28 The Bass Angler May 2013

LETSIBOGODAM-“The El Salto of southern Africa” - Selebi Phikwe, Botswana

ON LOCATION

Built on the Motloutse River as part of the Botswana Government’s North-South Water Carrier Project,Letsibogo Dam supplies water to the industrial town of Selebi-Phikwe and to the country’s capital,Gabarone, and all the villages along the pipeline’s route. It was completed and commissioned in 2000, andnow its newly-discovered black bass population is set to give it a totally new and unexpected role in thecountry’s tourist sector, namely a bass fishing venue of some considerable note.Words: Eugene Kruger & Duncan Murfin Images: Ruaan Lubbe & The Bass Angler Crew

Stocked with bass soon after its completion, it wasonly during last year that non-Botswana citizensbecame aware of the huge bass that it harbours - ithas taken all of twelve years for its bass fishing“secret” to explode onto the southern African bassfishing scene. With awe inspiring catches - such asone exceeding 8 kg - and with bass in the 2 to 4kilogram class being the norm rather than theexception, it has in a just a short space of timebecome to be regarded by some as the “El Salto” ofsouthern Africa.

Its bass fishing bounty has however been enjoyedby only a handful of enthusiastic bass anglers - bass“pioneers” if you will - with the Botswana tourismauthorities not quite knowing how best to managethis new tourist phenomenon. The BotswanaDepartment of Tourism, the Department of WaterAffairs, the Water Utilities Corporation and theDepartment of Wildlife & National Parks are allinvolved in one way or another, potentially creatinga veritable maze of bureaucracy.

The Bass Angler May 2013 29

On Location Inanda Dam

Foreign boats are (correctly andunderstandably) viewed withsuspicion as carriers of undesirableaquatic plants and diseases, outboardmotor emissions are regarded aspolluters of water destined forhuman consumption, and theauthorities are still largely ignorantof the distinction between the catchand release conservation policy ofbass anglers and the indiscriminateharvesting of fish by subsistence andcommercial fishermen. So while it isinternationally renowned for itsgame and bush related safaritourism, Botswana as yet is not reallygeared towards meeting the needs ofvisiting bass angling sports. Bassanglers need to be mobile on thewater, and this perforce means boatswith motors, something that theBotswana authorities are not quitecomfortable with - yet. ButBotswana’s attitude towards thisnew-found sector of its tourismindustry is now bound to change asmore and more bass anglers cross its

borders, in the process creating ademand for services such as beingoffered by the Phokoje Bush Lodge(see page 44) A little known factabout Letsibogo is that anexperimental population of TigerFish was introduced during 2009,and while it did show that theenvironment is suitable, insufficient

fish were stocked to create a healthy,breeding population - thankgoodness! Of special interest to alleco-conscious anglers is the fact thatthe water and wildlife at Letsibogodo not appear to be negativelyimpacted by the pollution from thecopper and nickel mine at Selebi-Phikwe, with the biggest dangerbeing drought.

Werner Lubbe(Above) and DerickLabuschagne(Left) showing off the 2,5-3kg classbass that are not the exception but rather the normat Letsibogo.

Boat regulations are extremely strict in Botswana and that means launching small craft with trolling motorsis the only way to go at Letsibogo.

30 The Bass Angler May 2013

On Location

LOCATION AND CLIMATEThe dam is located some 17km fromSelebi-Phikwe near the village ofMmadinare. The climate is warmand semi-arid, with 90% of its annualrainfall of about 450mm in itscatchment occuring betweenNovember to March. In August last year it was only 30%full, with the water clarity quiteclear, and it was in this period, withthe fish concentrated in the smallerbody of water, that those magnificentcatches were made. Since then, with

good rains in the early and mid-summer, the dam has filled to fullpool, in the process however alsobecoming totally clouded by finesand particles, giving it theappearance of milky tea and zerovisibility. This situation hasnegatively affected catch rates.Although primarily designed forwater storage, the dam’s touristpotential has been recognised - in2011 the government announcedplans to upgrade the infrastructurearound the dam including roads,

sewage and drinking water, and tocreate an artificial beach on itsnorthern shore, while the localgovernment was planning to build a5-star eco-lodge and a game reserve.Nothing however has as yet come ofthese plans.

HOW TO GET THERE The first step is to travel to the townof Selebi-Phikwe and book into thePhokoje Bush Lodge. From there it isabout 17km, 13km on tar and the last4km on a bush track through theMopane and Acacia trees and scrubthat can take half an hour tonegotiate. While a 4X4 is notnecessary, vehicles must have a goodground clearance - small sedans andsports cars will not make it!It is also highly recommended to hirea guide at the Lodge to show the way,and he can double up as yoursecurity guard while out on thewater – crime is not a problem but itjust provides peace of mind. Thereare no facilities at the dam.

