Warren Prior, Author at Baha Adventures

04Dec 2012 by Warren Prior 5 Comments

Lotheni Nature Reserve

Reviews

[caption id="attachment_792" align="aligncenter" width="900"] View Over The Lotheni River[/caption] [caption id="attachment_793" align="alignright" width="300"] A Lotheni Wild Brown[/caption] Lotheni is most notably known for its beautiful scenery and many hiking options for people of all ages and abilities. That said, for us at Baha Fly Fishing, its known for its wild Brown Trout, Sime's Cottage and technical stream fishing. The fly fishing at Lotheni (mostly) takes place in the Lotheni River which runs below both the main camp and the camping site. It contains a healthy population of wild Browns and is in my opinion rather technical as the Browns seem far more skittish than those in the popular Bushman's River at Giant's Castle. The river is of course only open during the standard season running from the 1st September to…

04Dec 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

Kamberg Nature Reserve

Reviews

[caption id="attachment_777" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Eland Dam, Kamberg Nature Reserve[/caption] [caption id="attachment_776" align="alignright" width="300"] The Kamberg Chalets[/caption] Kamberg Nature Reserve, located in the foothills of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, was once regarded the meca of KwaZulu-Natal fly fishing with big fish being caught often, five well maintained dams, a good stretch of the Mooi River and their own hatchery. Sadly things have changed slightly and the hatchery has long since been closed. The previous offer of five dams has also been reduced and they now maintain and stock only two of the dams on the reserve. That said the fishing in these two dams is still decent and the dams are well maintained. They seem to be stocked fairly frequently and as a result a lot of stockies are on offer…

04Dec 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

The Columbia Grendel

Reviews

The Columbia Grendel The Grendel has fast become a favourite item in my fishing arsenal for streams as well as those misty days on still waters. I love carrying a camera with me but wouldn't dare take the SLR onto the water in case I tripped or the rain came in. Thankfully the Grendel gave me the confidence to take my camera everywhere thereby improving my fishing photos tenfold. This backsack is comfortable to wear and, although not fully waterproof, is very water resistant. It's also stain resistant which means it always looks good no matter how many fish you catch. There's an easy to access, water resistant, back pouch for important items like cell phones and keys, while the main compartment has more than enough space for your jacket,…

04Dec 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

The Jvice

Fly Tying, Reviews

[caption id="attachment_754" align="aligncenter" width="900"] The Jvice[/caption] For over 10 years I tied my flies on an entry vice which I bought while on a limited budget at University. And for many years I believed that all vices were made equal; that was until the day I got to tie a fly using the Jvice. Suddenly I realised just how wrong I'd been. Yes, perhaps the final fly looked similar, but the process of tying it differed greatly. The Jvice was faster, more efficient and far easier to use. I was once again excited to tie flies and was suddenly tying twice as many in half the time. I immediately decided to review the Jvice and was lucky enough to meet Jay Smit and to spend some time with him at…

02Dec 2012 by Warren Prior 2 Comments

Choosing A Float Tube

Articles

A few years ago, while in the process of buying my first float tube, I took the time to sit down and write an article on how to choose the float tube or boat which best suits you. Having not used many tubes at the time most of my information was gathered from the internet and, as we all know, everything on the internet needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Over the past few years I’ve been far more involved in fly fishing and have had the pleasure of using various craft. I’ve also had the pleasure of chatting to several people involved in the industry and as such have had to reassess some of my original opinions. When I began my quest for a float tube…

02Dec 2012 by Warren Prior 1 Comment

Fly Fishing Myth Busters

Articles

There are many old fly fishing rumours, and this is where we bust them! Swimming In Waders Nick Testing Waders One hears so many horror stories about waders and how fly fishermen drown in them because they fill up with water and make swimming near impossible. For safety reasons the Baha Boys decided to put this myth to the test. So on a warm summer's day Nick pulled on his waders and jumped in the swimming pool. The first test was conducted using neoprene waders since these are what Nick usually fishes in. His first impression was that of surprise at just how buoyant the waders were. In fact he found it hugely reassuring that the waders kept him afloat without the need for him to try and swim. Being…

02Dec 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

Still Water Trout Lies

Articles

I often find it strange that people are intimidated by rivers and yet think of dams and lakes as their friends. Yes, it's true that still waters are often easier to fish, especially when they're maintained specifically for that purpose, but in rivers the fish have fewer places to hide and the water is easier to read. When one approaches a still water, especially a relatively large one, they are met with an expanse of water with endless places for fish to hide. It’s also relatively unclear as to what lies beneath that glassy surface. Is it deep or shallow? Is there a lot of structure? And most importantly, where are all the fish? As such deciding where to start fishing is not always an easy decision. I suppose one…

02Dec 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

Upstream Dry Fly Fishing

Articles

A Silky Pholela River A Lotheni Wild Brown One of the many benefits of fly fishing is the amazing destinations it takes you too. You can end up anywhere from a crystal clear mountain stream to a rocky shoreline unspoiled by humans. There's something for everyone and the only limitation is your imagination (and budget). Luckily for us in South Africa (and KwaZulu-Natal) some of the most beautiful fly fishing destinations are right here on our doorstep. This month the Baha Boys take you stream fishing in the Drakensberg and explain how to fish the dry fly with huge success. Few memories come close to that of your first wild trout taken on dry fly. Sadly, despite the pristine streams available to us in the country, fly fishing is dominated…

18Nov 2012 by Warren Prior 1 Comment

Inanda Dam Bass Bashing

Bass, Fly Fishing, Fresh Water

[caption id="attachment_590" align="alignright" width="300"] Warren With A Bass[/caption]After a rather interesting DFT demo by Marco Breschi, our club’s bass expert, I had a chat with him and we decided to head down to Inanda Dam on Sunday morning for a little bass fishing (on fly of course). With my newly tied strip leech in hand, Nick picked me up, we met Marco at the gate, and we headed down to the dam. Our first mistake was arriving at 5am only to be told that the gate only opens at 6am. We must thank Nick for this great piece of planning, so if you ever happen to run into him please be sure to rough him up a little. None the less we put the time to good use by pumping…

11Nov 2012 by Warren Prior No Comments

Another Underberg Himeville Trout Fishing Club Trip

Fly Fishing, Fresh Water, Trip Report, Trout

[caption id="attachment_585" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hail On Arrival In Underberg[/caption] Having been up to Underberg earlier this year I was quick to accept another invitation to go up and fish a few of the UHTFC (Underberg Himeville Trout Fishing Club) waters. I put in a half day’s leave and met Neill at Plantations at 1pm. We promptly packed up the Jeep and were soon on the road to Alan’s house in Underberg. After weeks of rain (over 400mm in a month which normal has around 90mm) I was glad to see that the weather sites all agreed that it would be a sunny weekend. That said there was a severe storm warning for the Underberg area on Friday and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Thankfully we had just carried the last of…

Author: Warren Prior