Venue Reviews

Venue Name: Critchley Hackle Hotel

Date Visited: October 2008

Duration: 2 days.

Access and Vehicle required: It's tar road all the way so any vehicle will do.

Species: Rainbow Trout, Grass Carp.

Type of water: One dam just under a hectare.

Difficulty: Easy

Daily Rod Average: 6

Flies that worked: GRHE, Black Crystal Bugger (Red flash), Millstream Biscuit, CDC Emerger, Red Humpy, Yarn Egg (Orange & Chartreuse)

Tips and Tactics: Long casts won't really be necessary as the fish cruise around the shallows, especially near the restaurant, pretty much all day. That said, the further you can cast the more fish you will catch. Guaranteed! Fishing off the dam wall with an intermediate line and cone head woolly buggers can be very productive in warmer weather. You'll see plenty of fish, but once they've seen you you'll work hard to catch them. Though it's not impossible. A great technique to use when the fishing's really tough is a GRHE tied to your leader and a yarn egg tied to the shank of the GRHE's hook by means of a 25cm length of 6lb mono or fluorocarbon. Fish it deep or shallow and SLOOOW!

Weather Conditions: Sunny and warm in the morning. Misty and cool the next day. Intermittent wind.

Area: South Africa, Mpumalanga

Fishing Write-Up: Unlike bigger waters where the fishing seems to slacken off during the heat of the day, at Critchley the fishing was good early morning, afternoon and evening. Many fish were actually caught during the warmest part of the day. It worked well to actually camp in one area for a long period as the fish tended to cruise past frequently as they explored the dam in search of food. Testament to the fact that the trout cruise around the dam was a fish that snapped my 6lb tippet outside the restaurant, which I hooked and landed later in the day (with my fly stuck squarely in the jaw) at the opposite end of the dam near the fountain. As it was getting dark I was taken by surprise by a fish of nearly 2kg (1.94 to be exact) that I played and subdued using a 3 weight outfit. A surprise I really didn't expect. Another unexpected thing was that the average weight of the fish caught was over a kilogram. You'll probably not catch a new South African record there, but it's really good fun.

Venue Write-Up: Though Critchley Hackle is probably better known for its fine dining and luxury accommodation than record breaking trout fishing, there are a number of respectable trout in the dam to reward the patient fly-fisherman (or woman). The odd grass carp will really test your determination, as landing one on a trout-specific rod can be a daunting challenge to face up to. A feature that Critchley boasts is a dozen or so lights around the dam which on a full moon night could make the possibility of night fishing a reality. This venue is not available to day fisherman, but is a real bonus to those staying at the hotel. After a tranquil morning or afternoons fishing, dining in the hotel's very own restaurant is a must. For the morning, a breakfast buffet is made available and a new dinner menu shaped by seasonal ingredients is presented each day. A visit to the Damn Bar is also highly recommended (read more about it on their website).

Contact Info: http://www.critchleyhackle.co.za/

Mavungana rating: 5.5/10
How the Guides Voted: JB-6, JT-1, CT-8, MC-7

<<Back to Reviews