The basin of the dam was never cleared and whatyou see above the water is scattered below.

Pitching every nook and cranny with big worms andweightless plastics on one of the many islands willproduce not only numbers but some of the biggestbass you will tangle with.

The Bass Angler May 2013 31

THE FISHINGHaving gained widespread acclaimin just a few years Letsibogo hasbecome somewhat of a fairytalevenue with stories of catches thatsound too far-fetched to be true,namely of Largemouth fightingharder than Smallies! That is only asmall part of the allure of thisuntamed bass paradise, as the majordraw card is that on any cast youhave a chance of not only breakingyour PB, but indeed even bestingMaxwell Mashandure’s 8,3kg AfricanAll Tackle record! With the sheertenacity and size of the bass on offer,there is only one way to describeLetsibogo’s bass: imagine a Pitbull onsteriods trained as an acrobatchasing a lion through the jungle!These bass are not strong, they aresomething else! On our recentexploratory trip the bassendeavoured to break the 30lb ratedsplit rings completely off oncrankbait trebles, bite off spinnerbaitblades on the hit, and if that wasn’textreme enough completely rip theleadhead on a buzzbait apart whilebreaking the hook! With a youngpopulation having already produced8kilo-plus bass, fishing at the damover the past year was extremely

Letsibogo Dam

easy, with anglers reporting 200 fishdays with so many 4kg bass thatone’s hands started bleeding.

That was not the heyday of Letsibogobut merely a stage in the yearly cycleof the dam when water levels drop toan extreme low after the winter,which concentrates both the bassand the bait. This is reversed duringNovember and December when thedam fills to full pool relativelyquickly, making the fishing muchmore difficult when the water pushesup the banks to flood the denseAcacia and Marula forests andchanges the water colour from VaalDam-“clean” to an almost rust and

chocolate mixture with less than10cm visibility. According toPhokoje Lodge MD SavvasLambrou it is a process that hasrepeated itself a few times overthe years. “But it is to the benefitof the fishery as a whole,” hepoints out. “With the water levelup over the past few years thebass and the bream havespawned like crazy,” he adds.“The dirty water makes thefishing a bit more difficult, butthe fishery has just been goingfrom strength to strength, andwho knows how good it’s goingto be this season?”With the extremely discolouredwater at present the bass havedeserted their deeper waterhaunts and pushed up onto thebank, and although this mightsound like it’s then easier tocatch them, accuratepresentations are essential andyou almost have to hit the fishon the head with a big noisybait. But getting the bites isn’tthe worry at Letsibogo, landingthe fish is the problem! As abaseline you shouldn’t bethrowing any line less than 20lbtest, and for good measure even30lb isn’t overkill. Here’s why:after a fish picks up the bait thatyou have pitched into a tree,you’ll feel the power as it swimsaway and also see the treeshaking violently as it crashesthrough and out of it, leaving atrail of broken branches floatingto the surface and your linewafting in the wind! You willmost certainly get theoppurtunity to hook into a truegiant, but landing these qualityfish is a completely differentstory.

Continued on Page 34

Moving bass away from obstructions by anymeans possible is the key to landing bass atLetsibogo.

There is only one way todescribe Letsibogo’sbass: imagine a Pitbullon steriods trained asan acrobat chasing alion through the jungle! ”Duncan Murfin

TECH SPECSGPS Coordinates: 21°50'28.98"S, 27°44'11.35"EBuild year: 1999Wall: Length: 1.56km; Length: 9,8km Fed by: Motloutse RiverCapacity: 100 000 000m3

LETSIBOGO DAM

Old Yacht Club & MainLaunch

Maximum radius covered with3 - 100ah deep cyclebatteries.

34 The Bass Angler May 2013

On Location Letsibogo Dam

BAITFISH: Prior to our recent trip we did a lot ofresearch into the baitfish of easternBotswana, including thoseindigenous to the Moloutse Riverwhich feeds Letsibogo. The generalconsensus among anglers is that“blue bream” are the predominantforage. After lengthy consultationwith renowned tigerfish guideGareth Coombes, Senior WriterTyron Mortimer identifiedOreochromis niloticus, or “Nilos” asthey are commonly referred to, asthe dominant baitfish in Letsibogo.The Nilo does resemble our BlueKurper but it is far more voraciousand hardy. Their growth propensityhas also been a contributing factor tothe growth rates of the bass atLetsibogo as they provide larger preyofferings. Another point of interest isthe presence of shell beds and largefreshwater mussels that hold bassaround them.

