Fly Fishing Seasons in Dullstroom

Q: Do I need a sinking line for Dullstroom?

A floating line will cover most situations in Dullstroom. A spare intermediate spool is useful for windy days, deeper channels or slightly coloured water in summer.

Month-by-Month Dullstroom Calendar

A quick feel for how each month usually fishes. Weather can always surprise us, but this is a realistic guide based on our time on the water.

Prime Good Weather dependent Quieter / technical

Tip: if you’re flexible on dates, aim for a Prime or Good month that lines up with a stable forecast and light wind.

Jan

Warm water and storms. Can be fun on hoppers between fronts, but very weather dependent.

Weather dependent

Feb

Similar to Jan. Watch for cooler breaks and clear water – terrestrials and evening dries can shine.

Weather dependent

Mar

Start of the magic. Temps ease off, fish look up more consistently, evenings can be superb.

Prime

Apr

Classic autumn. Stable weather, great visibility and confident dry-fly eats most days.

Prime

May

Cooler mornings, but still plenty of surface activity on the right days. Great all-round month.

Prime

Jun

Clear and cold. Technical but rewarding with small dries and film emergers in the right light.

Quieter / technical

Jul

Deep winter. Shorter bite windows, but sight-fishing and micro-patterns can be excellent on calm days.

Quieter / technical

Aug

Late winter into early spring. More activity on warmer days, a nice time for focused anglers.

Good

Sep

Spring kicks in. New weed growth, cruisers along the banks and consistent action on dries and nymphs.

Prime

Oct

One of our favourite months. Balanced weather, active fish and lots of options for how you want to fish.

Prime

Nov

Late spring. Can run a little warmer, but great days with mixed dries, emergers and light nymphs.

Prime

Dec

Holiday crowds and summer storms. Fun on top when weather behaves; pick your days carefully.

Weather dependent

At a Glance: Best Windows by Season

A high-level view of when Dullstroom tends to fish best. Each box below links to more detailed tactics further down.

Autumn
(Mar–May)

Classic dry-fly Dullstroom. Calm margins, glassy evenings and confident sippers. Klinkhåmers, Shuttlecocks, Adams #14–18 with light dry-dropper rigs.

Best for: learning to fish dries with visible eats.

Winter
(Jun–Aug)

Clear and cold. Smaller flies, finer tippet, slower presentations. CDC film emergers, midges #18–20, micro-buggers.

Best for: technical sight-fishing and calmer dams on crisp days.

Spring
(Sep–Nov)

Consistent hatches and active cruisers. Parachute Adams, VR Caddis, Klinkhåmers #14–16, light nymphs.

Best for: balanced days with action on both dries and nymphs.

Summer
(Dec–Feb)

Storm gaps, warm water and terrestrials. Hoppers, Foam Daddies and dry-dropper along banks and weed lines.

Best for: big, visual eats on attractor dries when conditions line up.

How the Fishing Shifts Through the Year

A rough guide to which styles tend to dominate. You’ll usually fish a mix on any given day, but this helps with packing boxes.

Autumn

Dries lead the way with emergers as backup.

Dries
Nymphs
Terrestrials

Winter

Smaller, subtler patterns and film work.

Dries
Emergers
Nymphs

Spring

Balanced mix of dries, emergers and nymphs.

Dries
Nymphs
Terrestrials

Summer

Terrestrials and attractors when weather behaves.

Terrestrials
Dries
Nymphs

Autumn (Mar–May)

If you’re only going to fish Dullstroom once, this is hard to beat. Stable weather, good visibility and fish looking up.

Flies: Parachute Adams / Purple Haze, Klinkhåmer, Shuttlecock #14–18; light-bodied emergers.
Rigs: Single or double dry; short dry-dropper (40–60 cm) to a #16–18 slim nymph for hesitant fish.
Watercraft: Work edges, points and channels. Watch for subtle sips and bulges rather than splashy rises.
Leaders: 9–12 ft with 5X–6X tippet; lengthen in glassy evening windows or pressured dams.
Good days for beginners: light wind, overcast afternoons and mild temps.

