Bell Blog 2/12/2011 by Tony Kietzman

I’m sure he should be called Mister Byrne, he’s a retired medical specialist and academic. As an elderly gentleman he certainly made me look inept with his fitness and agility. (He informed me that he climbs Table Mountain twice every week) Rains arrived the day before and looking at the Bell revealed muddy water. The Kraai would also be out of commission so we decided to head up the Bokspruit in search of clear water. The bridge stop at Cleft Hill showed the water to be coloured but never the less fishable. The weight lifted from my shoulders as we moved up the Bok and found clearer water as we went. Eventually we stopped at Brucedell. The water was clear and flowing and dead drifts were obtainable. The upper pools failed to deliver a fish and I assume that this is because the waters had only recently risen and the fish were still holed up in the deeper pools. No doubt they are re-colonising the shallower runs, riffles and pools as you read this.

We moved downstream to Bothwell. Alternating between rods, one with a dry fly and the other with a nymph, Mr Byrne was able to take a few trout mostly in the 10-12” range.

We later moved down to Birnam where more trout Came to hand, moistly taklen on nymph.

The trip back revealed a muddy Bok at Cleft Hill; a plug of mud must have washed through the system from the Rifle spruit.