael Cronjé” In case you missed part-1 of this article; there was a lot to learn from Michael Cronjé about Shiyalongubo Dam so it was necessary to split this article into two sections for our readers.

– Roger Donaldson

CLASSROOM “Out Of Sight” It’s now time to spawn; this is the most important time for the bass.

– Bennie Wiese

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

36 INTERNATIONAL 22

42

01

MY CAST

16

READERS-go-BASSING

17

Letter to the Editor

44

GEAR UP

64

DESTINATION – Bass Lake Lodge

“Columbia River Smallmouth Adventure (Part 2)” The Columbia River is an extremely diverse, big water fishery with conditions that differ greatly pool to pool – Fishingboy and David Swendseid

40

MOTORING “Amarok V6 TDI” In a bakkie-obsessed country such as ours, where the leisure double cab is very much seen as a practical lifestyle choice, but in some instances also a status symbol, the Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 was always going to make waves.

ON THE COVER “FLW South Africa Champion - Michael Matthee” Image: Valerie Jacobs SA BASS 05 September 2017

>> SA BASS

1:1 On Gear Ratios

I recently had a few older reels coming across my bench proudly labelled “High Speed 5.1:1 Gear Ratio”. Of course I smiled condescendingly, 5:1 ratios are hardly high speed these days! >> Dewald Viljoen*

I

went about the job, still grinning about the small, cork drag washers and other seemingly odd fittings, and fi finally put the whole thing back together. The end was a silky smooth, 20 year old reel. Now you result w migh might not find it odd but in my world, where two year old reels often show up feeling like there is gravel in the gears, a smooth antique seems wrong and yet, it th happens every day. And strangely enough it has a h llot to do with that “High Speed 5.1:1 ratio”.

All gearboxes, whether it is on your car or your fishing reel serves only one purpose, it reduces fi oor increases the amount of force produced by the engine. In the case of your fishing reel, it increases en the speed of the spool because as a rotational engine, human hand is shockingly slow! Initially, when the h fishingg rreels first appeared, it was in a simple centre pin configuration, like modern fly reels, and it served only to configu ura store th the excess line, but since we humans always look for easier ways to do things, industrialization brought technologies that allow us to make smaller gears tec ccheap enough to place them in everyday objects and multiplier reels were born. m (A multiplier reel, by the way, is any reel where a single rotation of the crank handle multiplies the rotation of the spool. Spinning reels however aalso multiplies the rotation but the spool is fixed.

B Baitcasting reels, like the ones we use in bass fishing is an a evolution of the multiplier reel. ) Multipliers had several advantages over center M On a center pin the only way to pick up line faster pins. O reel faster or to have a larger spool and since both is to re options had severe physical constraints, multipliers quickly became the industry standard. For many decades, ratios were comfortably set somewhere between 2:1 and 4:1 and it served most anglers just fine. But then in 1968 it all changed. Bass fishing became a professional sport, and professionals have different needs. Soon baitcasters were born with smaller profiles and faster gears and bass anglers bought them in their millions and so we get to where we are today, almost 50 years later. Super fast reels that don’t seem to last beyond a few years. We blame manufacturers

06 SA BASS September 2017

5.5:1 ̠ ǢĶŸɠ ŎŸɚÞض E ÞǼǣ ˀ EÞ¶ ʩǣÌ ˀ Ìs ɚɴ _ȖǼɴ ɠŸNjĨ 6.5:1 ̠ µsŘsNj Ķ ƼƼĶÞO ǼÞŸŘǣ 7:1 plus ̠ ® ǣǼ ŎŸɚÞض E ÞǼǣ ˀ ǣŎ ĶĶsNj ʩǣÌ ˀ ĶÞ¶ÌǼ _ȖǼɴ ɠŸNjĨ for making poorer quality products for a consumer society and carry on about how well made stuff was in the old days, but the reality is that most people simply do not understand the simple gear ratio.

Let’s get back to that 5.1:1 ratio. The question is, was it really made better than today’s reels? The answer?

No, in fact modern design and materials are far superior to those reels, the problem lies with a lack of consumer understanding. You see, a fishing reel is like having only one gear in your car. If the gear is first gear (5:1), you will easily pull off, tow boats and while slow, you will eventually get where you’re going. If it is second gear (6:1), you will still pull away, you can still tow a boat but it puts strain on the clutch and you will eventually burn it out, but let’s say your only gear is fourth or fifth (7:1 and up) then things get a little dicey! If your engine and clutch is strong enough you will still get moving and once moving you will cover some ground but it puts a lot of strain on the vehicle and once you start towing that boat up a few hills, things are not looking great especially since you can gear back down and soon all that heavy work catches up with your car and you have a breakdown! The same applies to your reels.

We all know that 5:1 ratios are for cranking and 6:1 is for general fishing and 7:1 is for high work rates etc. but the reality is a little more complex and yet still quite simple.

You only have to answer one question when selecting a reel.

How hard will it work? For example, I service a lot of 7:1 reels used for heavy structure fishing or after a Letsi trip.

Neither of which is what it was designed for! High ratios do not like pulling on 60lbs braid or fighting big fish (or big

crankbaits for that matter!) for extended periods of time!

Now I know a lot of you reading this will say “but it ups my work rate, I can make 200 more cast a day!” and I am here to tell you, unless you are KVD, those 200 extra casts will most definitely mean you are fishing too fast and are missing bites! With the cost of tackle these days and the general difficulty to find enough spares in South Africa, taking care of your reels mechanically will keep you fishing a lot longer for a lot cheaper. So here follows my recommendation on gear ratio selection, use it or don’t, but I can guarantee it will increase the life span of your reels.

5:1 to 5.5:1 = These ratios serves well for slow moving baits and any application that will put heavy strain on the reel such as big crankbait, big spinnerbaits, heavy cover frogging, heavy line weight and big fish.

6:1 to 6.5:1 = Good for general applications, small crankbaits and spinner baits.

7:1 plus = Great for slack line techniques where the reel is required to pick up a lot of line quickly such as jerkbaits, some top water, light pitching and weightless techniques.

Also a good choice for Carolina rigging. Heavy braids and cranking will make short work of high ratio gears.

This is just my opinion, based on first hand observations made from thousands of reel services and repairs. You are, of course, free to disagree and use your reels in anyway you please!

Until next time, keep cranking! *Dewald Viljoen is a custom lure maker and the owner of Hot Reels Service Centre.

SA BASS 07 September 2017

>> SA BASS

Guardians

of the Bass

Universe

>> Kevin Lofstedt*

A male and female bass doing their thing. Do your thing and practise “catch and release”

B

efore I start with this month’s article, I would like to make it plain that comments and or personal observations in these articles are not necessarily the views of SA Bass, and or the Editor or Staff.

Now, we’re back at that time of the year again, and what is there left to say about spawning season that has not been said before? Not very much I guess. With this in mind, some things can never be repeated too often. Like catch and release. This is the backbone against which all our activities must take place. It’s my considered opinion that spawning season is not the right time to be sharing details about how when and where to catch our bass at a time when they are most vulnerable. I know this sounds harsh, but the old WWII expression “loose lips sink ships” pretty much summed up how much trouble our mouths can get us into. Well in our case “big mouths kill big mouths” is about the same thing. This might sound harsh, but we need to be vigilant about who we share information with.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: There are some

amongst us that troll the social media, popular bassing websites, bassing magazines as well as tackle shops to find out where the “bass are biting”. Unless you know them personally, or someone that will vouch for them, you need to err on the side of saying nothing. Never forget that there are some amongst us that will go to any lengths to make a buck, and the wholesale slaughter off bass is right up their alley. An easy way to make a quick buck, with very little or no chance of being stopped by anyone. Just sitting here writing this stuff makes me want to strangle some of those employing the use of gill nets to rape our resource. Their ethics are very often lower than most of our politicians.

(And that’s saying something!).

We spend many hours every year, very often struggling to get a bite or two, so when spawning season arrives, it’s the “time of plenty”. It’s hard to criticise anyone for wanting to take advantage of this time of year, however, we should strive to do this in the most ethical manner as we possibly can.

Words of wisdom: If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing! - Margaret Thatcher. *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). He can be reached at kevin@sabass.com

TIPS FOR FISHING SPAWNING BASS ETHICALLY 1

DŽƐƚ ŽĨ ƵƐ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ ďƌĂŐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ĮƐŚ ǁĞ͛ǀĞ ĐĂƵŐŚƚ ʹ dŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ƌŝŐŚƚ͕ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ŶŽƚ ĂůŽŶĞ͘ dŚĂƚ ŵĞĂŶƐ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ Ă ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞ͘ tŚĞŶ ĮƐŚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐƉĂǁŶ͕ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ LJŽƵƌ ĐĂŵĞƌĂ͕ Žƌ ƉŚŽŶĞ ŝƐ ŚĂŶĚLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ĮƐŚ ĚŽĞƐŶ͛ƚ ƐƉĞŶĚ ƚŽŽ ŵƵĐŚ ƟŵĞ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ͘

2

ĞǀĞƌ ƉƵƚ Ă ĮƐŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝǀĞͲǁĞůů ĨŽƌ ƉŚŽƚŽƐ ͞ůĂƚĞƌ͟ dŚŝƐ ƐƚƌĞƐƐ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ŐŽŽĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĮƐŚ͕ ĂŶĚ ĐŽƵůĚ ƌĞŵŽǀĞ ƚŚĞŵ ĨƌŽŵ Ă ͞ůŝǀĞ͟ ŶĞƐƚ͘ E ; ĂĚ ŝĚĞĂͿ

3

^ ŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƵƐ ;ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ŵĞͿ ŚĂǀĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƐƚ ĮƐŚĞĚ Ă ƐƉŽƚ ĂŶĚ ĐĂƵŐŚƚ ƉůĞŶƚLJ ŵĂůĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ŚĂǀĞ ƉƵƚ ƚŚĞŵ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝǀĞͲǁĞůů ǁŝƚŚ Ă ŚŽƉĞ ŽĨ ĐĂƚĐŚŝŶŐ Ă ůĂƌŐĞ ĨĞŵĂůĞ͘ ^ŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƵƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĂů ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ ĂƌĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽƉŝŶŝŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ Ă ƐƚƌĞƐƐĞĚ ďĂƐƐ ǁŝůů ƵƌŝŶĂƚĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƐĐĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĮƐŚ Žī͘ ;dŽ ƚŚŝƐ ĚĂLJ͕ / ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ŬŶŽǁ ǁŚĞƚŚĞƌ ƚŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƚƌƵĞ Žƌ ŶŽƚͿ͘ &Žƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƌĞĂƐŽŶ͕ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƵƐ ďĞůŝĞǀĞĚ ǁĞ ĐŽƵůĚ ũƵƐƟĨLJ ƉƵƫŶŐ ŶƵŵĞƌŽƵƐ ŵĂůĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝǀĞͲǁĞůů͘ / ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ĚŽ ƚŚŝƐ ĂŶLJŵŽƌĞ͕ ĂŶĚ / ƚŚŝŶŬ ŶĞŝƚŚĞƌ ƐŚŽƵůĚ LJŽƵ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ůŝƩůĞ Žƌ ƐŵĂůůĞƌ ŵĂůĞƐ ĐĂƌƌLJ ƚŚĞ ũƵŝĐĞƐ ŽĨ ůŝĨĞ ŝƚƐĞůĨ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ĂůůŽǁĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ Ă ǁŝůůŝŶŐ ĨĞŵĂůĞ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ĚĞƉƌŝǀĞĚ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞĨŽƌĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ƚƌĞĂƚĞĚ ũƵƐƚ ůŝŬĞ ǁĞ ǁŽƵůĚ Ă ϯŬŐ ĨĞŵĂůĞ͘

4

ĞĞƉ Ă ďŽƩůĞ ŽĨ ďĂƐƐ ƌĞǀŝǀĂů ͞ŵƵƟ͟ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ďŽĂƚ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ĂŶLJ ĮƐŚ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ďĂĚůLJ ŚŽŽŬĞĚ ;ŐƵƚ ŚŽŽŬĞĚͿ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƚƌĞĂƚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝǀĞͲǁĞůů < ĂŶĚ ŚŽƉĞĨƵůůLJ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ Ă ůŝƩůĞ ůĂƚĞƌ ĂŌĞƌ ͞ŝŶƚĞŶƐŝǀĞ ĐĂƌĞ͘͟ dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ďĞƩĞƌ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚƌŽǁŝŶŐ Ă ĮƐŚ ƚŚĂƚ ĐůĞĂƌůLJ ďůĞĞĚŝŶŐ ďĂĚůLJ ďĂĐŬ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŚŽƉŝŶŐ ƐŚĞ͛ůů ƐƵƌǀŝǀĞ͘

5

dĂŬĞ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ ƚŽ ŐŽ ŽŶ zŽƵdƵďĞ Žƌ 'ŽŽŐůĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ĮŶĚ ŽƵƚ ŚŽǁ ďĞƐƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŵŽǀĞ Ă ŚŽŽŬ ĨƌŽŵ Ă ŐƵƚ ŚŽŽŬĞĚ ĮƐŚ͘ /ƚ ƌĞĂůůLJ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵ ƚŚŝƐ ĞdžĞƌĐŝƐĞ ƋƵŝĐŬůLJ͘ dŽ ĚŽ ƚŚŝƐ͕ LJŽƵ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ŬŶŽǁ ĞdžĂĐƚůLJ ǁŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ĚŽŝŶŐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĐĂŶŶŽƚ ĂīŽƌĚ ƚŽ ƐƉĞŶĚ ϱ ŵŝŶƵƚĞƐ ƚƌLJŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞŵŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŚŽŽŬ͘

08 SA BASS

September 2017

South Africa &+$03Î&#x2013;216+Î&#x2013;3

FLW South Africa Championship 7KH YHU\ Č´UVW RÉ?FLDO )/: 6RXWK $IULFD &KDPSLRQVKLS WRRN SODFH DW WKH 9DDO 5LYHU 9DQGHUELMOSDUN ZKHUH RQH KXQGUHG RI WKH EHVW ORFDO EDVV DQJOHUV FRPSHWHG WR VHH ZKR WKH YHU\ Č´UVW )/: 6RXWK $IULFDQ &KDPSLRQV ZRXOG EH >> Hannes Lindeque*

â&#x20AC;&#x153;FLW guarantees international representation in the Forrest Wood Cup!â&#x20AC;?

