Matlala Aloe Park, Flag Boshielo (Arabie) Dam

In April I was joined by Werner Lubbe and Jessica de Villiers of The Bank Angler magazine for a two-day visit to Arabie Dam, ostensibly to target its carp, Chinese silver carp and tilapia. WORDS & IMAGES: Johan Smit Arabie Dam, also known as Flag Boshielo Dam, lies in the Olifants River near Marble Hall in Limpopo. Established in 1987, it has a capacity of 185 million cubic metres and is well known for more than 40 fish species with common carp, barbel, tilapia, largemouth black bass and makriel the most popular targets for anglers. The highly invasive, alien species, Chinese silver carp is also present. The dam provides good fishing and there is a launch area for boats. Arabie is notorious for its healthy population of crocodiles, so be cautious when moving around the water or at night around the banks. Arabie has three overnight facilities, Matlala Aloe Park, Schuinsdraai and Black Aloe. One of the self-catering chalets near the campsite. The room is spacious and has a kitchen nook with a gas stove and scullery. Since its inception, the recently established Matlala Aloe Park site has grown in popularity and quickly established a reputation as a fisherman’s paradise. Aloe Park offers a launch site for boats and more than enough camping facilities with 94 plug points overlooking the dam at one of the most picturesque areas of the dam. 24-hour security is available. There are two lovely swimming pools for overnight guests, so do not swim in the dam as it is infested with crocodiles. A fully stocked shop and bottle store is available with everything that you might require. Recent additions to overnight facilities include chalets and a self-catering guesthouse offering various room occupancy options. The campsite is neat and tidy with dustbins placed every 10m near the banks, and each camp spot has a braai stand and dustbin. Electrical points are clearly marked and visible. I was surprised to see how neat and tidy the campsite was despite all the rain the area had recently. I was certainly intrigued to see the rest of the venue and what fish we would be able to catch during our stay. We stayed in a spacious 3-bedroom self-catering house than can easily sleep 6-8 people. Two of the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and the house is cleaned daily. We had a nice braai area overlooking the dam. While I was unpacking my bakkie I noticed movement in the bush, and after a while two zebras stepped out and grazed in front of our house! The two zebras grazing peacefully in front of the house. Bedroom with en-suite bathroom. The circle indicated where you would normally setup your stand. The fishing conditions weren’t of the best because the dam was at 110% with the Olifants River still streaming in; in one night the water pushed up 5m! There was also a lot of debris in the water and we had to setup our stands off the banks in the water, some 40m away from our usual pegs. Despite the dam being so full we did manage to catch a lot of common carp in our 2-day stay. We did catch a nice 6kg barbel and also a fat makriel. We didn’t catch the big carp we were after but we still had a great time. In different circumstances we might have a different outcome on our next visit. Aloe Park has thought of all types of anglers when they developed it – they've made sure that the kids can swim and be kept busy while mom and dad relax and catch fish. We had a great stay at Matlala Aloe Park and will definitely return to catch bigger fish! Werner Lubbe enjoying what he loves most. *For bookings and info contact Hailey Wells on 082 451 8554, 078 273 64730 or 082 463 3547.

Matlala Aloe Park, Flag Boshielo (Arabie) Dam

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