Bass Fishing Magazine in South Africa

December 2024

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“3.23kg, Mark van Breda, Rhenosterkop Dam, MP”
Image: Mark van Breda

FEATURES
. Surveying transitional shorelines
If we took some time to study the ground composition and the materials that make up our shorelines, we might uncover more answers to where those bass can be found.

. How best to tackle any bluff
Bluffs aren’t available in every body of water, so when you spot one, it’s essential to know how to fish it effectively.

. Die Heldesaal – Berkley Bedell
Die man wat verkies het om eerder in die agtergrond te bly is in 2018 by Wonders of Wildlife Nasionale Museum en Akwarium in Springfield tot die Baarshengel Heldesaal ingelyf.

. Electronics for South African bass fishing
How to avoid the ’All the Gear and No Idea' pitfall

. Crash course in bass fishing
Selecting the right lure for bass fishing can greatly increase your chances of success.

. MLF Toyota Series Championship 2024
This year there were 204 boats of which 31 international champion anglers from seven countries competed on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama. One boater and two co-anglers from the International Division made the top 25 cut on Championship Saturday.

. MLF China International Lure Culture Week
The fishing conditions varied greatly from day to day, making it crucial to adjust my techniques and strategies on the fly.

. MLF announces forward facing sonar rules for 2025
New MLF rules embrace forward-facing and 360-degree sonar while protecting traditional tournament fishing

. B.A.S.S.'s new rules regarding forward facing sonar
This development adds an intriguing layer to the upcoming tournament season, and I’m eager to see how it unfolds on the water.

. Sundowner baarshengelkliniek
Sundowner Flyfishing Adventures het in samewerking met SA Baars tydskrif ‘n baie geslaagde en leersame baarshengelkliniek aangebied.

. Topwater bass fishing - Tips for more hook-ups and less frustration
These simple tips can drastically improve your success and make your topwater experience even more electrifying.

DESTINATION
- Twitchers Eden Guest Farm

TOURNAMENT NEWS
- MLF Toyota Series Championship 2024
- MLF China International Lure Culture Week
- MLF announces forward-facing sonar rules for 2025
- Toyota Series Schedule 2025
- B.A.S.S.'s new rules regarding forward facing sonar

READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my Houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. Towing tip & Find a Word
. Gear Up
. International Angling News
. Water levels in South Africa

September 2024

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“5.040kg, Ivan Merchan, Loskop Dam, MP”
Image:  Hannes Lindeque

FEATURES
. Master the art of catching staging bass
Increasingly warm weather and water temperatures cause fish to move out of their deeper water, winter habitat, into the shallows. The fish alter their behaviour and are thus going through a transition phase known as the “staging” period.

. How to set up a baitcasting reel
 Setting up a baitcasting reel properly is crucial for smooth casting, accurate presentations, and avoiding backlash (bird's nests).

. Find the Fish and Fish the Fish   
While you might own the best fishfinder money can buy with the perfect installation and setup, if you are not looking in the right place your time will be spent seeing absolutely nothing on your fishfinder.

. Three of South Africa’s Big Bass Dams
South Africa have some world-renowned bass fishing venues available and there is usually more than one option of accommodation options on offer.

. Dialling in on stumps and stump fields
Tree stumps are one form of cover that you won’t always find at every venue but if you do and it may even just be one, you know at some point of the day a bass or two are going to be all over it.

. Die Heldesaal - Mark Zona
Mark Zona se borrelende persoonlikheid het al menigte hengelaars na die sport van baarshengel gelok. 

. Largemouth bass fishing in the Pacific Northwest (Part-2)

The conditions in the Columbia River and Tenmile Lake, and how we fished those two fisheries were as different as day and night.

. SA Bass tydskrif reik uit
Toe Keean Eksteen ons nader vir hulp het ons besluit om tog betrokke te raak by ‘n projek wat moontlik verskeie jong mense se lewens drasties kan verander.

