A JOLLY GOOD YELLOW,
South Africa’s longest river winds through a harsh environment yet offers incredible sport and specimen fish – if you can stand the heat
The longest river in South Africa, the Orange, rises in the Drakensberg mountains of Lesotho, a mere 200km from the Indian Ocean, and flows westward some 2,200km before spilling into the Atlantic at Alexander Bay. It defines the lower limit of the Kalahari and forms the boundary between Namibia and South Africa. Although the Orange has abundant fish stocks throughout its length, for the finest fishing one must venture to the Namibian border where it flows through a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, the incredible Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park.
The Richtersveld is an incredibly harsh environment, with summer temperatures reaching 53°C and an average annual rainfall of little more than 55mm. Regardless of these extremes, as a result of water carried to the area by the Orange River and the morning fogs that roll in from the Atlantic called Ilhuries, life here thrives.
Biologists describe this ecosystem as The Succulent Karoo. It is home to small antelope and troops of Chacma baboon, as well as the secretive African leopard. But it is perhaps most famous for its desert flora, the variety of which is unsurpassed anywhere in the world. Indeed, 33 species exist only here.
Overlooked by rugged mountains, the Orange River, or Gariep, as the local
Nama people call it, twists like a mighty green-edged snake through a lonely desert landscape. The mountains loom like monsters, beautiful and imposing. As the sun bounces off them and reflects in the ripples of the water it is obvious how the river inherited its name.
SETTING UP CAMP
As we set up camp on the first evening I looked about and experienced the remoteness and unforgiving nature of my surroundings. This was a place that needed respect but made you feel alive. Downstream my attention was drawn to a furious sandstorm blasting its way along the river valley. It had appeared from nowhere and was travelling fast. My heart sunk – my tent was nowhere near ready for this.
But as quickly as it had appeared, the wild cloud turned and disappeared down a gorge between two mountains like a spooked antelope. I breathed a sigh of relief and whilst calming down I looked up and watched the sun dropping behind the peaks. My location felt rather unearthly – perhaps it was going to be like fishing on Mars.
One of the most evocative experiences on any safari is the early morning sounds of camp coming to life just before dawn. Soon, the promising smell of porridge and sizzling boerewors reaches the tents and excited anglers hurry to get ready. Like a call to arms, the sound of tent zips opening is a signal to the guides to jump away from the fireside and greet their budding monster slayers with matching exuberance and enthusiasm.
Coffee, the potency of which, were it any other substance, would surely be illegal, is served up in battered old metal mugs and consumed eagerly around the fire. It is now that plans and tactics are agreed for the coming day. In a rare pause between these enthusiastic discussions, one finds oneself calmed by the sound of porridge gently popping in the saucepan whilst once again being overwhelmed by the scale and beauty of the surrounding landscape.
EXTREME TEMPERATURES
Temperatures in the Richtersveld are extreme and you need to be prepared for it. Most seasoned hot climate anglers now choose to cover up with ultraviolet (UV) light-blocking clothing, including neck buffs, trendy tops, full-length leggings and longwristed gloves. Once I got used to covering up in this extreme heat, however, I found it more comfortable than sticky sun-tan lotion. An additional benefit of this full cover up is that if your clothing gets wet during the day it cools you down most effectively.
The day begins. As we push off into the flow of the river the thermometer on my huge but rather clever new watch rises before my eyes, a reminder that the luxury of cool air will soon be forgotten. In many parts of the world, water temperatures in excess of 28°C would sound a death knell for game-fishing, however, the good news is that yellowfish just love the heat. It is clear that these fish get more active and aggressive with increased temperatures, to such an extent that it is the limit of a rod’s ability to cope with the heat that is potentially the controlling factor, not the fishes’ eagerness to feed. I found that there is no rush to cast a line first thing in the morning for yellows and, indeed, the action gets better and better as the sun rises in the sky and the day warms up. Great news for those not so early risers.
In this remote area of the Orange river a take is never far away. To catch quality yellowfish here is not hard work; to connect with an elusive largemouth or a huge smallmouth specimen requires some determination but results will be forthcoming. A drift-fishing safari in such a beautiful location is surely the stuff of dreams for any pure-blooded fisherman or woman. Gliding over swaying aquatic weed beds that are sometimes the height of trees and to stare through the aquarium-clear waters catching sight of yellowfish in seemingly unfeasible numbers is an experience that repeats itself many times during the day but one that will always be magical.
