Fly Fishing Semonkong, Lesotho

Extreme Fly Fishing Adventures

Semonkong Lodge offers fly fisherman a pristine piece of river with amazing fishing opportunities. Brown and Rainbow Trout were stocked in the Maletsunyane River in the late 50’s. 

ONLY FLY-FISHING IS PERMITTED and a policy of releasing all fish must be adhered to. The trout season is closed from the month of May through August.

The fly-fishing costs LSL180.00 per person per day which is a Maletsunyane River Conservation Fund & Guiding fee. All Fishermen are provided with a local Fishing Guide. Please enquire at the Adventure Hut about all details on our more extreme fishing trips. Please check our website for updates on the extreme fly-fishing treks. Fishing season is closed between May through to end of August.

This permit may only be used by the Permit Holder & will entitle the Fisherman to the following conditions:

• Fly-fishing only
• All fish must be released
• No fishing is allowed during the period of 1^st May through to 31^st August of any year.
• Children under the age of 12 years are FREE of charge.

All the funds collected will be spent on cleaning the river. Please support employment projects by hiring a local Fishing Guide, who will show you where the good fishing is & who will communicate with the Community along the river.

Hiring of Fishing Equipment: LSL165.00 per rod per day – tippet line & flies at additional costs.

WATCH: Wild Fly Series at Semonkong: Fly Fishing, Semonkong

Day-Fishing

Base yourself at Semonkong Lodge and fish the Maletsunyane River above the waterfall for Brown Trout, with a local Fishing Guide who will take you to where the fish are. Take a guide & hike (or abseil) to the bottom of the Maletsunyane waterfall and fish for Rainbows Trout. This is a strenuous hike but really worth while.

Once at the Lodge do enquire about further options…

Semonkong Lodge Extreme Fly Fishing Trip

The Maletsunyane River on whose banks Semonkong lodge nestles, presents some unique fishing opportunities. The fishing is divided by the mighty Maletsunyane falls which forms a formidable natural barrier to fish movement and creates two distinctly different fishing zones in the river. The river was stocked with Trout in the mid 1950’s, the area above the falls with both Browns & Rainbows, but as so often happens one species prevailed above the falls and today this stretch is exclusively Browns only. With around 60 years of natural selection strengthening their genes these browns have adapted well to their river and prospered, they obviously found the river to their liking and with the ample water flow, abundant food supply and minimal fishing pressure have developed into a population of fish that rivals those in the best trophy rivers in famous destinations in New Zealand, Patagonia, Alaska and around the globe. There is unlikely to be another location in Africa where there is such a realistic possibility of catching a 10 pound wild Brown trout in a natural river and the average sizes of catches in this part of the river is impressive. This piece of river is easily accessible, with the lodge situated roughly midway between the falls and the road bridge weir, above which trout are not found and the Maluti Redfin Minnow (Pseudobarbus Quathlambae) proliferates. The fish in this stretch readily take a variety of nymphs and streamers and in the late afternoon and early morning when weather conditions permit there is strong rising in most of the pools which provides spectacular opportunities on dry fly.

Downstream, the stretch of river between the falls and the confluence with the Mighty Senqu is truly magnificent. Here the Browns are still found, but they share the river with Rainbow Trout and Yellowfish, with the challenge of achieving a ‘grand slam’ by catching all three of these species. This prospect is made even more exciting because all of these species are found in this stretch of river in trophy proportions.

Guenter Kast

The Maletsunyane has carved a spectacular gorge downstream of the falls and this fantastic piece of river provides some unforgettable fishing, though access is not as simple as above the falls. Semonkong lodge arranges a 4 day hosted trek into the gorge, where equipment is carried by pack horses and donkeys. This trip is strenuous and unfortunately limited to those who are physically fit. The trip departs from the lodge with fishermen travelling by 4×4 vehicle to a point above the gorge where we rendezvous with the pack horses, the equipment is loaded and the horses are lead down the decent by guides .Fishermen and guests carry only their fishing packs/daypacks. At the bottom of this climb one finds the first night’s camp and after making oneself comfortable and having lunch the rest of the day is spent fishing, all meals are prepared by your guides, leaving you to concentrate on the fishing. After breakfast in the morning the fishermen depart to fish the river with the fishing guides while the camp is packed up and loaded onto the horses for the journey to the next night’s camp. Lunch is served en route on the river and that afternoon the fishermen arrive at the next night’s camp. The gorge changes around every bend with the sides becoming steeper and more rugged and imposing as one proceeds upstream. Depending on weather and river conditions it is possible to fish right up to the base of the Maletsunyane falls; this stretch is truly wild with fabulous scenery and bird life and has been fished by very few people. The trip will leave you spellbound!

BASIC TRIP (6 NIGHTS 7 DAYS) ITINERARY:

Day 1: Monday: Arrive at Semonkong Lodge, settle in and have a scrumptious lunch, fish the close pools near the lodge in the afternoon with the possibility of a good hatch and “dry fly mayhem”. If you want to arrange to also do the world record abseil then you will do the abseil training & training cliff in the afternoon.

Day 2: Tuesday: Depart either early, at first light, or after breakfast to fish the Maletsunyane above the falls for browns for the day, either returning to the lodge for a brilliant lunch or taking a packed lunch for those that want to fish all day. Those that are going to do the unforgettable abseil will do this in the morning and still be able to fish a decent session in the afternoon. Be sure to eat up of the delicious dinner in the lodge that evening because you will need your strength for the walk into the gorge tomorrow.

