Trip reports

Eastern Cape Highlands Week 2

9 Apr 2022 to
17 Apr 2022

Week 2 began with a resupply mission to Barkley East and collecting a half a lamb from Carien Vosloo at Brikhall farm on the Serkspruit. We had started this tradition the previous year and agreed it was the best lamb we had ever had! With fridges groaning with food and ready for week 2 we met up with some mates who were fishing lower down on the Bokspruit. Pierre Joubert and I had not fished in the first week and this was our first shot to scratch the now intense itch. We were covered in a low ominous cloud with a soft drizzle set in but neither of us were not going to be deterred. we were immediately into fish with almost every cast eliciting a take, Pierre hooking the first good fish in an incredible run with a deep hole against the bank. If there was water, there was a fish. Water only an inch or two deep held fish, fast water slow water, undercuts- there were fish everywhere!

We lost count of fish within 30 minutes, standing side by site cheering as each hooked yet another one from exactly the same run for the umpteenth time. Eventually the rain pushed us off the water but not before we had seriously opened our accounts. The week that followed mostly kept to a familiar rhythm, wake up late, have a big breakfast, tie some files and get on the water by 9-10 am. We fished in pairs until lunchtime where we met to have sandwiches and ask the usual questions – met by the usual answers – too many to count and too beautiful to describe. 

We had incredible fishing on all of the rivers we fished, there wasn’t a day, session or rod that was off form. Every aspect of fishing Rhodes is simply perfect. Trout are the perfect fish, the water is perfectly cold and pretty, the scenery is perfectly jaw dropping but most of all the company was sublime. 

We ended our incredible two weeks reset but with a deep sense of longing to return.