COVER AND STRUCTURE: It doesn’t take more than arriving atthe launch site to realise thatstructure and cover as it is defined inall bass fishing textbooks abounds at

Lestibogo. Built in a valley whichsurrounded the water course of theMotloutse River, the landscapesurrounding the dam is in starkcontrast to the flat terrain you willencounter on your way to the dam,with steep valleys and what hasbecome a trademark in photos of thedam the long ridgeline which lookslike isolated koppies stretchingacross the dam wall and surroundingbays. Mention standing timber and itwon’t be more than 10m from thelaunch where you will discover vastareas of flooded bushveld mixedbetween large boulders with chunkrock everywhere. When scanningthe bottom with a downscan orsidescan unit you will instantlynotice that when the dam is at fullpool you are fishing above asubmerged forest that runs anywherefrom 2ft all the way to 60ft-plus, withdeep trenches, drainage ditches andplenty of rock mixed in. During midspring with receding water levelsisolated patches of tules, chicambaweed and broadleaf pondweed domake an appearance and bass willgravitate to them accordingly.

SPECIAL WARNING: When fishing thisdense cover and structure take a lotof terminal tackle as you areguaranteed to get stuck at somepoint.

BAIT SELECTION:The general rule of thumb accordingto local anglers is the bigger thebetter and with the bass showing aclear prefference to darker, bulkierprofiled baits in the dirty water. Onour recent trip we found dark 5”swimbaits, 6 & 7” Soft plasticjerkbaits, 7” stickbaits and big 10”worms & grubs and big profiledcreature baits to be effective on theplastic side. As for hardbaits, singleand double bladed buzzbaits, blackspinnerbaits with large single blackblades and shallow running squarebilled crankbaits in black andchartreuse worked best.

IMPORTANT STUFF: All man made reservoirs in Botswanahave a strict “no outboard motor”policy due to all dams being utilisedfor drinking water. This legislationmeans the only way to get around ona boat at Letsibogo is to utilise anelectric trolling motor, which vastlydecreases the fishable waters eventhough the dam only measures 10kmin length. Another factor whichhinders long distance runs is thewind which blows incessantly formost parts of the year, making anytrip to the river section extremelybattery intensive and if you do wishto make the journey to take atleast 5batteries onboard.

Bass Breakfast: Niloticus ususally display vibrantcolouration but become extreme pale in Letsibogo’sdirty water conditions. It is important to note theblue hue to the fins which will help in selecting hardbait colours at the dam.

A typical key area to target - where submerged rock and timber converge. Note the water colour.

The Bass Angler May 2013 35

36 The Bass Angler May 201336 The Bass Angler May 2013

Letsibogo Adventure

Mention the name“Botswana” to any tourist and itconjures up scenes of waving papyrus ferns withmaybe a lechwe on the banks of the Okavango,or elephants grazing in the Tuli Block, or touristsin boutique khaki driving around in game viewingvehicles. For those that like to fish it could be ascene of a Tiger Fish smashing a spoon or aCatfish slurping away on the annual Catfish Run.Words: Eugene Kruger & Duncan MurfinImages: Ruaan Lubbe & The Bass Angler Crew

But Botswana most definitely does not conjure up scenes of bassleaping out of the water or bass anglers in boats firing cast aftercast in search of big, trophy-size bass!That is quite possibly about to change in the very near future,because right now, at Letsibogo Dam in the eastern region ofBotswana, there is a bass fanatic casting a big crank towards oneof the many trees that abound in its shallower areas, or a largeplastic onto huge boulders that make up the islands in the dam.Until just very recently bass fishing as a recognised recreationalactivity was unheard of in Botswana - for foreigners, that is. Localinterests (read: “bass anglers”) had taken full cognizance of theconstruction of a dam in the Motloutse River as part of theBotswana Government’s North-South Water Carrier Project toprovide water to nearby Selebi-Phikwe and the country’s capitalGabarone.

LETSIBOGOOF

GOLDEN BASS

The Bass Angler May 2013 37

Golden Bass of Letsibogo

GETTING INTO BOTSWANAA Valid Passport:

As from 1 April 2013 Emergency passportsare no longer accepted in Botswana unlessprior arrangements have been made.

Original Vehicle Registration Papers: (Persons whose vehicles are still beingfinanced by the bank will not have originalvehicle registration papers. They wouldtherefore use the vehicle license papers(where the renewal disk is cut out yearly).

