Image source here

As winter approaches the BassBoat team is reluctant to put their rods away after being informed relentlessly by fellow anglers that winter months are dead months. We refuse to accept that fate and so have decided that instead of slowing down with our angling this winter we will do the opposite… fish longer and harder. therefore we have decided that because this is our first serious winter fishing season that we would post our strategy right now for the on coming months so that all of us can consider our theories (based on what we have read), add to them, and track our progress.

The first most important lure that we believe will bring us good fortune this winter is the jig. Jigs come in many shapes and forms but we will be focusing confidently on skirted jigs. These basically look like spinner baits without the blades, and instead of swimming them we will be fishing them veeeeeeery sloooooowly along the bottom, sometimes jumping them and occasionally shaking them to entice our predator bass. Jigs are basically specially designed pre-weighted hooks as can be seen here. However we will be buying them with their skirts pre-attached, as can be seen in the above picture.

Remember that in winter bass metabolism slows Significantly, which means that they hunt slower and not as often. However, they still need to eat to survive and when they do they will be looking for large easy targets as they do not want to waste energy chasing down a small morsel. Therefore we will be presenting them with extremely slow, large, and thus inviting baits, which we will shake occasionally with the slowest retrieve possible. Because we are set on large baits it is important to mention that we will be upsizing our jigs with trailers. Trailers are basically just extra lures which we will attach to our jig hooks under the skirts to fatten them up, giving them more substance. One common example is the Zoom Chunk, which comes in many shapes, sizes and colours, but we will be focusing on lures such as the Zoom Fat Albert Grubs as trailers due to their large, juicy profiles. Remember that many lures can be used as trailers and trial and error may be the only way to find your winner. If you do, let us know. Here is an image to show you what a jig and trailer looks like, one can clearly see the added rubber grub under the skirt.

Other lures which we will be focusing on are large rubber worms. The make is your choice but we will be focusing on the Zoom 7” Worms of all shapes but sticking to Dunebug (dark purply blue colours) for the most part. Zoom Tube baits are the next and final lure that we will be focusing on to begin with due their fat profiles and wavy tentacles. We will also certainly be inserting small rattles (bought at tackle shops) into their hollow centres to hopefully give them slightly more attraction.

Hopefully some of these this winter

So that is our opening strategy, which we (and hopefully you) will build on over the next few months. The most important thing to remember is to fish and retrieve extremely slowly in winter and to use large baits of substance. Lets work together and create a winter bassing season that is not only productive but worth documenting for the future.

And so we, the Bass Boat team, embarked on yet another adventure, this time to the rock bottom altitudes of the south coast over the Easter weekend, Scottburgh to be exact. The adventure did not only take us in search of our favourite fight, the freshwater bass, but also their saltwater counter parts, species: Whatervereatssardineandhooksitslef. Common name in this case: Shad or Bluefish (in other parts of the world). Shad are one of the most sought after species by South African fishermen probably due to three things: firstly the aggressive nature in which they strike the bait, secondly the relative ease in which they are caught when in large frenzied schools, and finally the fact that they make for superb eating. Of those three only one factor kept us gunning for the species and that was the strong fight that ensued, relative to their size, after hooking the ravenous critters.

My small Shad on light tackle

It is important to include here that sea fishing is certainly not our forte and interestingly we had to resort to our better known bass tactics, which ultimately worked to our advantage. After hours of waiting for takes on our usual sliding-sinker sea-rigs we did away with the sinker all together and cast our sardine fillet weightlessly from a small rock, which extended off the beach and was accessible during low tide. We then let the sardine bait settle slowly through the water, waiting for bites, shortly before retrieving in a start stop motion, similarly to certain bass fishing techniques, in order to entice the fish to bite. Shad being ferocious predators like bass were the first to bite and once we knew that a school had settled into the area we chose to target the species for the duration of the trip. We used large hooks (sizes 3-4) and literally half a sardine at a time on light tackle. What a great decision that was. The conditions were perfect for Shad with the water being clear and bluish with a little clean white foam on the surface.

The ‘Bass Bugger’ with his first catch

Pound for pound the Shad in my opinion gave a fight that surpassed that of any bass that I have caught personally, and the take is one which definitely does not go unnoticed, especially on the light tackle. Between the 3 of us who did fish: ‘The Bass Bugger’ Shaun Taylor, Lincoln ‘Shad Slayer’ Wahl, and myself, about 13 Shad were caught, averaging about 30cm in length, apparently not much smaller than the total average shad size in the area. After many hard falls on the slippery rocks and other hook related injuries, all, but one, were thrown back. Sadly we noticed that once others caught drift of our success the beach became crowded with fisherman, many of which bagged not only well over their daily bag limit, but also too many undersized fish, an all too familiar sight along the coastline of South Africa. A crucial thing to mention is that a steel trace at the end of your line is necessary when Shad fishing as their razor sharp teeth will easily sever your fishing line no matter what its thickness. Be careful when removing the hook as well as Shad teeth are not only capable of cutting through the thickest of line but also through human flesh.

