Tackle and Tactics
Mike Ladle

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South Africa.

14 October 2008

My recent trip to South Africa, arranged by our youngest son Dan and his wife Dee, was not for fishing. I took a rod but hardly had a cast. I did take a few watery/fishy pictures (there are two tagged on here) and as soon as I get a few more from Dan I'll put them up. Meanwhile I'll show some of the animals we saw in the Kruger park. To be honest it was a mind blowing experience. We were all anxious to see everything and not just the touristy 'big five' (elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and rhino) as they are referred to (although we saw them all anyway in the course of our four day visit).

I'd sort of expected to drive round and come across the odd creature every so often but as it turned out there was game everywhere, often in large numbers, plus a huge variety of birds and other wildlife. We saw everything from and including Aardvark to Zebra in the course of our short stay.

After visiting the Kruger reserve we drove around the 'Garden Route' seeing loads of whales, penguins, fur seals and a range of sea birds but the most impressive thing (for me at least) was the diversity of plants. If you could dig up any random fifty square metres of the fynbos vegetation, bring it home and dump it in your back yard people would think that you had the World's best garden. Heathers in profusion, Watsonias, Proteas, Leucospermums, Leucadendrons and Gladioli in every imaginable shape and colour. Vast numbers of Gazanias, Urcinias, Osteospermums and Mesembryanthemums and their relatives with glowing yellow, orange, purple, pink and red daisy flowers formed carpets on the sandy ground grazed by not only large mammals but tortoises and all sorts of insects. If you get the chance to go over there for the World Cup in 2010 - don't miss it. It's fantastic!

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

Impala.

These little antelopes (note the black 'ankle socks')are abundant everywhere and seem to be the main prey of many other animals.'

Bushbuck.

Another small antelope, much less abundant - this one's a male .'

Buffalo.

We saw herds of several hundred individuals of these impressive beasts. I wouldn't want to annoy one.'

Giraffe.

Very imposing. You really do feel the Earth move when they break into a trot.'

Ornamental lake Port Elizabeth.

No chance to fish for them without being arrested but these are tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and (North American) largemouth bass (the one in the middle).'

Freshwater mullet (Myxus capensis).

There were also some large flathead mullet and grass carp in the lake as well as gobies and moonys.'