About
the Dam
Wriggleswade
is the premier Largemouth
Bass water in the Eastern
Cape situated some 75km
inland from East London
on the Stutterheim Road.
Wriggleswade
Dam is built on the
Kubusi River, near
Stutterheim (see sketch map
for more detailed
location). The dam forms
part of the Amatola
regional water supply
scheme and supplies water
from the Kubusie River
catchment into any one of
the Gonubie, Nahoon and
Yellowwoods (which flows
into the Buffalo) Rivers.
The Nahoon Dam and Laing
Dam can be augmented with
water from Wriggleswade
as the need arises. These
dams deliver water to the
East London and Berlin
areas.
Construction
of the dam commenced in
1989. It was completed in
1991 and first overflowed
in 1996.
This
is a deep, narrow dam
(surface area of about
94Ha) with nearly 65km of
shoreline winding back
into the hills in a
series of S-bends with
large bays branching off
the main dam. In relation
to "structure",
Wriggleswade has deep
channels, flooded
farmland, standing
timber, weedbeds, lily
pads, reeds and submerged
terraces stair-stepping
down (the land was
previously used to grow
pineapples)!
The
water is clear but
stained a slate colour.
Water levels are constant
and the dam is usually
full. Wriggleswade was
completed always had the
Northern strain
Largemouth Bass. The
Florida strain was
stocked around 1995 and
Bass of over 4kg have
been caught to date
(2002). Even larger
specimens must be
present. Apart from Bass,
Wriggleswade contains
Bluegill, Minnows, Eel,
Smallmouth Yellowfish and
Carp. Please remove
all Carp you may catch at
Wriggleswade and
encourage others to do
the same. Release all
Bass and Yellowfish
unharmed.
Annual
stocking of large numbers
of 15 - 25cm
hatchery-bred rainbow
trout would also be
excellent for the Bass.
Hopefully someone will do
something in this regard!
Licenses
and access
You
will need an Eastern Cape
Provincial freshwater
angling license.
There are
camping and ablution
facilities at the dam and
a super club house (the
Stutterheim Aquatic Club)
with a braai and bar
facility. A slipway
(launching ramp) and
jetty are available.
There is no need to book
in advance, a caretaker
will do the rounds in the
morning to collect the
required fee (R15) from
you.
Further
details can be obtained
by contacting Basil
Ristow
(tel. (043) 743-602 or
083-284-1741) or Colin
Scholes
(tel. (043) 683-2981).
Visit Colin at his
tackleshop Colin's
Fishing Hideaway (18
Long Street,
Stutterheim).
How
to get there
Wriggleswade
is situated some 75km
inland from East London
on the Stutterheim Road.
If
travelling from the
North, take the N6
through Queenstown and
Stutterheim. 14 km from
Stutterheim, the dam is
signposted (to the left).
If travelling from East
London (or the coastal
routes from Cape Town and
Durban), take the
Macleantown / Queenstown
turnoff at the start of
the N6 in Beacon Bay.
Approximately 55 km from
Beacon Bay, the dam is
signposted (to the
right).
The dam is
situated a further 12 km
down a good gravel
road. A left turn,
(at the large Water
Affairs sign) is required
approximately 2 km from
the Stutterheim Aquatic
Club. The gravel road
from the main road to the
dam can be very bumpy and
motorists are cautioned
to travel slowly along
this stretch as pot holes
appear soon after rain.
See
sketch map
for more detailed
directions.
Map
of the Dam
Click
here for a detailed online
contour map
of the dam.
Accommodation
I
can recommend The
Manderson
in Stutterheim.
For
further info on where to
stay, click here.
Other
useful Wriggleswade links
http://www.saangling.com/SAangling/Waters/wriggels.htm
Wriggleswade
photos and catches
Rod
Walmsley with a
3,925kg (8.635lb) late
February 2002 Bass from
Wriggleswade Dam.
Mark
Ristow with a
2,88kg (6.34lb)
Wriggleswade Bass caught
while testing Kick'n
Bass. Mark
is the owner of Bonza
Bay Fishing Tackle
in East London
and a Kick'n
Bass stockist
- to order, phone
083-286-2960).
Alton
Arthur with a
3,701kg (8.142lb) trophy.
Clint
Lentz
with the March 2002
Amatola Bass Classic (Wriggleswade
Dam) winning Bass of 3,92kg
(8.624lb). Good fish are
coming out of
Wriggleswade thanks to
Florida strain
fingerlings stocked some
years ago. The second
place Bass in the above
competition weighed
3,86kg.
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