The ‘Shad Slayer’ Lincoln Wahl de-hooking a Shad very, very carefully

On a final note the Shad fishing was some of the best shore fishing we have ever done in our severely amateur sea fishing careers and the species will be the first we try for on future trips to the east coast at this time of year.

This is just a short post to clear a few things up about my previous post (which name has been changed to ‘KEEP-NETS’) as in less than 24 hours i have already had a threatening comment from someone stating that they are going to well “bliksem me”. And when i think about it there is a good chance i could get more. So i felt i needed to straighten a few things out. First of all i have edited the previous post based on keepnets as i agree that my aproach could have come across a little to agressive. BUT i have edited it a little and hope that it is read carefully as i really am just wanting to know whether carp fishing is under threat from over-fishing or whether there are just too many of them anyway. But lets be honest comments like “Ek sal jou Bliksem- jou kwas”, from Sarel van Niekerk, are neither helpfull nor necessary. Dont threaten me, tell me that im either right or wrong and then why you feel that way. I do enjoy carp fishing and am just expressing my concern for the furture of the sport and anyone else who truly enjoys it should also consider the questions i asked in my previous post.

I contacted Sarel van Niekerk via e-mail and he has kindly agreed to be more productive when commenting on this topic. i hope to hear from him soon.

It is no secret that carp fishing is a huge sport here in South Africa with dam banks teaming with weekenders trying to catch their bag. However to me the sport in fishing is negotiating what the fish want, hooking them, and then fighting them out of the water (which carp fishing is essentially based on), not keeping them to take home. Yet from our observations many of the hundreds of carp fisherman that we see, on any given weekend, load a significant bag or bucket of fish into their car, after sorting the flipping flopping critters into piles on the floor with the tip of their flip flops. I say fine take a couple home but wouldnt it be better to throw the majority back for another day?

My gripe is that these bag sizes seem a little unnecessary at the best of times in that we often see 10-15 fish bagged and booted. It is not rare when fishing for an equally eager fisherman to come up to you, curious to see how lucky you have been, and say: “the fishing is slow at the moment” or “this dam is over-fished”. What makes me laugh is that 9 times out of 10 these are the same guys that drive home cursing the rest of S.A.’s fisherman because they have over-fished the dam thus rendering them unable to catch, and bag THEIR yearly quota in one weekend.

I’m a huge supporter of catch and release and maybe for the wrong reasons. I support it because it if enough anglers support it then it secures a future for angling as a sport. Also when holding the fish that I catch I cant help but consider that I have literally just yanked the fish right out of its world, and the thought that one minute its going about its daily routine under water and the next I’m taking its life urges me to put the beautiful creatures back where they came from, to be caught again of course. Then again I also believe that dams which are over-stocked have their fair share of environmental problems. Is there a medium here? Are carp over-fished in South Africa? Are our dams over-stocked with carp? Am I over reacting about this? These are questions I’m struggling to answer so please… feel free to leave a comment and answer them for me, PLEASE.

This post is dedicated to the ‘Carp King’ Russell manchip who will live on in our hearts forever… what?… he is still alive?… oh…. visit him here.

So I got tagged, and although i dont really know what its all about it sure sounds like fun! So here goes! My five things people dont know about me:

1. First of all I love collecting womans leather handbags. BUT like Verge i too am a metrosexual!

2. I would much rather catch and release fish than crooked politicians! Especially on weekends.

3. I have never read a Harry Potter novel, nor do i wish to.

4. I also have a fetish for leather-bound-dog-doorstoppers. Must be a result of some childhood trauma.

5. And last but certainly not least, I really really love lamp… i do.

With that i leave you with my tag Russell, the only option i had really.

And so they embarked on their adventure… the Zimbabwean, the German, and the South African. This adventure took place once again at Bronkhorstspruit dam. Myself and a couple of fellow fishermen, Gregor Rohrig and Russell Manchip decided to spend this past Saturday night (3^rd March) on the bank of Bronkies in the hopes of hooking into some decent bass and missing the thunderstorms which had been forecasted for the entire weekend.

