Every time I return from Sterkfontein Dam, I’m left thinking the same thing: why aren’t there more people here enjoying this fishery.
Sterkfontein is an incredible sight-fishing fishery—highly technical from a casting perspective, but unbelievably rewarding. From the translucent turquoise water to wild game roaming the roads on the way to Qwantani, and the dramatic mountain views around Elizabeth, the setting alone is something special.
The weather at “Sterkies” can be challenging, but there’s almost always a window during the day when the sun is high and the sight-fishing turns phenomenal. This trip was no different. After a quick briefing, we rigged our rods with floating lines and tied on hoppers, and we were off for our first afternoon session. Suggestions were made in favour of nymphs and dry-droppers—but I wasn’t having it.
My response was simple: “Hoppers work… you’ll see.”
Conditions looked promising, although a cold system was pushing in from the south—an unusual wind direction for Sterkfontein. Within the first hour, all clients were into their first Sterkfontein smallmouth, and the excitement was real. On their previous trip, six anglers had fished from the bank for four days without landing a single fish. This time, it all came together quickly.
The newcomer was on the board straight off the bat. I spotted a fish cruising just behind the scum line, pointed it out, and he made a solid cast. The fish came up, rolled over the fly—textbook stuff. I remember thinking, with this calibre of angler, we’re going to hammer these fish.
Sterkfontein, however, had other plans.
The following two days were tough. We managed multiple fish in very windy conditions, with limited sight-fishing opportunities and more than a few break-offs. We found some big females cruising a tree line at Elizabeth. A perfect presentation, the yellow ate, rod lifted—and on… briefly. Unfortunately, the fish found the trees, and we lost her.
The final morning session looked promising. With the wind direction changing, I decided to mix things up and ran us to the western side of the dam—one of my favourite areas. As we started the drift, the water came alive with feeding fish all around us. Visibility was still limited with the sun low, but we spotted a big female rolling on flying ants. I called for a blind cast into the area, and moments later the angler was on.
After an intense fight on light tippet, we netted a beautiful 6lb smallmouth. High fives all around.
The mid-morning session stayed intense, with plenty of cruising fish, but we struggled to get flies in the right position. Missed opportunities stacked up—but that’s exactly what keeps bringing you back to Sterkfontein.
Tough, technical, humbling but always an unforgettable experience.
Book your Sterkfontein experience with us and let’s go find your PB next. 🎣🔥