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September 2017

T

he championship was held over three days and the anglers had to rely on their skills rather than luck. We started off with an official registration and pre-tournament meeting where tournament officials were introduced and each sponsor was thanked for their valuable assistance. The tournament rules and procedures were explained and all questions were answered.

Every morning the boats had to be lined up and ready for the start at 07:00. The master of ceremony, John Badenhorst, kept the anglers informed and entertained.

We also had live coverage on social media to keep the families and friends updated. Although everything seemed to be relaxed, the anglers were anxious to get a kicker on the scale. Pretending to be all okay their nerves were shot.

Winter fishing is tough and a good bag on any day is just what everybody needed to get a head start on the rest of the teams. At 07:30 the boats were pushed off for an orderly start and many teams decided to race downstream towards their honey holes.

The weather was great and not as cold as expected to be this time of year. Unfortunately, the pre-frontal conditions played havoc and the anglers had to fight consistent winds.

Back at the weigh station our tournament weigh master, John Bulpitt, made sure that no short or dead fish were weighed. John himself is a legend in the bass fraternity and was the very first South African who represented our country in the USA. On day one the leaders were Michael Matthee & Wayne Louw with a 5 fish bag of 6.23kg followed by Frans Swanepoel and Lesley Montgomery with 5.435kg Day two also turned out to be difficult and nervous anglers were driving up and down the river looking for hidden spots. There was a sombre atmosphere at the weigh station when some teams realised that they had two bad days in a row making it impossible to win. The leaders of

day one dropped to 6th place while Justy Varkevisser and Greg Schluep took the lead with a bag of 5 fish weighing 3.98kg. The Ras brothers came back from nowhere into second place with a total bag of 3.745kg followed.

Day three was the tie breaker and some teams still havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t figured out a pattern to outsmart five fish. Hennie Schoeman and Ruan Wahl took the lead with 4 fish weighing 4.04kg followed by Neels Beneke who fished the tournament alone. Neels had a great bag on day one, but something went wrong on day two and he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t weigh a single fish. On day three he retaliated weighing a 3 fish bag of 3.96kg. In his neck were Justy Varkevisser & Greg Schluep with a 5 fish bag of 3.905kg The scores of day three were kept secret not to spoil prize giving which was held in the Kilimanjaro Hall at Emerald Resort & Casino. Prize giving was well attended and after the lucky draw prizes were handed out, the winning teams of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape received their Grand Prix trophies.

There was a twist in the cable when the four FLW South Africa ambassadors were announced. The first ever FLW South Africa champions are Michael Matthee and Wayne Louw. Runners up were Justy Varkevisser and Greg Schluep, but according tournament rules Greg Schluep forfeited the fourth slot which was passed on to Henry Petersen. Henry was overwhelmed and everybody shared in his joy.

These four anglers will represent FLW South Africa officially and compete against the best professional anglers from the USA, Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea.

The Costa FLW Series Championship will take place on Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tennessee in November 2017.

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THE TOP TEN FLW SOUTH AFRICA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING TEAMS RECEIVED PRIZES, CERTIFICATES AND TROPHIES

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FLW Guarantee FLW guarantees international representation in the Forrest Wood Cup! FLW South Africa anglers only compete against other anglers in the FLW Series International Division (Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea) to advance to the following year’s Forrest Wood Cup for the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage for the biggest payday in bass fishing. That is a 2 in 10 chance of qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup. We wish our FLW ambassadors all the best for this international event. /LQHG XS DQG UHDG\

Sponsors & Suppliers: FLW South Africa would like to thank the following sponsors in supporting our first FLW South Africa Championship: Garmin SA, MasterCars Wonderboom, Yamaha Distributors SA, Arma Iuris, Brilliant Effects, Cube Design Innovations, Emerald Resort & Casino, HillBilly Poisen, LK’s Products (Pty) Ltd, Branding.co.za, Outdoor Warehouse, Varkenelli Custom Baits, Wayne Louw, Wolf Lures, Commitment Promotions, Kroko South Africa and SA BASS magazine.

Our next tournament season starts at the end of August. All the dates, venues and tournament rules are on our website www.flwsouthafrica.com &DPDUDGHULH

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12 SA BASS September 2017

About SA BASS Cast-for-Cash The Cast-for-Cash tournament trial is a one day bass angling money tournament giving anglers an opportunity to compete in teams for prize money and build their self confidence. Many of these anglers who started off as rookies have been awarded Protea colours. To give our local anglers a â&#x20AC;&#x153;dream come trueâ&#x20AC;? opportunity SA BASS has an exclusive licensing agreement with FLW to present FLW bass-fishing tournaments in South Africa.

FLW, headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, USA, is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier tournament fishing organization providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our members, anglers, sponsors, fans and host communities.

Through a variety of platforms including tournaments, expos, international media and creative marketing strategies, FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the best in fishing, on and off the water.

FLW conducts more than 240 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Korea and South Africa. *Hannes Lindeque is the founder and publisher of SA BASS magazine, the tournament director of the SA BASS Castfor-Cash bass angling tournament trial and FLW South Africa.

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>> SA BAARS KLASKAMER

Ek is soms huiwerig om artikels oor lente te skryf. Ek glo en hoop dat die meeste lesers wat die artikels lees en dan die tegnieke toepas, uitsluitlik hengel vir die genot van die sport en die vis so hanteer en terugplaas, met die oorlewing van die sport en natuurlik die vis in gedagte.

Die skrywer met ‘n mannetjie wat vanaf ‘n nes gevang is. Let op die stukkende stert waarmee hy die nes skoon gewaai het

>> Philip Kemp*

D

it is elke jaar skokkend om te sien hoeveel “hook-andcookers” op ons plaaslike damme toesak en die baarspopulasie verniel. Ek vind dit moeilik om die mense se sienswyses oor swartbaars te verstaan. Indien jy een van die “hookand-cookers” is, is hierdie artikel nie vir jou nie.

Lente is natuurlik die tyd wanneer die baars stadig uit hulle winterdieptes beweeg en op oorgangspunte naby groot, vlak broei areas begin vertoef.

Hierdie tyd van die jaar is daar net twee faktore wat baars motiveer. Die mannetjies soek nou die warmer water waar die bodem ‘n klipperige gruis bodem het om hulle neste te skrop. Die wyfies bly egter op die oorgangspunte in dieper water naby die neste. Hulle wag vir die

14 SA BASS

September 2017

regte maanfase en vir die mannetjies om hulle dan aan te help na die neste toe sodat hulle kan kuitskiet.

Tweedens is swartbaars baie honger.

Gedurende die winter was daar min kos beskikbaar en die warmer water begin ook die baars se metabolisme aanjaag. Die tyd van die jaar is die wyfies ook op ‘n hoë proteïne-dieet om te help met die vorming van eiers in die eiersak.

Kunsaas wat nou suksesvol gebruik kan word, sluit in die volgende; swaailemme, akkedisse, loodkoppe en harde kunsvissies.

Swaailemme Swaailemme (spinnerbaits) was maar nog altyd die ideale kunsaas om na swartbaars te soek. Ek gebruik ‘n 3/8oz aas om ‘n groot oppervlak

vlakwater vinnig te dek, opsoek na baars wat aktief is. Die kleure wat mees algemeen gebruik word is wit en natuurlik chartreuse in vuiler water. Twee silwer kleurige “willow leaf ” lemme werk vir my die beste, alhoewel ek daarvan hou om een van die twee met ‘n koperlem te vervang in vuiler water. Swem die swaailem verby elke tipe dekking wat jy in die vlakker water mag vind. Dit sluit in lelies, kolle watergras, houtstompe en omgevalde bome. Soms is die baars egter ‘n bietjie traag om die swaailem te jaag. Ek sal hulle dan treiter deur ‘n akkedis tipe aas op ‘n Texas-strop binne die dekking in te gooi.

Plastiese akkedisse Gedurende die lente is daar nogsteeds sporadiese kouefronte wat

Die skrywer se seun, Maurice, met ‘n groot baars wat vroeg lente in Botswana gevang is op ‘n wit swaailem

deur beweeg. Hierdie fronte dwing soms weer die baars terug in die dekking in. Die water dig teen die dekking sal vinniger verhit as die aangrensende water verder rondom die dekking. Ons weet dat die baars warmer water gaan soek en dus styf teen die dekking sal lê. Om een of ander rede glo Afrika swartbaars ook dat ‘n water-akkedis sy eiers in die nes gaan opvreet soos wat salamanders in Noord-Amerika doen.

Ek sal die plastiese akkedis op ‘n Texasstrop met ‘n 3/16oz sinker hengel. Dit help ook om ‘n glasrateltjie in die aas te druk. Die geraas wat die ratel maak irriteer die baars net nog meer. Na gelang van die grootte van die akkedis, gebruik ek gewoonlik ‘n nommer 3/0 of 4/0 hoek. Die Texas-strop help my om deur die digte dekking te dring.

Jigs Soos reeds genoem sal die wyfies in dieper water op oorgangspunte lê en wag vir ‘n geleë tyd om na die neste te beweeg. Hier lê hulle dan en wag vir die mannetjies om die neste klaar te bou en natuurlik vir die volgende volmaan. Die wyfies is beslis nou op Tim Noakes se hoë proteïne dieet, maar beslis nie om gewig te verloor nie, maar eerder gewig op te bou vir die vorming van eiers. Omrede die loodkoppe (jigs) ‘n groot profiel het, sal die wyfie dit dadelik aansien vir ‘n hoë proteïen versnapering. Die aas moet baie stadig op die bodem langs gehengel word. ‘n Sensitiewe stok is van uiterste belang en die hengelaar moet die vislyn baie fyn dophou. Die wyfie is geneig om die aas baie saggies

op te tel en jy sal dit soms net sien as die lyn skielik op en af wip.

Harde kunsvissies Terwyl die baarsmannetjies nog in die voor-broeiseisoen in die vlakwater rondbeweeg opsoek na die ideale plek om hulle neste te skrop, sal harde kunsvissies goed werk om hulle te vang.

Hierdie is ook een van my gunsteling soek-ase omrede ek vinnig ‘n groot oppervlak kan dek. Liplose kunsvissies werk goed en ek verkies om kunsvissies in uitspattige kleure soos byvoorbeeld rooi te hengel. Omrede hierdie aas sink, kan dit op verskillende dieptes gehengel word. Ek sal die aas soms laat sak tot net bokant die watergras en dit dan begin inbring. Die kunsvissie moet so nou en dan die bopunte van die watergras raak om reaksie uit te lok. Vir hierdie tegniek sal ek ook ‘n medium-aksie stok met ‘n redelik sagte punt gebruik. Veselglas-stokke werk vir hierdie aanbieding egter nogsteeds die beste. Hierdie stokke is egter nie meer vrylik beskikbaar nie omrede meeste stokke deesdae van grafiet vervaardig word. Ek hengel egter hierdie tegniek met ‘n stok wat vyftig persent grafiet en die voorste helfte van veselglas is.

Soms sal die kunsaas in die watergras vassit. Deur die kunsaas ‘n harde pluk te gee sal dit losbreek en ook ‘n nabye swartbaar se aandag trek. Gewoonlik sal die baars dan tot die aanval oorgaan.

te gebruik, veral in helder skoon water wanneer ek buite sig van die swartbaar wil bly. Wanneer die baars op die neste is, sal hulle ook in baie vlakker water wees. Die baars voel ook nie gemaklik in die vlakker water nie en word dus baie maklik afgeskrik. Hierdie is dan ook ‘n gulde geleentheid om die “spinning” stok uit te haal om sodoende die ligter ase makliker te gooi. Ek verkies agt pond ligte lyn, maar sal soms ook dun 20 pond gevlegte lyn gebruik en my buisplastiekase (tubes) is altyd naby.

Wanneer ‘n ligte loodkoppie binne die buis ingedruk word, sal die aas met ‘n spiraal-aksie na die bodem val en presies soos ‘n beseerde vissie lyk.

Sodra die aas egter op die bodem lê, lyk dit meer soos ‘n varswaterkreef wat baars nie kan weerstaan nie.

Swartbaarhengel is nie net ‘n tydverdryf nie; dit is ‘n passie en ek versoek alle hengelaars om asseblief hierdie broeiseisoen daarop bedag te wees om ons swartbaarpopulasie op te pas en die natuur te respekteer.

Waardeer elke swartbaar wat jy vang en besef dat elke swartbaar moontlik ‘n geskenk van ‘n ander hengelaar is, wat dit ook moontlik vroeër gevang maar weer teruggeplaas het. Die minste wat jy kan doen is om ook die vis weer terug te plaas as ‘n geskenk aan iemand anders. Lekker hengel. *Philip Kemp is ‘n gesoute swartbaarhengelaar en ‘n gereelde bydraer.

Finesse aanbiedings Finesse ase is gewoonlik kleiner en ook heelwat ligter as ander ase. Ek verkies om die ligte kunsase in broeityd SA BASS 15 September 2017

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.

WEIGHTLESS

TRY TO KEEP UP!

My daughter’s first monster bass caught in Secunda, Mpumalanga. Could you please give us an estimated weight as we didn’t have a scale with us? The fish was realised without any harm to make someone else smile.

