First of all, either everyone has been keeping this place secret to themselves or not a lot of people have been to Field and Streams yet. Only 9km from Dullstroom, it is a truly beautiful farm, secluded in a kloof between the mountains with breathtaking scenery and an abundance of animal life.
Both fly fisherman and nature enthusiasts will enjoy a weekend away at Field and Streams as they offer a wide array of activities for the whole family on the farm to choose from.
Some of the activities include fly fishing, bird watching, walking/hiking, mountain biking, clay pigeon shooting and horse riding nearby.
Accommodation
We stayed in The Nest, which is a cosy 2 sleeper en-suite unit with a lounge, dining and kitchen area. It has a fireplace for the colder months and a braai outside on the stoep with an amazing view of the mountains. The unit is very neat and tidy, and has everything there you (she) would need (microwave, stove,
kitchen utensils, fridge etc.) including towels and other requirements.
There are five beautiful farm style units to choose from on the farm from a 2 sleeper to a 10 sleeper.
All of them have fireplaces and braai areas. You can also bring your DSTV smartcard should you wish to do so, as some of the units have DSTV decoders.
Fishing
There are sizeable stillwaters on the farm (“Meike’s Mere” and “Matuka Dam”) and 4km of Witpoort river, all of which is host to both Rainbow and Brown trout. There is also a smaller dam/weir called “William’s Favourite” which is stocked with smaller Trout.
We headed out to Meike’s Mere on Saturday morning at about 07h00 with my 5wt and high expectations. With my first cast I was on... I casted a #8 Peacock Woolly Bugger just next to a reed bed, hoping for a cruising Trout to spot my fly, and I landed a nice Hen of 1.8kg. Soon after I caught another Rainbow of 800gr.
It wasn’t 10 minutes and I was on again! This time I could see it was a monster... I played the fish for about 2 minutes, and whilst trying to steer it away from a weed bed, my 3X Rio tippet broke... I saw the fish a couple of times during the fight and estimated it at 2kg plus.
We returned to Meike’s Mere for an afternoon session after breaking for brunch and to explore the farm from about 10:00 to 15:00. I fished from a timber jetty for the remainder of the afternoon.
I lost a couple of big fish but I caught 5 quality fish between 900gr and 1.9kg. All the fish were in fantastic condition and they fought like crazy!
They don’t feed the fish pellets, and I think that is the reason they put up such a fight, they hunt actively for their food and they are very opportunistic feeders. All the fish in the dam were caught on black and blue tinsel (Peacock) Woolly Buggers with a steady retrieve in various depths of water.
Sunday morning before our departure we decided to explore some of the 4km of Witpoort river that meanders through the farm. Upon our arrival after an approximate 4 km drive from our chalet, we saw a spectacular waterfall cascading over the rocks into a pool. The river was crystal clear and the water level was quite low.
I tied a #14 Zak Nymph on a 6X tippet and cautiously approached a promising pool on a bend of the river. I made a cast with my 2wt Stealth Infinity and seconds after the fly hit the water a feisty little Rainbow took my fly and tore the Zak Nymph to shreds!
Unfortunately we couldn’t spend much time on the river as we had to head back home, but I will surely return to spend a day or two stalking those wary little Witpoort Trout!
Conclusion
Field and Stream offers everything you would expect from a countryside venue to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. There is no Vodacom reception and very limited MTN reception in certain places, so the office won’t be able to bother you there.
The farm road (about 2km long) from the main road is bad in places (due to the rain), and I would suggest going with an SUV or a bakkie, however there were people with sedans when we were there.
Field and Stream has a very relaxed atmosphere on a truly beautiful farm and it caters for the adventurous or for someone just in need of a quiet weekend away.
Recommended Equipment
5wt 9ft rod with a floating line for Stillwater fishing in Meike’s Mere.
5wt or even a 7wt 9ft rod with an intermediate line for the big trout in Matuka Dam.
2wt rod with a floating line for the Witpoort river.
Recommended Flies
Peacock Woolly Bugger, Papa Roach, San Juan worm, Midge patterns and DDD for the still waters.
Zak nymph, Hot Spot PTN, GRHE, RAB and Elk Hair Caddis for the river.
© 2013 Hunter Hennie. All Rights Reserved.
© 2013 Hunter Hennie. All Rights Reserved.
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