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In August we were invited to go to Fisherman’s Hangout on the Vaal Dam. The dirt road to get there was entertaining but it was all worth it in the end. We had an really enjoyable stay at this great fishing venue.

Fishing

Unfortunately we again didn’t have the best of luck in terms of the conditions. The Vaal dam was very low at this time and pulled back so far that we were forced to drive down to the water from the chalets. We also had a minor storm which hit us on the second day making fishing impossible for a few hours. 

Nevertheless we persevered and were rewarded with some really good fishing. I managed to catch my very first grass carp, and in general we landed many decent fish.

We had almost zero snags because the bottom there is like beach sand with no rocks or grass at all. And for the Vaal dam the fish seemed bigger, maybe because it’s slightly deeper there than other parts of the Vaal. 

There were the usual suspects, yellowfish and carp, but we found a lot more grass carp around. They seemed to be quite sluggish too, quite content to just be hauled in without much of a fight. Later we learned that they have become invasive and are slowly taking over from our indigenous species. That’s quite worrying, but time will tell…

Ever the optimists we tried for bass, we found some structure after a short walk, but not a single bite. Too early.

Accommodation

The accommodation was a highlight. Very comfortable huts \ chalets with separate bedrooms and and well-equipped kitchen. Each also has a little patio with a braai that looks out over the dam. 

The sunsets were amazing and I can only imagine how fabulous this place will be when the dam is closer to 90%. In theory you should be standing at your braai with your rods right in front of you. I guess we’ll have to return…

Summary

Typical awesome Vaal Dam fishing but bigger fish and zero snags, too bad about the dam level but that was seasonal. Very comfortable accommodation, right on the water (when dam is fuller), with everything you need.