Big Trout Weekend - TCC Leg 2

What makes big Trout suddenly come out to play?

Gavin Baily with a Beautifull Brown Trout. — Gavin Baily with a gorgeous Brown Trout.

The weather obviously has an impact, as barometric pressure is unequivocally one of the few legitimate excuses in every fly fisher’s bible of reasons why we didn’t trouble the scorers.

Their temperament could be another, although this insinuates that they have a personality and short of their urge to feed, flee or fornicate, I just don’t give them that much credit. That said, they have the ability to both excite and frustrate and if that isn’t reminiscent of your better half then counseling is in order.

Feeding fish is what defined the 2nd leg of the TOPS Corporate Challenge and some chunky Trout saw fit to grace us with their presence. In the first session, Alex Bidder landed a 60cm Rainbow from Oakbrook, setting the benchmark for other contenders who landed 57 and 58cm from dams in the WildFly stable, with Hendrik Fourie getting three such beasts before lunch, only being outshone by his fishing partner, Rhuan Nel who nailed a 59cm beauty, this being his very first Trout on fly, caught at Loch Bess. It set the tone for a Trophy Trout weekend.

The great fare from the legendary Notties, with entrants respecting the new normal of social distance but still engaging in some festive banter across the tables, saw the Top Dogs (#1 fly fisher in each team) and Blobs (the unfortunate souls that caught the least) swapping tales and misleading fly patterns. Deciphering the red herrings, it became apparent that black and olive strip leeches along with red eyed damsels were doing the damage.

Scott MacIntyre with his beautiful Rainbow.

As one can expect from the Midlands weather, the wind drove the fishing down from 137 in session one to only 72 Trout in the 2nd session, but to get an opening tally of 209 fish in a day (with only 12 teams due to Covid event restrictions) had every fly fisher up before the sun on the second morning. Mist and drizzle coupled with a plummeting thermometer was the order of the last day, and yet many more fish breaching that 50cm mark continued to get everyone’s adrenalin pumping.

The inclement conditions were ideal for the Brown trout, which accounted for a surprising amount of catches, but proved to be too much for some, who retired gracefully to the warm embrace of Notties. Comparatively, only 106 fish were recorded in day two, which was attributed more to air than rod or competitive pressure. But to get 56 Trout over the half-meter mark making it to the net you didn’t have to wonder why so many smiling faces anxiously awaited prize giving.

Biggest fish was ultimately decided by virtue of species, being a gorgeous Brown of 60cm from InverMooi Estate caught by Gavin Bailey and top angler was justifiably given to Eddie Kriedemann from ST Fergusson for his total of 22 feral Trout.

Qualification for the illustrious final has never been closer with 9 teams in contention, but the last telling session witnessed WBHO and RoadSpan Royals being outshone by Bophelong Construction who took top honours. Hardy, Sage, Greys, Horizon, Xplorer, Airflo, Scientific Anglers and Rio left all the entrants with a bucket load of prizes, along with a dram of Bains to raise a glass in celebration.

Bophelong Construction – Winning Team of Leg Two

With just one leg of the TCC left and the grand final being held in the 1st week of November, Spring and the subsequent hatches are sure to see many more hungry Trout looking for a playdate.

TCC Leg 1

There are many elements that will determine how successful any fishing outing is, least not of which is our attitude.

Stan Chubb with a beautiful Rainbow Trout from Lochwood Dam.

In the lead up to any trip, it’s that element of excitement, finally being able to get back on the water,

receiving the nod from your boss and better half (which hopefully aren’t the same thing) or as of late, ‘Big Brother’.

On arrival at our destination this enthusiasm peaks, which one has to temper so as not to go too large on the first night……good luck with that.

When at an event, this atmosphere is so charged with bravado that it’s difficult not to be swept up in all the emotion and be realistic about expectations.

No safer way to social distance than fishing alone on the water.

But this is something you never want to damper and despite all the sensible restrictions of social distancing at the 1st leg of this year’s TOPS Corporate Challenge, the electric air of anticipation was intoxicating. Needless to say with brands the likes of Hardy, Sage, RIO, Horizon, Xplorer, Scientific Anglers, Greys and Airflo supporting SA’s leading fly fishing event, participants had a lot to fish for.

It was planned with all consideration of the current Corona epidemic, everything digitised to minimise any physical interaction and with face masks, buffs and sanitisers part of their ‘TOPS grab bag’. There’s no safer way to social distance than fishing alone on the water, so the fly fishers set off at the crack of, in search of some obliging fish.

The weather couldn’t have been more accommodating, resulting in a very impressive 131 Trout being caught and released in the morning session but the predicted wind arrived on cue, pressure plummeted and the afternoon witnessed a bunch of weary fisherman return with only 52 fish to show for all their efforts.

Being Spring, the fish had started to feed again, albeit on the smaller invertebrates hatching. Still, a Dragon, Damsel or Minnow pattern still had the Rainbows and Browns reacting up until a point. As closely guarded as any fly fisher might be about his pattern that triggers a Trout, the consensus was any colour was working as long as it was Olive!

Accommodating weather resulting in a very impressive 131 Trout being caught.

Although the weather couldn’t really be blamed in the 3rd session, everyone was reaching for an excuse for the paltry 53 fish recorded, but having spent some time guiding over the weekend (with admittedly unimpressive results), the secret was in the size and specific insect surfacing en mass. A midge isn’t many casual fly fisher’s go to fly, let alone in its larvae stage as a bloodworm, but having pinched one from my mate Sven’s box and presented it on my 2nd cast with a floating line, just over the weed bed, a 60cm cock fish made a convincing argument.

Kobus Potgieter with his beautiful Rainbow Trout.

The elements as always had the final say, bitterly cold, with a biting wind heralding the arrival of the cold front, which drove most people off the water within a couple of hours. Fourth session tally, a meagre 34 fish, giving the 1st leg a hard-earned 270 Trout. Neil Westerhoff caught 22 of these, making him top fly fisher and Herman Barnard got the largest Rainbow of 58cm.

As usual, it all came down to the last session to determine the finalists, with NOVUS Print taking top honours as the winning team.

The only element missing at this renowned event was understandably the hugging and handshaking, but it did go to prove that you can still have a glass of not so serious in a responsible fashion.

NOVUS Print taking top honours as the winning team.

An Indian Summer

Waiting for the turn of the season is what you do as fly fishermen, knowing that with each one, a particular species will appear on our radar. And whilst we couldn’t claim to be men of all seasons, come Winter it’s the TOPS Corporate Challenge that every angler is clamoring to enter. And judging from this year’s grand final you can understand why. A glass of not so serious was truly embraced, with the Bains read more

Tops Corporate Challenge Leg 3

What’s the collective Noun for a gathering of anglers? An Enthusiasm……..A Festivity………An Anecdote…..pick any one, because each would be appropriate to describe the atmosphere at the 3rd Leg of the TOPS Corporate Challenge. Captains of industry and businessmen from all walks of life refresh old friendships. Watching captains of industry and businessmen from all walks of life refresh old friendships and make new ones is reminiscent of the start of a new year at college. read more