to the backing in the blink of an eye and
you will need to get on your toes after it!
Due to the warm water temperatures
and ease of drying out, most fishermen
choose to wade wearing UV leggings
(synthetic ski pants) and shorts. Location
is slightly different with the aim being to
work this team of flies along any crease
between fast-flowing water and often
only slightly deeper, slower glides. The
advice of a local guide is priceless in these
situations as the slightest variance in
current can easily be overlooked and a
great spot can be missed. Access to the
best spots is usually by wading over gravel
or small rocks.
OTHER SPECIES
Other species of interest in the Orange
include the common carp (Cyprinus car-
pio). These mighty river specimens grow
to extreme sizes and are not to be mis-
taken for their flabby and less powerful
landlocked cousins. Orange River carp
are streamlined, scale-perfect fighting
machines that will have you chasing up
and down the riverbank after them. They
are not particularly easy to outwit, but are
sometimes caught on popular largie pat-
terns as described. Be assured that soon
someone is going to land one from this
area of such a size that it will make the
carp fishing community sit up and gawp.The largest species in the river is the
sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus).
While most are caught at night on dead
bait cast out just for fun close to camp,
there are some really exciting ways to
catch these angry monsters just before
sundown. One method involves a half
fish lure suspended beneath a poly-
styrene float with a conical top. The aim
is to tug this float at fairly specific inter-
vals thus causing a deep booming sonic
effect that travels through the water. The
trick or skill comes from managing to do
this in such a delicate way as to not move
the overall position of the float at all. In
this way, catfish are attracted by the30 | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 | TCFF
“THE ADVICE OF A LOCAL
GUIDE IS PRICELESS IN
THESE SITUATIONS AS THE
SLIGHTEST VARIANCE IN
CURRENT CAN EASILY BE
OVERLOOKED AND A GREAT
SPOT CAN BE MISSED.”
Above: Catch-and-release is the only way to go. Below: The author with some trophy smallmouth yellows.