After getting all our permits etc. in order we launched the boat at about 08h30, it was a hot day of around 38 deg. C and very humid, there was a light NE wind and the water surface temperature averaged around 29.5 deg. C. The Kosi Lake system was looking good with the water levels where they should be, and the water was crystal clear.
We started in lake 3 and within 5 minutes we got bitten off by something big and then decided to use light steel traces. We were not even on the water for 20 minutes when we got the 2nd strike and after a very intensive 15 minute fight and several runs we landed a huge Springer (Lady Fish, 10 Pounder), the chap fighting the fish got tired after around 10 minutes when the deep burn set in and we had to really motivate him to keep on the pressure and get his fish to the boat, but in the end it was worth it and he was rewarded with the biggest fish he had ever caught in his life. The Springer was successfully released after posing for a photograph.
These fish really fight hard and on light tackle are an awesome game fish to hunt.
We then left Lake 3 and went through the channel to Lake 2, the channels kept us occupied for some time as they are narrow and you get a very close encounter with all the birdlife that lives around the area and they are teaming with small fish which you can see clearly in the crystal clear water. Many people rush through the channels, and I strongly recommend that one takes their time to enjoy the show that nature has to offer.
Lake 2 has such clear water that you can see the bottom clearly even in the deep water, there are a few hippo's around here and there are some super places where on can stop the boat to take a swim or even have a picnic on the side. In this lake our first fish was a smaller Sea Pike (Pick Handle Barracuda) which still gave a good account for himself but ended up being our smallest fish for the trip. A little later on we hooked up into a large Sea Pike of over 1m long and he really gave the angler fighting him an adrenalin rush, especially once close to the boat where he gave a good run and then darting backwards and forwards around the boat in his desperate attempt to escape his fate. Both these fish were also safely released back into the water once we had taken our photos.
We then headed back through the channels and back to the launch site to go home for the night having caught 2 of our 3 target species, and were pleased with our catches for the day.
It was very hot and humid that night and we got to bed early for an early start the next morning, I struggled to sleep as I became a meal for the local mosquito's as I had forgotten my insect repellent at home.