– Bobby Steyn

I know I fish like a girl, but I would like to share my fishing experience at Loskop Dam, July 2017. Thanks to my boyfriend, I was introduced to bass fishing and his fishing club, Clearwater Bass Masters. I have only been fishing , or shall I say trying, for about 6 months. I manage to break my PB twice in one day. First with a 3.31kg and an hour later with a 3.48kg. For me it was a great achievement and I can’t wait for our next fishing trip – Chantelle Oberholster

RINGWORM NEW PB I caught this 2.6kg (PB) at a private dam near Howick just after 13:00. I used a green ringworm – Michael Ferreira 16 SA BASS September 2017

I caught this bass on a Junebug ringworm at Karrigen in Howick. I released it for another day. Thanks for an awesome magazine – Michael Ferreira

EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter as I’m rather disgusted at what I witnessed on the weekend of the 28th July 2017 at Loskop Dam. I know much have been said in the past and it will always be a talking point for years to come among bass fisherman and clubs. Is fishing in the spawn time “fair” in the sense of catching females on nests and moving them to weighstations to be part of one’s bag for the day? My personal view is if one can avoid such situations so much better for the breeding season, as we all know under what constant threat our green fish in South Africa are that we love to catch.

But, also in saying this it has been well known and I have experienced it over the last couple of years and the recent FLW South Africa Championship on the Vaal River that not all bass breed at the same time.

Now this brings me to the disappointment I had to experience on Loskop as previously mentioned. I came

www.damiki.co.za ARMOR SHAD 5” | 13 Colours

across a grey bass boat with a large outboard on the back and I really want to emphasise that this was real bass fishermen and not the “hook-and-cooks” that we would normally refer to and therefore makes the disappointment so much greater.

The guys on the boat were bragging about their catches on the day and also on their previous trip there. Now, a lot of fishermen will probably stop reading any further and say nothing wrong with bragging a bit, with which I would agree to 100%, if one could call it catching bass.

The guys were bragging about the fact how good the koi’s (yes sir, you have read correctly) in red and white colour have been working for them and that they would be returning to a previous spot to catch all of the biggest fish that they could lay their hands on. If this is what we have reverted to in social bass fishing, pre-fishing or tournament fishing in a sport that is known for artificial lure fishing, I would feel embarrassed to call myself a bass fisherman should one be asked in the future what type of fishing one does.

As far as I understand it, all inshore fishing is prohibited of using any form of life bait. An angler might as well leave all cranks, plastics, etc. at home and run past your local pet shop or koi dealer on your way to your next fishing destination. If one can do that for a social outing, why not do it in a competition? I know for a fact that I would not be the one sleeping comfortably, knowing that I have won a competition, even if it was only at club level, in this matter.

Regards Japie Herbst

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10 SA BASS June 2012

SA BASS 17 September 2017

>> SA BAARS

WAAR...

Byt Die Vis?

Dit is seker die vraag wat die meeste gevra word tussen al die hengelaars regoor die hengelspektrum, of dit nou vir swartbaar, karp of enige ander spesie is. >> Colin Willmer*

A

lmal wil by die water opdaag en dadelik onder die vis inklim, want ons is so gekondisioneer deur die altyd gejaagde wêreld waarin ons bly en werk. Alles begin in die oggend teen ‘n tempo en hardloop die hele dag teen ‘n tempo. Partykeer stop ons nie eens vir middagete nie, maar al ons eposse is darem op datum. Die “What’s Up” wat ons gestuur het vir iemand se verjaarsdag wys darem dat ons nog omgee en ons nog in kontak is met ons sosiale groepe… dit is darem die regte ding om te doen.

Ongelukkig is dit ook die manier waarop ons ons hengelsessies benader... en ons verwag onmiddelike resultate. Na alles het die toepassing op my selfoon mos gesê dat Saterdag ‘n goeie dag vir hengel sal wees en ek verwag dus dat dinge moet gebeur. In elk geval was my vriende laasnaweek op die dam en hulle het baie vis gekry.

Die verskillende soorte kunsaas is met almal in verskriklike detail oor “Whats Up” bespreek en ek het seker gemaak ek koop presies dit wat hulle gesê het. Die fotos van hulle vangste wat hulle op Facebook geplaas het, maal in my kop en vir die eerste keer hierdie maand maak alles in my lewe weer sin, want Saterdag is dit wegbreektyd.

Saterdag om 05:00, nog voor die son sy kop uitsteek, is ons oppad. Die gesprek in die bakkie gaan net oor een ding... en dit is hoe groot die vis gaan wees. Soos die boot in die water ingly kom die wêreld tot ‘n stilstand en net een ding; naamlik visvang, is nou belangrik. Jou stokke lê op die boot soos ‘n goed gedrilde weermag battery; almal mooi in gelit en reg vir aksie. Natuurlik is al die “wonder lures” vasgemaak en die spesifieke hengelplek waarheen julle oppad is, word in detail bespreek.

Saterdag om 08:30 en daar was nog geen aksie nie. Die alombekende gesprek steek die eerste keer sy kop uit toe jou metgesel vra of jy seker is oor die “spot” wat julle hengel.

Twyfel begin binne in jou roer. Jy begin rondkyk oor die dam soos ‘n meerkat wat ‘n bakkie hoor aankom. Om een of ander rede dink ons dat ons die vis wat aan die byt is, kant sien as ons so rondkyk.

Saterdag 10:00. Nog niks. Die “wonder lures” word verruil met iets waarmee jy gewoonlik vis kry. Die sogenaamde “confidence lure”. “Ek kry altyd iets op hierdie aas”, sê jy met ‘n diepgevonde selfvertroue. Die boot skuif na ‘n nuwe area en ons altwee staan met ‘n krag en 18 SA BASS

September 2017

opgewondeheid; want, dink jy by jouself: “Nou gaan dit gebeur!”

Saterdag om 15:00 en dinge is nou nie meer lekker nie…

Net twee visse aanboord en die son begin sy tol eis. Oppad huis toe word elke oomblik ontleed en jy kan nie verstaan wat verkeerd geloop het nie. Dit gaan partykeer so ver dat die vriend wat die informasie verskaf he et, het, nie meer vertrou word nie. “Hy Hyy hou seker al die vis vvir ir homself ”, momp pel mompel jy aan jou medeesukkelaar in n die bakkie..

So waar het dit verkeerd gegaan?

Dis die verkeerde vraag. Vra eerder wat het onder die water gebeur toe ek wel ‘n byt gekry het. Ons vrae moes gewees het; watter diepte, watter grootte kunsaas, hoe vinnig was die aas aangebied, hoe swaar gewig was gebruik, watter tipe sinker is gebruik en natuurlik, op watter stadium van die aanbieding het jy die byt gekry. Hierdie kennis is die belangrikste deel van jou hele dag se hengel.

Snaaks om te dink dat dit nie ‘n spesiale kunsaas was nie, want ‘n swartbaar vreet eintlik enige iets wat op die regte manier voor hom verbykom, of stil lê. Mat ander woorde, of die aas Junebug of Watermelon van kleur was, het baie min met die sukses te doen.

Die spoed waarteen die aas aangebied word speel ‘n groot rol. ‘n Voorbeeld hiervan het met my en een van my vriende gebeur. Hy het met ‘n een ons gewig en ek met ‘n 3/16ons gewig gehengel. My vriend het ses visse geland en ek het blase op my hande gehad om die skepnet te hanteer.

Na sy agtste vis het ek my sinker stilletjies na ‘n een ons gewig verander en toe self onder die vis begin inklim.

Hoe vinnig die aas val is belangrik... partykeer stadig bela en ander kere vinnig. Dieselfde area en dieselfde aas as laasweek, laas la a week, maar die tempo vvan aanbieding is krities.

Nog ‘n belangrike faktor is die diepte waar die d e vis aktief is. Na jou gooi is dit altyd goed di om op te let w wanneer die byt gebeur.

Meeste M este byte gebeur op die val, maar Me op ‘n spesifieke tydstip van die val. spesi Die D e begin Di begi (bo), middel of onder.

Dis D s die tipe inligting wat meer Di gewig gewig dra as tipe aas of area.

Ek E praat met ‘n vriend oor oo sy hengel van die naweek en sy raad was soos na volg.

“Soek gras in 8 voet v diep water en gebruik d ‘n half-ons gewig”. Hy voeg by dat die byt na v die d eerste 30cm op die grond gebeur en niks g voor die tyd nie. Die v interessante deel is dat in geen ge aas bespreek was nie.

Die Di uiteinde was dat ons vis binne die eerste twintig minute minu gekry het.

Die laaste deel is jou hengelgerei hengelge en of jy onder water kan kan sien of nie. Dis natuurlik sonder elektr elektronika en net met behulp van wat in jou hande is. Die volgende artikel sal hieroor handel. h *Colin Willmer is ‘n ervare hengelaar en ‘n Africa Distributors. ambassadeur vir Rapala South A SA BASS 19 September 2017

>> SA BASS STRATEGIES

Dealing With TOUGH SCENARIOS

(Part 2)

In the previous issue we discussed high winds and it’s polar opposite – no wind. For this article, we will take a look at a scenario that will still be fresh in our minds from the last couple of seasons, namely – extreme temperatures and corresponding falling water levels. Unless we receive follow up summer rains early in the season, the cycle is bound to repeat itself.

20 SA BASS

September 2017

drainingg the water, I would first feed the fish. (I noted that they wouldn’t feed fo for quite some time after a water change) after they’ve bbeen fed, I would start draining the water via a hose p pipe. Within seconds after, fish that were swimming aaround freely just a minute ago, dived straight down tto the bottom of the tank and would remain there in a state of animation. I used to think it was all the activities associated with cleaning the tank that made them sulk, when in fact it was the rapidly falling water level.

Fortunately our impoundments are a fair bit bigger than my tanks of old, so the fish have the obvious alternative of seeking deeper, more stable water. What if levels deteriorate to such an extent that sufficient depth is no longer available?

(Currently the Cape province is a prime example) this is the worst case scenario and I refer you back to what happened in my tanks. Bass can, and will remain inactive / dormant for extended periods of time. These fish are extremely difficult to coax into biting and may not even respond to the best of presentations.

My baits of choice during this time consist strictly of reaction type baits. Baits that can be fished fast but remain in the same place more or less. This translates into fishing vertically most of the time. Dropping a lipless crank or hair jig down to them and yo-yoing it in their faces will irritate them to some extent. Alas, success is not guaranteed.

I hope these insights give you some perspective on how bass are likely to respond to their environment.

Remember to keep an open mind.

See you on the water!

>> Divan Coetzee

T

hese two topics are related so we’ll cover er. Firstly, let’s take them under one banner. a look at how extreme me heat affects water conditions. It’s no secret ret that warm water contains less oxygen than n cooler water, this is the single biggest factorr you have to consider. You wouldn’t like it if I wrap a plastic bag around your face and I assure you that any living Dropping a jig down and yo-yoing thing would share the same it in the bass’ strike sentiment. If you were a fish, zone will irritate what’s the simple solution for them to some extent this? To get out of there... the text book tells us that deep water is stable water, and this is what we’ll focus on. The majority of the population will migrate to deeper, more stable water, and remain there until conditions become favourable to feed.

Obvious bait selection would be deep diving cranks, jigs, Carolina rigs and whatever else gets down quickly.

Lots of anglers have taken to night fishing with excellent results, and it should definitely be considered if logistics allow. Night tactics require a different approach so we’ll cover that at a later stage.

With consistently high temperatures and little to no rain in certain areas, the water level is bound to start dropping. This has a profound effect on fish; you have to see it to believe it. When I was younger, I had quite a few fish tanks with all sorts of species including bass. General maintenance of the tanks required me to do a water change every few months. This would involve draining approximately 40% of the tanks capacity, and replacing it with fresh water. During this time I noted some very interesting fish behaviour, especially with the bass tank.

It took me a while to put the puzzle together. Prior to

>> SA BASS

Bassin’ – A Spectator Sport W

>> JJohn h Badenhorst* B

ith the upgrades in technology over the past two decades in Southern Africa, we have seen leaps and bounds in progress towards greater media social interaction. These days it’s essential for any sportsman or woman to have a bigger and more accessible social media footprint be it in the form of Facebook, YouTube or WhatsApp. With higher and more stable Internet speeds we now have the options of live streaming from anywhere in the world and this in itself opens up a whole new level of opportunities.

For many anglers including myself it’s always been fun and interesting to watch broadcasts of bass fishing tournaments around the world. Sadly though, today there is not a single dedicated television channel to be able to enjoy this aspect of our sport here in South Africa. Over the last couple of years we’ve turned to media like YouTube to keep up to speed with what’s happening on the international circuit and it’s due to this that the likes of Mike Iaconelli and Scott Martin have become household names even here on the Dark Continent.

Bass fishing on tournament level has made massive strides into the twenty-first century and with the recent

22 SA BASS

September 2017

FLW South Africa Championship being held on the Vaal River, there was a marked increase in actual spectators attending the event.

More spectators equate to greater general public interest and it just keeps growing from here on. Live broadcasting of such an event or at least a three to five minute roundup of the day via dedicated applications on smartphones or via YouTube will also grow the spectator value of our own competitive bass fishing circuit.

There is always a cost factor but here my point is simple, greater coverage brings more spectators, more spectators get the attention of potential advertisers and sponsors and pretty soon things are not so expensive or impossible anymore.

In a few weeks’ time the international Bass Fishing World Championship will take place here in South Africa and I’m pretty sure that passionate anglers will attend the event even if it is just to catch a glimpse of their Internet heroes like Scott Martin in action.

