My New Mission
Spotted Grunter on the sand. Its where they become absolute assholes. Its where the shots are fleeting and the fish are wise. Its right up my alley. Ive become used to the "grunter bump". For the...
View ArticleJam Fly SBS
Disclaimer- this is my version of the JAM. It evolves each time I tied it, and is similar to the Jannies version 1348. Hes now moved on to craft fur with the disappearance of Polar Fibre. The...
View ArticleSEEING IS BELIEVING: SMITH CARAVAN MAG CHROMAPOP REVIEW
I’ve been using the Smith ChromaPop Caravan since December 2019. Here are some mid-term thoughts In short Exceptional detail and contrast pop from the ChromaPop lens Lens-change mechanism is fuss free...
View ArticleA grunter theory
South African spotted grunter has been one of the most praised, loved, frustrating, and hated fish, all at once, by...
View ArticleFly head makes gas hed
Every now and then, a truly talented fly tyer comes along. This year is my 25th year behind the vice,...
View ArticleBeached Pigs and Walking Prawns
Long the dream of those who chase grunter, the fabled prawn is a phenomenon that occurs in South Africa’s estuaries...
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A grunter on the sand
Although my fishing mates and I have managed to catch grunter throughout the year in the Western Cape, it’s the early season grunts that I look forward to the most. Why? Well, maybe because you never...
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A.W.O.L – A sneaky workday Grunter session
Many people – mostly those in the full-time employ of someone else – think freelancers are always on holiday. Truth is, when you work for yourself you never really have ‘leave’ in the traditional...
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Meanwhile in Tanzania – the ‘Prawn Walk’ demystified (sort of)
Everyone has heard of the great Wildebeest Migration through Tanzania’s Serengeti and up into Kenya. This spectacular phenomenon is actually more than ‘just’ a wildebeest migration as includes (in far...
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Harry’s high five and some gratuitous grunter porn
It’s not everyday that student becomes tutor, but last year I had the pleasure of treating my brother Harry to some grunter fishing with my buddy Mike and me. Harry was my fly fishing mentor, and...
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The Five Cast Phenomenon
A few months ago I discovered a technique that is absolutely deadly on spotted grunter. I was trying to catch a Breede river slam, and time was running out (see Twinkle, Two Slams and the Legend of the...
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48 Hour Grunter Recapture
A few days ago I was targeting grunter with my friend, Beetle Baily. We were both getting few fish and at some point Beetle shouted to me that he has just landed a tagged grunter. I immediately ran...
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Portrait of a Fly Part II. The JAM
Tying Jam flies is a laborious and arduous affair. But I would definitely tie a fresh JAM for every grunter I catch, if it was such a guaranteed business. Unfortunately it’s not. Many flies are tied...
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Twinkle, two slams and the legend of the turd burger
Saltwater fly-fishing in the western cape can be a very unforgiving affair. Blank days are very common; in fact, it’s part of the parcel. But we all have those days when the river lifts her skirt and...
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Party in the Pancake Factory
Early season grunter fishing can be a serious hit and miss affair, but on a recent trip a few buddies and I scored auspiciously. On our second day, Jannie came across a pod of fish feeding on a sand...
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lucky hats catch fish
A few months ago I had a good chuckle on Facebook when a friend took a bit of abuse because of an old worn out cap he had on. His last response was, “..well say what you want, lucky caps catch fish”....
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Winter season 2014
While scrolling through my most recent photo folders I realised that the winter of 2014 was a tough fishing season. Besides a few fat striped mullet, some sand sharks, stillwater trout and the odd...
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Waiting for the Hatch
It was at a time that I was scrambling for a formula that worked for Garden Route Grunter, long before I realised there were many formulas, for many situations. Id been up every weekend for a year,...
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G Route Diaries – Part 7 – Success, some Seal Business and a Cast Too Far
Success is a cool concept. No matter where you find it, success brings a smile and happiness. Tim sent me these photos of Dave – the junior fly tier from my Part 4 Post – fighting and landing a tasty...
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Mullet mania
Beautiful sunset with the dropping tide By Leonard Flemming Striped mullet has been on my list for a very long time. Billy De Jong and I tried to catch them years ago and although we nailed hundreds of...
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