Anglers flock to Siyaxhasana Bivane Bass Challenge

THE 13th edition of the Siyaxhasana Bivane Bass Challenge was hosted by Vryheid Luremasters at the magnificent Bivane Dam on the weekend of May 20 and 21.

Bass anglers travelled from all over the country to participate in this prestigious event, including a number of Protea anglers.

Friday saw the anglers arriving, registering and getting settled for the weekend’s exciting event. On completion of the skippers briefing, Friday night saw the participants and their families being treated to Vryheid’s warm hospitality which included the customary, complimentary sheep on the spit and some refreshments. This was the opportunity for old and new friends to socialize and share their fisherman’s tales.

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At the crack of dawn on Saturday morning the boats were launched and the participants prepared for the much anticipated start. Spirits were high and anglers were optimistic about taking advantage of the early morning bite. The bass, however, had ulterior motives and the anglers had to work extra hard for their catches. At the end of Day 1 only two anglers managed to reach their bag limit.

Saturday saw Shane Estrane in the lead with a bass of 1.575kg. Leaders with the heaviest bag was team Venom, with Shane Estrane and John Kirk, with a bag of 6.075kg. The general consensus after Day 1 was that it was ‘tough’ but the competition was still wide open.

Before dawn on Sunday morning, the boats were back on the water, awaiting the start. The anglers were determined to catch that one elusive big bass and the R25 000 first prize. Fishing on Day 2 was also difficult but those that persisted, and found out how to entice the lock-jawed bass into a bite, were well rewarded. The winner of the biggest bass with a cash prize of R25 000 over all, was Steven Heath with a bass of 2.075kg. Second place and a R7 000 cash prize went to Neville Reis with a bass of 2.010kg.

Biggest bag overall went to team Strike King 2 (Ryan Swart and Adrian Beaumont) with a cash prize of R5 000 and a bag weight of 7.855kg. The second biggest bag overall and a cash prize of R2000 went to team Venom (Shane Estrane and John Kirk) with a bag of 7.165kg. Lucky draw prizes were won and additional prizes were allocated to anglers up to tenth place.

Vryheid Luremasters would like to thank their sponsors for their generous support. Without their contributions it would not be possible to host an event of this calibre. A special word of thanks to Wayne Bissett, the Luremasters Committee and those that went the extra mile to make the 13th Siyaxhasana Bivane Bass Challenge a highlight of the bass fishing calendar.