When I was walking around taking a few photo’s on my last trip to Rietvlei dam, I came across this very interesting sign.

Crocs and hippos in Rietvlei dam

I once read a question about crocks in Rietvlei dam on a forum somewhere but though it was a joke and didn’t read to much into the subject. Looking at the above image this might actually be true. One of our readers, I only know him as Hannes, left a comment regarding our post Dissapointed in Reitvlei dam and explained that the little fence was errected to keep three of the hippos that migrated from the Marais dam at bay. I find it difficult to believe that this fence would prevent a three ton animal from passing, but then again I’m not a hippo expert and perhaps there is a reason for errecting a fence that is not even half a meter in height.

Fence at Rietvlei dam

For the people that wondered about the catch and release policy at Rietvlei dam, the policy applies to all carp bigger than 4.5 kg, here is the sign.

Rietvlei dam catch and release policy

To say the least, our fishing trips the past weekend didn’t go according to plan. My leave for Friday was approved, the tigernuts and boilies prepared and Rietvlei and Ifafi was just around the corner! In my mind I was preparing myself for a 15 kilo carp, ‘n lekker braai, helping Willem with a few 15 kilos of his own and an early morning drive to Ifafi. So what went wrong?? I left Johannesburg friday morning and arrived at Rietvlei dam at approximately 12 pm, I greeted the man at the gate and communicated my intentions to stay for the night. He in turn gave me an irretated look and rudely explained that I have to phone in advance to book an overnight stay. Calmly explaining that I never had to book in advance before, he gave me another irretated look, wrote down my details, mumbling, mumbling that people can’t just arrive expecting a fishing spot without booking. Driving through the gates not really phased by his obvious foul mood I thought to myself that booking in advance wouldn’t help in any case, there is no stand number in sight anywhere and as far as I know they do not reserve requested spots for anglers. So what do you book or reserve??? I actually think you book nothing, you phone just to say you have booked and if you have booked and there is no more fishing spots available, tough luck!

All this way talking to myself and having a look around I notice a rather surprising new addition to the dam , it’s “fenced” in (if you can call it fenced in!!!!). Thoughts are racing throug my mind, WHEN, HOW , WHY?? After 5 minutes of struggeling with this thought, I can’t come up with any plausible reason or use and decide to throw in the towel. So if anyone knows why this “fence” was errected, please drop me a comment or an email because the suspence is killing me!!

New fence around Rietvlei dam

With this little addition to Rietvlei dam working it’s magic on my frown lines I drive towards the other side of the dam wondering if the spot I’m looking for would still be available. Altough this is a friday afternoon, there is already a few people next to dam and I’m starting to worry! I had a discussion with Willem earlier the week and we both decided that the spot right across the famous island at Reitvlei dam would be perfect! This spot is famous for delivering 10 to 22 kg carps and excitement almost got the better of me as I arrived and realized that availability was 100%!

The island at Reitvlei dam

Appart from the snag experienced at the gate, everything seemed to go according to plan. All that was left to do is to warn Willem about the new make-a-reservation policy, prepare my rods and land that 15 kilo! Willem is just as surprised to hear about this new policy and phone just to be informed that he will not be allowed because a reservation have to be made at least a WEEK in advance! Being software developers and all, our negotiating skills is top notch and Willem skillfully negotiate his way into the reserve by stating that I am already inside. With this little problem out of the way, ignoring the bunch of “dam duikers” to my left and my judgement clouded by excitement I setup everyting needed for those carps I’m targeting, not once thinking of the bottom and structures of our fishing spot.

My setup for those big Rietvlei dam carps

Notice the knotless landing net in the image above, always remember to keep fish safety in mind when fishing, especially for those big carps.

Everything was still going according to plan, three hair rigs loaded with tigernuts, mielies/maize and boilies was prepared and placed at approximately 40, 60 and 70m respectively. Keep in mind that a big misconception is that the big carps in Rietvlei dam can only be found 100 to 150m in, this is not true as the majority of carps between 9 and 20 kg are caught at a distance of 40 to 60m.

