KRAAI RIVER GRAND SLAM

Article and pictures by Tony Kietzman

Nick Appelbaum and a few of his friends were on their first visit to the Rhodes. They were staying at Gateshead where the waters were very low. Meeting up with them in the Thankshjalot Bar at the Centre of the Universe they asked me to take them out.

Knowing about the state of nearby waters I elected to take Nick and his friend Steve down to the Kraai in search of their first Yellowfish. We went to Lekkerbly and after driving  through many gates and down the farmer’s private pass we parked next to the Kraai. As soon as the rods were strung we strolled over to the water. Immediately we saw a large Yellowfish feeding about a meter from the bank. This specimen did not co-operate and we worked our way upstream. Nick and Steve were both fishing with Zaks and Nick started to take small trout.

We observed what I at that stage though were Moggel. The dark shapes were cruising around at high speed and were very spooky. Moving upstream we came to a faster chute below some rapids, Nick’s indicator dived and he was into a hard fighting fish.

It was only when we got it to the net that we realized that this was something different. It was a beautiful bronze fish. It was shaped like a mudfish but I found the colour a bit disconcerting.

Anyway Nick now had caught two species (one the first time I have yet observed in these waters), but he still didn’t have a Yellowfish. He moved ahead and up into the rapid above the pool where he had caught the bronze fish. Suddenly he called us over to come and watch what he had seen.

There were splashing fish moving up the rapid and writhing blue bodies everywhere.

This was boisterous group sex in the normal mudfish style except, we were able to get very close. The Vaal muddies normally take off once you get within a few meters. We stood about three meters away and watched. Both Nick and Steve appreciated the sight for what it was and the clear water allowed me to take numerous photos.

 The one thing that struck us was the blue colour of the fish. Those swimming in the water just looked dark and the ones we brought to hand were bronze in colour. The odd bronze specimen was observed swimming amongst the blue, mating masses. I wonder if this blue colour is only switched on during the mating process.

The blue bodies were at times half out of the water and I think they were depositing their eggs in the spaces between the cobbles.

 As a side note; one can’t pick up a rock here, anything small enough has been washed downstream and those remaining are tightly wedged together.

 The Mudfish that I used to target in the Vaal were a dark charcoal colour with white undersides at this time of the year. I am uncertain whether Nick’s fish was a Mudfish (Labeo capensis) or a Moggel (Labeo umbratus). Reading up on the species indicates that the mudfish become dark blueish /black when breeding. Could there have been a few Moggel amongst the Mudfish? Both species are known to inhabit the lower stretches of the Kraai and are the same species that we find in the Vaal. I am uncertain whether they always come this far upstream to spawn. Possibly we only saw them because the Kraai is flowing clearer this season; often the early rains have muddied the water.

After taking in the amazing sight of writhing blue bodies we moved upstream and Nick was to pick up his first Smallmouth Yellowfish.

For the first time this season I noticed that the Yellowfish were feeding off the surface in their unhurried languid way. Nick took his Yellows on a nymph though.

I think Nick realizes what he has achieved; he caught the first Labeo that I have ever seen taken in this area (plus another two species). Unfortunately I doubt whether I could take someone to see this again. We were lucky, in the right place at the right time.

Anyway, Well done Nick, the first ‘Kraai Grand Slam’ that I have observed!,  I wish that I could repeat the feat and last weekend I visited a beat lower down the Kraai and did not even see a Mudfish or a Trout. The Yellows however were great.!!!