Hi all, heading out to South Africa this year. Wondered if anyone's carp fished anywhere around eastern cape and had some recommendations?
Cheers
Cheers
In reply to Post #1
Hi
I am in South Africa now. KZN Ballio. I own property here.
Most of the Carp waters in SA are north of Johannesburg and Pretoria. There are a few in KZN.
As you are aware this is a massive country. From Eastern Cape that's a 2 to 3 day drive minimum.
KZN waters are a 2 day drive from Eastern Cape. and many of those are not "safe" to fish at night.
In summary, yes you will find carp in Eastern cape. In the rivers there are quite a few, but not many of any specimen size.Avery size 5lb to 7lb (look up Bonnivale River Lodge as an example)
There are other types of fishing down there. For example fly fishing including sea fly fishing (Garrick Spotted Grunter etc).
My advice, wouldn't bother with carp fishing in the traditional sense (you would be a celebrity if you caught a 20 in the Eastern Cape) and I would put my energies into other types of fishing. I am not aware of any large "dams" (essentially a huge resivior) down that way known for holding carp of a size we would consider worth catching. They do catch carp on the fly in the rivers down there. Smaller carp seem reasonably plentiful.
Unless is a very well kept secret!!!
Hi
I am in South Africa now. KZN Ballio. I own property here.
Most of the Carp waters in SA are north of Johannesburg and Pretoria. There are a few in KZN.
As you are aware this is a massive country. From Eastern Cape that's a 2 to 3 day drive minimum.
KZN waters are a 2 day drive from Eastern Cape. and many of those are not "safe" to fish at night.
In summary, yes you will find carp in Eastern cape. In the rivers there are quite a few, but not many of any specimen size.Avery size 5lb to 7lb (look up Bonnivale River Lodge as an example)
There are other types of fishing down there. For example fly fishing including sea fly fishing (Garrick Spotted Grunter etc).
My advice, wouldn't bother with carp fishing in the traditional sense (you would be a celebrity if you caught a 20 in the Eastern Cape) and I would put my energies into other types of fishing. I am not aware of any large "dams" (essentially a huge resivior) down that way known for holding carp of a size we would consider worth catching. They do catch carp on the fly in the rivers down there. Smaller carp seem reasonably plentiful.
Unless is a very well kept secret!!!
In reply to Post #2
I would add...
Eastern Cape is beautiful and probably amongst the safest places in SA.
Where will you be staying?
You must do the Garden Route!
and...The sea does have a lot of sharks in it down there, including the Great White variety.
They do get as far as up to Ballito and beyond before the sea gets to warm for them. There was an attack on a sea kayak (they were Fishing) here a few weeks ago. The occupants were fine (it was a double). None the less scary. The sea is rammed with fish as are the estuaries. And in the Eastern Cape you probably have access to some of the best estuary fishing in the country.
Get handy with a fly rod or lures. That's my advice!
I would add...
Eastern Cape is beautiful and probably amongst the safest places in SA.
Where will you be staying?
You must do the Garden Route!
and...The sea does have a lot of sharks in it down there, including the Great White variety.
They do get as far as up to Ballito and beyond before the sea gets to warm for them. There was an attack on a sea kayak (they were Fishing) here a few weeks ago. The occupants were fine (it was a double). None the less scary. The sea is rammed with fish as are the estuaries. And in the Eastern Cape you probably have access to some of the best estuary fishing in the country.
Get handy with a fly rod or lures. That's my advice!
In reply to Post #3
Thanks for the detailed reply. Will skip out carp fishing on this trip then.
I'll be doing Cape Town and the garden route so any recommendations welcome.
Thanks for the detailed reply. Will skip out carp fishing on this trip then.
I'll be doing Cape Town and the garden route so any recommendations welcome.
In reply to Post #4
Oh. Garden route and Cape town.
Ok
Cape Town
Haute Bay
Camps Bay
If you have time go to Robin Island
Table Mountain (obviously)
V&A
Llandudno
Cape Point (but if a drive from Cape town but the drive has fantastic scenery)
A warning- the sea in Cape town is bloody freezing!
Garden Route
So many
Knysna (that's the stand out) (good for a bit of fishing
Nature's Valley
Buffalo Bay (round the head from Knysna but worth a drive, has a river mouth again good for fishing)
Wilderness
Brenton on sea (has a river again good for fishing)
Plettenburg Bay.
The whole area is lovely, but for me Knysna and Buffalo Bay the stand outs.
Oh. Garden route and Cape town.
Ok
Cape Town
Haute Bay
Camps Bay
If you have time go to Robin Island
Table Mountain (obviously)
V&A
Llandudno
Cape Point (but if a drive from Cape town but the drive has fantastic scenery)
A warning- the sea in Cape town is bloody freezing!
Garden Route
So many
Knysna (that's the stand out) (good for a bit of fishing
Nature's Valley
Buffalo Bay (round the head from Knysna but worth a drive, has a river mouth again good for fishing)
Wilderness
Brenton on sea (has a river again good for fishing)
Plettenburg Bay.
The whole area is lovely, but for me Knysna and Buffalo Bay the stand outs.
In reply to Post #5
Been about 4 years since I last did a garden route trip. As said absolutely stunning drive with loads of places to stop off.
There's a cracking tackle shop in Knysna called Breezers if it's still there, couple of really nice restaurants quite close by iirc.
The guys in the tackle shop are really helpful and put me onto a couple of decent offshore trips, I went drone fishing for ragged tooth for an evening with a couple of the lads from a shore mark further around the coast. Loads of decent shore fishing up around PE also.
Good luck 👍
Been about 4 years since I last did a garden route trip. As said absolutely stunning drive with loads of places to stop off.
There's a cracking tackle shop in Knysna called Breezers if it's still there, couple of really nice restaurants quite close by iirc.
The guys in the tackle shop are really helpful and put me onto a couple of decent offshore trips, I went drone fishing for ragged tooth for an evening with a couple of the lads from a shore mark further around the coast. Loads of decent shore fishing up around PE also.
Good luck 👍