After a not so short visit to the tackle shop and a quick bite to eat for breakfast we made tracks for the dam, a one and a half hour drive from Boksburg on the open road. It did not take us long to arrive at our favourite spot, set up base camp, tackle up, and get our baits into the warm shallows! Only after a few hours of casting and retrieving our Baby Brushogs over and over again did the bites begin! Although they were very few, and very far between both Gregor and Russell got one bite each that stuck! With both of them pulling out a one kilo beauty I was left behind missing almost every strike I got, and letting two off the hook, so to speak, on account of thick weeds and one over zealous attempted hook set.

As night fell we settled in around a warm charcoal fire to chat about the days fishing and annihilate a case of ice cold beer, shortly after gorging ourselves on Gregor’s braai grilled chicken, chop, and boerie cuisine. With flashes of lightning all around us, only threatening to come closer, and the full moon brightening our surroundings with beautiful moon rays, the likes of which we had never seen, we decided to throw another line into the water, this time with molded bread at the end, while we sat covered in our sleeping bags talking about absolutely everything and nothing of importance at the same time. Our peaceful, quiet surroundings were broken only by the sounds of faint music and voices, which traveled across the still water from a party taking place on the opposite side of the dam. Upon deciding to turn in for the night at about half past eleven Russell began to reel in his rod only to find a firm tugging at the end of his line! To be honest I never believed him until he tore his pants off in excitement and headed for the water. True as nuts he emerged from the water with his first ever carp (app. 500g)! This was not his last as the next day the ‘Carp King’ managed to land another slightly larger carp in the same manner with only bread on his hook.

The next day we were not as fortunate as the previous, as far as bass fishing was concerned, and so we ended the weekend early, shortly after guzzling down our lunch. As a final word I’d like to end off with a an important message from Confuscious, brought to light by the newly appointed ‘Carp King’ Russell Manchip, that we could all take away from our weekend adventure… “Man who gets hit in balls with rod, not necessarily homosexual”.

That’s right… we met Darryl Quinton! “Who?” you might ask… and we answer: only one of S.A.’s best freakin bass fisherman alive! Darryl is a South African bass fishing champion, having won numerous local competition titles, such as the Bassworld Classic, Tzaneen Classic, and the wriggleswade Classic, as well as excelling in international competitions such as the Federation Champs at Lake Tuscaloosa in Alabama USA where he came 6^th over all in 2003. He has also been ranked S.A.’s No. 1 bass fisherman. Regardless of his achievements this modest Springbok fisherman had plenty of time to chat to us when we bumped into him at a local fishing tackle shop a couple of weeks ago. After spending the better half of an hour sharing well needed fishing tips with us he left us in disbelief and with only his business card as reassurance that it truly was him. Any how meeting Darryl was an absolute pleasure and it is so inspiring to meet a sportsman of his calibre who has so much time and enthusiasm for us bottom feeders…

Meeting Darryl also reminded us to post about one truly invaluable piece of fishing paraphernalia that every bass fisherman should own! That is the Bass Africa DVD series, of which we have the first volume of 3. Our volume is a 5 DVD set, each DVD focusing on 1 or 2 aspects of bass fishing, for example crank baits, weightless rigging, top-water fishing and so on. The DVD features many great South African bass fishermen, including Darryl Quinton and is undoubtedly a must have for new comers to the sport. We look forward to getting our hands on the next 2 volumes and suggest you follow closely in our footsteps. Now get out there, get the DVDs and get the fish!

Original image: South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry at www.dwaf.gov.za/…/dams/bronkhorstspruit.htm

When it comes to bank bass angling it is often difficult to locate productive waters. We, however, have found what is now one of our favourite and most productive bank angling locations, Bronkhorstspruit dam in Gauteng. The very location that ‘The Bass Bugger’ caught his first bass, seen in our post titled ‘5 simple rules’. The banks of this dam are lined with thick grass mats and although they seem menacing to the carp anglers, who frequent the dam, they also serve as great habitat and cover for bass waiting to ambush their prey.

We have had great success on this body of water simply dragging a weightless Baby Brush Hog (black) over the top of the grass mats, sometimes allowing them to sit for a moment, at which point the fish generally take it straight off the surface. Otherwise we simply drag them over, leading them into gaps in the grass mats or over the edge of the mats completely, allowing them to glide gently through the water. We were also successful with other soft plastic baits such as the Zoom 6″ Ultra-Vibe Speed Worm using the same technique. In the picture below we have Andrea with her first and biggest bass ever caught (1.5kgs) on her first bass expedition ever .

