Diary of a novice angler fishing off a boat

It’s seven or eight years since bass have been discovered at Spioenkop, not miraculously by any means. Woodstock Dam has long been on the professional bass fishing list of dams, hosting many tournaments over the years, so it’s no wonder that bass have made their way into a dam like Spioenkop.

With other tributaries like the Venter’s Spruit that comes in, it was only a matter of time until the bass arrived and they did so in numbers.

Many of us were among the first to actually catch bass in the dam back in 2012. Every year after that became a season and, in that season, you meet the same guys all chasing the same thing. Back then, a lucky few were kitted out with their expensive bass boats, exploiting the best areas of the dam.

For me and my friends, it was rock hopping, so to speak, and watching in awe as the anglers on the boats ‘smashed’ fish in front of our very eyes in spots that were just out of our casting range or accessibility.

Not to say we didn’t have our fair share of the action, but you know the fishing is always better on the other side of the fence. During my time on the bank, I met many fishermen – some guys who fell away along the way and some who stuck.

My friend Ismail Seedat is one who joined the club and never left. If you were looking for him over weekends between September and December, there was no other place to find him but on the rocks at Borehole Bay with his family, who all enjoy and are passionate about the sport, like he is.

His conservation and ethics regarding ‘catch and release’ are unparalleled, trying by all means to protect the species from exploitation. After a long winter break, adding the lockdown restrictions to the list of problems, it was time to get back out to the dam. After a few calls, it was decided that Sunday was the day to kick off the season, so to speak.

After a few days of cold conditions and low barometer readings, Sunday looked like it could turn out to be a good day. A quick WhatsApp from Rajen Govender and it was decided that Ismail would be afforded the chance to fish off a boat, to experience Spioenkop the best way possible.

After all those years of shore angling, casting in the same spot for countless hours, this was something new indeed, especially if you haven’t fished off a boat before.

Also read: Ladysmith fisherman Ralph Pandoy shares some tips to catch “monsters”

Not as easy as you would think, as finding bass off a boat can break a person. Sunday morning arrived and before long, the boat was in the water. I doubt Ismail got any sleep thinking  about the possibility of some quality fish.

The key for the day was to start as high as possible and work back down to the launch; working key areas along the way. The run-up was cold – 70km per hour with the hammer down can be uncomfortable in cold conditions and today was no different. The anticipation of that first cast always keeps you going, as tough as the conditions get.

The first stop was a spot we call Jacob’s Corner, named after Jacob who managed a 5kg fish last season in less than a year of bass fishing.

A remarkable effort by him, so we saw fit to give him that spot – but today was Ismail’s day. Opting to fish weightless, the target area was a deep cliff spot with trees and rocks as the main structure. That electric nibble of a large mouth bass is unmistakable and it was not long until he was straight into a fish – well, 15 in total for the day, with a 3.06kg bass being the heaviest.

This is a remarkable achievement for someone who has only fished off a boat a handful of times. Catching a 3kg fish is no easy feat and one for the memory banks for sure.

Having fished most of his life from the bank, it’s not an easy transition, but having a good skipper and angler like Rajen Govender (who knows the dam like the back of his hand) is a blessing for sure. Well done, Ismail!

Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or  for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there!