This was another place we’ve been hoping to visit for a while now since we noticed their ad in the SA Bass magazine. We finally had the opportunity and it was everything we had hoped for. Leaving from Beacon Vlei it was a fairly short drive to Thatcher’s Rest. The moment we got there we jumped on the supplied boat and headed out.
Fishing
Thatcher’s Rest boasts lots of bass and even some trout. We immediately got stuck into the bass which was pretty easy. They were feisty and we soon found out that baby bass was the color of choice, in the clear water they really loved flukes with that pattern. Here are some of the initial trophies.
The bass were all along the banks but especially in the eastern corner near the road, it’s rockier there and the bass seem to love that. On the second afternoon, the wind was too strong for us to take the boat so we did the short hike to that area and still caught quite a few from the side.
The only trout we caught was also on a small baby bass fluke. Of course, Martin was the lucky one on this occasion, a nice rainbow trout which also turned out to be his pb!
We also realized pretty quickly there were barbel around but we didn’t try to catch them, it would have been way too easy.
Accommodation
So let’s be honest, Thatcher’s Rest is not the cheapest accommodation we’ve ever stayed at. But as in most cases, you get what you pay for. We saved up for this and it was worth every penny. This is truly a beautiful and unique place. We found the scenery spectacular and the solitude priceless.
The house itself has everything you could possibly need. The lounge \ dining area overlooking the dam is a nice touch. The bedrooms are comfortable and each one of them has its own bathroom. The kitchen was well-equipped and it all ran off a silent, remote-controlled generator situated in a separate enclosure on land.
The boma is fantastic, complete with loungers, a firepit, Weber, and gas braai. But the fact that it’s all located on the water makes this even more special. Every night the barbel started playing around the lights shining off the boma and we had a lot of fun teasing them. We even saw an eel which was a first for both of us.
Summary
Fantastic accommodation, really spectacular, the perfect couples getaway. The fishing was fun, no huge bass but lots of smaller ones. And the trout added some extra excitement.
We found bass all around the dam along the banks, and baby bass flukes worked the best by far. The only trout we caught was in the middle of the dam near the house, also on a baby bass fluke!
(2 days)
bass x16 (small)
rainbow trout x1 (medium)