Very likely is the fact that just like in the USA, some anglers will be surrounded by a flotilla of boats from spectators during the tournament. With this in mind, I think it’s crucial to draw up a list of guidelines for spectators way before the event. Simple rules like; keeping a minimum

distance, not talking to the anglers as they concentrate on the job at hand and keeping noise down to an absolute minimum.

Okay, why do we go to a stadium to watch a rugby or cricket game? It’s simple; we go for the vibe, the atmosphere and the indirect participation.

The same can apply to any angling event, whether it be bank or boat angling.

Let’s have a quick look at the Fish-O-Mania event held in the UK… There is a funfair or arts and crafts to keep mom and the kids amused, a number of stalls to meet the desires of spectators from the culinary down to the latest and greatest in tackle and of course the ever popular beer stalls for the thirsty. All of this is behind the scenes at the event and yet vital and missing in RSA. If mom is happy, so is dad and getting mom there, we have to make sure that the kids are accommodated.

Once the kids are taken care of, they, due to their inherent curiosity will become interested in the event and here the seed of growth is planted. The sport now just needs to nurture it and the rest will be taken up by man’s primal instinct to compete.

In an event such as this, one stall will piggy back off another and in the end it’s a numbers game and everyone gets more bang for their buck. Let’s take it one step further

and install a big screen in a marque where supporters can view up to four anglers at the same time without having to race up and down the river or lake to catch a glimpse of their heroes in action with some liquid gold in hand and you get where we are going with this. Imagine a marque full of spectators cheering on their angling heroes.

After speaking to various anglers from different backgrounds in regard to their experiences overseas and here on local turf, there are some common and distinctive traits that have come to light. One of our biggest problems in making bass fishing in South Africa a spectator sport is the fact that most of the venues we fish in are a bit off the beaten path and not really close to major cities. The lack of press coverage and media also does not bring it to the spectators attention that something big is happening nearby. Up to now, bass fishing in general in South Africa has not been made attractive to spectators and in a way it’s killing the sport and its potential for growth. Before you raise your eyebrows at this statement, think about it for a moment… name any sports star from anywhere in the world, and it all boils down to being not only good in your chosen sport but sport has due to the advances in technology actually become show business which revolves around the number of spectators. If you’re not counting heads, you are doing it wrong. Mzi from KZN commented recently… “Why are we still debating this issue? The only way to increase the popularity of our chosen sport is by

Armor Shad “Flukes” is alombekend en een van die beste sagte plastiekase wat omtrent in elke hengelaar se gereitas gevind word. Die Armor Shad is niks anders nie. Die beste manier om ‘n Armor Shad te hengel is sonder ‘n gewiggie sodat die aas ‘n baie natuurlike swemaksie het. Gebruik dit in of naby struktuur waar kleiner vissies gewoonlik teen roofdiere skuil. Die Armor Shad kan vanaf vlak- tot baie diep water gehengel word. In diep water kan die aas aan ‘n Mojo- of Texas strop gebind word.

Mojo-sinkers word gebruik in en rondom watergras terwyl Texassinkers tussen bome en takke gebruik word. Gebruik ‘n 7ft medium swaar aksie stok, 12 pond fluorocarbon lyn en ‘n hoë spoed katrol.

Die drie basiese kleure wat elke hengelaar gebruik is Junebug; vroegoggend, laat middag of wanneer dit bewolk is. Watermelon Red wanneer die water helder skoon is en groen watergras sigbaar is. Green Pumpkin werk goed wanneer die water effens ‘n kleurtjie het of die bodem klipperig is. Die aas word uitgegooi en ingebring met ligte gewrigaksies wat ‘n sieklike vissie naboots wat sukkel om te swem.

Skandeer die QR-kode en sien ‘n kort video van hoe die aas onder water vertoon.

Besoek gerus jou naaste hengelgereiwinkel en vra vir Damiki se Air Craw gelaai met Bass Juice.

SA BASS 23 September 2017

taking it to the masses.” He further reflects many sentiments by stating; “If we do not take interest in our sport to the masses, we are missing out and losing on a huge potential marketing appeal through marketing and sponsors, both desperately needed in support of our sport.”

John Easton recently picked up flack when he posted on social media a digital image of an angler fishing a particular spot with a screen shot of his FishTec HD Fishing Chart.

Yes, there are those anglers that will agree that during a tournament, they don’t want viewers and in turn their opposition to see what they are using or where and how they are using it. But a simple hand signal can be arranged prior to an event with anglers that will tell the camera man not to cover certain aspects of what’s going on out on the water. They have been doing it for years overseas and I simply can’t see why it can’t be done here. It’s all fair and well to be upset that someone knows where your sweet spot is and what bait you’re using, but even if he got to your so called sweet spot first on day two of an event, he still has to catch the fish and as we all know it’s not that simple.

The big bottom line is this… in South Africa as anglers, were used to things being a certain way and doing them a certain way, but we have to move with the time and technology or else we will be the ones looking at how the rest of the world does it and try to one day mimic what they have done. More media means more sponsorship and more sponsorship means more money to host bigger and better events. Sponsors want value for their money and as individual sport stars will confirm, as part of showmanship, they have to give their sponsors their money’s worth. It’s due to social media, sponsorship and money that the likes of KVD, Roland Martin and Iaconelli have become household names around the world. It’s time that South

24 SA BASS September 2017

African anglers embrace what’s available and also have the chance to become household names not just to their buddies or those fishing with them on the local circuit but also on an international stage.

With the Bass Fishing World Championships taking place on the Vaal River soon, some anglers feel rightly so that a massive marketing campaign should be undertaken to highlight to the public in general especially those living on the banks of the Vaal about the importance of this upcoming event. There are many boats that launch on that river every weekend and it’s only through education that our international visitors will truly enjoy their visit and experience here. The last thing an angler wants is to be concentrating on the job at hand when some weekend cowboy comes racing past on his huge jet driven boat and creating a wake that would make the ocean look like a picnic.

It’s not just the anglers that are visiting our shores, some of them bring family along and crew members too. With this comes what we call moola, yes folks lovely American greenbacks and Euro’s and Franks and other currencies.

Some of these folks visiting have already booked ahead to visit local game parks and this now goes into the realm of tourism in a huge way. If their experience is a good one, bet your bottom dollar, pardon the pun, they will be back because… South Africa is beautiful and affordable.

After searching around the internet a bit we found some basic spectator rules and although not cast in stone, these are basics that are adhered to on an international level.

Out on the water, spectators are an exciting and sometimes integral part of big events and some anglers will even utilize this as part of their game plan. As we all know

Some anglers may plan for your presence, others may not. Make sure that your presence does not interfere with the anglers plans.

The trick is to realize that simply by being out on the water, you are making an impact of sorts and to minimize that impact.

ZĞŵĞŵďĞƌ ƚŽ ƚƵƌŶ Žī LJŽƵƌ ĞůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ ĞǀĞŶ ŝĨ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ Ă ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĂǁĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌ͕ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ŚĞƌĞ ƚŽ ǁĂƚĐŚ͕ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ƐĐĂŶ ƚŚĞ ďŽƩŽŵ Žƌ ĮŶĚ ĮƐŚ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ŶŽ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ƚƵƌŶ ŽŶ LJŽƵƌ ĞůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ͘ >ŝŬĞ ĞůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ͕ ƐŽŵĞ ƚƌŽůůŝŶŐ ŵŽƚŽƌƐ ĚŽ Ğŵŝƚ ŶŽŝƐĞ ĂŶĚ ŝƚƐ ďĞƩĞƌ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞƐĞ Ăƚ Ăůů Žƌ Ăƚ ůĞĂƐƚ ƚŚĞ ǀĞƌLJ ŵŝŶŝŵƵŵ͘ ĞĞƉ LJŽƵƌ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ͘ /Ŷ ĐŽŵƉĞƟƟǀĞ ĂŶŐůŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŵŝŶŝŵƵŵ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ƚǁŽ ďŽĂƚƐ ŝƐ ϱϬŵ͘ Ɛ Ă ƐƉĞĐƚĂƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ ĂŌĞƌ ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶ ŝƚ < ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ĚĞĞŵĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ Ă ƐƉĞĐƚĂƚŽƌ ƐŚŽƵůĚŶ͛ƚ ďĞ ĐůŽƐĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ϵϬŵ ĨƌŽŵ ĂŶ ĂŶŐůĞƌ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵƌ ĞLJĞ ƐŝŐŚƚ ŝƐ ƚŚĂƚ ďĂĚ͕ ƵƐĞ ƐŽŵĞ ďŝŶŽĐƵůĂƌƐ͘ ,ĂǀĞ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌ͕ ŚĞ Žƌ ƐŚĞ ŚĂƐ ƋƵĂůŝĮĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ͘ zŽƵ ĐĂŶ ƵƐĞ LJŽƵƌ ĐŚĂƌƚ ƉůŽƩĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĂŶŐĞ ƌŝŶŐƐ ƐĞƚ ƚŽ ϭϬϬŵ ĂƐ ĂŶ ŽǀĞƌůĂLJ ŽŶ LJŽƵƌ ĐŚĂƌƚƐ ƚŽ ŬŶŽǁ ŚŽǁ ĨĂƌ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ĂƐ ŝƚƐ ĚŝĸĐƵůƚ ƚŽ ũƵĚŐĞ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ͘ hŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ǁĂƚĐŚŝŶŐ ŝƐ ĮƐŚŝŶŐ ŝŶ ĂŶ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ŽĨ Ă ůŝĨĞƟŵĞ ĂŶĚ ĨŽĐƵƐĞĚ ŽŶ ŐĞƫŶŐ Ă ǁŝŶŶŝŶŐ ďŝƚĞ͘ tŚĞŶ ƚŚĞLJ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ŐƌĞĞƚ͕ ŝƚ ƐŝŵƉůLJ ŵĞĂŶƐ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŶĐĞŶƚƌĂƟŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŶŽƚ ďĞŝŶŐ ŐƌƵŵƉLJ͘ ^ŽŵĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌƐ ǁŝůů ĐŚĂƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƉĞĐƚĂƚŽƌƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ͕ ŽƚŚĞƌƐ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǁŚŽ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ĂƌĞ ĨŽĐƵƐĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ũŽď Ăƚ ŚĂŶĚ͘ tĂƚĐŚ ĂŶŐůĞƌƐ ĐĂƌĞĨƵůůLJ͕ ƐŽŵĞ ǁŝůů ŐŝǀĞ ĐůĞĂƌ ŚĂŶĚ ƐŝŐŶĂůƐ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ĐůŽƐĞƌ Žƌ ƚŽ ƐƚĂLJ ĂǁĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ ĂŶ ĂƌĞĂ ƚŚĞLJ ŝŶƚĞŶĚ ƚŽ ƚĂƌŐĞƚ͘ /Ĩ ŚĞ ƐƚƌĂƉƐ ĚŽǁŶ ŚŝƐ ƌŽĚƐ͕ ŝƚ ŵĞĂŶƐ ŚĞ ŝƐ ŐĞƫŶŐ ƌĞĂĚLJ ƚŽ ůĞĂǀĞ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ŚŝƐ ǁĂLJ͘ :ƵƐƚ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ĂŶ ĂŶŐůĞƌ ŚĂƐ ůĞŌ Ă ƐƉŽƚ͕ ĚŽĞƐŶ͛ƚ ŵĞĂŶ ŚĞ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ ƌĞƚƵƌŶ Ă ďŝƚ ůĂƚĞƌ͕ ŚĞ Žƌ ƐŚĞ ŵŝŐŚƚ ũƵƐƚ ďĞ ǁĂŝƟŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƐƉŽƚ ƚŽ ƌĞůŽĂĚ ƐŽ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ƚĂŬĞ ŽƵƚ LJŽƵƌ ƌŽĚ ĂŶĚ ĮƐŚ ƚŚĂƚ ƐĂŵĞ ƐƉŽƚ͘ dŚĂƚ ŝƐ Ă ƐĞƌŝŽƵƐ ƐŝŐŶ ŽĨ ĚŝƐƌĞƐƉĞĐƚ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞƐ ŽĨ Ă ƐƉŽƚ ĨŽƌ Ă later date, come back at the end of the tournament and by all means mark it. dŚĞƌĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ďŽĂƚƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŝůů ŐĞƚ ĐůŽƐĞƌ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌ͕ ůŝŬĞ ďŽĂƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ĐĂŵĞƌĂ ĐƌĞǁƐ ĞƚĐ͖͘ ƚŚŝƐ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ĂŶ ŝŶǀŝƚĞ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵ ĂƐ ƐƉĞĐƚĂƚŽƌ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ĐůŽƐĞƌ ƚŽŽ͘ /ƚ͛Ɛ ƚŚĞŝƌ ũŽď͕ ŶŽƚ LJŽƵƌƐ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ ĮŶĚ Ă ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌ ƐĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ LJŽƵƌ ǀŝĞǁŝŶŐ ƌĂƚŚĞƌ ďŽƌŝŶŐ͕ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ũƵƐƚ Ɛŝƚ ĚŽǁŶ ĂŶĚ ŐƵŶ LJŽƵƌ ĞŶŐŝŶĞ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞƌĞ͕ ƌĂƚŚĞƌ ŵŽǀĞ Žī ƚŽ Ă ƐĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵĨŽƌƚĂďůĞ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ŐĞƚ ŐŽŝŶŐ͘ ZĞŵĞŵďĞƌ͕ LJŽƵ ŵŝŐŚƚ ďĞ ĞŶũŽLJŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ƟŵĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ͕ ďƵƚ ƚŚŽƐĞ ĂŶŐůĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ŵĂLJďĞ ŶŽƚ͕ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŶŽǁ͘ dŚĞŝƌ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞŵ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞLJ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌ ĂŶĚ ďLJ LJŽƵ ƌĂĐŝŶŐ Žī ĂŶĚ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ůŝŬĞ Ă ŚŽŽůŝŐĂŶ͕ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ŝƚ ĞdžƚƌĞŵĞůLJ ĚŝĸĐƵůƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŵ͘ >ĂƐƚůLJ͕ ŝĨ LJŽƵƌ ŚĞƌŽ ĐĂƚĐŚĞƐ Ă ďŝŐ ĮƐŚ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵ ŚĂƉƉĞŶ ƚŽ ƐĞĞ ŝƚ͕ ĂƉƉůĂƵĚ͕ ŚĞ ŚĂƐ ĞĂƌŶĞĚ ŝƚ͘

and have seen, even in the harshest conditions, there are those die hard followers that will be out on the water to catch a glimpse of their heroes in action.