While it is open to argument, there are seven subspecies of yellowfish in South Africa. Of these, the smallmouth (Labeobarbus aeneus) and the less common largemouth (Labeobarbus kimberleyensis) are the main targets although others, such as the Rubberlipped, readily make an appearance in the net. The widely accepted South African record largemouth yellowfish, or ‘largie’ as local sport fishermen call them, stands at 22.2kg and was caught by a lady rod (sound familiar?) during a competition in the Vaal Dam. There is low awareness of the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) record scheme amongst South African fishermen and, as a result, this record stands at a mere 9.52kg (21lb), well up for the taking if anyone is motivated to get themselves into the record books. All yellowfish are incredible fighters but to tame a trophy largie in fast-flowing, rock-strewn waters is a world-class achievement.
Each day on a drift safari here will find you connect with many good-sized smallmouths from 1kg to 2.5kg with regular takes from larger specimens, which are mighty hard to land. Don’t be fooled by the weight of these fish. Yellowfish are turbocharged rockets and the fight is more akin to the electrifying battles of inshore saltwater species. Almost without exception, when someone lands their first yellow the
These fish get more active and aggressive as temperatures increase
comments flow like: “I can’t believe it isn’t bigger”; “Surely it’s bigger than that”; or “I’ve never felt a fish move so fast.”
As a seasoned fisherman I was sceptical about all the fanciful descriptions I had heard, but now I have tackled the yellowfish first hand that scepticism has gone forever. For sure, average-weight smallmouths on light- to medium-weight tackle will keep a smile on your face all day long. However, it is the specimen-sized fish, of which there are plenty here, that will leave you slack jawed starring at a leader haplessly waving at you from the end of a straightened rod. I have caught mahseer in India to nearly 100lb and I can confidently say that to land an enormous largie on sporting tackle in this wild location is a comparable achievement. With the mahseer fishing in India in terrible decline the South African largie really does offer an alternative. Having spent many hours wading around in the Orange river and being amazed by the abundance of small molluscs and freshwater crabs, both favourite food sources for the yellows, it is easy to understand how record-sized fish lurk here.
Most fishermen who take on the challenge of the Richtersveld do so with the intention of targeting specimen yellows on the fly. Peak times of the year are September to October and March to May, however, if you can handle the heat the action in January can be spectacular. At these times of year, the better fish are usually located at the head of deep pools where well-oxygenated water from extensive rapids abruptly slows. For specimen largies the prized spots are acute drop-offs, where the fly is presented either at the base or more shallow inclines where the fly is allowed to work down and across the current. Yellows are predominantly bottom feeders except in low light conditions, where they feed right through the water column and can even be caught on dry flies in the evening.
For fishing throughout the day the ideal rods for the job are of a faster action in the 7wt to 8wt range. Combine this with a 12ft leader of high-quality fluorocarbon offering about 17lb in strength. Dark coloured Muishond or Skunk type flies made with a Zonker strip body, CLF fibre head with tungsten dumbbell eyes all tied to a size 5/0 circle hook are highly effective, with this design of hook greatly helping to prevent snagging. Whenever possible, it is best to cast from the bank in order to be able to change the angle that the fly works down the current constantly. When these flies are presented in a manner that works them upwards through the water, a bite in these spots will not be too long in coming.
Of course, there is also wonderful sport to be had for the non-flyfisher, so if you are thinking of taking a partner or friend who is a little less experienced they can participate fully in the action with ease. Small 5cm to 7cm Rapalas can be worked comfortably across the same type of spots as those targeted with a fly using a light, fast-action spinning rod combined with an appropriate-sized fixed
spool or baitcasting reel. A modern, braided, 8-ply line is strongly recommended. Lure fishing is a lot of fun on the Orange river and there is always a chance of hooking into one of the giant African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) on lure or fly.
The most productive Rapalas for largies are Jointed, Countdown, Jointed Shad, Shadow Rap, BX minnow and occasionally something like a Tail Dancer to get down deep. Trout-imitating patterns are effective, as are any that are predominantly dark red or orange. Whilst most fishermen will consider trolling a bit of a cheat it can provide a welcome rest from the hectic battles and will often produce the biggest specimens.
