JH PRO MANIA 29 JANUARY 2017

HI All

Hope all the readers had a great weekend of fishing. 

My second Pro Mania was on the 29th of January.  Again at Vaaldam - Wilgedraai.  Well with the good position I achieved on the previous PM, I thought I had a good change to do even better.  But as we all know, everyday is a different day in the angling world.

The morning I draw Peg 12.  When I started unpacking I look at the people in my zone.  Again a difficult zone with good anglers.  Franco Kalp, SJ Koster, Henco vd Westhuizen (A Junior but a damn good angler).

So the day started at 07H00.  I started the same way on 65M and 125M.  The tempo was extremely slow.  The 65M quickly gave me 2 small carps.  But then the yellows started on the 65M.

My 125M also started up and I can feel this is a nice fish.  But about halfway the fish was off.  Not a nice feeling.  Only at 10H30 my 125M started up again and the Avocast 6000 start to sing.  Nice carp of about 3kg.

On the 65M I tried to fish through the yellows, but it was difficult.  Between them I manage to catch a few small carps.

I ended up with 9 fish 9,880kg.  That gave me a 3rd position in the zone.  Franco Kalp ended 1st in the zone with Henco vd Westhuizen 2nd in the zone.  Well done to the gents.  Henco also manage to catch a barbell of about 10kg.

I fish with my reliable Pure Fishing equipment.

1) 13ft Slingshots and 10ft Slingshots
2) Avocast 6000 reels
3) Avocast 4000 reels
4) 5pd Trilene line
5) Trilene Leader line of 20pd
6) Trilene 7pd Hook lines

Until next time.....

WILGEDRAAI - WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW

MORNE SAAYMAN - WINNER FOR THE DAY......PURE FISHING!!!!

PRO MANIA CLASSIC SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 2017

Hi All

My first Pro Mania for 2017 at Wilgedraai Vaaldam. 

Well the first Pro Mania at Wilgedraai Vaaldam took place on 21 January 2017.  Wilgedraai received a lot of water with the Vaaldam water level increased to above 60%.  We are all very thankfull for all the rain and the increase in water levels.

The morning we did the normal per draws.  I draw peg 6 for the day.  Total of 45 anglers.  When I look at my zone competitors for the day (Peg 1 -9) I could see this is going to be an extremely hard day.  Christo Conradie (Peg 1 again!!!), Raymond Cloete (Peg 2), Johan Pretorius (Peg 8) and Allan Groves (Peg 9).  So to be in the Top 5 in the zone will be hard.

I started on distances of 90m and 125m.  After half an hour I realized the 90m is not a good distance as the fish are jumping at 50 - 60m.  I decided to change my strategy and fish on 60m and 125m.  I caught two nice Carps on the 125m and considered changing both rods.  But then suddenly the 60m start to pick up.  Smaller fish, but all weigh fish.  I kept my rods on the two distances which paid of.  I caught 18 fish with a weight of 18,720kg.  Gave my a second place in the zone.  Christo Conradie on Peg 1 won the zone.  With my second place in the zone I also ended 6th overall on the day.  For the first Pro Mania I was happy with the results and can just build on my BMT for the season.

I again fished with my sponsor PURE FISHING tackle :

1) Slingshot 13ft Rods
2) Avocast Reels
3) Trendline 5 and 7lb line
4) Trilene leader line

Many thanks again to Pure Fishing for a great sponsorship and quality equipment.

See attached photos.

PURE FISHING - AVOCAST REELS WITH 5LB LINE

SLINGSHOT RODS

 

MORNING PEG 6

 SOME BEAUTIFULL FISH - MYSELF AND RAMOND CLOETE

PRO MANIA 2016 MASTERS FINAL

PRO MANIA 2016 MASTERS FINAL.

BLOEMHOF DAM - SANDVELD

The Pro Mania Masters final was a tough one.  With the Top 11 anglers competing against each other.  The morning I draw peg 11 - not really an outside peg as the Seniors division started just next to me.

The previous day my friend Gert Strydom fished on the same peg and had a really tough day.  But I had to get my mind right and fish the peg to my best abilities.

Then we also started at 07H30 due to water hyacinths all over the dam.  With that it also put a doubt in my mind regarding my distances.  As the 100m I planned was difficult to achieve due to the water hyacinths.  I changed my strategy and started fishing at 60m and 75m.  That was actually two great distances for the day.  So - the mornings late start with the hyacinths help me to get my distances right.

I finished 2nd overall for the day.

Many thanks to my sponsor - PURE FISHING for all my tackle.  It was really a privilege presenting PURE FISHING in the final.

The tackle I used from PURE FISHING was as follows :
1) Rods - Slingshots 10ft
2) Reels - FS4000
3) Trilene - 9pd line
4) Trilene - 20pd Leader line
5) Trilene - 7pd hook lines.

2017 WITH PURE FISHING AS MY SPONSOR

To all my fishing friends out there.

I decided to start a BLOG to capture all my memories for 2017 and the coming years.   I also decided to keep this in English as there are a lot of people outside South Africa that are also reading the BLOGS.

I will capture all my competitions that I will fish with PURE FISHING as my official sponsor for the 5 year in a row.  Many thanks to PURE FISHING for an awesome sponsorship.

I will upload all the different tackle that we use from PURE FISHING as well.

I really hope that the BLOG will be successful in the coming years.

Greetings

Markus Swart