Vehicle Licence Papers: Must be accompanied with a letter from thebank giving you authorisation to take thevehicle across the border, and must indicatedates. Both to be signed by a Commissionerof Oaths. If you aren’t the owner of thevehicle, get an affidavit from the policegiving you authorisation from the owner /financial institution to take the vehicleabroad. Also notify your insurance company.

Border Charges: Road Transport Permit - P40National Road Safety - P20 Trailer Importation - P20 Third-Party Insurance - P50 - motor vehicleinsurance.

18,000608kmSQUARE METERS OF SURFACE AREAAT LETSIBOGO WHEN AT FULL POOL.

TOTAL DISTANCE FROMJOHANNESBURG TO MMADINARE

R20,20THE DAILY COST OF A LETSIBOGO

FISHING PERMIT

8,20kgTHE LARGEST BASS REPORTED TOHAVE BEEN CAUGHT LAST YEAR

FAST FACTS:

In it they let loose a populationof bass, and left them there topropagate and grow big. Andthey kept it quiet. Until lastyear when a Botswana anglercaught a bass of more than 8kg- and the news flew around thecountry like wild fire. Then others visited the damand also caught really big bass,not another 8kg fish, but bass inthe four, five and six kilogramclasses. The forums were alivewith these catches, and at TheBass Angler offices we werereceiving increasing requestsfor information about visitingLetsibogo.

PLANNING“If you fail to plan, you plan tofail” - how true! Google Earth,e-mails and telephone callswere all put to good use, butnothing is better than apersonal visit and experience,so on Monday 25 March themagazine’s largest field team todate - seven people, set off fromour base in Kempton Park.

General manager Werner Lubbewas at the wheel of the Vito, withDuncan Murfin, DerickLabuschagne, Tyron Mortimerand Martin Engelke tasked withthe actual angling, and RuaanLubbe as the officialphotographer.

But it was not before a whole lotof preparation had been takencare of - we needed boats, and thisgave us possibly the mostdifficulty. To take a boat intoBotswana requires a boat importpermit - e-mails and telephonecalls to the Botswana Departmentof Water Affairs did raise aresponse but time was not on ourside, so thanks to Rod Bateman ofAliboats in Maun(www.aliboats.com) we didreceive them via courier just twodays prior to our departure.But wait - the boats needed to besprayed, and that could only bedone in Francistown or Gaberoneat a cost of P44 each. Okay, thatsounded easy enough.

The reason for going- a 5kg monster being released.

suitable base for operations,and e-mails and telephoneconversations with its MD,

Savvas Lambrou proved us correct -the Lodge provided superbaccommodation and service andwhatever else a bass angler needed(like a hot shower, great food anddrink and a comfortable night’ssleep!), and he himself could nothave been more helpful! Forstarters he had on his owninitiative booked his two brandnew aluminium jon boats for us,and he had succeeded in meetingwith the authorities and securedfishing permits. The trip was stillon! Tackle of course was a major issue- our mission was to catch a reallybig bass, so quality rather thanquantity was on the order list. Thismeant stout rods and reels, heavylines and of course big baits andbig hooks. Two sneaker motorswere required per boat and eachboat had to have at least threebatteries, plus of course chargersto replenish them each night. Then

38 The Bass Angler May 2013

Then came a low blow - theBotswana Government issued adecree banning all foreigners fromfishing - only citizens were allowed tofish..! Hearsay has it that some SouthAfricans had illegally put their bassboat on the dam and used theiroutboard, and when confronted bythe Water Affairs people hadmanaged to escape over the border.How they did this is difficult toimagine, but according to the storythere is now a warrant for theirarrest should they ever try and enterBotswana again. This incidentevidently gave rise to the ministerialdecree - hardly surpising!

Our investigations had shown thatthe Phokoje Bush Lodge just 7kmoutside Selebi-Phikwe and 17kmfrom the dam looked to be the most

there was each person’s personal kit,and because we reckoned that weneeded at least four boats, we tookalong the Monster Bass inflatableand the Explorer inflatable fromYamaha - and it all had to fit in ourVito (with brand new roof rack) andtrailer.

Letsibogo Adventure

BOAT IMPORTATIONImport permit: P44

All boats including inflatables require apermit to enter Botswana. For Boat ImportPermits visit www.bassanglers.co.za todownload the necessary documentation orthey can be obtained from the BotswanaDepartment of Water Affairs in Gabarone, Tel.(+267) 3607173; email:kdick@gov.bw, or inFrancistown, Tel. (+267) 2412368.

