Fly Fishing near Underberg and Himeville

The area around Underberg and Himeville in the Southern Drakesberg is an excellent place for fly fishing, and there are many club waters to fish in, both still waters and rivers such as the Polela.

Both Rainbow and Brown Trout abound in the area, with the rivers from time to time yielding trout up to 2 lbs, while the dams often produce catches in excess of 4 lbs.

The Underberg Himeville Trout Fishing Club (UHTFC), founded in 1954, is the formal body established for the use and control of the still and river waters in the region. Day visitors can hire selected waters either through the club directly, or through NUD Sports in Underberg. Note the river fishing is seasonal with the waters being closed from around the 15th May to 31 August each year,

All aspect relating to the club can be found at www.uhtfc.co.za and the committee can be
contacted on the club phone 0826363985.

Situated just outside of Himeville in the breath-taking Drakensberg, it is a very fishy looking lake indeed. Well-defined weed beds, promising looking channels, more structure than you can poke a stick at and water birds aplenty. Throw in a couple of obliging trout, and the game is on. The lake is substantial, and even if there are other anglers on the water, the sense is that you have the water all to yourself. Exploring the channels between the weed beds near the inlet of the Polela River, the flyline thrummed taut and a corpulent rainbow hen took to the air, producing a satisfying arc in my flyrod and in my heart rate. Several surging runs later, the fish lay glimmering in my net, eyeing me balefully before being gently returned to this, her watery fiefdom. Yup, like an Austrian with a sketchy accent, I’ll be back.

Featured article: Goxhill Trout Lodge
By Ray Meneses
There’s nothing quite like the anticipation of exploring a new trout venue, from the first glimpse of shimmering water with the promise of speckled treasure within, to the inaugural sploosh, as you waddle, ungainly as an inebriated waterfowl, resplendent in waders and float tube, to the verdant lake’s edge. Goxhill did not disappoint.

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