ARTLURE ANGLING 101: How to Dive Into This Unique Angling Sport

WORDS:  Daantjie Botha* IMAGES: Supplied

During my daily and weekly interactions with friends and fellow anglers, I often get the question: “Oh, so you like fishing? What type of fishing?” I respond: “I do Artlure Fishing.” The response is usually: “Oh, like Bass Fishing? Or is it Flyfishing or what?”

Then the inevitable, long-winded explanation comes where I explain that Artlure Fishing is about catching all kinds of freshwater fish – but instead of bait (worms, bread, feed, live bait, etc.) you only use artificial fishing lures.

As many Tight Lines and For Anglers readers have seen in the past, there are numerous excellent articles available on how to successfully target many of our various freshwater species in South Africa with Artlure. I would like to take a step back and start at the beginning with this article – how do you get involved in the sport of Artlure fishing? What does it consist of, and what types of fishing form part of this exciting sport? I will endeavour to answer these and some other frequently asked questions along the way.

I was lucky to have grown up in Tzaneen, a semi-rural town in Limpopo province. As with many kids growing up in the countryside, activities like hunting, camping, and fishing were part of our DNA. Many of my friends were children of people in the farming community, and access to farm dams and rivers was an added bonus, so fishing came naturally to me and my friends growing up. The common belief prevailed amongst us when it came to fishing: barbel, you catch with chicken livers or a fish head; carp, you catch with “mieliebom” and floaties with dips and flavours; yellowfish like crickets; kurper, you must use earthworms, or if you are lucky, flying ants. Bass are caught with plastic worms and lures, and trout with flies in flyfishing. That’s how it worked, or so we thought.

One day, when I was around ten years old, I saw a poster in our local fishing shop. I will never forget it: “Do you want to learn how to catch Barbel, Kurper, Yellowfish, and even Carp on lures? Join our FREE clinic this SATURDAY at the high school pool, and we will show you how!” I thought to myself, “Barbel on lure? Carp on anything other than ‘mieliebom’? No way!” I just had to see what the fuss was about. Little did I know that that poster would change my angling life forever.

That Saturday I got on my bike and rode to the high school, where I met a bunch of “ooms” who opened a whole new world of angling to me – the world of Artificial Lure Angling. These “ooms” were the management team of the Limpopo Artlure Angling Federation, and they were hosting an open day to recruit new members. Before long, I was introduced to catching barbel on pumpkinseeds, making my own lures out of bouncy balls that imitated figs falling from overhanging trees, and learning how to spot a feeding carp in shallow water and catch it with a small leadhead. It was the greatest angling journey I never knew existed! I joined the Tzaneen Artlure Angling Club, and even at ten years old I was welcomed with open arms.

Artlure Angling is the sport of fishing where only artificial lures are used. No bait or feed is allowed. In a competition setting, the aim is to catch as many fish species as possible within a set time, such as 07:00 to 16:00. The person who catches the most species wins. Catching a variety of fish tests an angler’s knowledge of fish behaviour, habitats, and effective targeting techniques. Time of day, time of year, weather conditions, and water conditions all play a role, and only with years of practice can one master this sport. Points are awarded for the number of species caught and the size of each fish, so size does still matter!

What attracted me to this type of fishing was the opportunity to earn provincial and national colours in the sport. Artlure is a highly organized discipline under SASCOC (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) and SASACC (South African Sports Angling and Casting Confederation). Achieving national colours allows one to represent South Africa in World Championships and other international events. The structure and sense of community in the sport distinguishes it from casual angling.

Formal competition aside, the most captivating aspect of artlure angling is the incredible variety of fish you can catch. Unlike traditional fishing, you’re not restricted to one or two species or methods. Imagine targeting carp and waiting endlessly, only to see barbel splashing and feeding nearby. Or fishing for bass while spotting massive blue kurpers or trophy carp along the shore without knowing how to catch them. With artlure, you can always find a fish — or multiple species — to target in any dam or river.

Artlure offers diverse methods for catching different species. For example, barbel can be caught using pumpkinseed lures, calling them with strong rods among reeds, popping in shallow bays, dipping or casting with leadheads, or trolling with crankbaits. As one senior club member aptly put it, artlure fishing is like “hunting for fish.” Why limit yourself to one type of fishing when you can master catching a variety of species using only artificial lures?

Many Artlure anglers also embrace other fishing styles, like specimen fishing or papgooi for carp, or using worms to catch massive bream.  I know many anglers who compete in Artlure Angling as well as organised Bass fishing or other forms of competitive fishing. Preferring artlure doesn’t mean rejecting other forms of fishing. In fact, all anglers share a love for the act of fishing. A bass fisherman wouldn’t turn down an adventure catching largemouth yellowfish on crankbaits in the Orange River, and no carp angler would pass up the thrill of popping for a 20kg barbel in Bloemhof Dam. Catching a trophy blue kurper at Loskop Dam is a dream for many anglers, whether they prefer bait or lures.  Artlure angling’s versatility and variety make it an exciting and rewarding sport. There’s always a new challenge, a different species to target, or a method to try—keeping the experience endlessly thrilling.

Fast forward to 2025 – 27 years later – and I am still very active in the sport as a proud member of the Salmo Artlure Club in Pretoria. Our club forms part of the North Gauteng Artificial Lure Angling Society. Artlure is a sport for people who are passionate about fishing and want to explore the variety of species that can be caught with artificial lures. The ethos of the sport is knowledge sharing and camaraderie. Unlike some fishing disciplines where techniques are closely guarded secrets, Artlure thrives on open advice and tips to help everyone improve.

Artlure anglers also play a significant role in conservation. By targeting various fish species, we develop an in-depth understanding of fish populations and the factors impacting them. Artlure federations have been at the forefront of fighting pollution, invasive plants, and illegal netting operations, and advocating for the control of invasive fish species.

So how do you get involved? It’s easy! There are Artlure clubs across South Africa, and with the advent of social media, finding your nearest club has never been easier. Visit the SAALAA (South African Artificial Lure Angling Association) website at https://saalaa.co.za/ or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/southafrica.artlure.angling – for all the information you need. We hope to see you on the water catching that big one!

* Daantjie Botha is a passionate and experienced angler with a deep love for lure fishing. As the Vice-Chairperson of Norgalas (North Gauteng Artificial Lure Fishing Association), Vice-Chairman of the Salmo Artificial Lure Angling Club, and an executive member of the South African Artificial Lure Angling Association, he plays a key role in the advancement of the sport across South Africa. He also has a passion for writing and has been contributing informative and practical articles to Tight Lines and For Anglers.co.za.

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