What is interesting to us is that we fished the same spot at this location on three different days within two weeks and noticed a substantial pattern in the amount and size of fish that we caught. The days were the 3^rd of February 2007, the 6^th and the 11^th. The weather patterns for these days respectfully were: warm, partly cloudy, little to no wind; cool, partly cloudy with strong wind; and cooler, partly cloudy, with stronger wind. What we noticed was that the fish hooked were fewer but larger with the later dates, with us having 22 small bass (app. 500-800gs) on our lines on the 3^rd and only three on our lines on the 11^th, two of which were 1.5 and 1.8kgs (seen below). Is this pattern random or can it be attributed to changing weather conditions or moon phases perhaps, which can be viewed here. We do not know and hope that someone who does know better can give us some feedback.

One of the most important things about bass fishing, which was mentioned previously, is that you find a lure that you are both comfortable and confident fishing. Confidence allows you to fish the lure to the best of your ability thus giving the lure the chance to perform to the best of its ability under the water, so to speak. All anglers discover their own confidence lure but for us it is most certainly the soft plastic Brush Hog by Zoom! I think the most appealing thing about this particular bait, to us, is its versatility. We fish it in so many ways, and on so many rigs, often with the same result…. a nice solid tug on the end of the line. We have, however, had most success free lining them near thick cover. Dragging them across the top of the water or over grass beds at various speeds, before letting them fall naturally through the water seems to inspire frequent takes with the Bass often taking them straight off the surface.

I dont think that this lure has ever failed us on trips where the fish have actually been biting. Our ultimate “go to” lure can be seen in the picture above in Junebug and black (our choice colours). They also come in various shapes and sizes including Big Brush Hog, Baby Brush Hog, Tiny Brush Hog, and a relatively newer model called the Super Hog with extra paddles instead of twin tails. Dont forget to vary the size of your lures when the fishing is slow as the larger Brush Hog can be intimidating to the fish at times. Try these baits they work, you cannot afford not to.

Over the last year or so we have picked up a few basic tips and pearls of wisdom from various sources such as internet sites, magazines, various DVDs, and fellow bass anglers. Some of these tips have proven valueble and others completely fruitless. So here we have listed 5 simple ‘RULES’ which one should always abide by when bass fishing, which have definately helped us on the water and have contributed to the landing of more fish such as the one above caught at Bass ‘o Mania near Bronkhorstspruit in the Gauteng region. (I will post the contact details of B ‘o M later this week). Our 5 rules are:

1. Always fish in and around Structure. This is by far the most important rule. Fishing into open water will not be successfull unless there is underwater structure which you cannot see. structure consists of: sunken logs, rocky out crops, reeds, thick floating grass beds, sunken objects such as man-made building structures, and so on. Structure such as this provides bass with cover where they will lie in ambush waiting for their unsuspecting prey to swim by.

2. Vary the size and colour of your lures according to the water colour! We have found that in stained, discoloured waters that darker, larger soft plastic lures are more productive. Our favourite colours in these situations are June Bug (dark purple like colours) and black. These darker colours seem to be more visible to the fish in murky water. Remember in stained waters fish dont rely heavily on their eyesight when feeding and the larger lures generate more vibration as you fish them through the water. Also try to find lures with more paddles and tails as these will also give off stronger vibration. Our favourite is the Zoom Brush Hog. In clear water it is advisable to use natural coloured baits such as watermelon, and green pumpkin. You can also size down your lures in this situation as less vibration is necessary and large lures can prove to be intimidating to some bass. Below we have ‘The Bass Bugger’ Shaun Taylor with his first fish which he caught free lining a Zoom Baby Brush Hog (black) in slightly stained water.

3. If the fish are not biting dont be afraid to size down or even up on your lures. Even in Stained waters we have noticed a substantial increase in bites after changing to smaller lures. Similarly we have noticed an improvement in bites when sizing up on our lures. In these cases the fish are obviously just interested in expending little amounts of energy on large worth while morsels. Chop and change to see what the fish want in that particular dam or on that particular day.

4. Also important is changing lure types. It all depends on the primary food source at the dam that you are fishing. For instance if you notice schools of small fish in the water try a lure that resembles these bait fish such as flukes, minnows and Rapalas. Otherwise try creature baits such as plastic lizzards, Worms, horny toads, and Brush Hogs. Again you need to experiment to find out what the fish want and the only way to do so is to change your lures regularly!

5. Fish with confidence. Believe me it makes all the difference. If you do not have confidence in the lure you are fishing then you are gaurenteed not to catch. Rememer you want your lure to move like living prey through the water. If you are confident then you are focused and if you are focused then your lure action will be second to none!

Now write these rules down, get out there and catch some fish!