Fly-Fishing Dams

Bass Tarn is set on the hill overlooking the entire valley. Black bass offer a good fight on fly - use large wet flies such as Walker's Killer, Woolly Bugger, Mrs Simpson and Hammil's Killer.

Pound for pound, bass provide an excellent fight, while bass from clean water like Bass Tarn make for excellent eating.

Enjoy - grilled, fried, on the braai or smoked.

This small piece of water has produced fish of over 2.25kg. This is the result of good cover on both banks which is a veritable insect food fest. The inlet area is productive with a lot of rises in the early and late hours, and should be reachable for those with a reasonable cast.

Fishing a metre or so from either bank with wet flies all year round can also be productive.

The most productive dry flies on this water are the DDD and White Death in the warmer months, while wet flies like Walkers Killer and Woolly Buggers have worked well all year round.

Koi Burn is lightly fished medium sized piece of water with some depth, and as the name suggests, contains Koi.

Likely fishing spots include along both banks,the inlet and the dam wall, while the centre channel should produce results with deeply fished flies. All of these are reachable from the wall.

Year round, sinking flies like the Walkers Killer and Woolly Buggers are productive.

Dry flies are well worth trying when hatches are taking place.

A very popular dam given its easy access, Linlithgow is best fished from the wall and along the banks in deeper water.

Prolific insect life ensures good growth, and this water is well suited to float-tubing to reach those hard-to-get-to hot spots.

As appealing as it is, the jetty is a bit too shallow to provide productive fishing. The best fishing is to be had in deeper water off the wall into the channel and on the far side bank – although this can be challenging from the shore.

Dry fly enthusiasts will enjoy success with the DDD in Autumn and Spring, and the Egg Fly and White Death in the warmer months. With wet fly, the popular patterns of Hammil's Killer, Linlithgow, Mrs Simpson, Woolly Bugger, various Nymphs and the Aggravator will produce results all year round.

Poacher's Dam, the dam closest to the bottom gate, is another large piece of water well suited to float tube enthusiasts.

A popular and well fished piece of water, Poacher's Dam has produced some sizable fish. An attractive jetty and picnic spot on the road side make a comfortable base from which to fish the more likely spots along the wall and the far bank.

In the dusk and dawn of the warmer months, the DDD and other dry flies are productive wherever you see surface feeding, while wet flies can be relied upon all year round - fished in the deeper waters of the wall and far bank.

Wet flies and attractor patterns like Walkers Killer, Mrs Simpson, Hammil's Killer work well. The Nymphs, Woolly Buggers and attractors like the Aggravator are also productive all year round.

The top dam, which provides great views of the farm and likely encounters with game. Trout Master is well worth the 15 minute walk to this lightly fished but productive piece of water. The road to the dam is accessible by 4x4; or high-clearance 2 wheel drive vehicles in the dry months.

Dry flies work well during rises. Good results have been off the wall with sinking flies in the channel on the right hand side. A sink tip or slow sinking line is suited to this water.

In warmer months wet flies like the Aggravator, Black Nymph and the Olive Woolly Bugger are effective. Dry flies like the DDD are useful during evening rises. In cooler months wet flies such as the Hammil's Killer and Walker's Killer should be productive.

This is a "catch & release only" water, unless fish are damaged.

The small water in front of Flufftail Cottage, Twitcher's Pond, is well stocked and is a great piece of water to learn to fly-fish on.

Casting is easy from the wall, and the water is small enough to cover thoroughly even with a short cast.

Dry fly enthusiasts will enjoy success with the DDD in autumn, while in the warmer months the Egg Fly, White Death and Adams are productive.

Because the dam is quite shallow, it is best to fish deeper in the warmer months with the Hammil's Killer, Walkers Killer, Woolly Buggers of all colours, Mrs Simpson and the Black Nymph.