Winter weather holds - but trout still playing hard to get

THE weather may look calm and settled, but winter trout fishing is still in first gear.

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On the surface, it seems like we’ve slipped into a stable winter pattern—but beneath that cool exterior, the pressure systems are throwing a wild party.

Barometric readings have been on a rollercoaster ride, swinging by 10 bar or more daily. Just last week, the barometer nosedived over 25 bar to hit 1006, then rocketed back up 20 bar within 24 hours as a powerful front tore across the country.

The Midlands got just a sprinkle of rain—barely enough to settle the dust—while the high Berg saw a light snowfall.

And guess what? The forecast says there’s another cold front on the horizon. We might be past the Winter Solstice and technically heading toward summer, but winter clearly isn’t done flexing just yet!

Trout Are There... But Playing Coy

Reports are rolling in from Natal Fly Fishers Club stillwater anglers, and while plenty of people were out on the water, the fish didn’t exactly match that enthusiasm. As always, some anglers cracked the code better than others.

The good news? The size of the fish has stepped up a notch—most of the returns featured solid trout in the 15-21 inch (38-53 cm) range.