*Note that you need the originals whencrossing the border and can arrange with theLodge or your own courier company tocollect the permits and have them sent toyou.

Spraying at Department of Water Affairs: P44 ber boat– cash only!

The route to Letsibogo from Johannesburg is prettystraight forward - first on the N1 to Mokopane thenon the N11 to Grobler’s Bridge and Martin’s Driftborder posts.

The further north you travel into Botswana the more prevalent Baobab trees become - Perfectrest stops for The Bass Angler Crew.

ON THE ROADOur Monday start was not as early as we would haveliked (it never is) but the N1 was open and seeing a bloodred sun come over the horizon was as pretty a sight asone could wish for. Having passed through Mokopane(Potgietersrust) Werner Lubbe realised that he hadmissed all the “one-stops” where we supposed to havebreakfast so had to make a U-turn and backtrack to thein-city Wimpy or encounter a revolt! With the crew once again happy we approached theGrobler’s Bridge border post, with many sightings ofwarthogs in the attractive Mopane and Acacia forests. Onboth the South African and Botswana sides it was prettystraight forward and business like, although theBotswana cashier forgot to give Werner a gate pass andhe had to go back for it, but it was a minor mishap. Not so the next fifty or so kilometres - pot holes on thisstretch are really bad. Travelling speed varied from nil to50kph. We did encounter a small repair team, but a fargreater effort will be required to make the road passable.

In any event we reached Selebi-Phikwe and then PhokojeBush Lodge at around 14:00, met with Savvas Lambrou,unpacked our kit and made plans for the rest of theafternoon - Derick, Martin and I were off to Francistownto have the boats sprayed, while the rest were taken tothe dam with our guide and security guard for theduration of our stay, Bashi Mokgethi, and very good hewas too.

Our planning proved to be inaccurate however, as wearrived at the Water Affairs offices in Francistown at15:40, only to find that the cashier closed at 15:30.

Golden Bass of Letsibogo

A welcome sight - the reception area at Phokoje Bush Lodge, our operationalbase for the week.

40 The Bass Angler May 2013

Letsibogo Adventure

They were quite pleasant howeverand we arranged to be back whenthey opened once again at 07:30 onTuesday morning. So on Tuesday,after taking the rest of the crew tothe dam before dawn we were backon the road hoping to get theformalities over and done with, butwe never reckoned that Francistownwould also have an early hour officetraffic jam. The result was we onlyarrived at Water Affairs after eight,which of course impacted on the restof the day and managed to get on thewater only around midday.The rest of the crew had enjoyedmixed success, with a few fish over

2,5 – 3kg. The pattern that emergedwas fishing cranks on the shallowrock flats off the main set of islandsand pitching weightless 6” & 7”jerkbaits around trees with largespread out branches. Also casting bigplastics up shallow onto and betweenthe crevices in the boulders on theislands and letting them sink andbounce off the submerged ledges.Fishing for quality rather thanquantity can be frustrating work, asthe catch rate can easily be a roundnil! Also there were several reportsof break-offs.It’s pointless asking how many fishwere caught, because if the fish that

was caught was not over 5kg then itdidn’t count! There was nocompetition - if we wanted to catchquantity we could have gone to anydam back home..!

A feature of Letsibogo was its watercolour. At first we called it just“dirty”, or “stained”. To me howeverit looked just like a cup of very milkyrooibos tea. Visibility was zero - Ilowered a spinnerbait into it andwhile the wire was still visible theblades and skirt had disappeared..!The conditions were far removedfrom what they were last year whenthe dam was only 30% full and thewater clarity almost gin clear - thoseconditions must have made targetingbig bass far easier. Compounding theless than favourable water conditionwas a persistent easterly weatherpattern - low atmospheric pressure,solid, grey low cloud alternating witha cloudless sky during the day, abright full moon at night and a stiffeasterly wind that played havoc withboat positioning.

The aluminum jon boats built by Ali Boats inMaun(www.aliboats.com) that are available for hireat Phokoje Bush Lodge. Only electric motors areallowed on the dam.

Top Left: All foreign boats have to be sprayed toprevent infection by invasive plants.

Top: The sight that greeted the crew upon arrival.

Golden Bass of Letsibogo

The nights at the Lodge howevermade up for any discomfort the daymight have thrown up. After ashower in our chalets we had time toenjoy a sundowner (Botswana has itsown beer, St. Louis which is prettygood) - and together with theoutstanding a la carte menu it wasgreat to relax before enjoying a good

THE MONSTER OFTHE TRIPWednesday was certainly a highlightday among all the other enjoyabledays, but on this day Duncan Murfin,fishing once again with TyronMortimer with Ruaan Lubbe on boardas well, managed to hook and boatwhat is his PB and also the fish thatwe were after, namely a 5kg monsterthat smashed a black VarkenelliCustoms Super Moffat 6” jerkbaitfished on a 7’2” MH Shimano Crucialrod and Abu Garcia Revo STX 8.0:1reel loaded with 20lb test Trilene100% Fluorocarbon line.

