If you missed the first half of Tudor’s interview, read it here.
What do you consider your home water and what about it keeps you coming back time after time?
Probably the streams of the Western Cape, like the Holsloot, the Smalblaar and the Elandspad. They are about an hour from where I live. The water is the colour of a whisky and soda, the fish are ridiculously pretty and a day spent fishing the runs and pocket water of these streams for rainbows tuned in to your dry flies, is salve for the soul. That said, I also like fishing on the Berg river in the industrial area of a nearby town called Paarl. If you can handle the pollution and some bad smells, the big, spooky carp of the Berg will give you all the practice you need for that “one day” permit trip.
From reading The Mission over the past several years, it’s clear you guys love to travel; what’s been the wildest / craziest / most unexpected adventure trip you’ve taken?
The Bokong River, as mentioned above was pretty crazy. Donkey trekking deep into the mountains, past tiny villages and through fields of (Lesotho Bull (weed), winding our way further and further towards Mordor (the source of the river so named by the Tourette Fishing guides because it looks so dark and foreboding). When you’re up there, targeting incredible fish, with lightning and thunder cracking right over your heads, it feels completely otherworldly. Definitely recommend that if the routine and monotony of home is getting too much.
Another one would be targeting giant tarpon off the beach in Gabon. Surrounded by incredible rainforest, with the very real chance of encountering an elephant or other wild animals on the beach, there are few places in the world that offer such a combo of incredible fishing and wildlife. It’s physically demanding, but so rewarding if you get it right. Conrad is one of the few people to land a tarpon on fly off the beach there.
What destinations are on the list for you guys in the next year or more?
Now that we have been around for over a year, we’re getting taken a lot more seriously and the invites are coming in. Due to the usual restrictions of time and money, we can’t go everywhere, but we are always hatching plans whether to DIY destinations or to accept an invite with a specific bunch.
As a wishlist, for a proper saltwater bonanza the Seychelles, somewhere like Cosmoledo, Alphonse, Astove, Poivre, or Providence is high on the list, as is Tanzania for huge tigerfish. That’s a big one for me. I lived in Tanzania and shortly after I left to move back to South Africa, the guy I used to live with was instrumental in opening up the tigerfish scene in the Selous Reserve. The timing was cruel and I have always wanted to get back there.
Bolivia for Dorado really appeals too – they seem like a sort of tigerfish cousin. Triggers in Sudan, Nile Perch in Central Africa, permit in Oman, Redfish in the US, salmon in Norway or Russia, trout in Kamchatka, Taimen in Mongolia, Barramundi and Murray Cod in Oz, Jungle bass in Papua New Guinea, Mahseer in India, the Rio Grande for sea-run browns – the list is long and ever-expanding. Apologies if you were hoping for a few specific places…
You’ve had a chance to fish around the world; if you could head anywhere outside of South Africa to fish today (with costs, travel, etc NOT an issue) where would that be?
Cosmoledo. Perhaps it’s the name which makes me think of the Cosmos and some otherworldy experience, or it could be that fact that it’s the GT Capital of the World (plus milkies, triggers, bones, permit, snapper and pretty much everything else). Whatever the case, in my Russian oligarch dreams, it’s always appealed.
If you could encourage fly fishers to do just one thing in terms of stewardship this next year, what would that be?
If you are going to practice C&R (and I hope, for the most part that you do), spend some time getting it right. If you can, keep the fight short, keep the photo session even shorter, revive the fish properly and ensure it swims off strong.
Thanks again Tudor, and as noted yesterday all images via The Mission.