So with a few appetizers in the water, I realised that I never had a “look” at what the bottom of the dam felt like. I quickly prepared one of my rods with a 65 gram lead weight and had a go! I was overcome with horror when I got stuck, not once, not twice but three times. Loads and loads of grass and silt came out and this when I only has a 65 gram lead weight attached at the end of my line!!!! Preparing myself for the worst I started reeling in my other lines, stuck, stuck and stuck! This was not a good sign at all, Rietvlei dam is notorious for it’s blanks and with this much grass and silt in the water our chances to catch anything was declining even more! So I quickly packed up everything, it was only 14:30 and there was still time to find a decent spot! Driving around I finally found what looked like clear water, but was quickly informed by one of the people camping to the right that they were holding the spot for someone else. This was enough! My blood reached a point that was probably close to the heat of a small star but I kept my cool and informed them that I just wanted to take a few photo’s.

While taking a few more photo’s I realising the people that informed me so “politely” that they are keeping the spot for their friends didn’t even have a single rod in the water and was half way throught a case of beer. And the thought again crossed my mind – what is the use of booking a week in advance if the people that is already at the dam is clearly doing what they want in any case! I phoned Willem and told him not to waste his time, I would simply take some photo’s to update our readers and be on my way back to Johannesburg! So a drove around and here is what you can expect…

Grass…

Grass at Rietvlei dam

Silt…

Silt at Reitvlei dam

and a combination of grass and silt…

Conditions at Reitvlei dam

I used to love fishing at Rievlei dam but with the combination of rude people, ever increasing “Dam duikers” (People thats only there to get drunk and play loud music) and bad fishing conditions, I can’t see myself wasting time at this already difficult venue any time soon! All I can say is that I am extremely dissapointed in Rietvlei dam and their management.

At first I wanted to do a separate post on the second time I blanked at Rietvlei, but I then decided that it wouldn’t  be very exciting so instead I will tell you a bit about the second time I blanked at Rietvlei in this post and then I will tell you how I managed to catch something on our third trip.

Where I finally caught something

Following some exciting conversation about camping and the outdoors, I (being the influential person I am ) convinced my friends that a fishing trip would be the ideal thing for the coming weekend.

We decided to give Bon Accord another try so I visited the dam the day before just to make sure they have the necessary facilities our group required and to see that the dam is okay for fishing. Everything looked fine. In fact it looked much better than the previous time I visited Bon Accord. The water was clear and I saw keep nets everywhere. A good sign!

So the next day we got there. All ready to go! But as we entered the gate we were simultaneously shocked and amazed. My words to Wilhan became ironic. I told him that the dam looks great, in fact so great, he’ll be amazed.

The picture below says everything.

Hyacinth in Bon Accord

We had to make other plans so we went to Rietvlei where we stayed over because the dam was so full that we almost had to wait our turn to fish

Our camping spot at the beautiful Rietvlei Dam

The dam really is beautiful, and although we didn’t catch anything, probably partially because we had to take the spot we camped (we were late and beggars can’t be choosers), I enjoyed the peace out there in nature. Thanks to my buddies who joined me! We’ll do it again.

Roasted by the sun (always wear sun block!)  we ended our trip to be followed by another trip with Andre about a week later.

This time, for a change, it was Andre who blanked while I caught two small Kurpertjies. The first one was so small it didn’t even shake my line.

Me holding the small Kanarie. Carefull or it'll sting!

This all happened after we were excited by a good pull on one of my rods, but it seemed that it was spit out by the fish which left the line hanging silent. Then after I fixed my bait and cast in again there was another pull. I took the rod, released the brake and fastened the reel. It was huge! It was strong! But it wasn’t a fish…it was the guy fishing on the spot next to us. This was really disappointing but at least it made me happy for a few moments.

My huge fish

Even though we only caught the two small Kupers I can still happily say that I braked the long silence at Rietvlei… What do they say? Third time lucky!

