Mark Murray from Tourette Fishing has an amazing ability to make me jealous as hell. Yesterday he dropped us mail with a few photos from their annual pre-season guides in Lesotho. Despite extremely low water conditions, the yellows were around… From Mark:
After a busy tigerfishing season, the annual Tourette Fishing Pre-season guides week at the Makhangoa Community Camp is welcomed time for the guides to catch up and relax. It’s certainly one of highlights of the year.
Lesotho is in the grips of a very severe drought. Thus the skinny water made the fishing very technical, but with the right patience and skill, a good number of yellows and trout came to the net…
All photos credit to Mark Murray
Despite the rain on the horizon, Lesotho has been experiencing a really severe drought.
No matter where you go in Lesotho, the hills always have eyes.
Lesotho Gold in hand.
Having the world’s highest low point, Lesotho is not known as the highest country in the world for nothing.
TF’s latest edition to the guides team, Johann du Preez with a nice yellow taken on dry-fly over lunch time. It took some nifty casting and presentation to convince this fish to eat his fly.
Magical view over the mountain kingdom from the top of the Mafika Lisiu Pass. 3090m above sea level.
Jeff “Monsoon” Currier might not have brought the rain with him, however he did bring some heat to the fish. He took this beautiful rainbow trout on a foam-ant right before breakfast.
Despite the ongoing drought, we still had plenty of water to fish in.
Double up time for Keith Clover and Jeff Currier. Both these fish were taken on dryfly and what a pleasure to have been there to capture the moment.
Lesotho is hands down one of the most beautiful place I have ever been to. Gin clear water surrounded by lush green hills and a dark blue sky. Despite trying really hard, I don’t think any picture can really do it any justice. One has to go and see it for yourself.
Smallmouth Yellowfish
The Bokong river winding through the Mountain Kingdom
The myth, the legend, Mr Lionel Song strapping another dryfly before heading out for the day.
TF’s Keith Clover showing the guys how its done. Another beautiful yellowfish sight fished with a dryfly. Note the water clarity.
Having my milkfish on my drybag redone by legend artist and good friend, Jeff Currier
In Lesotho it’s all about letting them go. Nothing like seeing your fish swim off strongly to fight another day.
Match the hatch
Fin Perfect
Being the only two Afrikaans guys on the guides team, it was crucial that we took control of the braai and show the guys how its done. TF’s Johann du Preez busy tanning a choppie 🙂
For a change I got to look into the lens and not the view finder:-)
Really enjoyed hunting this fish on dry. She was very sly and for a while I didn’t think it would be possible to get her to not spook, never mind eat. But after a while she showed herself again, and somehow I managed to present the fly in the skinniest of water without spooking her. She came right up to the fly, looked at it, then ate it like there was no tomorrow.. Bliss
TF’s Keith Clover
The guys and gal who made this trip a real blast .
(from left to right) Brian Gees, Stuart Harley, Keith Clover, Lionel Song, Rob Scott, Johann du Preez, Jeff & Grannie Currier
Mr David
These yellowfish really like dryflies
Sitting around the fire at the end of another beautiful day in Lesotho.
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Great fish, great photographs! Thanks for sharing.
BTW, Lesotho is not the highest country in the world, that honour goes to Tajikistan at an average elevation of 3186m. Kyrgyzstan (2988), Bhutan (2220) and even the continent of Antarctica (2300) beat Lesotho’s 2161m. Lesotho can boast with the highest low point though.
Thanks for the correction Sam 🙂
Sam, checked this fact before I posted and figured that because Lesotho has the highest low point in world, technically that makes it the highest country in world… 😀 But it’s really a minor fact when you’re up there catching Yellows in waters like that. (MM, got your back! haha)
Magnificent essay and photos, Mark.
What is the fishing like at the moment ? I suppose the drought has taken it’s toll ?