About
the Dam
This
is an excellent
Smallmouth Bass fishing
venue in the Western
Cape.
Voelvlei
is about the same size as
Hartbeespoort Dam and
situated just off the R44
between Tulbagh and
Hermon only an hour from
Cape Town (100km north on
the R44). It is a large
reservoir which supplies
drinking water to Cape
Town and several other
towns, therefore petrol
motors are not allowed.
Surrounding
scenery is beautiful.
As
at most Western Cape
venues, the wind can come
up rather suddenly so
make sure your craft is
seaworthy as you will
only be able to depend on
human or electric power!
The
water is usually slightly
stained and there is not
much visible structure.
The inlet canals near the
wall, the rip-rap of the
Dam wall itself and
"Monster Bay"
at the far end of the dam
near the bluegum
plantation, are
recognised Bass hotspots.
There is a submerged
island near the pump
station (water filtration
plant) on the southern
shoreline and some
prominent drop-offs (one
where the second canal
enters the Dam on the
northern shoreline in the
vicinity of the Western
Province Artificial Lure
Angling Society (WPALAS)
campsite). Use a
depthfinder if you have
one. Also make a point of
looking for gravel and
broken rock on the
shoreline - this usually
extends into the water
and Smallmouths love
gravel and rock.
A
variety of lures,
including in-line
spinners, crankbaits,
jigs and soft plastics
are productive.
Apart
from Smallmouth Bass
there are carp, some
tench, rainbow trout and
Cape witvis (Barbus
andrewi). The
average size of
Smallmouth range from
500g - 1,5kg. 2kg
Smallies are a distinct
possiblity at this venue.
Please practise
"catch and
release" with all
fish except the carp!
Licenses
and access
You
will need a Western Cape
Provincial freshwater
angling license
(obtainable from the
Offices of the Reciver of
Revenue in Cape Town).
Public
access is via a gate near
the Dam wall. There is a
parking area where
vehicles must be left.
There is no charge for
entry and one can walk
along the shoreline of
the Dam in the public
area.
If
you want vehicle access
to prime angling spots or
you want to launch a
boat, you will have to
become a member of one of
the following
organisations with the
privilege of obtaining
keys for such access:
*
the Western Province
Artificial Lure Angling
Society (WPALAS) (Contact
Persons: Urs
Schwarz
tel. (021) 424-1578 or
083-541-4143; Albe
van der Westhuizen
tel. 082-881-4566);
*
the Western Province
Board of Lure Anglers;
*
the Western Province
Freshwater Angler's
Association;
*
the Tulbagh Angling Club;
*
the Witzenberg Angling
Club;or
*
the Cape
Piscatorial Society.
How
to get there
Take
the N1 out of Cape Town
and travel north (Paarl).
Take the Klapmuts turnoff
onto the R44 towards
Wellington. This road
passes through the fringe
of Wellington and about
30km after Wellington,
you will see Voelvlei.
The Dam is situated
between Hermon and Gouda
some 100km from Cape
Town.
Map
of the Dam
[Thanks
to Wally
Smith for
the map - reproduced from
the April 2001 issue of Stywe
Lyne/ Tight
Lines]
Accommodation
Try
Silwerfontein
Guest Farm
on the shores of
Voelvlei. For more info
on Silwerfontein, click here.
There
is a hotel, guest houses
and self-catering
accommodation in Tulbagh
itself. Try this link
for more details.
Lemberg
Wine Estate and Guest
Farm
also has a Bass
dam. For more info on
Lemberg, click here
or contact Klaus
Schindler
(tel. (023) 230-0659;
083-270-3449).
Other
useful Voelvlei links
None
so far.
Voelvlei
photos and catches
Please
send some in.
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