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Clear, cold and technical – but very rewarding once you slow down and fish the film carefully.

Flies: CDC film emergers, Griffith’s Gnat, tiny midges #18–20; slim nymphs and micro-buggers on tough days.
Approach: Long leaders, thin tippet (5X–6X), precise drifts with minimal drag. Think “small and subtle”.
When quiet: Suspend a tiny nymph or midge pattern under a micro-indicator and cover lanes patiently.
Light: Mid-day sun can lift activity. Check wind lanes and slicks for sippers and cruising fish.
Comfort: Gloves, beanie and a flask make a big difference to how long you can stay focused.

Spring (Sep–Nov)

A great all-round window with new weed growth, hungry fish and plenty of options between dries and nymphs.

Flies: Parachute Adams, Klinkhåmer, VR Caddis, Shuttlecock #14–16; small natural nymphs.
Activity: Sight-fish cruisers along clean banks and over new weedbeds; move until you find traffic.
Rigs: Start on straight dry. Swap to dry-dropper or an emerger pattern on refusals.
Wind: Use banks with a gentle breeze pushing food; drift your fly naturally with the chop.
Bonus: Early mornings can see good midge activity before the day warms up.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

More weather-driven, but magic when storm gaps, cooler days and terrestrial activity line up.

Flies: Hoppers, Foam Daddy, Stimulators #8–12; dry-dropper with a slim nymph if the top is quiet.
Timing: Early and late sessions between storms; look for shade lines and cooler inflows mid-day.
Colour: Tan, yellow and olive terrestrials; keep drifts natural near reeds and structure.
Backup: If water colours up, fish a slim nymph or small bugger off the dropper or on an intermediate line.
Safety: Watch lightning and fast-building storms; don’t push it on exposed banks.

Leaders, Tippet & Setup for Dullstroom

You don’t need a garage full of gear. A simple, well-balanced setup and a few leader tweaks will carry you through most Dullstroom conditions.

Rod/Line: 3–5 wt with a weight-forward floating line covers stillwaters and light stream work.
Leaders: 9 ft 3X/4X tapered leader. Extend with 4X–6X tippet depending on fly size and pressure.
Dry-Dropper: 40–60 cm dropper to a #16–18 slim nymph/emerger – keep the nymph sparse.
Indicators: Tiny yarn or putty indicators for winter and slow presentations.

Floatants: CDC-safe gel plus powder; a small desiccant pot to revive tired dries.
Swap cue: Repeated refusals to high-riding dries usually mean “go emerger” in the film.
Colour rule: Dark day → darker silhouette; bright day → lighter, more natural tones.
Wading: Many Dullstroom stillwaters are bank-only. Always check venue rules and wade with care.

See Top Dry Flies Book a Guide Day

Season FAQs

When are dry flies most reliable in Dullstroom?

Autumn and spring offer the most consistent dry-fly windows, with summer terrestrials firing between storm gaps. Winter can still produce great dry-fly eats, but they’re usually smaller, more technical patterns.

What tippet should I use for clear stillwaters?

5X is a solid starting point for most dries and small nymphs. Drop to 6X in glassy water, on pressured dams, or when fishing tiny emergers in the surface film.

Do I need a sinking line for Dullstroom?

A floating line will cover 90% of what you’ll do. A spare intermediate spool is handy for windy days, deeper channels or slightly coloured water in summer.

Can I bank-fish all venues?

Many of Dullstroom’s top stillwaters are bank-fishing only, with barbless hooks required. Always check venue rules in advance or ask your guide – it affects how we plan your drifts and fly choice.

Plan Your Season

Whether you’re brand new to fly fishing or refining your dry-fly game, we’ll match flies, leaders and venues to the day’s conditions – so you learn more and hook more.

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