In his own words...“After catching a couple of 2,5kg and3kg fish on the outside line of treesearly in the morning the bite dieddown. With the wind increasing inspeed Tyron and I decided to see ifwe could run a pattern on a main setof trees which surrounds one of the

islands which has alarge flat pointextending out onthe leeward side.With the whitehorses now blowingacross the entiredam the only way tofish the areasmethodically was totie up to a tree,preferably a treesurrounded withscattered brush. “While tying upTyron pointed to a

large wide-branched tree close to thebank and advised me to make a cast tothe outside edges before working theheart of the tree. Skipping the bait underan overhanging limb I had barely let thebait sink before I noticed a massive boilon the water with my line heading out ofthe tree at a rate of knots! There was noconventional bite, just a sheer amount ofspeed. When I finally managed to catchup the slack and firmly set the hook, itfelt as if I was being towed by a freighttrain, with the fish diving deep extremelyquickly and snagging into trees almostdirectly below the boat. The fish was sostrong it didn’t matter if it was gettingsnagged, as all I needed was a bit ofconstant pressure and the bass did therest, breaking branches as it went,before rolling on the surface where it wasexpertly lipped by Tyron.

“It pulled the scale to exactly 5kg andthere were more than a few celebratorycheers on the boat - truly a fish to beremembered by all on the boat!”

night’s sleep before the 04:00 call thenext morning. We met up with twoSouth African recreational bassanglers, world carp fishing championHennie du Preez of Krugersdorp andJan Vermeulen of Sasolburg. Jan hadbeen fortunate to fish Letsibogo lastyear when it was low and clear, andhad four 4kg-plus fish to his credit.

42 The Bass Angler May 2013

EugeneKruger“With its known bigfish populationLetsibogo certainlyholds great potentialas a prime bass

fishing destination in southern Africa, one thatexcites both local and foreign sports. To realiseits fullest potential however depends on thesupport of the Botswana Government toinstitute practical and affordable policystructures based on the needs of visitingangler to facilitate convenient access with fewbureaucratic restraints, and institute practicalwater and fish management protocols toprovide a sustainable bass population.” Editor-in-Chief

Werner Lubbe“Red tape, potholes, arough bush road andlaunch site, wind, inboats with onlytrolling motors, hitting

rocks and timber, and dirty water, I wondered:“Is it worth it?” – but when the first monsterbass took off on that beautiful lake and hit mybait so hard that I only realized what washappening after it wrapped me several timesaround a tree, I stood there flabbergasted, andthen I knew: “For sure it is worth it!”General Manager

DuncanMurfin“Travelling toLetsibogo Dam is notjust another trip, it’s amust add adventureto the bucket list of

anyone who has ever dreamt of tangling withnot big, but truly giant bass. When youcombine the excellent accommodation atPhokoje Bush Lodge, friendly staff and prettymuch arrive and fish ease of access you wouldbe hard pressed not to think you were fishingin one of Billy Chapman’s fishing lodges inMexico, except much closer to home. If Lake ElSalto had a rival anywhere in the worldLetsibogo Dam most definitely is it.” Sub-Editor

Thoughts onLetsibogo Dam,Botswana andPhokoje BushLodge...

Letsibogo Adventure

Hennie still had to get his but theywere fishing off a pontoon float andin the incessant wind were finding itheavy going, with little to show fortheir efforts. We shared our info withthem and just like us they alsoenjoyed the comforts of the Lodge. A point we all agreed on was thatLetsibogo does indeed have massive

potential to become a premier bassvenue and that the sooner theBotswana government takes its bassfishing tourism seriously, the better!We were treated to a typical braai onWednesday night and met with Mr.Moreri Mabote, Principal TourismOfficer in the Department of Tourismnow stationed at Selebi-Phikwe.

We certainly had a positive exchangeof ideas and it does bode well forbass fishing’s future in the country.

After the big fish on Wednesday itcertainly gave everyone renewedenergy and it was not for a want oftrying that we could not better it. Fishing under these dirty water

Clockwise, Top Left: Dusk can also be a most productive time withtopwater baits; A 2,7kg bass caught by Martin Engelke using 7’ YumDinger;

Hennie du Preez and Jan Vermeulen battling awayin the wind on a pontoon boat;

The old entrance to the dam, note the rough terrain,not recommended for light vehicles with low groundclearance.

