Many people are unaware that South Africa has a passionate flyfishing community, as well as some wonderful trout fishing. The trout fishing is mainly for rainbows (though there are browns there too) – small, beautiful ones in gorgeous mountain freestone streams; and much bigger ones in a wide range of private lakes. From what I’ve read and talking to Peter Hayes who visited South Africa last year, there is a real warmth and camaraderie among fly anglers there. In common with Australia, South Africa is ‘off the radar’ in regard to being an international trout fishing destination. So like Australians, they tend to soak up literature from the USA and elsewhere, but also have their own techniques and culture that springs from their isolation.
Ironically, as a kid growing up in Adelaide, scratching around for trout fishing in South Australia, I saw a picture in the Hungerford-edited book ‘Freshwater Fishing in Australia and New Zealand’ and immediately began hunting over maps and the Adelaide Hills for the stream pictured below. The photo shows a scene on a lovely freestone stream, and as the excerpt shows, with the caption ‘In beautiful Cape Province, South Australia, an angler prepares to net his prize as he draws the fish towards him. This is but one of the many ideal trout streams available to anglers in this area.’ Really? How I dreamt of finding such a place close to home (this was pre internet, nowadays a quick Google would have put me out of my misery!) Was it near Cape Jervis??? It was certainly like no other trout stream I had ever seen. It was only years later I found out that the editors of the book had mistaken ‘SA’ (South Africa) for ‘SA’ (South Australia), while compiling material for their book. And indeed, it seems Cape Province, SOUTH AFRICA, does have some lovely trout fishing!
Talk to anyone about trout fishing in South Africa and one name seems to come up almost immediately – Tom Sutcliffe. Tom has been a central figure in South African flyfishing for a long time. He’s written several classic books (including one with a foreword and flattering praise from Nick Lyons) and he’s a highly skilled artist who illustrates his own books. Tom also maintains a really nice website that is both a wealth of information, and a tribute to the passion many of us share for flyfishing. It is appropriately named “The Spirit of Fly Fishing”: http://www.tomsutcliffe.co.za
The website is frequently updated with articles and other information, including regular updates of Tom’s ‘Spirit of Fly Fishing’ Newsletter, which comes out about once a week. The newsletter is also available as a free email-based subscription, which I highly recommend doing (there is a subscription box to enter your email address on the website). There is content from South Africa of course, but also from all over the world and it makes a lovely read once a week or so. The photos too are often spectacular.
Pictured below is a drawing that Tom very kindly did for me (and also a wonderfully crafted J bobbin and hackle pliers that Jay Smit gave me when he visited here early in 2014).
South Africa is definitely now on my list of places to visit for the trout fishing, as well as game reserves and other attractions (my hope is to mix all of this with watching the Aussies play test cricket there!) And in the meantime I hope others will join me in enjoying ‘The Spirit of Fly Fishing’ over the internet.
