Success at Potchefstroom dam

After a few busy sessions over the festive season, up and down from family and to venues, we wanted to have a break. We had to get the perfect venue for spending New Year’s Eve at. The previous session a few weeks before at Potchefstroom dam, was very exciting and successful. The water level was still low, so we decided to give it another go! After a few busy sessions over the festive season, up and down from family and to venues, we wanted to have a break. We had to get the perfect venue for spending New Year’s Eve at. Our previous session a few weeks before at Potchefstroom Dam was very exciting and successful. The water level was still low, so we decided to give it another go! Once again, the packing affair began, and we set off to Potchefstroom Dam bright and early. Upon arrival, the water level was even lower than it was a few weeks before, which meant we would be working even harder to drop a line and land a catch. It was even more challenging than the session before, but we made it work. Camp is setup, gear is ready and off we go, sowly, rowing, in the even thicker grass and snotterbelle, but row we will row. The water level has dropped so much, boats can’t launch at all. So, it was better for me, my lines were safe. As most people know, my lines and boats don’t get along. Finally, after a brutal rowing session of 2 hours, the lines were in! Now we wait. Make some lunch, unpack a few things and then suddenly it was fish on for me! Both exciting and challenging, the first carp was landed! A beautiful common, not big but a Carp! One thing for sure, no matter the size of the Carp, Potch has some absolutely gorgeous looking Carp! Around midnight, Wors landed a small common. Early we got up to re-do the rods. Shortly after Wors landed two beauts. Not too big but still gorgeous. Later in the afternoon another scaly beauty graced the net. Hitler kept us entertained with his silly inquisitiveness, and later we redid the rods for the night. During the last 3 days of 2018, the hot summer days turned to rainy, cold and cloudy. In the rain, we fought many carp, snagging in the weeds, tangling with old broken off lines, but we landed carp! Then came the last day of 2018. Preparations were well under way for the annual Jazz Music festival, with an expected attendance of 8000 plus festival goers! Luckily, we were not bothered by the masses, had a music show and caught some carp going into the new year. Having a massive stage, a mere 200m from our camp was not a problem. The rainy weather did not have much of an influence and the new year Jazz Bash continued. Apart from the big party next door, we had our own party catching carp! We had a blast! Working hard and being rewarded with beautiful catches. The bigger carp came out to play during the day with the music blasting from the stage and the bass sending vibrations through the ground. Then came the final catches of the year 2018. Small and beautiful. By 6pm, I had my final 2018 carp, a round, apple slice, scaly soccer ball. What a way to end the year! Then with 40 minutes to go till midnight, Wors landed his final catch for 2018. A young common Carp. We celebrated the new year like adults ... by going back to bed! We started 2019 lazily, very fitting for the weather, cold and rainy. By the afternoon we finally had our first catches for the new year. I broke the ice with a stunning 12kg common and Wors landed an absolute gorgeous Smallmouth Yellowfish, a first for him. Naturally the Yellowfish was photographed and released immediately. We celebrated the first catches of the year by opening our chilly champers in the rain. We continued catching beautiful carp and once the water level started rising rapidly, the bites became fewer. Potch always offers some exceptional looking Carp, has some monster Grassy’s lurking in the deeps but is a very challenging body of water. A rubberduck or boat is highly recommended to assist in retrieving catches. Main lines should be at least 20lbs with a snag leader of 40lbs-plus. When the water level rises, the grass is not visible, but it is still there and is a major challenge to land catches from the bank. Be wary of boats, sadly they do end up in the angling area and cut off lines that drift on the grass. We cleaned, packed up and headed home, once again preparing for a last session before the new year buzz is back in full swing.