The Bass Angler May 2013 43

TyronMortimer“A successful trip withan adventurousatmosphere, gettingto learn new damsbeyond our borders is

always exciting. The lodge and the generalhospitality were excellent. The fishing was verychallenging; personally I managed to landmany decent specimens and lost a fewwrestling matches with the Letsibogo giants.Overall a very good trip, learning new things isall a part of the game, it doesn’t matter if it ison the water fishing or meeting new peopleand learning about a different country. A trulyamazing fishery and I hope to return soon.” Senior Writer

Derick Labuschagne“Wow!” - wat ‘nwonderlikeondervinding! Verblyfuit die boonste rakkeen Phokoje Lodge

verdien meer as net 3-sterre. Botswana het mybeindruk met die manier waarop die menseons behandel het, en ook die skoonheiddaarvan. By die dam was dit vir my ‘n grootondervinding maar wel moeilik - die water sekleur het dit nie maklik vir ons gemaak niemaar ons het wel sukses behaal en ek moetbyvoeg die baars in Letsibogo is ongeloofliksterk!”Marketing Manager

Ruaan Lubbe“Die besoek aanBotswana was vir my‘n lekker trip - dieLodge se personeelwas heeltyd baie

behulpsaam en die dam was ‘n belewenis – diseen van die pragtigste damme wat ek al gesienhet. Die werk was hard met vroeë oggendemaar ons doelwitte vir die tydskrif en vir mypersoonlik is bereik. Die mooi bos omgewingen die groot baars het gemaak vir mooi fotoswaarop ek vandag baie trots is. Ek sal ditbeslis weer doen.”Photographer

MartinEngelke“Wat die meesteindruk op my gemaakhet was hoe diePhokoje Lodgepersoneel absoluut

ingesteld op baarshengelaars is- van reëlingsvir permitte tot ‘n kospakkie tot ‘n gids -Phokoje is voorwaar in Letsibogo rat! Groter ensterker is die vis beslis en derhalwe kan ekhierdie pelgrimstog hoogs aanbeveel met dièeen oogmerk: gaan om die grotes te soek,maar aanvaar dat die kans wel bestaan dat jynie altyd jou sin gaan kry nie.” Senior Skrywer

Golden Bass of Letsibogo

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT TOTAKE ALONG

Boat:3 x Deep cycle Batteries per boat •Battery Charger•Set of Oars •Life Jackets •Trolling Motor •Spare Trolling Motor Prop•Cable Ties •Toolkit •Torches or Head Lamps •Insect Repellant•First Aid kit•Cooler Boxes•

•Vehicle & TrailerAdditional Spare wheels •Tools•Recovery mats (if vehicle gets stuck in•mud)Torches•Kinetic strap •

conditions was not easy but with theaverage 5-fish bag per boat pushingjust on 15 kilo’s per day, an averagefish at Letsibogo is most certainly notwhat we were accustomed to. And

although all the giants didn’tcooperate it sure was fun gettingstuck into numerous 2,5kg - plusspecimens which all punch wayabove their weight class.

At supper on ThursdaySavvas advised us to use analternative route when wedeparted the next morning -his wife had travelled toLephalele (Ellisras) that dayand with all the travellersevidently on their way southfor the Easter weekend or to

The border crossing over the LimpopoRiver at the Zanzibar border post. It isonly passable when the river is not inflood.

the annual ZCC gathering, hadwaited nearly five hours to cross theborder. Our best bet was to use theZanzibar border post (22°34�19�S,28°27�59�E), and it proved correct -we were in and out in less than tenminutes! The road was also in amuch better state.

*Next Issue: Part 2 – Our top patterns, the highs and lowsof fishing Letsibogo and all the tackle wetook along.

The Bass Angler Magazine crew with Phokoje Bush Lodge MD Savvas Lambrou.

44 The Bass Angler May 2013

BASS ANGLER FAMILY VENUES TAKE A CHILD BASSING AND THEY COULD WIN A TACKLE HAMPER SPONSORED BY RAPALA VMCTHE PERFECT HOLIDAY BASS FISHING VENUES FROM AROUND SOUTH AFRICA

It was started by John Lambrou, acivil engineer from Cyprus who hadestablished a successful constructioncompany in Zimbabwe beforebecoming involved in Botswana inthe 1970’s. Among many otherprojects John built the silos at theBamangwato Concessions Ltd copperand nickel mine at Selebi-Phikwe

Phokoje Bush Lodge

which is the major source ofemployment in the area. Now “retired”, John is still active atthe Lodge as he and his one son,Savvas, who is the MD of the Lodge,are continually developing itsfacilities.