If you happen to be one of the lucky few to be out on the water, watching it all unfold, remember one thing, you are not the angler, your advice is not needed. The word “spectator” means to spectate or to watch. Here are some guidelines.

During the recent FLW South Africa Championship held on the Vaal River, I happened to be the master of ceremony (MC) and although it seemed unconventional at first, pretty soon anglers were getting into the swing of things as did the spectators at the event, from before sunrise down to the last fish being weighed. I’m fortunate that I can combine my love for radio presenting together with

my passion for bass fishing and our sport in general. After this particular event, a lot of discussion has raged on social media around making our bass fishing more accessible to spectators and the public in general.

This article conveys the views of SA BASS magazine, FLW South Africa and discussion amongst likeminded individuals passionate about growing our sport. Thanks to Glen Kichenbrand, John Easton, Mzi Tyhokolo, Paul Mays, Kim Serfontein, Bennie Wiese, Ronnie Thompson, Valerie Jacobs and Robert Jacobs for your valuable input. * 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.

SA BASS 25 September 2017

>> SA BASS

As a bass angling enthusiast, I always strive to catch bigger and more bass!

So, when one of my friends, Adam asked me to join him on a trip to the infamous Natal farm dams I couldn’t resist the offer.

Lockjaw

BASSING IN SMALL DAMS

A decent bass that shows you that the pattern you’re fishing is working! Especially if they inhale the lure like that

>> Louis Bezuidenhout

F

or the whole week prior to the trip we told ourselves stories of giant bass chomping our lures.

We got so excited that we even over spent on big plastics and stronger line!

We were even more excited when my friend Ralph told us about the 4kg largemouth bass he caught! Tons of photos with Ralph holding bass ranging from 1kg to 3kg, had me, and Adam raving for the upcoming trip!

We got way too excited, to the point that we didn’t check the weather or air pressure variations to come... We did talk about it on the way there and still convinced ourselves that Natal largies somehow don’t get affected by the cold... As you might have guessed and know, we were lying to ourselves.

We got there late at night but our amazing host and friend waited for us and shared in the excitement as we started unpacking for some epic fishing ahead. We finished unloading 26 SA BASS

September 2017

all our gear and got ready for the next day’s fishing and many giants that lay ahead.

Ralph quickly and swiftly brought us back to earth and pointed out the cold front that was currently hitting the area. This wasn’t the best news for us because small dams get affected by weather a lot faster than your average sized fishery in South Africa. Ralph managed to spark our enthusiasm though as he told us of the fish he smashed two weeks back...

The game plan was to hit five dams and a small river over our three day stay. Before we could start strategizing Ralph stuck six very impressive looking square bill crankbaits in my hand... Immediately and with confidence, I tied one on. I chose the banded tilapia imitation as most of our fisheries have baitfish from the tilapia family. We discussed at length what we recon would work and what

to tie onto our other rods.

We all headed to bed for a good night’s rest because we had to wake up early the next morning to be at the dam at first light. Early on the Friday morning we woke up and headed out to the first farm dam on the list. We arrived and it was frigid weather!

Quickly Adam and I realized that the bass were not playing along. So while we were taking off the big topwater lures and chatterbaits, Ralph managed to catch the first fish for the day of around 1kg. This made us very optimistic for the days fishing that lay ahead even though we knew it was going to be tough fishing to say the least.

We switched between hundreds of lures and couldn’t get a bite, while Ralph got hooked up and then snapped by a big bass. We noticed he was sticking to the same lure but reducing the retrieve speed dramatically!

Time was up and all we had to show was the one fish from the first dam. The day started to warn up as we headed to the second farm dam.

We arrived midday and felt a bit more optimistic than earlier that morning.

By this time I realized that the fish were not actively feeding so this meant that we would have to slow down dramatically.

We started on the deeper side of the lake with steep drops and some nice timber which we thought is where they’ll be hiding. A few minutes in with no bites and the wind blowing hard into the bank and we thought it was time for change. The wind-blown bank was not the area to be since the already cold water was just decreasing in temperature.

We headed for some lily pads that made some nice pockets and had good cover from the wind. As we headed there Ralph managed to catch a keeper on a weightless fluke. Adam made a cast into a pocket and missed a fish.

Naturally I cast in there and waited for the tell-tale thump. Ha-ha, Adam gave me a funny frown as I managed to hook the fish he missed. Another keeper meant that this was the spot where the fish were schooling.

Adam made up for his missed fish with a flurry of seven keepers in roughly ten casts. I couldn’t get the bites Adam was getting, no matter how I tried. Then, I noticed he had a heavy weight on and was bouncing his fluke of off the bottom. I re-rigged and on probably my fifth cast a bass inhaled my fluke.

The wind picked up and we needed to head out before dark. On our way to Ralphs home, we started to go back and forth with our opinions on the tough days fishing. The bass were definitely not chasing lures and the only lures that produced fish were the heavy Texas rigged fluke for when the fish were hugging the bottom, weightless fluke was the deal in open water situations. Ralph managed eight fish with the weightless fluke while Adam had seven on the Texas rig. I got five and all of these off the heavy Texas rigged fluke.

Our second night we got informed that the next day was going to be even colder with high air pressure. This was not good and we knew it was going to be tough! We headed in after a quick discussion on the next day. We arrived to a heavenly meal prepared by Ralph’s parents. With full bellies and tired bodies and smiles we hit the sack.

We only woke up at 7am because of the cold front being at its worst on our second day. All three of us knew the fish were going to have lockjaw.

We tied on our drop-shot rods and one rod each for soft plastics on a light Texas rig.

We arrived at the third farm dam and launched the small inflatables.

We headed off to the right and Ralph stuck to the area that produced for him two weeks ago.

A few casts later I got the first fish on a light Texas rig that I dragged very slowly through the grass. Adam opted for a light Texas grub. Adam got a phone call from his dad and as he was just leaving his lure in the same spot he got bitten. He set the hook on a big bass that he couldn’t move away from the grass... Barely a few seconds later we saw the all too familiar rod whip back and the snapping sound of line. This was a bummer; we managed to lose two big fish in two days!

I immediately took off the fluke and put on the grub. Ralph noticed the commotion and motored over and joined us on the deep grass line.

With already two lures on the deep end of the grass edge I made a random cast to the shallows. Surprisingly my lure got smashed! I wasn’t expecting anything and the bass had me wrapped before I could even set the hook! Unfortunately I lost the fish.

After three hours passed with no action we decided to move to Ralphs spot where he had caught a bunch two weeks ago. We noticed that there was no cloud cover and the water was cold with the occasional frigid breeze.

Our 1/32oz Texas rigs were no longer producing. Adam and I both switched to the drop-shot rig. We targeted little creek channels with a 4” Senko and 3,25” stick baits. We

Quality bass on the weightless fluke!

noticed in the cold that as soon as we switch to dark colours like Black & Red glitter or Junebug. We would immediately get a bite.

SA BASS 27 September 2017

All average size bass we managed to catch

We had to extend the leader on our drop-shot to one meter; this ensured that our lures would be lying just above the grass. This method quickly started producing fish after our three hour dry spell.

All the fish where small, but we were happy to be catching! After about another hour the bite died off. We started moving around and got one more bite. The fishing was too slow for our liking and we decided to head to the small river Ralph had in his back yard.

He caught some small mouth bass there often. This had us enthusiastic for some fish because what we heard was that smallies bite during the cold.

We got to the river and noticed that the water wasn’t just cold, it was freezing! We tried for about an hour then headed back. Ralph mentioned that the river’s water level dropped quickly and got cold quickly. We all agreed that the bass just hadn’t had time to adapt yet.

Ralph took us to the fourth dam just a few minutes’ drive from the river. We arrived thirty minutes before sunset and knew this was going to be a short session. After a few casts and no bites, I rigged up a drop-shot again and a weightless four inch Senko. I knew how to make my chances of catching fish as high as possible. Ralph called it the “Pap-gooi” approach.

I would cast out the Senko to the deepest part of the dam and just leave it there, while I was actively fishing my drop-shot at the same time. Not even a few minutes later I saw the line twitch; I reeled up the slack and set the hook on another dink! But I was once again happy to get a bite with the fish being lock jawed. This seemed to fire up the small school I was on and before 28 SA BASS September 2017

I could throw in the Senko again, I started hooking up on the drop-shot!

Finally I had my first flurry of fish with catching six in a row! The biggest one was ±1kg. Ralph managed to get one of the same size on the weightless fluke!

The sun set and the temperature dropped and the bass didn’t want to know anything about biting! We headed home for the second and final night of our stay. We arrived to yet another heavenly cooked meal. Ralphs parents sure did spoil us Jozi boys!

After stuffing our bellies we started discussing the last day of fishing to come. We checked the weather and it showed warm temperatures and a lot of cloud cover. This was going to be our best in respect to weather so if we were hoping to get a good one as it was going to be on our final day.

We woke up early to sunny weather, but no clouds!? Grrrrr... This was an extremely hard blow to the self-esteem! All three of us decided to go out and try our best on this post frontal weather. I started with a crankbait looking for that reaction bite. I noticed a rock pile that got sun first on the farm dam. I knew this was the spot to hit first because it would heat up first.

Few casts later I get the first one on the crank, as I unhooked it and got ready for my next cast I saw a giant bass just cruising past us in the depths.

I immediately got Adam convinced to throw anchor. We knew the fish should stay in the same area. Adam got one on the first cast on a drop-shot Senko; I immediately switched to the drop-shot. We both had flurries of fish on the four inch Junebug Senko, so much so that we started losing count!

Every time I got a bite my hart skipped

a beat because I knew a giant was in that direction.

After approximately an hour we pulled anchor and started moving around because we knew we had caught every dink in the area and the bigger fish didn’t want to know anything. Ralph hooked up on a decent fish (600 gram) and we started heading in that direction.

As we reached the dam wall we both had flurries again, all dinks again...

But we were happy to be catching!

After another few hours passed by we started resorting to “pap-gooi” methods again. With all three of us having two lines in at the same time we managed to catch a few more fish!

Adam and I decided it was time to pack up and head out for the long haul back to Johannesburg. I decided to troll one of those square bill cranks, the one that looked like a banded tilapia. Halfway back to the launch I nearly had the rod pulled out of my hands! It was safe to say I wasn’t expecting anything. I fought the fish for a few seconds and like a newbie putting too much pressure on the fish and got a hook pull! I was certain that would’ve been the biggest fish for the weekend!

Heart-broken we packed up and thanked Ralph for being an amazing host and showing us how to properly fish a weightless fluke! He had managed to get the biggest for the weekend on his bloody fluke... Ha-ha, that’s definitely something to have tied on in your fishing arsenal!

All in all we managed to catch fish in the cold front and got those lockjaw fish to bite! Next time don’t head back home too early. You can still catch fish in the cold and make the trip worthwhile.

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>> SA BASS DESTINATIONS

LETSIBOGO Update 2017

Driving to probably the best place in southern Africa for trophy bass fishing is always an exciting journey. The good news is all the roads on the recommended route have been reworked and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t encounter a single pothole. potho Typical crankbait fish at Letsibogo

A

>>Chris Greenland*

n im impo important port po rtan an nt th thin thing ingg tto remember on this route is that African side of the border there is an on tthe h SSouth he ou uth A fric fr i area ar ea tthat hatt pa ha pass passes sses thro through a game reserve where kudu and warthog regularly cross the road, especially at night. aan d wa wart r ho rt hogg re regu gula larly cro Botswana On tthe O he B otsw ot swan a a side there the are a few rural areas to pass through domestic animals are also around thro tth roug ugh h an and d children and d roads. thee ro tth road ads. As exciting as tthe fishing may be, rather take the road and avoid any potential thee ti tth time to be aware on th tragedy. tra ttr agedy. There is no need to rush to the border as it is rarely bbusy and is open from 6am to 10pm. Botswana only has a two million people, but they take population of just over tw p seriously and have a seriously low ttheir law enforcement seri comparison to South Africa. They vviolent crime rate by com aare a friendly people, but bbe warned they have a strict zero driving. ttolerance to drinking and d

The Lodge Th

The author auth uutthhoor wi with w ith th a L Lestibogo essttiibo bogo go llunker. unker. un ker. ke r.

30 SA BASS

September 2017

Phokoje Bush Lodge is a relaxing little oasis situated just o outside the town of Selebi Phikwe. In a town surrounded bby desert conditions, the lo lodge is nestled in with some small ponds that provide a water source creating a concentration p oof shaded areas, trees and birds. One guest who passed tthrough was a birdwatche birdwatcher and said she had counted 62 sspecies of birds in the are area! On site is a very well priced rrestaurant and bar with quality starters, mains, deserts aand salads ranging from R R65 to R180. The restaurant also ssupplies custom lunch pac packs to the anglers made fresh in tthe morning of their days fishing. At night it is quiet and ccandle lit with some intim intimate areas. Free Wi-Fi is available ffor guests and it stays ope open until 11pm. I can personally rrecommend anything from the grill menu as excellent qquality. The clever design oof the lodge is the clusters of trees aand ponds separate out the areas so campers, chalet guests aand visitors all mingle in the same areas but never get in each ootherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privacy. It is the kin kind of place that is the perfect one night halfway stop when tr n travelling or even for a week away holiday. The walkways and thatch roof buildings are African h sstyle and although there is very little grass in Botswana it iis dustless and immaculat immaculate at the lodge areas. The staff aare friendly, switched on and a ready to accommodate any rrequest, they are familiar with the anglers and can be a information. All the chalets are airggood source of fishing info

conditioned, have options of double beds and have a DStv package that does include SuperSport. The self catering is very comfortable and has a braai and dining area of its own for a weekend away with fishing mates.

