Will & Dre

Leeuwkop dam. Leeuwkop dam?? I’ve never heard of this dam until someone mentioned it a month or so back. I tried to gain some information on this dam in various forums but no one could really give me sufficient insight, so I decided to make a quick session of it and take two to three hours to explore this venue. The first thought that popped into my head as we arrived at Leeuwkop was “Is this a dam or a swimming pool?”

Leeuwkop dam

We scouted the banks, decided on a spot and started with the 30 second drive to the other side of the dam. Half way to the other side we hid an obstacle, the road was a get-stuck-in-the-mud-disaster waiting to happen.

A get-stuck-in-the-mud-disaster at Leeuwkop dam

Looking around a few bakkies was spotted and I steered Gina towards the mud at a decent speed, against all instinct and Marnus cheering me on from the passanger seat! Left-right-slow-fast-faster and we were through much to the astonishment of onlookers. A high five and a air punch or two was in order with the thought in the back of my mind: “How the hell are we going to get back!”

Gina after a successful drive through the mud

Looking back in my rear-view mirror, two bakkies was following us. After flawlessly, with not too much trouble driving through the mud with my Getz (and here is some free advertising for hyundai) the two bakkies both got stuck!! As you all know a Hyundai Getz is not build for off roading, so if any influential people are reading this, this is your chance to sponsor Willndre with a bakkie! So now finally arriving on the other side of the dam, it was time to focus all my energy on the fishing. My strategy was a simple one, because the dam was unknown, I would fish on sweet white dough and a Rietvlei rig. The bottom was a bit muddy but there was no real sign of grass or other water plants. Marnus, not a regular angler took the same approach and we soon had combinations of banjo,mint,perdeby,rose and strawberry in the water.

Marnus at Leeuwkop dam

After almost two hours and with only an hour of my self allotted time left , I decided to investigate the content of our neighbours keep net. The little boy caught a comman carp of +- 2kg on… (Darn the name of the bait escapes me now! All I know is that it was brown, almost unpronounceable).

A Leeuwkop dam carp

+- 2kg carp at Leeuwkop dam

Not having any luck, we did what South African men do best, we had a dop-and-chop.

Having a dop-and-chop at Leeuwkop dam

With our tummies full and thunder somewhere in the distance we packed up, the question always present in the back of my mind of how we are going to get through the mud again. And here is the bit about how the wheel turn and all that… let me explain.Earlier we shared some food with two of the guards, we didn’t think much of it at that moment and continued with what we were doing, when we packed up the two guards came past and said they will show us a second exit that we can use. (and there you have it, the wheel turned again).

As we left Leeuwkop dam , I still had the question, is this a dam or a swimming pool??