The days summary:

Fishing period: +- 7am to 4pm

Fish: 2 small Kurpers

Bait used: Oorlog dipped worms

Distance the fish was caught at: +- 50m

Fishing spot: About in the middel GPS: 25 degrees 52’13.02″S, 28 degrees 16’11.05″E

Conditions: Overcast

I need to warn you that the water in Rietvlei may not be as clean as it looks due to chemical pollution. I was however unable to find any recent proof of this (it is probably fixed then) so all I say is be careful and responsible.

Fighting my PB!

I set out from my home in Linden Johannesburg at about 5:30. I will meet Willem and Joe at Centurion from where we will travel to Rietvlei dam. This is our first visit as fishing buddies to this location and I am somewhat exited!

Apparently this is one of South Africa’s most challenging dams and if your day doesn’t end with a blank ,it ends with a personal best. Or so they claim Unfortunately I do not have my bakkie yet so the rods are lined up on Gina’s  roof with the essentials in the back.

Willem and Joe are a bit late and I decide to grab a ‘lekker koppie boere troos’ from the nearest Wimpy when they finally phone. I take a long look at the half full cup and think to myself … AAAH, screw the coffee! Today I want to catch a ‘LEKKER’ fish!

It’s a bit overcast  but the admission fee is only R25 per person, the reserve is in mint condition and the banks are already packed with people. As always we leave everything else and start with the preparation of the rods and bait.

Not having a bait boat we fish at about 50 to 70 metres. Ok, so now the lines are in the water and it’s time to finish that coffee that I was ‘forced’ to leave this morning. There was no time for breakfast and it’s taking effect now, Joe is preparing his camera for ‘Daai GROTE’ while Willem is looking for the bacon and eggs. In the meantime I am 100% focused on preparing that coffee…

100% focused on that coffee

Our lines have been in the water for little more than an hour now. With our ’magies’ full and another pot of coffee brewing, we start to wait… As any group of respectable 24 year old males will do, we keep ourselves busy with a few constructive activities…

Willem doing constructive activity one - The snake man

Joe the camera man doing constructive activity two - Pink Tooth

FINALLY there is a big ZZZZZZZZZZZ at my left rod and I almost die trying to swallow my fizzer that I was using in the preparation of constructive activity three. I lift the rod and can immediately feel it’s rather big, surely this must be my PB! The fish at the end of the line is going wild and I must carefully give it some line to work with. The adrenaline is pumping and Willem is coming with the ‘skep net’, Joe is on the bank filming this glorious event. All that’s going through my mind is : “Don’t lose this one Andre, the fish is coming slowly but surely”.  As the fish is coming closer it finally breaks the surface and my heart stops for a second or two. Willem  take the words out of my mouth : “Dis ‘n LEKKER vis man!”

Pamela breaking the water for the first time

As a tradition we name the fish at first sight. As she is big and busty, she must be a Pamela! Pamela DOESN’T like the shallow water and I get a bit of resistance as she breaks the water surface for a second time.

Pamela breaking the surface for the second time

We move in a bit deeper, it’s always better to land a big carp in deeper water. The fish is tired now and Willem is moving closer with the landing net. This is a TENSE time, but Willem is an expert at this and finally after about 15 minutes PAMELA HAS LANDED.

Pamela has landed

Joe is just as exited on the bank as the two of us in the water. I don’t know if there is a better feeling than the one when you land that big fish! Pamela must be close to my PB Betty, a 7,2kg common carp. While I’m unhooking Pamela, Willem is getting the scale and… YES… she is a beauty at a weight of 8kg! I take back my previous statement, there is one better feeling than the one mentioned above and that is when you land that big fish and it is your personal best!

Pamela

Pamela

Pamela

With the excitement gone, we were waiting again, Willem always being his cool and collective self…

Willem being cool and collective

Unfortunately the rest of the day didn’t deliver any fish and Willem got his second blank at Rietvlei. So the myth might be true, if you do not have a blank you might just catch your personal best! Sorry Willem, hopefully it will be third time lucky as they say.

The days summary:

Fishing period: +- 7am to 4pm

Fish: 1 common carp of 8kg

Bait used: A Tutti Frutti Mielie on a hair rig

Distance the fish was caught at: +- 60m

Fishing spot: On the far left of the dam (left of the dam wall).

Conditions: Overcast