The South African yellowfish has gained a following among fly fishing enthusiasts. Larger and stronger than trout, these river swimmers put up a fight that rivals the North American smallmouth bass. Korrie Broos, writing on the website, Global Fly Fishing, describes the yellowfish.
“The name derives from their color, which varies, from a silver sheen with just the slightest touch of gold in their iridescent scales to the rich yellow-golden color of butter. A variety of species are found in river systems across the Southern Africa, seven of them in South Africa.”
According to Broos, the ancient San people sought yellowfish in the Orange River as long as four thousand years ago. British colonizers found yellowfish when they arrived in South Africa in the nineteenth century. Subsequently, trout were introduced into South African rivers, and became the usual species targeted by fly anglers. Since the 1980s, the yellowfish has enjoyed growing popularity among fly fishermen.
Yellowfish Behavior
Two varieties of yellowfish, the largemouth and smallmouth, inhabit South African rivers. Both varieties spawn repeatedly in gravel beds under riffles, and both feed primarily on benthic organisms when young, including smaller fish in their diets as they grow larger. The smallmouth yellowfish averages between two and six pounds, but can grow to exceed ten pounds. The largemouth variety can grow to as large as 20 pounds or more.
The two varieties inhabit slightly different riverine zones. According to The Diversity of Fishes, (Helfman, Collette, and Facey; 1997) the grayling zone is “deeper, less steep, with alternating riffles and pools, relatively strong currents, less rocky, more gravelly bottom, cool, slightly less oxygenated, with salmonids and rheophilic (current-loving) minnows in the pools.” This is smallmouth yellowfish territory. Smallmouth bass, which have been introduced into South African waters as sport fish, also inhabit this zone.
Helfman, Collette, and Facey describe the barbel zone as “riverine conditions of moderate gradient and current, greater depth, alternating rapids and runs (quieter flowing water), fluctuating temperatures.” This habitat is more likely the home of largemouth yellowfish, as well as larger bass.
Both smallmouth and largemouth yellowfish feed primarily on insects they dislodge from the rocky or gravelly river beds. The fish will nudge rocks over with their snouts and feed on the macroinvertabrates they uncover. Broos describes the scene, where yellowfish take turns dislodging the rocks while others wait downstream for the free-floating food to reach them.
Yellowfish Tackle and Flies
Five- to seven-foot fly rods with sinking lines are recommended tackle. Tippets of greater strength than those used for trout fishing are a necessity with large, strong yellowfish. At least 4X is typically used. Broos advises anglers to use tippets of six to eight pounds, so that they can fight the yellowfish hard and land them more quickly, reducing stress on the fish. Catfish Joe Fishing Adventures has a YouTube video that beautifully illustrates the kind of fight an angler can expect after hooking into a big yellowfish.
Flies that imitate nymphs and larvae are popular choices for yellowfish, which usually forage on or near the river bottom. However, when a hatch is in progress, yellowfish will take emergers and even surface flies. Bigger yellowfish will also take bass streamers.
South Africa offers some amazing fly fishing experiences. Anglers can target fishes such as trout and smallmouth bass, both species that were imported from outside the region and introduced, or they can go for big, golden yellowfish, which have inhabited South African river waters for thousands of years. Either way, they are likely to enjoy some outstanding fly fishing experiences.
Brenda Layman - I grew up in eastern Kentucky in a family that hunted, fished, hiked, and camped regularly. Although I moved to Ohio to become a teacher ...
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