From Great Escape we travelled through Oudtshoorn towards Barrydale on Route 62 to our second venue. This area of the Klein Karoo was made famous by David Kramer, and driving through quaint towns like Ladismith and Calitzdorp really felt like a pilgrimage of sorts. We tried, but unfortunately we couldn’t find the Royal Hotel 🙁
Although the sights were very interesting, we were there to do some fishing, so just before Barrydale we turned left into the Doornrivier farm, and followed the road to the Damhuis at Plaas Wegbreek.
Accommodation
Once again we weren’t sure what to expect, and once again we were blown away by the spectacular setting. Driving up from the dam wall you are suddenly greeted by a massive dam in the middle of a fruit orchard, surrounded by hills. And right on the water, on the far side, was the Damhuis, our home for the next few days.
The house itself is built on stilts right on the water, and has 2 sections: the bathroom with a shower, and a living area with kitchen and bedroom. Outside the porch has a braai which is actually hanging over the water (a new one for us), and there is also a convenient jetty which was very handy for fishing.
Here you also have a variety of 2-seater canoes, and it didn’t take us very long to hop onto one and head out on the promising stretch of water. We already caught a bass from the jetty shortly after arriving so we knew this was going to be good, and we were not disappointed.
Fishing
The fishing was very good, we again must’ve caught at least 50 bass on the first half day. And even more the next day. The fish were very aggressive, and they loved almost anything, but especially watermelon red or blue and silver flukes. They were almost everywhere, and even walking along the side proved very lucrative.
At night, while braaiing, we even got some from the porch and jetty, which was very exciting. The fish were mostly small, but we did get a few decent ones, and the owners showed us a photo of a 3kg recently caught in the far corner!
Doornrivier is a big farm, and amazingly it has another even bigger, and mostly untouched, bass dam. We noticed it as we drove in, and after politely enquiring the owners said we were welcome to try it out. Unfortunately, for this dam you will need a boat as there are very few opportunities from the side. But even at the 2 spots we were able to reach the water we managed to catch a dozen bass in no time, even doubling up twice.
This dam really excited us. It’s big and deep, with lots of structure, and the chances of big bass are undeniable. One thing is certain, we’ll be returning to it soon with our inflatable.
Out & About
As usual we also spent some time at the local establishments, and Barrydale is one of those hidden gems. It’s one of the more popular stops on Route 62, and there are at least a dozen places next to the road for a delicious lunch, or just a cold one. Diesel & Creme stood out, but there are many others like Karoo Daisy, that offer really good food and interesting craft beer.
We even visited the iconic Barrydale Karoo hotel which is on the main road of the town.
And so, while watching the full moon spectacularly rise over the dam, and braaiing over the water, our first of many visits to the area came to a fitting end…
Summary
We loved our stay at the Damhuis at Plaas Wegbreek. The fishing was unbelievable, and the scenery spectacular. Everything was perfect for us. We are definitely returning with our inflatable to explore the bigger dam where we are sure there are some monster bass lurking…
Finally here is a map of our travels on this trip including our first venue, Great Escape.
(2 days)
bass x100 (small)
bass x4 (medium)