Day 3: Wednesday: After Breakfast, depart the lodge by 4×4 and rendezvous with the pack horses on the ridge above the gorge. The view of the river far below will put a sharp edge on your anticipation as the pack saddles are loaded, tie your bootlaces tight for the steep walk down. By lunchtime we arrive at Camp 1. The pool at Camp 1 is deep and mysterious and it’s your choice whether to rush through lunch and start the afternoon session early or relax and fish it when the fish start to rise in the evening. We take pride in making you as comfortable as possible in our camp with ample canvas tents and helpful team serving great campfire food. We allow you to focus on the fishing.

Day 4: Thursday: Wake early and have a quick, light breakfast with coffee & rusks. Pack only your own gear and leave to fish upstream, our guides will take care of the camp and be waiting for you at camp 2 that night. Enjoy the 1st section of river where the slopes are gentle, the water wider and the pools slower. Your guide will serve a sandwich lunch on the river en route to camp 2. By the time that Camp 2 is reached you will notice the gorge changing; the slopes are getting steeper, the rocks darker and bigger and the river a bit more powerful.

Day 5: Friday: Leave early again and fish to camp 3. This is the day to get the grand slam in one day or even in the same pool! The gradient gets steeper and the river narrower and stronger but there are some really amazing huge, deep pools that harbour some scary fish.

Day 6: Saturday: Depending on weather and river conditions it may be possible to fish from camp 3, all the way to the Maletsunyane falls, fishing the amazing steep river with sheer cliffs and very good rainbows, before climbing out at the falls. If the river conditions do not allow this we will still fish part of this section in the morning before climbing out by another route using the old shepherd’s trails. At the end of the climb we walk a victory lap across the high meadows to the lodge, passing the chief’s horseracing track and singing ladies in stone huts and not stopping before we are holding that beautiful cold Maluti Lager in the lodge bar.

Day 7: Sleep in! There is lots of time for a leisurely breakfast and a session in the river before you leave to go tell your friends!

LSL13 000.00 per person excluding drinks.

BASIC TRIP (5 NIGHTS 6 DAYS) ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrive at Semonkong Lodge, settle in and have a scrumptious lunch, fish the close pools near the lodge in the afternoon with the possibility of a good hatch and “dry fly mayhem”. Be sure to eat up of the delicious dinner in the lodge that evening because you will need your strength for the walk into the gorge tomorrow.

Day 2: After Breakfast, depart the lodge by 4×4 and rendezvous with the pack horses on the ridge above the gorge. The view of the river far below will put a sharp edge on your anticipation as the pack saddles are loaded, tie your bootlaces tight for the steep walk down. By lunchtime we arrive at Camp 1. The pool at Camp 1 is deep and mysterious and it’s your choice whether to rush through lunch and start the afternoon session early or relax and fish it when the fish start to rise in the evening. We take pride in making you as comfortable as possible in our camp with ample canvas tents and helpful team serving great campfire food. We allow you to focus on the fishing.

Day 3: Wake early and have a quick, light breakfast with coffee & rusks. Pack only your own gear and leave to fish upstream, our guides will take care of the camp and be waiting for you at camp 2 that night. Enjoy the 1st section of river where the slopes are gentle, the water wider and the pools slower. Your guide will serve a sandwich lunch on the river en route to camp 2. By the time that Camp 2 is reached you will notice the gorge changing; the slopes are getting steeper, the rocks darker and bigger and the river a bit more powerful.

Day 4: Leave early again and fish to camp 3. This is the day to get the grand slam in one day or even in the same pool! The gradient gets steeper and the river narrower and stronger but there are some really amazing huge, deep pools that harbour some scary fish.

Day 5: Depending on weather and river conditions it may be possible to fish from camp 3, all the way to the Maletsunyane falls, fishing the amazing steep river with sheer cliffs and very good rainbows, before climbing out at the falls. If the river conditions do not allow this we will still fish part of this section in the morning before climbing out by another route using the old shepherd’s trails. At the end of the climb we walk a victory lap across the high meadows to the lodge, passing the chief’s horseracing track and singing ladies in stone huts & not stopping before we are holding that beautiful cold Maluti Lager in the lodge bar.

Day 6: Sleep in! There is lots of time for a leisurely breakfast and a session in the river before you leave to go tell your friends!

LSL11 500.00 per person excluding drinks.

Equipment requirements:

Above the falls

Rods in the 3-5 wt range are recommended with floating & intermediate lines.
Successful flies include Zak, PTN, Copper John, GRHE & Flashback nymphs in dark colours, size 12-16, Black, brown & green weighted Woolly buggers & Papa Roach in size 10-14, RAB, Parachute Adams & Elk Hair Caddis size 14-18.
Tippet sizes 3x, 4x & 5x
Suitable, large capacity fishing pack or vest.
Sunblock & hat.
Always carry a rain jacket as the weather can change suddenly as in any mountain area.

Below the falls

Rods & flies much the same as above but do be sure to bring some black mayfly nymphs in size 18 and even 20 as turning over rocks in the gorge reveals some really small nymphs and these small sizes can be very successfull.

In addition to the equipment for above the falls the following equipment is recommended:
Footwear for the gorge needs to be suitable for very rough terrain and quality hiking or wading boots are essential.

Tents are provided but a sleeping bag, torch and personal technical outdoor equipment & clothing for wilderness trekking is required; please contact us before your trip for a comprehensive list and advice if required.

It should be understood that the trek into the gorge is extreme and physically demanding, although this trip has been done by a 70 year old fisherman he was in peak physical shape, a pre-trip fitness program is recommended.