The famous story (I am sure you have all heard it before and some have even told it) about the big one or in my case the “big” ones that didn’t get away. Let me tell you of my “epic” day’s fishing on the Smalblaar, beat 2.
The day started out with a few hiccups, but I was still going to fish no matter what. Firstly my fishing partner dropped me at the last minute, 23:11 the previous night to be exact. I am sure he will be kicking himself when he reads this, but then again he did have a valid reason. Then on my way there, I got a call from work saying I was suppose to be doing some overtime today. Oops, my bad! It just means I have less spending money for Xmas.
Oh and then the weather, specifically the wind. It has been so long ago that I have been fishing our streams, that I have completely forgotten how it could spoil your day. At the tunnel the wind was pumping as usual and on the other side not much different. I was lucky though, because when I got out the car at the end of beat 2 the wind was blowing upstream.
So I kitted up, walked the 1,5km to the beginning of the beat and got on the water at about 10am. I tied on a stimulator and a black CDC nymph, which I fished for the first half of the beat. I got a rainbow on my second cast on the nymph and another soon afterwards. This alone was good enough as a day gets for me, so I moved on to the next run. Seeing that I was alone, I did not want to fish all the water and just picked out the “good” spots.
I was about 1/3 up the beat with 4 fish landed and 5 dropped. Not a good score if you where fishing in a competition, but then again I am not called “Oupa” by some cocky younger anglers for nothing. I must admit, I seem to have dropped all the fish on the smaller barb less griphook and I was fishing my new 4 weight. I think it’s when you lift the rod; you have a better change at loosing the smaller fish when they shake their heads. Lesson learned, next time fight them sideways!
Then the first moment of glory, I got this fish slowly sipping my dry fly of the water amongst this turbulent wind and riffled water. I lifted my rod and immediately it felt solid, but it did not fight much. It took of slowly like it was Sunday and luckily with no aerials. Then I saw the size of this fish and it looked like a slab. My heart started pumping faster and my thoughts went back to how good I tied my knots. Got my net loose and landed it safely after a brief struggle. Wow, and then saw it was my personal best for a Rainbow trout on the Western Cape streams. Damm I love living in Cape Town!!!!!
18” Rainbow on Smalblaar beat 2.
After a few photo’s I successfully revived and released it. The collage is all of the same fish. Then after a few minutes of feeling good and smiling ear2ear, I realise that this is hands down the best day (fishing wise) for me ever on the streams.
But it got better. I have read a lot about the browns that “spilled” into the system, but have never had time since then to catch them. Half way up the beat, after dropping another two and landing one 14” Rainbow, I managed to catch my first 16” Brown Trout. It was sitting in a small pool on the side of the main run, kinda where you would expect to catch a bass. The fight was completely different to the rainbow’s, because all it did was shake its head. For a moment I thought it was a bass, but then I saw the golden colour with the spots. Ah, species number two check √.
16” Brown Trout from the Smalblaar beat 2
I then realised that my day has now just become an epic one! I then stopped at a big flat rock and ate my lunch. It was now after 1pm and I still have the massive deep pool in front of the runs that go up like steps, to fish. The steps looked like you could white water raft down them, so I changed my line to a Di3 with two nymphs. I wanted to spend some time and concentrate on the pool rather. I had a brown woolly bugger behind a black CDC nymph with some tarantula legs. Both the nymphs had some lead wraps and tungsten beads to get them down quickly.
I have stopped at this pool a season or two before and saw some really big bass and trout hanging in the bottom. I made my way to the left side where it was deeper and started fishing these very heavy flies. Half way up the pool I got a few knocks, but not hook-ups. I think I was retrieving to fast. I then slowed down my retrieve and let the flies hang a bit longer. BAM! Inside……but it was a small bass. L I then moved up to target the head of the pool.
On my second cast still trying to mend some line, I saw a flash and I lifted my rod. This time a solid inside!☺It ran up and down the pool, did three aerials and then calmed down. It was just hanging there in the strong current, almost like a muddy. I then saw a smaller fish going mad behind it and then I realised it was my first double up on this river. Man, did I start to plan how I would land these two oaks. I then got them to move some more to tire themselves out, so I could win this fight. Needless to say, I managed to net them both and the rainbow trout was another monster.
17” Rainbow and the bass in the net
I did not fish hard after this last catch and decided to just wade back up the strong current to my car. I wanted to go home as soon as possible and tell everyone about my epic day. This time I have photos to back it all up to. It does not always happen that one person catches so many 16” fish and bigger in one day on these streams. Well today was my day and can tell you, I am as happy as a pig in Palestine. I hope you enjoyed this catch report, I know I did.
By Chris Swanepoel
Lyrics from Pearl Jam- Nothingman 
and so, we all create little rules/games in our day to help us foster the illusion that we are in control and that we hold the joy-stick/ the wheel/ the compass/ are at the helm.