. Are you ready to fish with the legend, Chris Zaldain?
You can join Chris Zaldain for a weekend to remember.

TOURNAMENT NEWS
- MLF Africa Cup Challenge 2024, My experience

READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa
. Towing tip & Find a Word

November 2024

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“5.42kg, Brandon Bennett, Koster Dam, NW”
Image: Brandon Bennett

FEATURES
. Fishing in dirty water
Fishing in dirty water presents unique challenges, but it can also yield some of the best catches.

. Cranking for smallmouth bass in muddy water
There are numerous ways to fish a shallow crankbait. The most effective way I had been taught by David Swendseid to fish a shallow crankbait is to …

. Die Heldesaal – Kevin vanDam
Kevin VanDam, of beter bekend as KVD, word sekerlik gereken as een van die mees suksesvolste hengelaars ooit.

. Electronics for South African bass fishing
Why is a heading sensor and absolute must?

. What it takes to make a great bass angler
There are a good few qualities that will aid one in becoming a better bass angler overall.

The multi-rod discussion
. Knowing which rod to use and when to make the switch
A rod’s power refers simply to the strength of the actual backbone of the rod itself while a rod’s action refers to how quickly the tip of the rod bends down the length of the rod.

. Crash course in bass fishing
The best fishing knots when bass fishing

. Ons kuier saam met Chris Zaldain
Chris en Trait Zaldain was genooi om Afrika eerstehands te ervaar.

. Post-spawn bass fishing
The post-spawn, early summer, period can be a very intimidating part of the bass fishing calendar. Here are some basics I use to still put some fish in the boat.

DESTINATION
- Mangweni Privaat Natuurresevaat

TOURNAMENT NEWS
- Cast-for-Cash Tournament Results

READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my Houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. Gear Up
. International Angling News
. Water levels in South Africa

August 2024

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“3.870kg, Juan Bekker, Private Dam, Zimbabwe ”
Image:  Juan Bekker

FEATURES
. Crash course in bass fishing
Choosing the right bass fishing reel is essential for effectively presenting your bait or lure and landing bass successfully. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a bass fishing reel.

. Electronics for South African Bass Fishing - Part 2
The transition from a ‘Depth Finder’ to a ‘Fish Finder’ can be a very costly one and thus great care must be taken to make informed decisions.

. The art of dead-sticking
The slowest of all approaches where you’re likely to catch the flu quicker than anything else if you add up the amount of time you spend just standing there holding your rod and waiting for spring to hurry up.

. Surviving the chaos…
Bass fishing is awesome, piloting a high performance rig is insanely mind blowing but any of this done in a way that dampens spirits, hampers fun or questions safety, should not be done at all.

. Die Heldesaal - Gary Yamamoto
Selfs vandag nog as hengelaars ‘n Senko aan hulle hoeke sit weet hulle dat indien dit ‘n Yamamoto aas is, jou kanse soveel beter is om die vis van ‘n leeftyd te land.

. Baarshengel in die maande sonder ‘n “R”
Menigte hengelaars is onder die indruk dat baars nie in die snerpende koue wintermaande gevang kan word nie.

. Largemouth Bass Fishing in the Pacific Northwest (Part-1)

It is interesting to note that unlike largemouth bass in warmer parts of the U.S.A, bass in the Pacific Northwest are capable of spawning in water temperatures around 12°C to 15°C, as we have seen this with our own eyes.

. Improving bass commitment in a smaller strike zone
It’s not impossible but it definitely isn’t easy to be a successful bass angler in wintertime. But, when things do line up and you have paid your dues the rewards can sweet.

