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Post 09 Jan 2020, 01:37 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Hi all. Thank you for having me on this group.
I'm Mike, and as above heading states, from Gauteng in South Africa.
I've been fly fishing for a good few years, tying flies a bit longer and love getting out on the water. Most of my rods are carbon (gasp) but not necessarily fast, and my initial glass experience was that the cheap and nasty rods are glass, you know, the ones with foam rubber grips etc. Anyway, a while back I bought an Eagleclaw Featherlite in 5/6 weight since the price was right. Not really impressed, but still good value for money. However, recently I was able to purchase a second hand (not that you'd know it) Thomas & Thomas Heirloom 7'6" 5 weight, and my views on glass seem to be changing. I haven't had a chance to really get to grips with it yet, but have some leave coming up, so hope to put a bend into it soon. Thank you for all the insight and information shared on this forum.
All the best, Mike.


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Post 09 Jan 2020, 12:28 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/26/07
Posts: 1385
Location: Ada, Oklahoma
Welcome aboard Mike. Whether vintage or modern, there are a lot of rods out there that I think you would find very pleasant to use. I realize that your location makes it difficult to try out a variety of rods without having to buy them first. Hopefully, by reading and searching for information on this forum, you can obtain some information that might be useful to you. A year or so ago I was fortunate to meet a gentleman who had moved to the US from SA several years go. He described the fishing there, and I was fascinated. If you can please post some pictures of your fishing adventures. We always like to see the fishing from other parts of the world.

Larry


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Post 10 Jan 2020, 08:07 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/12/16
Posts: 4094
Location: USA-CO
Welcome, WiseGuy! Had an old friend from SA who would return to visit there from time to time. She always said it's a beautiful country.


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Post 10 Jan 2020, 10:10 • #4 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thank you Larry and Tomah.

I'm probably biased, but South Africa is beautiful.



I'll try to add a few photo's, mostly scenery since I often fish alone.







The good news is my fiance caught her first trout recently, and she's hooked.


Hope these images work, lots of others but I need to resize and organise.

Have a good one,

All the best, Mike


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Post 11 Jan 2020, 09:54 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/12/16
Posts: 4094
Location: USA-CO
Yes, beautiful country and photos!


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Post 11 Jan 2020, 10:13 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/24/12
Posts: 456
Location: US-MI
Welcome. Great pictures!


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Post 11 Jan 2020, 11:13 • #7 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
welcome, and show us some toothy fish when you get there


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Post 12 Jan 2020, 07:22 • #8 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thank you gentlemen, I'm learning a lot browsing through the forum. Bulldog, tigers are still on my bucket list. I've got tackle suitable for tigerfishing, but need the time and budget to get there. They occur in the warmer north of the country with many anglers travelling to Botswana or Zimbabwe to target them. One day! Work commitments do not allow such a trip at the moment. I'll have to be content catching various species of yellowfish and many introduced species like bass, trout, carp and even bluegills.
All the best, Mike


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Post 12 Jan 2020, 17:01 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Welcome!


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Post 13 Jan 2020, 08:18 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thank you ibookje, I appreciate the welcome.
All the best, Mike.


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Post 13 Jan 2020, 08:31 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/30/07
Posts: 2342
Location: Arlington, TX
Wise guy
A friend of mine who now lives in north Texas used to fish for Yellowfish in South Africa. Have you ever chased those?

Also another friend and board member used to fly as an airline pilot to SA and had fished for Yellowfish on a few trips.
Bud do you have any locations?


Les


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Post 13 Jan 2020, 10:08 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Hi Les, thank you for the question.
I have caught some Yellows in various parts of the country. The closest to me is the Vaal river, and there you'll find Smallmouth yellows and some Largemouth.
In the Natal rivers I've caught Natal yellowfish also known as Scalies.
Then in the Vaal system you'll also find Mudfish which are closely related.
For their size, Yellows are a great fighting fish, real good sport. Most anglers catch and release as some species are not very common, and they're not that good to eat.
All the best, Mike.


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Post 13 Jan 2020, 14:55 • #13 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Hi Mike, there's some really nice titanium wire and pre-made traces available out there.
The ones I really like are Mako from Russia, sold on ebay.
Ron


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Post 14 Jan 2020, 04:44 • #14 
Sport
Joined: 01/30/16
Posts: 33
Location: Tasmania,Australia
Welcome Wiseguy from Australia,interesting post,had no idea trout Sth Africa,thankyou for sharing your part of the world

Steve


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Post 14 Jan 2020, 06:59 • #15 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thanks Ron, interesting information on the traces.

Steve, thank you for taking the time to comment. Trout were introduced into South Africa about 30 years after their introduction into Australia. First brown trout and then rainbows.
They have become naturalised in some rivers or streams, mainly in the cooler areas of Natal and the Cape, but there are quite a few put and take fishing venues in areas where trout cannot naturally breed. At the moment, there is a fight on the go between environmentalists and the trout fishing industry with the environmentalists wanting to have trout banned in this country, since they claim certain small minnow type fishes have been/will be wiped out by the trout. I'm all for preserving the environment, but their research seems to be very skewed, and the fact that trout have been around for about 130 years already, and support a massive recreation and travel industry, leads me to believe that any new stocking should be carefully considered, but leave them be where they exist already. That's my take on it, and I guess I'm also biased since I enjoy the challenge of targeting trout, not to mention the beauty of the environs where trout thrive.
All the best, Mike


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Post 22 Jan 2020, 22:10 • #16 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Here are the Russian titanium traces I was talking about - 6 kg and smaller diameter than 6-lb copolymer.
Tiny swivels and snaps. That's a 1500-size reel, UL.
Image


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Post 25 Jan 2020, 03:58 • #17 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thank you for posting the trace info bulldog, appreciate your time. It'll come in handy when I can organise a trip to target tigers. Tight lines, Mike.


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Post 25 Jan 2020, 06:34 • #18 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Mike, you're welcome - they're virtually mass-less, work equally well with fly and UL tackle.


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Post 26 Jan 2020, 09:43 • #19 
Guide
Joined: 09/06/17
Posts: 163
Location: New Hampshire
Welcome--and a quick question. I've heard there's smallmouth bass fishing in SA. Is that true?


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Post 26 Jan 2020, 23:47 • #20 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Hi WD68. Thank you for the welcome. I don't personally have any experience with smallmouth bass but know that they were introduced into South Africa many years ago. According to one of my books, they established well in some of the western cape rivers. They are not encouraged these days due to their predation on our indigenous species, but I believe they are still present in a number of areas.
All the best, Mike.


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