Good-sized smallmouthed yellowfish can be caught using a variety of methods, including dry fly. For sheer arm-aching numbers, Euro nymphing or even New Zealand upstream nymphing are extremely effective. Here a 10ft 6in nymphing rod with a 22ft leader (Rio two tone is a favourite) and two or three natural-patterned flies with the all-important pink or orange hotspots will keep you in the action all day long.
Location is slightly different with the aim being to work this team of flies along any creases between fast-flowing water and often only slightly deeper, slower glides. The advice of an experienced guide is priceless in these situations as the slightest variance in current in the right location can easily be overlooked and a great spot will be missed. Access to the best spots is usually by easy wading over gravel or small rocks. Due to the warm water temperatures and ease of drying out most fishermen chose to enter the water with just wading boots, gravel guards, UV leggings (basically synthetic ski pants) and swim shorts. Don’t forget, on this tackle even a humble 2kg smallmouth yellow will have the line down to the backing in the blink of an eye and you will need to get on your toes after it. Awesome fun when the water is so warm that you really don’t care if you slip.
Other species of interest in the area are the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the unfortunately named muddy (Labeo capensis). The carp grow to extremely large sizes and these mighty river specimens are not to be mistaken for their flabby and less powerful land-locked cousins. These carp are streamline, scale-perfect fighting machines that will have you chasing up and down the riverbank for ages. They are sometimes caught with the popular largie patterns as described but more specific offerings are available. Carp of 10kg are commonplace and ones much larger are regularly seen drifting around large areas of surface plant life. They are not particularly easy to outwit but be assured that one day 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 without doubt the fabled sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus), an air-breathing beast of pretty much unlimited proportions. Whilst most are caught at night on dead baits 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 special half-fish lure suspended beneath a polystyrene float with a conical top. The aim is to tug this float at fairly specific intervals 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 to the locale by the sound and then ferociously attack the lure, which is working up and down in the water usually a few feet below the float. Takes can be quite spectacular and very strong equipment is needed to stand any chance of landing one.
Our last and most modest-proportioned species is the humble mudfish, or muddy (Labeo capensis). Constantly living in the shadow of its revered live-in partner, the muddy never seems to get much credit. If the yellows were absent the game fishermen and women of South Africa would be adequately provided for by this pint-sized lump of muscle. It has a modest maximum weight of around 3.5kg and the muddy is caught regularly whilst fishing for smallmouth yellows. Its fight is slower and more dogged than a yellow, however, what it lacks in top speed it certainly makes up for in torque. If you get a decent-sized one prepare to slog it out for 10 to 15 minutes. Once landed, most captors develop a respect and fondness for the B-lister muddy.
After a day on the Orange river, the sight of a group of tents huddled around a coil of rising woodsmoke is a welcome one. Home for the night. Camp already having been set up by the forward party it is a time to relax, tinker with kit and share the day’s events with your comrades. After consuming a hearty meal of fresh meat braised over exotic-smelling bush wood, it will soon be time for bed. Dessert is the same every night, freshly made bread baked in the embers and covered in African bee honey. If required, a bath can be taken in the river, no unnecessary luxuries here after all, this is a genuine safari.
Trips are all bespoke but start from around £1,800 per person, including professional guides and meals but not flights.
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The accepted record for a largemouth stands at 22.2kg
We devise a tailormade teaching plan, recogising no two clients are the same
Ayear or so ago, Nicholas Penn put a film on Youtube entitled Both Eyes Open, which explained why no-one should close an eye when shooting. At the end of the film, he says: “If I don’t change you, I don’t charge you.” Since the film appeared, Penn has had many guns come down to his Pennsport Shooting School at Curridge, near Newbury, Berkshire, for lessons – to date, they have all paid.
“If you shoot with an eye closed, it’s time you stopped guessing where the target is and learned to shoot with both eyes open,” explains Penn. “No one should shoot with an eye closed. Believe me, your performance will improve immeasurably doing it the right way after just one lesson.
“There is a myth that eye dominance is a deciding factor but, trust me, it does not come into the equation. For all you shooters who close one eye we at Pennsport – Paul Beecher, Nick Penn Jr, myself and soon Charlie Penn Jr – can get you shooting both eyes open in one session, no problem at all.
At Pennsport, they base the training they offer on a client’s individual requirements. Penn and his team of skilled instructors devise a tailormade teaching plan that recognises that no two guns are the same. With their knowledge and experience, they have a demonstrable knack for bringing out the best in clients.