. The A to Z about carp fishing: Roodekopjes Dam
Roodekopjes Dam in the North West province has become renowned as one of South Africa's premier specimen carp fishing destinations

DESTINATION
- Amanzi Privaat Wildreservaat

READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
INDUSTRY NEWS
- Suzuki Marine’s New Stealth Line™ Outboards

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa
. Towing tip & Find a Word

October 2024

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“3.12kg, Imaan Patel, Klipdrift Dam, GP”
Image: Yaseen Patel

FEATURES
. Migration routes explained
Migration routes don’t have to run from deep to shallow, let me explain…

. Sight fishing for bass
Sight fishing in clear water is a favourite tactic when they are still on the beds

. Die Heldesaal – Rick Clunn
Met meer as 500 toernooie en ‘n 100 top tien posisies is dit nie ‘n wonder dat Rick Clunn as die beste swarthengelaar van alle tye aangewys is nie.

. Getting the best out of the thick of it
Whether we are tackling the heavy, thick stuff from land or craft either way we must accept that sometimes to get the best results we will have to just perceive and get stuck in there.

. Revealed underwater cover
I cannot count the number of times I have been bass fishing over the years when I’ve thought to myself if only I could clearly see exactly what is going on under the water.

. Birth of the Ultimate Fishing Chart - UltraHF Mosaic
While FFS is the number one technology for finding suspended fish, it is nowhere near as good as sidescan for identifying cover and structure. 

.Cranking for smallmouth bass in muddy water

We went back to Arlington where we fished for smallmouth bass that have started their annual migration from deep to shallow water.

. How to choose bass fishing line
Choosing the right fishing line is crucial for bass fishing success, as it directly affects your ability to detect bites, cast accurately, and land fish efficiently.

. Die broeiseisoen is verby. Wat nou?
Die na-broeiseisoen kan beslis ‘n kopkrapseisoen wees omrede swartbaars reeds wegbeweeg het uit die areas waar hulle die vorige week nog was.

. The A to Z about carp fishing
How to become a better angler.

DESTINATION
- Casa Riparia

TOURNAMENT NEWS
- MLF Namibia Tournament News

READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my Houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa

July 2024

SABASS Magazine is available at Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, C.N.A., Exclusive Books

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“Free State Fishing Conditions”
Image: Muhammed Kajee

FEATURES
. Crash course in bass fishing
Choosing the right bass fishing rod is crucial for success on the water. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a bass fishing rod.

. Smallmouth bass fishing in cold and muddy water
Seasonal migration patterns are driven by factors such as baitfish or forage movements, water temperature and various other factors.

. Electronics for South African Bass Fishing - Part 1
There is one golden rule that applies to any entry-level to lower mid-range fishifinder unit, regardless of how good they are... 

. Where do bass go in the wintertime?
Winter is a weird and funny time of the year for me personally when it comes to tracking down bass that seemed so easy to find in the warmer months.

. The initial drop - A fall rate discussion
Bass anglers have more than a few options from which they can gauge underwater results to formulate a plan of attack, no matter the venue or conditions but still the actual mind of a bass remains an incomplete, unsolvable mystery.

. Die Heldesaal - Ray Scott (1933-2022)
Hy was ‘n man wat beslis nie klein gedroom het nie, die PT Barnum van die baarshengelbedryf, die man wat nie net lugkastele gebou het nie, maar hulle laat waar word het. Hy was Ray Scott!

. Die A tot Z van karphengel: Winterhengel in die Vaaldam
Ons eerste oewerhengelartikel in hierdie reeks skop af met ‘n dag wat ek nie sommer sal vergeet nie.

. Quick winter bites
Just because your favourite spot was unproductive in the morning doesn’t mean it’ll be the same in the afternoon. Here are some fishing tips…

DESTINATION
- Ohana Fishermen Cabins


READERS COMPETITION
- Win a FishTec HD Fishing Chart valued at up to R4,000.oo!
 
INDUSTRY NEWS
- “Game Changer” Plug-and-play trolling motor rigging system

TOURNAMENT NEWS
- Cast-for-Cash Championship 2024

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Crash course in bass fishing
. Op my houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa
. Towing tip & Find a Word