Orange River Fishing
Orange River Fishing: With the Kalahari Drift season about to kick off, the guides have been keeping themselves quite occupied. This included numerous hours of shopping, a grueling 16-hour drive, and an unexpected weekend encounter with the Upington police. On top of that, there were some epic battles with monstrous barbel and promising largie fishing.
An Eventful Journey to the Orange River
Our marathon 16-hour journey from our home base in Maritsburg to the Orange River took an interesting turn when Riley casually remarked, “I don’t like it when cops drive behind me.” Almost as if on cue, the dreaded blue lights flashed, and we found ourselves being pulled over. It didn’t help that we had recently given our trailer a fresh coat of paint, transforming it from silver to another color. This unexpected makeover nearly led to Riley spending the entire weekend in the Upington police station, all because they suspected he was driving a stolen trailer.
Hunting River Giants: David’s Barbel Battle and Largie Triumph
David Taylor, our seasoned guide for the Orange River, knew all too well about the river’s hidden monsters. He came prepared with a boat rod that could handle a marlin and a matching reel with 60lb braid. At our first campsite, we stumbled upon a veritable honey hole for barbel fishing, and the excitement was palpable. David found himself in a fierce tug-of-war with a whopping 25kg barbel, easily the largest catch of our drift. My personal goal was to land a barbel hefty enough to leave line burns on my handline, and I achieved just that with a respectable 17kg fish. All in all, it was an unforgettable session, and we’re already itching to return for more.
The flyfishing prospects are looking incredibly promising as the water levels have noticeably dropped since our arrival, coaxing the fish into increased activity. Despite battling a cold front and relentless winds on the second day of our guide drift, we managed to hook six largies. David’s 6lb largie was the crowning achievement of the trip. The guides are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our first guests at the camp and can’t wait to introduce them to some truly impressive fish!
Chris King – African Waters Guide
Orange River Fishing Guides, Meet The Team
