A day up Shit Creek

Intellectual capital – only those who know are allowed to go… “Nobody owns the ocean. But you own the intellectual capital you have earned with your blood and sweat over the years” – David Mangum, from the film, ‘120 Days.’ Now Mangum is one badass mofo. He is the Florida tarpon guide by which all […]
The Dreamtime – the prelude, pandemonium and pause of fly-fishing for kob

Metaphysical aside, those dark hours between 3am and sunrise are my Dreamtime. Pretty freakin’ fortunate then that our much-treasured dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus) share similar early morning habits. At least when they enter our estuaries to party.
Cold and Clear

“Go scratch in the gullies. With bait” Was something along the lines of Pete’s chirp in reply to my moans about how slow, clear and cold the waters of the Southern Cape were. It was nearly the end of my northern hemisphere summer break and had just spent an afternoon plodding the edges of a […]
Blast from the past – the mini bonnies of Mossel Bay

Mid Grunter mission Henkie looked at me and said, “how about some bonnies tomorrow?”. Huh? Where? Mossel Bay was where it was at. The bay is absolute glass when it wants to be, and it was this day. The fish? Crazy. So keen they were to eat that reversing into the shoals didn’t even spook […]
G Route Diaries – Part 8 – Breaking Even

So, I didn’t make it back to Cape Town today. The fishing is totally to blame! After yesterday’s purple patch with the spinning stick, I had had to get back on it. There were bigger fish to be caught. So Dad and I dusted of “The Guppie Tub”, a tiny little Boston Whaler Bass Boat, […]
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 Rainbow that he caught on one of the creations he came up with while behind my vice. […]
GRoute Diaries – Part 6 – Spots

After yesterday’s frustration with murky water, today I headed towards the Heads and fished the flats around the “Grass Atoll” – small mud bank whose sedge grass resembles the shape of a tropical atoll. It’s a spot where we’ve got grunter before and also Steenies on prawns. I’ve been wanting to fish a pushing spring […]
G Route Diaries – Part 5 – A Bend At Last

With my foot on mend, I eventually made way onto the flats and channels of the sprawling Knysna Lagoon. It really is daunting web of channels, sand banks and mud flats that leave anybody who hasn’t it before feeling a little overwhelmed and lost! I really like having a boat on water as it allows […]