Water Report February 2010

Despite the worst drought in living memory in the Somerset East and Karoo area, most of the waters in the Somerset East area are fishing very well.  Somerset East has had a little relief of rain at town level, ± 50 mm over the last month, and 180 mm on top of the Boschberg mountain. 

Mountain Dam - Somerset East

Mountain dam is finally moving forward.  The water level has increased to about 40% and two of the three fountains are feeding the dam, albeit slowly.  Mountain dam has remained mysterious to the fly fisherman.  At times, she was very productive, alternatively with the drought wind of summer, when the crisp cold South Easter rose over Somerset East, you'd swear there were no trout in Mountain dam - magically they vanish.

Buffelshoek - Little Fish River pools - Somerset East / Swaershoek

Buffelshoek is full of surprises.  At the end of last year, the Buffelshoek pools were looking quite desperate.  The Causeway pool was completely covered by decaying algae, as was the Long pool.  The Krantz pool was fishable, but the water level had dropped about two feet and amazingly, it was still producing trout of 2.2 and 2.6 kg.  One of the Bankberg Troutfishers Club members boasted that he'd hooked a huge trout and that he'd fought so hard that he had line burn marks on his fingers - the legend of the monster trout lives on, as he was never landed.  The Causeway pool presented a 61 cm trout, weiging in at 3 kg!

Buffelshoek dam - Somerset East / Swaershoek

The Buffelshoek dam is ± 10% full.  This verifies why it would have been fruitless stocking with trout this year, although the fountain is now flowing moderately again.

Glen Avon dams - Somerset East

The Glen Avon dams, just outside Somerset East, which are a vital cog to the Brown's farming operation, have also had a little boost.  What is deceptive, is the fact that the water looks dirty brown as if there is no visiblity, meanwhile the clarity is not bad, so the trout do survive.

Angler & Antelope Private waters - Source of the Little Fish River - Somerset East

We had a Azolla bloom (water fern), where pools were completely covered.  We took water samples to Rhodes University in Grahamstown, and they confirmed the Azolle beetle was present.  Good news for our trout fishing.  Apparently, each female lays a few thousand eggs, which hatch after about 10 days.  Literally a month later, the pools were clear with remnant evidence caught in the debri on the edge of the pools. 

Naude's River - Somerset East

The Naude's river is not flowing fast at all, despite the rains.  However, if you want to escape the blasing heat of summer, this definitely is the water to fish, as one can find a patch of shade to stand under and present your fly throughtout the day to rising trout.  Sounds easy, but shows your skill levels in a flash.  The Glen Avon falls produced a lively trout of 2.4 kg over the December holiday period.

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