In 2004 Savvas was working in thehospitality sectorsin the USA and UKwhen he received acall from his fatherto join him in atourist venture atSelebi-Phikwewhere John had anopen plot justoutside the town

which his family used as a weekendgetaway. John’s intention was toestablish a motel to accommodatevisiting businessmen andgovernment employees, the everincreasing number of tourists ontheir way to the popular destinationsof Okavango, Chobe and Maun, andalso foreign trophy hunters. Designed by John’s other son Angelowho resides in the USA, elevenchalets were built, with Johnmanufacturing all the furnishings inhis own facility on the plot. Theytook a conscious decision not to offerself-catering facilities, but to establisha high quality a la carte restaurant -this open thatched facility with African-inspired décor andfurnishings overlooks spectaculargardens and water features, and isnow widely recognised as being oneof the finest restaurants in the

Situated some 7km outside the town of Selebi-Phikwe in eastern Botswana, thePhokoje Bush Lodge has in only nine years established itself as a major player inBotswana’s tourist and commercial sectors.

Left: Father and sonmanagement team, Johnand Savvas Lambrou -exceeding the needs ofbass angling tourists.

The Bass Angler May 2013 45

Bass Angler Family Venues Phokoje Bush Lodge

country, a fact which the magazine’sfield team on a recent fact-findingexcursion certainly supports!The second phase saw thecompletion of a function venue and12 more rooms, which the Lambrou’scall “standard” rooms, but withthree-quarter beds and full en suitethey are more in a luxury class than“standard”! All the rooms are insectproofed and are fully air conditioned,have DSTV and complimentary teaand coffee. Although the winters arerelatively mild, additional heatingand blankets are provided.

The Lodge also has its own caravanand camping area complete withelectricity connections. Currentbuilding activities include self-catering units and extensions to thefunction hall and a curio shop.

The Lodge has recently emerged asthe preferred destination for bassfishing enthusiasts visiting LetsibogoDam some 17km away, and being an

avid angler himself, Savvas has beenquick to provide as much logisticalsupport as possible, while alsoliaising closely with the BotswanaDepartment of Tourism. An importpermit is required to take a boat intoBotswana, then it has to bedisinfected (sprayed) by theDepartment of Water Affairs, and aRecreational Fishing Licence isneeded from the Department ofWildlife & National Parks.

To smooth things for guests Savvashas registered the Lodge and isempowered to provide his guestswith their fishing permits, and hasfour aluminium boats for hire, builtby Ali-Boats in Maun(www.aliboats.com). Guests need tosupply their own batteries andelectric motors (petrol motors at thistime are not allowed on LetsibogoDam). Even though the crime rate isvery low, to provide extra peace ofmind while out on the water guestscan also make use of the services of

the well-trained Lodge securityguards.

Catering for bass fishing guests moreoften than not means very earlymorning departures to the dam, sothe Lodge’s kitchen staff providesbrunch packs which are delivered inthe morning before guests depart -everything is fresh!A recent innovation at the restaurantwas the introduction of a range ofpizzas, and during the magazine’sfield team visit we had the honour atdinner to enjoy their introductorynight – our verdict? They do indeedcome very highly recommended!

GETTING THEREFrom Johannesburg it is about a 6hour drive. First of all take the NI toMokopane and be prepared to paythe three tolls, totalling almost R100.In the centre of town take a left onthe N11 and travel all the way to theMartins Drift border post. On this200 kilometer stretch weencountered several troops ofwarthog along the way and alsoenjoyed the abundant Mopane,Marula and Acacia trees with theodd Baobab as well. After the borderpost it is then some 160km to Selebi-Phikwe town and another7km to Phokoje Bush Lodge.Phokoje Bush Lodge provides theideal setting for relaxation in abushveld setting, offering perfecttranquillity, superb accommodationand exquisite cuisine - it will makeyour stay a memorable one!

GPS: S21° 58’ 29”; E27° 46’ 43”

CONTACTS: Savvas Lambrou, Managing Director.Tel: +267 2601 596; Mobile: +267 748 78853; E-mail: info@phokojebushlodge.com; Web: www.phokojebushlodge.com

Double chalet exterior and interior - tastefullyfurnished with all the modern conveniencesincluding enough room to sort tackle!

Open air dining instyle at the Phokojeal-a-carterestaurant. Voted asone of the finestestablishments inall of Botswana.