Klaserie Dam

by Eugene | Feb 19, 2018 | Public Venues, Venues

By Eugene Kruger & Waldo Prinsloo

Klaserie Dam (Not to be mistaken for Klaserie Caravan Park) also known as Jan Wassenaar Dam is certainly one my favourite places on earth and Im sure it is for most anglers that have fished its waters. It sits at the foot of the beautiful Blydepoort Canyon which is one of the most iconic spots in South Africa. The Dam is situated inside the Greater Kruger Park surrounded by Private reserves where Lions and other wildlife are in abundance. Its not only the outer beauty that got me but the inner beauty as well – meaning the Carp that swim its waters. This Dam held the SA Record Carp for a number of years and is well known for its European looking Giant Mirror Carp of up to 25kg that reside there.

THE DAM

The Dam itself is quite big (not massive) but id say about the size of 5 Rugby Fields. It has an river inlet system fed by the Klaserie River which flows from the Blyderiver Canyon and has what almost looks like an Island where you camp and fish from. This is really great for Specimen Anglers because of the way each swim faces outward towards the margins. There are a number of swims on the island, all of which have names and has nice build in Braai areas and green grass all over. There are also 4 little chalets that can be booked in advance. These are great if you like to take the wife and kids along for the session. In the summer months it can get busy with Boats and Water sports which make dropping lines a bit difficult in the day time but in Winter its is relatively quiet. The Dam can also be fished from the River inlet side which used to be called Bush Camp . This Camp can only be booked and accessed through the Klaserie Caravan Park. (not sure if this spot still exists)

STRATEGY

When fishing Klaserie Dam it is very important to find the fish before you start fishing especially when targeting the bigger fish in the dam. Many Anglers neglect this step and look for the most comfy swim to set up. Doing this might mean you wait a bit longer for that bite.

BAIT

Klaserie Dam is in many anglers’ opinion a particles only dam – Simply because of the large number of Barbel in the dam. Some have caught nice fish on boilies but most successes come from quality particle mixes consisting of mostly tigernuts (chopped Tigers are a winner) and Hemp. Feeding too much Maize can also attract some Barbel. Having a good Tigernut hookbait – 2 or 3 Plain Tigers on a simple Hair rig can be deadly! Feed a few hand fulls around your hookbait dropped in around 5m depth on a hard spot and that should do it.

Make no mistake – Klaserie is by no means an easy dam to fish. It takes a few trips and even a few blanks before you understand the dam and the tactics to target the big Mirrors in the dam. Some anglers strike it lucky and smash a PB on the first trip. Others spend years in search of that magical Golden Mirror but in the end, once that fish slips in the net it makes the years a searching so worth it. When you visit this amazing dam there are a few small things to remember – make sure you relax and enjoy the views – make sure you have complete confidence in your hookbaits, rigs and your drops – and make sure the camera is at hand to capture the incredible sunsets and sunrises and of course the beautiful Golden Carp!