Fishing competition at Umbilo Dam
Local Springs brothers make it their mission to promote Umbilo Dam.
Brothers Nic and Willem Rademeyer organised a casting clinic and an overnight angling competition, which took place on Saturday, at the Umbilo Dam in Aston Lake.
Both were open to the public, with the goal being to promote the dam and draw locals to experience the fishing and camping spot.
Willem says he has been visiting the dam twice a month since he moved to Springs in 2005, and has had nothing but good experiences.
“This dam is like a jewel to me,” says Rademeyer.
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He adds that there is a stigma that the dam doesn’t have fish but, in addition to being stocked with hundreds of fish a few years ago, after the dam was refilled, locals add fish regularly too.
“When I go to the Vaal I usually bring 10 to 15 fish back with me and add them to the dam,” he says.
Gerhard Pauls, from Pretoria, won first place in the competition, with a 3.59kg common carp.
The competition started at 3pm on Saturday and the final weight-in was at 11am on Sunday.
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Registration money was divided and awarded as prize money, and Springs resident Stefan Venter won a Johnny Walker gift pack in the lucky draw.