The Fishing Planning a trip is key to being successful at Letsibogo.

It is not possible especially with the current high water level to traverse the entire 18km² dam in one day on electric trolling motors. The most effective use of your time will be to predetermine a section of the dam for each day you are there and fish it hard. One has to understand that the predominant ambush structure, which is trees in the dam, extends from 5ft deep to 35ft deep. The bass like to keep an eye on the movement of their bait and adjust accordingly.

Sometimes when I hear multiple anglers say the fishing is tough, I know the fish are deeper and fish further out. The wind direction and strength is a major factor; not only does your trolling motor power depend on this but even your personal safety. Look at the direction of the wind and try to find some cover using the dam edges and koppies. If the wind is not bad then feel free to fish what seems like open areas as many submerged stumps lurk beneath the surface.

Equipment is fundamental to trophy bass fishing. You can fish in multiple ways at Letsibogo but in the end you are more than likely looking for a trophy fish. Realistically,

I have pretty much narrowed it down to using 20lb fluorocarbon and 65lb direct braid. The water is stained to dirty most of the time and line thickness is mostly a factor only in terms of pure abrasion resistance. At some point or another line will contact structure and it needs to be tough. Seven foot heavier action baitcasting rods are the order of the day as you need the power to wrestle fish away from or out of structure.

Strategy and presentation become more and more of a factor every year. The fish that have been released have smartened up and the more obvious Texas rig presentations have become less effective for numbers. A slightly different but just as versatile presentation is the weighted hook technique. I use a 6/0 Flipping hook as it has a specially designed thicker gauge that can take some abuse. Then put it through the bait but before securing the hook in the bait I crimp on a lead weight that I have split down the middle. Varying the weight allows one to approach anything from 5ft to 30ft deep with a very natural presentation as the weight does not pull the bait nose down. But rather belly down in a horizontal position.

Contact with the structure is never more important than at Letsibogo. Remembering that the fish actually have an abundance of food it is necessary to encourage them to strike in other ways. Bass are aggressively defensive of their territory sometimes; so by knocking the wood with your

The largest of the weighted hook Magnum Fluke fish

SA BASS 31 September 2017

Activity Report Bait

Rig

Strikes

Landed

Average

Heaviest

Depth

Structure

Zoom Magnum Fluke

Weighted hook

6

4

3.01kg

3.58kg

10ft

Trees

Venom Boss Hog

Texas

1

1

2.94kg

2.94kg

8ft

Trees

Big Bite 7inch Trick Stick

Weightless

14

7

1.22kg

3.68kg

10ft

Rock

Spro Fat Pappa

Crank

1

1

3.18kg

3.18kg

12ft

Trees

Big Bite 6Inch Paddle Tail

Weighted hook

7

5

2.35kg

2.88kg

10ft

Trees

Conditions Report

Letsibogo Trip Computer

Water Color

Dirty, 8cm visibility

Distance

546km from Pretoria

Weather

Varied; windy 2 days & calm 2 days

GPS

21°50'37.30"S 47°43'23.32"E

Air Temperature

10°C to 24°C

Route

N1; R33; R510; R572; N11

Water Temperatures

Deeper water 18°C, shallows 19.7°C

Border

Martins Drift (06:00-22:00)

Baitfish Activity

11 to 22ft

Border Notes

No Temporary Documents

Productive Fishing Zones

10 to 14ft

Dam Size

18km², 100 Million m³

Current Capacity

96%

Road Condition

98% Tar No 4x4 Necessary

Water Colour

Stained to Dirty

Structure

Stumps and Rocks

bait you encourage a defensive reaction. Crankbaits will allow you to contact deeper structure as well, but keep in mind that it is a dangerous technique if you are not familiar with working cranks through wood. Larger bills will deflect more structure than they snag and contrasting colours like chartreuse with blue, or purple and white will trigger more strikes. In that same mentality the same applies to larger spinner baits.

Conclusion Although we got the most bites on a weightless worm technique, the fish were actually much smaller than the target size apart from one which was actually the biggest for the trip. Fishing irony I guess. The two best techniques were weighted hooks with paddle tails and magnum flukes for their consistency. Most of the strikes from larger fish were found predominantly by them feeding around the

Donovan Berry with the heaviest fish on a Trick Stick 32 SA BASS

September 2017

tops of 10ft trees. On a very positive note, the netting has been greatly reduced and I only saw one net while I was there. A fishing trip to Phokoje Lodge is something worth doing at least annually. The lodge actually has done their best to create varying packages to accommodate every level of expenditure so anglers from all walks of life can have a go at big bass. Research it online and make a plan, you just may catch a record fish! *Chris Greenland is an accomplished angler and SA Bass contributor of authoritative bass fishing articles.

The successful paddle tail as personally customized

At some point or another line will contact structure and it needs to be tough

Boats are for hire

Phokoje Bush Lodge Accommodation Currency Conversion

Rand:Pula (R1: P0.78) Major Bank Cards Accepted on Site

Distance from the Dam

19km (15km Tar, 4km Gravel) No 4x4 Required

Facilities

Restaurant, Swimming Pool Area, Conference Centre, Kids Play Area, Birdwatching

WiFi

Free

Single Chalet

P700 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, Queen Size beds

Double Chalet

P800 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, Queen Size beds

Clustered Single

P500 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, Single Bed

Clustered Double

P450 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, 2 x Single or Double Bed

Self Catering 4-Sleeper

P1100 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, Braai and Dining Area, Single Beds

6-Sleeper

P1650 including DSTV, Airconditioning, En suite Bathroom, Braai and Dining Area, Single Beds

Camping

P50 including Site, Power, Shower and Ablutions

Boat Hire Non-Equipped

P400 Boat with Decks, Hatches, Life Jackets and Oar

Equipped

P1000 Boat, 3x Lead Crystal 100aH Batteries, 1 x Foot Control & 1 x Tiller Control Motor

Website & Bookings

www.phokojebushlodge.com

All the chalets are air-conditioned, have options of double beds and have a DStv package that does include SuperSport

The walkways and thatch roof buildings are African style and although there is very little grass in Botswana it is dustless and immaculate at the lodge areas SA BASS 33 September 2017

>> SA BASS CLASSROOM

Out Of

SIGHT

It’s now time to spawn; this is the most important time for the bass. The call from Mother Nature is strong and most of the time they will build the nests, find mates, fertilize eggs, hatch their eggs and guard their fry until they are ready to be on their own.

>> Bennie Wiese*

T

his takes up to three weeks. As the winter ends and the water warms back up, bass feel the urge to spawn. The male bass will be the first in the spawning areas to find a suitable nesting area and prepare it for mating. Then the male bass circles the humble home slowly and waits for a mate. When a female has chosen to join the male in the nest, they waste little time getting to know one another.

Not all of the venues in the country have clear water to do sight fishing, but just because you can’t see the bass on the beds doesn’t mean you’re not going to catch them.

You can catch more fish just by fan casting around in the right areas than with sight fishing. Yes it’s funny (more fun?) going after those fish on the beds and when you open your eyes you have wasted hours of your fishing time, I have seen anglers wasting time on one fish on a nest and after countless minutes when he caught it, it was under sized. If you fish tournaments, time is one of the most valuable resources.

Over the last years I’ve gotten better at bed fishing; however I still think I catch more fish than I do when I don’t

34 SA BASS

September 2017

see or even have a chance of seeing them. Yes, sometimes on clear water venues it is better to do sight fishing, and then other anglers on the venue have the same odds to do well.

If you know what to look for you can spot good areas that bass use to make beds and then rear their young.

Good, hard-bottom spots in shallow areas, where they are protected from weather and hard blows, next to deep water will often hold spawners. Rocky banks, the back of bays, sides of slipways and docks are the places you must know. If the water is clear and you get close enough you can see the shiny spots that the bass have fanned out on the bottom.

These type of spots will most of the time be in two to three feet in diameter and will be almost polished white.

The spots really stand out in clear water. The ones you don’t see are the deeper beds and the beds where the gravel or hard bottom will be the same colour as everything else in that area. And when you see these bass, they will be able to see you as well. Immediately back off from the spot or the fish will be spooked off.

Position your boat back from the shallows and fan cast around with your favourite plastic bait on a Texas rig. Fish

the outside edges of docks and either cover or just work deeper water off the bank from where you would normally see fish, this will generally work. You don’t need to fish much deeper than 12 feet.

I start my fishing in the spawn much earlier than most anglers. You will be surprised to see all the beds that the male bass have been working on, while most of the anglers are still sitting at home preparing for the spawn. If you do your planning correctly you can have a spawning session that lasts for a long time. This time of the year there are normally lots of new lures on the market, and this is the perfect time to test them.

Line selection is very important. It doesn’t matter where you’re throwing it, it needs to be invisible to the fish, it must be abrasion resistant and have low stretch. Remember you’re casting into heavy cover around cables, brush and rocks. I’ve found that a good fluorocarbon is perfect for this. I normally use a 12-pound test. A good wide gap hook and you’re ready.

I use a seven foot medium heavy rod and a quality bait caster reel for overall performance.

If I fish tournaments and have a good bag for that venue, I will go and look for those spawning bass that I can sight fish to; this can improve my overall bag. And if I can find them, I will normally know in ten minutes if I’m going to be able to catch the fish by the way it acts.

Most anglers cast into a bed and watch their bait. That’s the wrong thing to do. Watch the fish and you’ll learn

more. If they leave the nest and come back after a minute or so, that may mean it could take more time and work to catch it than it is worth. If they swim in tight circles when you cast on the bed, that generally means that’s a catchable bass and if they get real excited every time the bait crosses a certain spot, you’re going to get a bite. Each bed will have a sweet spot that just drives fish crazy each time the bait gets near it. Watch the bass and you’ll see what I mean.

The mood of the bass will determine if you have to finesse them or power fish for them. The bait colour really doesn’t matter as much as you would think or may have been told. Sure, you can see some baits are better than others, but remember to look at the bass and not the lure.

I use bright or natural colours most of the time for this fishing along with a small weight and a big wide gap hook and I’m set.

One thing to remember during a tournament is that you should wait until the bass eats the bait before setting the hook. Now and then they will just nudge the lure without eating it.

Catching bass during their spawning season is a world of fun and can produce some awesome bags of tournament winning fish, but pay less attention to the shiny spots until you get a limit. You’ll simply catch more fish. (Always practise catch-and-release as soon as possible, especially during spawn.) *Bennie Wiese is the editor of SA Bass magazine and an experienced provincial bass angler.

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 SA BASS 35 September 2017

>> SA BASS INTERNATIONAL

Columbia River Smallmouth Adventure (Part 2)

7KH &ROXPELD 5LYHU LV DQ H[WUHPHO\ GLYHUVH ELJ ZDWHU Č´VKHU\ ZLWK FRQGLWLRQV WKDW GLÎ?HU JUHDWO\ SRRO WR SRRO >> Story and Images by Fishingboy and David Swendseid (DUO Realis U.S.A)

S

wendseid and I will primarily be targeting smallmouth in three of the Columbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reservoirs, starting with the 75km long Lake Bonneville (between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles Dam), 39km long Lake Celilo (between The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam), and 177km long Lake Umatilla (between John Day Dam to McNary Dam) which I will cover in greater detail in the upcoming instalments.

Before we move on to the fishing focusses, let us take a closer look at the smallmouth bass, its economic and sportfishing impact on the Columbia River.

Columbia River smallmouth bass

This guy looks familiar? We found this news clipping of Swendseid in Sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Warehouse fly tackle department

Swendseid works a productive area 36 SA BASS

September 2017

Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a freshwater fish native to central and eastern North America. Its native range extends from the Great Lakes through the Mississippi River and tributaries. Smallmouth bass was first introduced to the Pacific Northwest as a sportfish over 80 years ago.

Smallmouth is now widely distributed and thrives in the Pacific Northwest largely due to the habitat created by human modifications of the Columbia Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape.

As a popular sportfish, smallmouth bass generates considerable angling opportunities with tremendous benefits to local economies, even outside of their native range, and has been intentionally stocked in over twenty countries, as far as Japan and South Africa.

From my perspective as a Malaysian, the techniques that were originally developed for smallmouths in the U.S. were actually those that set the template of peacock bass fishing techniques used by anglers in Malaysia today, from jerkbaiting to spinfly, a derivative of the bucktail hair jig, and so forth. It is interesting to note that although bass

6PDOOPRXWK EDVV 0LFURSWHUXV GRORPLHX LV D IUHVKZDWHU ȴVK QDWLYH to central and eastern North America. immensely challenging period. The water was cold, in the range of 7°C to 10°C, and there were fish deep as well as shallow. So, it was a mixed deal and nothing comes easy on the Columbia River.

Fishing in the Columbia River Gorge My first two days in the Columbia River started on Lake Bonneville where we launched at The Dalles Yacht Club marina and Hood River Port Marina Park, respectively.

We headed back to Central Oregon for some urban trout fishing and to get rested as well as to get reloaded on supplies ahead of our next stop at Lake Celilo, where we launched at Celilo Park, initially concentrating on areas in the west pool. Then, we proceeded east towards Lake Umatilla, where we launched at Boardman Marina and Port of Arlington, respectively.

