Thread: bass fishing at Mkombo (Renosterkopdam)

Another dam where i like to fish is Mkombo or Renosterkopdam.This dam used to be in the old Kangwane homeland trust area way back when the homelands were still in use.
Personally in my opinion that dam must hold huge bass,only snagg it is a massive piece of water,its like looking for a needle in a haystack !
The dam got all the perfect structures and it is touch wood still unpolluted.Although Rhenosterkop is a bit out in the boendoes its a dam without crocs or hippos.I've been fishing there for bloukurper in the summer for the last 15 years.
My plan is to make a trip to the dam in Sept. with my small inflatable to see if i cant catch a descent size bass or two there.
Most visitors to that dam are carp,kurper and barbel anglers so i haven't got info on the amount and sizes of bass caught in Mkombodam.

Howzit sarel
We always used to fish there for kurper,but the last kurper season has seen alot of keeper sized bass on earthworm

Welcome to the site sarel, i'm sure you will have fun here.

Where is this dam?

Google Earth 25 07 23 18 S, 28 51 14 83 E

Sounds like a nice outing, I would be keen to go there again.

I am just a bit worried about security, the last time I went there our car got broken into and they basically left us the steering and the seats. I know of other incidents as well. Do you usually go in a group or alone ?

I agree that it is still one of the cleaner unpolluted venues, the dam also holds makriel and huge barbel, my brother caught one of 21 kg on one of our previous trips.

There are locals who will act as car guards for a fee. I am also keen on a trip to Rhenosterkop.

Rob is there a slipway? Maybe we should go as a group

There is a concrete boat ramp. The dam is very big and is home to a healthy population of BIG blue kurper.

Rhenosrerkop or Mkombodam is about 2 hours north-east of Pretoria on the Moloto road that takes you past Roodeplaatdam etc.You head in the direction of Groblersdal but take a left turn at a township Kwamaslangu (Spelling !!) That is correct that local gyus from the townships watch your belongings at a price.
The theft that took place is when visitors that dont know the setup parks anywhere without a guard.
I usually goes past the official gate near a little plaasskooltjie where there is a dirt road leading to the dams most northern side where i dont need a slipway for my small rubberduckie.
I caught my P.B. bluekurper there in March this year as well as a bag limit of 20 other guge bluekurpers.
When i go there alone to camp you must really be catfoot and have your firearm close to your cussion because the place is more suitable for a group of people than a lone crusader.
In hindsight i think i was stupid to camp there alone but a man feels safe with your .357 next to you at night !
I experienced a helluva storm there in April this year where my small tent was ripped in pieces and my gazebo got smashed in the bushes by a nasty wind! I saw waves on the dam that day that will give Shaun Thomson gooseflesh !
Still i have a liking in that dam maybe because it is so remote,so huge and so full of potential . There you can jump of your boat in the middle of the dam to cool off on a warm summers day without worries about crocs or cowboys skiing over you.
So next time you visit Rhenosterkop and you see a lone crusader minding his own bussiness in a piepklein verdrinkskippie duckie,the chances is good that it will be me because old fisherman never dies,they just fade away !
P.S Not till the spring is here,i don't like the cold nights anymore.
Tight lines.

Me again
The watercapacity of Renosterkopdam is 40 million cub.metres and that is a lot of water.This dam is bigger than Hartebeestpoortdam but fairly unknown because it was hidden for years in the former homelands.
Anyway everytime i talk about this dam i get bokkoors (VISKOORS) because that dam has never let me down or dissappoint me.
My next goal is to go and look for the bass hidden between all the summerged trees,and there are plenty of them(trees)

I must just mention that the dirt road that i use to the dam past the farmschool goes through the nature reserve or what is left of the reserve.
The said reserve's fences are cut on several places by the local tribesmen in order for their cattle to utelize the grazing in the reserve ! (ONLY IN AFRICA)
There are huge beds of watergrass amongst the trees and my gutfeeling tells me there must be bass.
Of all the years that i fished Renosterkop i think i've seen 10 serious bass fishermen with trawling motors cruising the dam .
Maybe we must organize a camping weekend in Sept.I prefer to camp on the northern side because the locals dont bother you so much there.
At the wall at the main gate there's too many ''carguards" that irks me off.
These beeswagters looking after their cattle in the reserve are not to be trusted,i lost a expensive rod and reel because of my own carelessness.
I think the floating tube anglers must explore that dam sooner than later.