From Unknown Waters to Unforgettable Catches at Clover Hill Estate, Bronkhorstspruit Dam
Barney Venter
Tiffany Pretorius and I packed our gear and headed out to Clover Hill Estate at Bronkhorstspruit Dam.
The place is private, so just getting the chance to fish there already felt like a privilege. I’d heard stories about Bronkies, but this was my very first time casting a line into its waters.
Even though Clover Hill isn’t open to everyone, there are plenty of other great spots around the dam for anglers to explore—places like Bronkies Angling and Nature Reserve, Bajadam Resort, and Bronkies Nature Reserve.
I honestly had no idea what to expect—what baits would work, what distance to fish, nothing. That uncertainty made it even more exciting.
We started off by working some Cypri Liquid Carp Food Feed Booster into our feed. The air had a bite to it, the wind picking up across the dam, but that never stopped us before. In fact, it made the challenge more thrilling.
I set up two rods with completely different approaches.
On one, I rigged a Vampire floatie, tipped it with earthworms, and dipped everything in Chicken Blood Boldip with a splash of XXX Boldip on the bol.
On the other rod, I went sweeter—Twinkie floatie with Banana X Boldip on the bol.
The waiting game began, as it always does, but the dam didn’t keep us waiting too long.
The very first fish of the day came when I rigged up with a Twinkie Floatie, boosted by Banana X on the mealiebomb. I’ll never forget that moment—the line twitched, then pulled steady, and suddenly I was locked into my first battle on Bronkhorstspruit Dam. That combination did the trick, and just like that, the fishing had officially begun.
The next unforgettable moment came when Tiffany hooked into a real powerhouse. With a Vampire Floatie on the hook, an earthworm for that natural edge, and her combo of Chicken Blood Boldip and XXX Boldip, she landed a stunning 6.3kg carp. Watching her bring that beauty to the net was a highlight of the trip—pure excitement and a memory that’ll stick with us for a long time.
Late that afternoon, it was finally my turn for a stunner—I landed a solid 6.77 kg carp on a Vampire Red Floatie, backed with Garlic Chooby and finished off with Yellow Navigator Spray on the mealiebomb.
One run led to another, and before I knew it, both Tiffany and I had broken our personal bests. That feeling—the fight, the net sliding under a fish bigger than anything you’ve ever landed before—there’s nothing like it.
It was time for the second fish, taken on a Vampire Floatie with earthworms, boosted by a Chicken Blood Boldip and XXX Boldip combo. Another solid carp on the bank!
Just before packing up, I landed another solid carp of 6.145 kg on a Vampire Floatie with earthworms, backed by Chicken Blood and XXX on the mealiebomb.
This combo really proved itself as a winner for targeting the bigger carp.
What started as an uncertain first trip turned into a memory I’ll carry with me for a long time.
Bronkies surprised us, tested us, and rewarded us in the best possible way.