On the final day, we revisited Lake Celilo, concentrating on areas in the east pool. In all, we were fishing in an area popularly known as the Columbia River Gorge, a majestic canyon of the Columbia River that stretches for over 130kms through the Cascade Range.

Battling rough water I got to pose with giant smallmouth bass on the Columbia River

fishing and the U.S. where most techniques are developed and evolve is more than 13,000km away from my home country, there is no denying that its influence and outreach is incredibly strong.

The Columbia River is an immense fishery. Despite its top billing status, smallmouths were not actually found everywhere. The spring transitional period was an

Did I say rough water? Given its unique geography, the Columbia River is often inundated with wind, waves and weather all year long. In fact, it is a venue for world championship level windsurfing and waveboarding events, as recently as 2013. So, that says it all. When the wind blows, it blows hard, generating extraordinary choppy conditions.

I fished the Columbia River with Swendseid for a total of five days and the river conditions were simply unpredictable. We had to battle big waves as high as 4m Tel 0861 282 282 info@armaiuris.co.za Authorised Financial Services Provider: FSP21529

We caught giant smallmouths on the DUO Realis Jerkbait 100SP

Arma Iuris is a national legal cost insurance company rendering a service to individuals and businesses for the past 11 years. The individual legal cost product consist of the following: We provide legal advice to our clients 24/7 by means of a 0861 emergency number which is answered by an attorney. / We draft and provide any form of legal documentation as needed by our clients i.e wills, contracts, agreements etc. / We render legal administrative services i.e firearm motivations (licensing and relicensing), pension fund enquiries, tax issues and problems experienced with service providers like local authorities etc. / We represent our clients nationally whether magisterial or higher court cases for civil or criminal law suits. Your spouse and/or all financially dependants also enjoy cover under this policy. / This service will be offered to FLW members at a reduced Image: Garrick Dixon fee of R250 (VAT Excl). Terms and conditions apply.

SA BASS 37 September 2017

Smallmouth is now widely distributed and thrives in the 3DFLȴF 1RUWKZHVW ODUJHO\ GXH WR WKH KDELWDW FUHDWHG E\ KXPDQ PRGLȴFDWLRQV RI WKH &ROXPELD 5LYHUȇV ODQGVFDSH

Swendseid strikes a pose with a pre-spawn Columbia River smallmouth

regularly. Imagine running a 6.5m length bass boat in sealike conditions? That itself is a story on its own.

Of all the five days we were out on the river, we come across only one bass boat. Make no mistake, the Columbia River is a dangerous place and statistics confirm that. It is a place where conditions can turn bad in just a heartbeat. In order to get to your fishing areas and back safely, it is vital that you possess both the right experience and equipment.

Swendseid currently runs an Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro bass boat. It is currently the best in its class when it comes to rough water handling, manoeuvrability and top speed. It is an essential piece of equipment that got us to where we needed to be and back safely and reliably. I have ridden on several bass boats in the countries but I would be hesitant to head into the Columbia River in rough water in anything other than an Allison XB-21 (period).

Some of the giant smallmouths I caught on DUO Realis baits

To Central Oregon and back Besides smallmouth bass, Oregon and the Northwest are also one of the top angling destinations for salmon, trout and sturgeon. In fact, I had originally planned to trout fish during one of my rest days in Central Oregon.

Unfortunately, I could not get dialled-in to the fishing and ended up catching zero trout at the well-known Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon.

So, I did the next best thing, head to Sportsman’s

The DUO Realis Crank M65 is one of the top lures for early season smallmouth 38 SA BASS September 2017

$V D SRSXODU VSRUWČ´VK VPDOOPRXWK EDVV JHQHUDWHV FRQVLGHUDEOH DQJOLQJ RSSRUWXQLWLHV ZLWK WUHPHQGRXV EHQHČ´WV WR ORFDO HFRQRPLHV HYHQ RXWVLGH RI WKHLU QDWLYH UDQJH Warehouse to get reloaded on supplies for our next wave of trips. Opportunities for me to visit the local tackle stores have always been part of the highlight of my trips overseas.

Especially in U.S.A, it gives you a different perspective of the scale and the economic significance of the outdoor industry.

Coming up in the next instalment Check out next monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instalment to find out more about early season smallmouth fishing in rough water conditions on the Columbia Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lake Bonneville (The Dalles, Oregon).

We had difficulties getting big smallmouths in and out of the livewell

We relied on an array of DUO Realis crankbaits to catch quality smallmouths

Air Craw Swartbaars vreet omtrent enige iets en Damiki Air Craws werk baie goed waar krappe opgemerk word. Lug word in die aas se knypers vasgevang en maak dat die aas regop staan soos wanneer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n krap of kreef homself wil verdedig.

Gebruik 14 pond fluorocarbon lyn, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n stewige swaaraksie stok en ryg die Air Craw aan â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n Shakey Head loodkop. Alternatiewe stroppe waarmee hierdie aas gehengel kan word is Texasen Carolina-strop. Gebruik â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n Texas-strop waar daar digte struktuur is en â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n Carolina-strop in meer oop water met minder vashaakplekke.

Gooi die aas uit en laat dit vir â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n paar tellings staan voordat die aas stadig oor die bodem gebring word. Dit moet â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n â&#x20AC;&#x153;stofstreepâ&#x20AC;? maak soos wanneer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n krap oor die bodem sou beweeg.

Skandeer die QR-kode en sien â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n kort video van hoe die aas onder water vertoon.

Besoek gerus jou naaste hengelgereiwinkel en vra vir Damiki se Air Craw gelaai met Bass Juice.

SA BASS 39 September 2017

>> SA BASS MOTORING

Amarok V6 TDI

I

n a bakkie-obsessed country such as ours, where the leisure double cab is very much seen as a practical lifestyle choice, but in some instances also a status symbol, the Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 was always going to make waves.

The new Amarok transforms expectations of what a bakkie should be. In addition to the countless benchmark features you’ve come to expect from the Amarok, its new 3.0 litre V6 TDI engine delivers 165kW and 550Nm of torque. The much-anticipated Amarok V6 has exactly what it takes to get the job done.

Nothing else comes close to this marvel of German engineering. The engine delivers a class-leading 165kW from 3 000 to 4 500rpm and 550Nm of torque, from 1 400 to 1 750rpm. Both the 132kW 2.0 and 165kW V6 are available with the Amarok’s class-leading 8-speed automatic gearbox and 4MOTION® permanent all-wheel drive. With

the speed of its gear changes, the Amarok 3.0 V6 Extreme automatic achieves a top speed of 193km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 in 8 seconds.

To add to this power, an over-boost function increases the V6 Amarok’s output to 180kW for up to 10 seconds to assist in those situations where a burst is most useful. It leaves nothing to be desired.

The engine, straight from underneath the bonnets of premium SUVs such as the Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, makes the über-Amarok one of the most talked-about releases of the year. It comes at a heady price, however.

One of the main factors driving the Amarok’s success as a leisure vehicle in the bakkie segment has always been its relatively passenger vehicle-like ride quality and may very possibly be the best of the bakkies.

Volkswagen Amarok.

Greatest load capacity.

40 SA BASS

September 2017

Where the Amarok puts clear distance between itself and other bakkies, however, is in refinement. From the precision of the steering, to the smooth-shifting nature of the transmission, the exceptionally impressive NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) control, and its ease-of-use in off-road conditions, the Amarok really is a bakkie from a different league.

When it comes to comfort the Amarok offers a rake/ reach-adjustable steering and height adjustment for both front seats. Optional heated front seats are also available.

Long-distance comfort is not going to be a problem.

Automatic lights and wipers are standard, as are cruise control, dual-zone climate control and front and rear park assist (with camera). The camera is particularly valuable when hooking your boat’s trailer. Also standard fitment is the Discover Media infotainment system that features satellite navigation and a neat touch interface with pinching/sliding functionality – Bluetooth and USB/aux compatibility is standard.

In terms of safety the Amarok ticks a lot of the boxes.

Even though the fitment of only four airbags is somewhat disappointing you still get Isofix rear child-seat anchorages, an electronic stability control (ESC) system with integrated hill-start and hill-descent assistance and, specifically for the rough stuff, an off-road ABS function and a mechanically locking rear differential.

The addition of the 3.0 TDI V6 has come at the same time as a comprehensive facelift for the entire Amarok lineup. The Highline Plus model features bi-xenon headlights

and LED daytime running lights as standard. Though 18inch wheels are standard while 19-inchers are offered as an option.

Inside there’s an all-new facia and looks expensive and very neat. The cabin is very spacious in the front, mostly because it is so wide and high. There’s enough space for a large storage box between the seats and the front passenger “feels” very far away from the driver. Both front seats are manually height-adjustable, and there really is no shortage of headroom. The attention to detail that is so typical of most VW products is also evident in the Amarok, whether through the rubber padding of the various storage holes, or the actual size of them – the door pockets can take 1.5L bottles. There are also storage drawers underneath the front seats.

In the rear three adult passengers can sit next to one another on the bench, but they won’t be very comfortable because legroom is quite limited. They also will have to sit quite upright, and there are no ventilation outlets for those in the back. The rear seat cushions can flip up leaving a very usefully large storage space behind the front seats. The rear seatback can also fold, but as a single piece.

At the rear you’ll find what remains one of the widest load areas available in the bakkie market and measures 2.52m². The cargo area light remains a clever and unique feature in this segment. The Amarok’s payload and tow ratings are 3,300kg.

For more information, or to book a test drive contact, MasterCars Wonderboom on 012-567-9346.

Commercial Vehicles

SA BASS 41 September 2017

>> SA BASS

m a D o b longu

Srht 2iWyithaMichael Cronjé Pa

Your first glimpse of Shiyalongubo Dam as you crest the final hill on your way down the gravel road

>> Roger Donaldson*

I

n case you missed part-1 of this article; there was a lot to learn from Michael Cronjé about Shiyalongubo Dam so it was necessary to split this article into two sections for our readers. Here’s part-2, but don’t forget to go back to in to part-1 if you missed it!

Michael Cronjé is the store manager at Angling & Outdoor World in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. He is an experienced and passionate bass angler, having won backto-back Lowveld tournament trials and “Angler of the Year” titles alongside former boat partner Charl Carey.

Most of all, he just loves to fish!

Roger: In the previous issue you described a lot about the dam and the species available there too. Tell us what factors influenced the depth of water that you chose to fish in?

Michael: Smallmouth bass tend to prefer cooler water, so in a smaller dam, the simplest way to find cool water is to find deeper water. The river channel provided me with exactly that.

Unfortunately I did not have any electronics at my disposal to determine the precise water temperature at the time.

Roger: What was the water clarity considering the influx of water recently?

Michael: The water was a lot clearer than other venues I’ve

42 SA BASS

September 2017

fished in the Lowveld lately, even though the dam has filled up recently after being at a very low level. The quick rise in level didn’t dirty up the water at all.

Roger: What breaking strain line were you using?

Michael: My main line was 10lb breaking strain and my leader was 8lb.

Roger: What type of line did you select from and why did you choose that line?

Michael: For most of my finesse fishing, like drop-shot, wacky rigs, shakey heads and Ned rigs I only use Daiwa J-Braid in the dark green colour. The J-Braid allows for long, smooth casts, it’s extremely strong for the diameter of the line, and the sensitivity allows me to feel even the gentlest of bites.

I made my leader up with Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon. Tatsu is practically invisible, which has obvious benefits, and is extremely supple for a fluorocarbon line. This, coupled with its tremendous sensitivity and abrasion resistance make it my go-to leader line option. This line was all spooled up on a Penn Fierce 2000 spinning reel, which I paired with a St. Croix Triumph 6’6” medium action spinning rod. I chose the shorter rod because I was fishing from a canoe, but a very important factor when fishing the rig I was using, is to make sure your rod has a soft enough tip.

Michael Cronjé with a smallie. Smallmouth bass fight so hard, just take a look at that broad, powerful caudal fin

Roger: What rig were you using and why?

Michael: I’ve been catching a fair amount of largemouth bass on what’s known as a Ned rig, which is basically a small stickbait type soft plastic rigged onto a small jighead. I figured that if the largemouth were that interested in it, then the smallmouth would have a go at eating it too. I also reckoned that the smallies in that dam have probably never even seen a Ned rig before, so showing them something new that they don’t associate with the possibility of getting hooked would probably be the right option. After catching ten smallies between 7am and 11am, it turned out to be the right call.

Roger: What bait did you choose and why?

Michael: To set up the Ned rig I was fishing, I used a Z-Man Finesse TRD on a Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

The Z-Man Finesse TRD is made using Z-Man’s ElaZtech plastic which is so durable that you can catch easily a dozen or more fish with it before it even slightly starts to tear up. The wire keeper on the Finesse ShroomZ jighead is a massive help in keeping those soft plastics firmly in place on the hook. One recommendation I can make to anglers who haven’t fished for smallmouth bass before is to pack a long nose pliers into your tackle box. Their small mouths are challenging to negotiate with just your fingers when they’ve swallowed the bait deeply.

Using the pliers makes it not only easy to remove hooks, but also reduces the risk of injuring your catch before releasing it.

Roger: Did the colour of the bait make a difference?

Michael: All ten of the smallies I caught came on a Green Pumpkin coloured Z-Man Finesse TRD. After fish number five, I decided to switch techniques and threw a 3” paddle tail swimbait rigged on a ball-type jighead in the same areas where I picked up the previous fish. Nothing. After twenty minutes or so I reverted to the Ned rig, this time with a Junebug coloured Finesse TRD. Still nothing. I switched back to the Green Pumpkin colour, and second cast, fish on! I’ve caught many largemouth bass on the Junebug Finesse TRD before, but in more stained water.

Roger: What structure were you targeting and does this differ from season to season?

Michael: I have not fished Shiyalongubo Dam long enough to accurately describe how the smallmouth bass relate to different structure and areas in the different seasons in this dam, but I will be putting more time and effort into this gem of a dam in future, and hopefully before long I’ll be able to answer this question too. *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.

