Bloemhof Dam Fishing October 2-4
After a gruelling 6 months of being stuck at the home. The big announcement had come. Level 1 had arrived and we were able to travel. Within a flash, the call came. It was time to get out with the boys (Justin, Kaveek, and Lenin). It was time to visit Bloemhof. If you've heard of Bloemhof then you'll know that it's the go-to fishing paradise especially for carp and huge catfish.
Bloemhof is situated about 3 and a half hours from Johannesburg, about 320km. The Bloemhof Dam hosts an annual Bonanza Fishing Competition, which never disappoints the hordes of fishermen that make the trip. The great thing about Bloemhof is the variety of places to fish from. You have Sandveld Nature Reserve on one side, Bloemhof Nature Reserve on the other, and access to the Vaal River system which supplies the dam.
Visiting Bloemhof for us has always been a two-day trip so we make the call to Sandveld and they confirmed that they open only for day visitors. It's always a great idea to make sure with the dam or venue if they open before you make the long trek. That's great news for us with one item checked off the list. The next is the accommodation. When we visit Bloemhof we always stay at "Why Not Guest Lodge." We make two trips a year to Bloemhof and over the past three years, they have gone above and beyond. Sometimes we travel in a small group (4) and sometimes up to 8 whichever it is they always able to cater. They are affordable and their rooms are clean. We like their location. They in the heart of Bloemhof directly across the Spar. We gave Tannie Elize (Send her a message) a shout and made the booking. With two nights booked, we are all set to go. The only problem is it's over two weeks before we can leave but that's not an issue. It's just enough time to get the equipment out of storage and give them a good clean and do a bit of bait stock take.
The moment has arrived, it's 3am and we're on the road. The drive to Bloemhof is not a bad one. There are always a few towns within a 60-90km radius to stop at but with lockdown being so intense we said only one stop will do, so Wolmanrans Stad it is. First, stop down and we made good time. It's now 6:45 am and we are here. We're at the gates the earliest we have been over the years. Fishing at Sandveld is not bad for the day. The cover charge per vehicle is R100 with a max of 5. You also need an annual license that you can get at the gate. The cost is R50 per angler and runs from January to December. With the fees taken care of, it's off to pick our spot.
With most of the day gone, its was time to pack up. Most of the trips have been spent fishing between Sandveld and Bloemhof Nature reserve side. We chatted to some of the local fishermen and they suggested fishing at the dam along the river.
We decided to check if the spot we used in March was available. Unfortunately, it was taken. Sandveld has many great spots so we drove a little further and found the perfect spot for the day. It was a pretty sunny day. The wind was starting to kick up but, fortunately, it was at our backs so it was definitely going to help us with our casting distances. Bloemhof's water level had risen greatly since our trip in March. With just a few steps the water was already sitting at your knees. We all set up and ready to go. Its does not take long to get a bite at Bloemhof. Within 10 minutes and the first fish is on. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sun and the line's opening. We had a lot of grass carps this time round. Most of which around 20cm. The carps around 1-2 kg in size. The wind didn't ease up for the rest of the day. We found that smaller grass taking the lines without the drag opening resulted in our lines getting caught.
Day 2 started at 6 am, after having the opportunity to scout the spot the previous day. The river area is found behind the Spar. It's a small dirt road that's about 1,5 km to the dam wall. Once again it didn't take to long for the bites to start. After 15 mins we were already on. The views were breathtaking throughout the day.
Lenin missed two huge takes on his barbel rod. They popped right off the rod stands and while reeling, the steel traces broke off. With such encouragement, I made my way to "Die Viskas Bloemhof" for more barbel traces. Blackie from "Die Viskas Bloemhof" sold us some serious barbel traces. The shop has a good selection of baits at reasonable prices as well as a huge range of rods and reels. Please stop by and say"Hi" when you visit. He provided some great tips that worked well on the day.
Bloemhof has always been a fantastic dam for fishing. It has never disappointed. Fish are abundant. The dam is always clean and safe.
So next time you plan a trip give Bloemhof dam a go
