Beat Summaries & Grading

Beats generally conform to the boundaries of each farm. However, there are some farms that have very long sections of water that are divided into two or even three beats.

The access point to a beat is generally indicated by a standardised green sign carrying the WTA logo and the farm name in white on a green background. Images plus directions to each beat should ensure that you are at the right place. Remember to always leave your copy of the day permit on the vehicles dashboard to avoid being included in the WTA Wall of Shame

RHODES AREA

BELL RIVER

Beat name	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Tenahead	Bakkie	Light	Moderate	2.5	Bedrock with occasional pools and runs
Lovedale	Car	Light	Easy	2.2	River eroded to bedrock in places. High (dead-)wooded banks, deep topsoil.
Newstead	Car	Light	Easy	2.8	As for Lovedale.
Tuschielaw	Car	Light	Easy	0.5	As for Lovedale with more deposition of gravel, silt and boulders.
Rhodes Common	Car	Light	Easy	1.5	As for Tuschielaw
Earlstown	Car	Light	Easy	1.6	Meandering beat with frequent pools on sandstone bedrock and deposited material.
Buttermead	Car	Light	Easy	6.5	Meandering beat with frequent pools on sandstone bedrock and deposited material.
Claremont	Car	Light	Easy	1.8	Meandering beat with frequent pools on sandstone bedrock and deposited material. Top section is the most fun.
Glass Nevin, upper	Car	Light	Moderate	4.5	Similar to Claremont with pools, occasional flat, sandy sections and sandstone
Glass Nevin, lower	Car	Light	Moderate	9.2	Winding river in sandstone gorges with occasional long flat sections
Steepside	Car	Light	Easy	12	Meandering river with occasional pools between long sandy sections.

KLOPPERSHOEKSPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Tiffindell	Bakkie	Light	Moderate	4.8	Lilliputian water with undercuts & small weirs & pools near ski resort 2500m+ above sea level. Loch Ness, the 6ha “Loch Ness” still water is a gem where the trout population is self-recruiting, spawning in the feeder streams. It is the highest still-water in South Africa.

RIFLESPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Francisdale	Shanks Pony	Light	Hard	4+	These are the headwaters in a gorge, gradient creates runs, riffles and pools. Do not fish alone. Allow sufficient time to walk out before darkness.
Mt Mourne	Car	Light	Hard	2.2	Easy access to beat at the end of the Riflespruit road.
Thirlstone	Car	Light	Easy	2.5	Wider river pools with deposits of gravel, silt and boulders at tail-ends.
Borestone & Bemerside	Car	Light	Easy	7.2	Wider river pools with deposits of gravel, silt and boulders at tail-ends.
Hillbury	Car	Light	Easy	.3	Short stretch from the confluence up the Riflespruit, see below

BOKSPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Gateshead	4x4	Light	Very hard	17+	Bedrock and boulders with frequent waterfalls and pools.
Brucedell	Bakkie	Light	Hard	3.6	As for Gateshead with less gradient but one major waterfall
Glen Nesbitt	Bakkie	Light	Hard	7.1	Small boulder strewn stream bed with pools and stunning flora
Bothwell	Bakkie	Light	Easy	2.4	Wide stream bed with small pools and rock/gravel deposits
Birnam/Killmore	Bakkie	Light	Easy	3.9	Similar to Bothwell
Knockwarren	Bakkie	Light	Easy	2.3	Similar to Bothwell but with wooded banks.
Buckstone	Bakkie	Light	Easy	5.4	Deep and narrow lower down widening to long runs with deep pools
Hillbury, upper	Car	Light	Easy	1.9	Small-ish with glides, riffles and gravel bottomed pools
Hillbury, middle& lower	Bakkie	Light	Easy	3.1	Larger water with gravel and boulder strewn bottoms. Some larger pools, rapids and undercuts. In fact virtually every kind of water.
Eliasdale	Car	Light	Easy	2.5	Similar to Hillbury
Clefthill	Car	Light	Easy	3.5	Wider with long open stretches, larger pools, rapids and undercuts.
Clontarf	Car	Med	Easy	5.3	Fish from north bank only. Wide bed with pools and long shallow stretches, lightly wooded banks. Excellent “yellowfishing” water in summer

STERKSPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Knighton,Coldbrook	Car	Light	Easy	5.6	Medium width meandering stream with pools & gravel and bedrock
Farnham	Car	Light	Easy	2.8	Report to owner. Similar to Knighton but wider.
Broadford	Car	Med	Easy	2.7	Wider bed with runs and pools on occasional sandstone bedrock.
Branksome	Car	Med	Easy	1.5	Similar to Broadford with fewer trees.
Birkhall	Car	Med	Easy	3.6	Wide sandstone bedrock with deep pools and tree-lined banks.
Jennerville	Car	Med	Easy	5.2	Wide open meandering river in flood plain with long sections and meander pools.

WARTRAIL REGION: VLOOIKRAALSPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Balloch	Car/ bakkie	Light	Easy to moderate	3.2	Small stream in a very scenic valley with numerous pools, rapids and riffles. The upper reaches of the stream has browns and can only be reached in a vehicle with high clearance.
Burnbrae	Car	Light	Easy	3.0	Small meandering stream slightly bigger than Balloch with alternating open and wooded sections with occasional pools. Several small dams are easily reached on foot.
Glencoe	Bakkie	Med	Moderate	4.0	Similar to Burnbrae but a steep walk into the river valley is required to fish the water below. Only recommended for the very fit.

NEW ENGLAND REGION: DIEPSPRUIT

Catchment	Vehicle		Tackle	Terrain			Km		Description of water
Millerd & Avoca	Bakkie		Light	Easy			8.0		Well treed & vegetated banks, shallow boulder-strewn runs & riffles connect smallish pools
Pitlochrie		Bakkie	Light		Easy	9.5		Meandering stream in a very scenic valley, shallow rapids and riffles connecting small pools, Banks well vegetated.

KRAAI RIVER

Catchment	Vehicle	Tackle	Terrain	Km	Description of water
Lekkerbly	Bakkie	Heavy	Moderate	4	Pools with bedrock bottoms big enough for water skiing with some tree-lined banks necessitating use of float tube or dinghy
Waterval	Car	Heavy	Moderate	5	Very large pools interspersed with vast rock and gravel deposits. Daunting water.
Donnybrook	Bakkie	Heavy	Moderate		This is the Kraai as a mature river, wider and less gradient. There are massive ironstone pools. These pools are home to numerous Yellowfish and may well hold some sizeable trout. The scale of these pools may well surprise some.