SA BASS 43 September 2017

>> SA BASS CONSUMER NEWS

1. ARMOR SHAD DAMIKI >> Distributed by Sensational Angling Supplies

The 5 inch ribbed Armor Shad jerkbait is designed to glide through the water imitating a fleeing baitfish. It comes in a 12 pack and scented with bass juice. This powerful scent makes this lure a highly effective tool against a variety of predator species including bass.

Its super soft material allows for more realistic movements in the water and creates a lifelike feel that makes bass hold on longer. Also available in 3 inch size lures.

2. AIR CRAW DAMIKI

3. BURN GRUB DAMIKI >> Distributed by Sensational Angling Supplies

Burn Grubs are tiny lures made of super soft material that can catch big fish, whether it be big smallmouth or largemouth bass. Grubs are essentially bare jig heads with a soft-plastic body and pulsing tail added to the hook. They are best suited for clear water situations on Mojo- or Texas rigs. They are most often used as a deep-water lure, but can be fished effectively in shallow water as well. It comes in a 12 pack and scented with bass juice.

5. BITTERS JITTER CRAW >> Available from Bass Warehouse

Jitter Craw is great for bass that are relating to the bottom. The Jitter Craw can be flipped, pitched, punched, used as a jig trailer, or rigged Texas- or Carolina-style. This bait has lifelike action for jigging or running as a trailer.

Its claws rise when the bait’s at rest, and they produce a mild kicking action on the retrieve.

>> Distributed by Sensational Angling Supplies

The Damiki Air Craw features innovative air pockets in each of its claws, which cause them to stand up in a defensive position no matter how you rig it. A great flip bait, it has a beefy yet streamlined body that can penetrate thick cover - then fan out once it hits open space. Its super soft plastic formulation always get a good hook into fish, and aside from being a great flip bait, it’s also an excellent choice on a shaky head, Carolina-rig, or used as a jig trailer. Available in a range of colours, the Damiki Air Craw is another cutting-edge offering from Damiki Baits.

44 SA BASS September 2017

4. CAJUN Δ DELTA

6. MISSILE BAITS CRAW FATHER

>> Available for Knott’s Outdoor Paradise

>> Available from Bass Warehouse

Cajun Δ™ (Delta) rods are rigged for your saltwater slamming fishing adventure from sunrise to sunset. These are not your normal inshore rods these are high performance precision engineered machines designed to fish in the skinny water where the fish come to eat. The difference is, we give you your cake and let you eat it too. Offering maximum performance and priced hundreds of dollars less than competitors, the Cajun Δ™ series of rods are designed for the ultimate inshore fishing experience. Super light weight, ultra sensitive and Cajun-crazy powerful! We know you’ll appreciate your longer casts, pin-point accuracy, CFX™ power hook sets, and best of all we know when you hook into your next trophy and reel them up from the depths. Made in the USA for anglers across the globe.

The Craw Father is the offer that no bass can refuse. This 3.5” craw bait has subtle thumping action in the claws when moved through the water. The Craw Father can be used many ways with popular techniques such as on a Texas rig, on the back of a jig, on a Carolina rig, on a Chatter Bait, or punched through the thickest cover. The body can handle a big flipping hook but is not too bulky for finesse tactics. Fish the Craw Father and get the message so you can catch the fishes. Seven per pack.

7. MEGABASS ITO VISION 110 >> Available from Solly’s Angler Conner

Once the closely-guarded secret of the pros,

the Megabass Ito Vision 110 has quickly become a staple among professional and amateur anglers alike. Carefully crafted and precision engineered, it sets the standard for jerkbait performance - offering a one-of-a-kind darting action that continually cashes checks and puts fish in the boat. The Vision 110‘s advanced tungsten Multi-Way Moving Balancer System (PAT) not only fuels the Ito Vision 110’s unparalleled action and huge flashes, it also allows you to cast it like a bullet. Three Katsuage out-barb treble hooks also increase hook-setting percentages to maximize your strike to catch ratio. Available in a wide range of colours, the Megabass Ito Vision 110 really excels when the water temps are between 38 and 70 degrees. During this time (especially from November to April in most U.S. waters), the Megabass Ito Vision 110 is an excellent choice for fishing points, flats, rocky banks, bluffs, and over underwater grass beds.

8. YAMAMOTO YAMA FROG >> Available from Solly’s Angler Conner

Extending Yamamoto’s outstanding line of soft plastics, the Yamamoto Yama Frog delivers a tempting amphibian imitation that elicits heart-stopping blow-ups. Designed to glide easily across the surface, the Yamamoto Yama Frog features two lively, J-shaped legs that offer an extreme kicking action, even at the slowest speeds. Perfect for buzzing over the top of grass beds and around heavy cover, the

Yamamoto Yama Frog is built with a deep hook cavity that ensures a good hook-up ratio and accepts the largest EWG hooks. Available in a number of proven colours, the Yamamoto Yama Frog delivers top water temptation that is sure to put your culling system to the test.

9. CASHION CASTING RODS >> Available from Bass Warehouse

If you are looking to gain a competitive advantage or simply looking to put more bass in your boat, the Cashion Casting Rods offer technologically advanced performance, including Fuji Micro Guides. Constructed from all carbon fibre right down to the carbon fibre split grip handles, they’re designed to help you catch those fish you missed before. The blanks are made with a uni-directional manufacturing process that yields lightweight yet strong blanks with unbeatable sensitivity and responsiveness. Blank-exposed reel seats also put you in direct contact with the rod blank, plus the carbon fibre grips are more dense than cork or foam to allow more vibration to reach your finger tips. Premium Fuji Micro Guides also offer increased sensitivity, decreased weight, and improved casting distance and accuracy.

Available in several different lengths and tapers, the Cashion Casting Rods offer technologically advanced performance for a wide range of bass fishing applications.

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS The size of each classified advertisement block is 44mm (w) x 40mm (h). Advertisers can book one or more blocks per issue. The cost is R271.00 VAT excluded, per block, per issue and is payable strictly upfront.

Advanced payment can be made into our BB Print bank account at ABSA, account number 404 881 8651, branch code: 334 645 before the 25th of each month to appear two months later.

Proof of payment plus a contact number must be faxed to 086 234 5026 or e-mailed to advertise@sabass.com

SELF CATERING COTTAGE

Self Catering Cottage t Off N11 Between Ladysmith & Newcastle t 6 Dams t 3 Beautiful en-suite bedrooms t Sleeps 6 t Fully Equipped t Bass Boat Available t Dam stocked with Trout Tel: 034 6511 664 - Cell 083 389 6614 www.thatcher.co.za

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Y ONL pm R28 Compatible with:

46 SA BASS September 2017

For your Apple, Android or Windows 8 http://www.magzter.com/

CONGRATULATIONS TO Tony Reading & John-Michael van der Merwe

Winners of the Bivane Readers Competition

30 Minutes North-East of Pretoria Bass Fishing, Caravan Park, Self catering chalet & Conferences 34 Even, grass covered caravan sites with powerand water points Luxury ablution facilities at campsite 2 Dams stocked with Black Bass and Tilapia Water activities like pedal boats & rafts Swimming pools & Shop Conferencing facilities include: Black Bass Conference Centre seating 40 attendees Bosvark Conference Centre seating 14 attendees 18 En-suite luxury rooms

Office/Switchboard: 012-735 1650 | Email: Camping: camping@basslakelodge.co.za Lodge: info@basslakelodge.co.za

Burn Grub Burn Grubs kan regdeur die jaar gebruik word ongeag die omstandighede. Ek gebruik “grubs” wanneer die vis bietjie aanmoediging nodig het om te reageer. Die aas se breë plat stert wikkel uitloklik wanneer die aas terug gebring word. ‘n Dun stertjie het baie beter aksie as ‘n dik stert. Soos met enige ander aas word “grubs” in of naby struktuur gebruik waar swartbaars hulle prooi inwag. Ryg die “grub” aan ‘n 2/0 “wide gap” aan ‘n ligte Mojo-strop of gebruik ‘n klein Texas-sinker. Omrede “grubs” so lig is, word ‘n koffiemeulkatrol gebruik met agt pond lyn.

Die aas kan teen verskeie tempos ingebring word, maar hoe stadiger hoe beter. In warmer water kan die aas teen ‘n vinnige spoed, met geen sinker en slegs ‘n swaar hoek, naby die wateroppervlak geswem word. Die diepte kan vinnig verwissel deur net te stop en die aas kans te gee om langer in die teiken area te bly. Gewoonlik word die aas gegryp terwyl die aas val. Die aas kan ook opsetlik teen struktuur gestamp word om reaksie uit te lok. “Grubs” kan selfs as sterte vir “spinnerbaits” of “jigs” gebruik word.

Skandeer die QR-kode en sien ‘n kort video van hoe die aas onder water vertoon.

Besoek gerus jou naaste hengelgereiwinkel en vra vir Damiki se Air Craw gelaai met Bass Juice.

SA BASS 47 September 2017

>> SA BAARS BESTEMMING

SA BASS PRESENTS FISHING

DESTINATIONS As a service to readers Fishing Resorts and Lodges are invited to place their information in this section. Readers who discover other destinations are invited to place the information on this page. Each entry consists of one photo plus no more than 200 words.

Om ons lesers ingelig te hou word Hengel-oorde en Lodges uitgenooi om hul inligting in hierdie afdeling te publiseer. Lesers wat nog bestemmings ontdek word uitgenooi om die inligting op hierdie afdeling te plaas. Elke inskrywing beslaan een foto plus nie meer as 200 woorde.

Stuur aan: editor@sabass.com.

GAUTENG

2 PLACE nd

READERS’ RESORT OF THE YEAR REAT OUTDOORS GUIDE THE G

2016

Bass Lake Lodge

N

a ‘n besige dag van lynnatmaak raak jy rustig om jou kampvuur, sluit jou oë en raak stil... Hoor jy dit! Net so duskant die klanke van jou kampvuur wat klap, hoor jy die gebrul van die leeus en elke nou en dan die jakkalse wat jou herinner dat hulle ook in die nabyheid is. Tussen deur die rustigheid van die nag wandel die bokkies en zebras deur die kamp opsoek na die soet smaak van die groen gras waarop jy kamp opgeslaan het. As hierdie die tipe saligheid is waarna jy opsoek is, is Bass Lake Lodge se karavaanpark net die plek vir jou.

Die karavaanpark is in 2011 tussen die prentjiemooi Bobbejaansberg-omgewing gevestig; ongeveer 30 minute noord-oos van Pretoria. Al vir die afgelope 6 jaar spog die park met 34 gelyke, ruim en grasbedekte staanplekke en byna vyfster ablusiegeriewe, soveel so dat hulle in 2016 ‘n toekenning ontvang het as Gauteng se tweede beste oord van die jaar volgens ‘The Great Outdoors Guide’ se lesers. Elke staanplek, van ongeveer 12m x 12m, is toegerus met verskuifbare braaiers asook boma-konkas vir die koue winters-aande. Alle staanplekke het kragpunte en is naby aan waterpunte geleë. Vir diegene opsoek na bietjie meer privaatheid is hierdie kampterrein beslis ‘n moet. Elke staanplek is omring met struike wat die grenslyn van elke kamp duidelik sigbaar maak asook privaatheid aan elke kampeerder bied.

Die nuut opgerigte Boskamp van Bass Lake, aan die ander kant, is ideaal vir kampeerders wat daarvan hou om in ‘n groep te kamp. Met sy eie privaat ablusie, skadunet afdak en groot koelteboom met ‘n grasperk, bied die kamp genoegsame ruimte vir vier karavane of kampgroepe.

Laastens is daar ook die Wild Whisper selfsorg eenheid.

Met twee kamers wat elk uitloop na buite voel dit behoorlik

48 SA BASS September 2017

of jy in die middel van die bos ontwaak. Die kamers is elk toegerus met twee enkelbeddens en ‘n dubbelbed en het ook elk hul eie badkamer. Die onthaalarea is ‘n geboutjie op sy eie en skep ‘n jagkamp gevoel wanneer jy snags om die boma sit en na die sterre staar.

Een van Bass Lake se hoof aantrekkingskragte is hul twee sprokiesdamme met swartbaars en kurpers. Van vroegoggend tot laatmiddag is die oase die plek waar elke visserman en –vrou, hul passie kom uitleef onder die geroep van ‘n visarend wat op stiller dae sy verskyning maak.

Die park bied ook ander prettige aktiwiteite soos natuurwandelpaadjies en wateraktiwiteite soos pedaalbootjies en kajakke. Op elke dam is daar ook ‘n vlot. Die aanloklike heldergroen grasperke om die kouewater swembaddens is die perfekte plek vir ‘n piekniek saam met die gesin met die springmatte en klimraam aan die sykant. In die ontspanningsaal is daar tafeltennis, windpomp hokkie (air hockey), ‘n pooltafel asook ‘n groot TV-skerm vir al die sportliefhebbers. Daar is ook ‘n winkeltjie op die perseel met al die noodsaaklikhede soos vuurmaakhout, houtskool, ys, koeldrank en meer.

Indien jy uitstappie na die merkwaardige karavaanpark beplan, maak seker dat jy vroegtydig jou bespreking maak, aangesien die staanplekke nie vir lank oopstaan nie.

Vir verdere navrae of besprekings kontak Bass Lake Lodge tydens kantoor-ure by 012-735-1650, of stuur ‘n e-pos aan camping@basslakelodge.co.za Bass Lake Lodge het hul eie webwerf asook Facebook-blad onder Bass Lake Exclusive Camping (https://www.facebook. com/Bass-Lake-Exclusive-Camping-201197429903751/) waar meer fotos gevind en ‘n paar getuigskrifte gelees kan word.

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