THE​ Pongola River Company

 

The Pongola River is home to a staggering 50 species of fish, making it the most diverse freshwater ecosystem in South Africa. Over 40 of these species are found in the Pongola Floodplain below Lake Jozini, king of which is the mighty Tiger fish (Hydrocynus vittatis) offering arguably the best freshwater sport fishing on the continent. Keen fisherman travel far and wide (Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia) in search of the brutal take and reel screeching fight that is unmatched in the icthyofaunal kingdom. The Pongola River offers a real alternative to these faraway (and often expensive) destinations with our very own home grown tigers.

 

They say “the bigger the pond the bigger the fish” but in reality the old adage should read “the bigger the pond the greater the number of big fish”. Comparatively speaking the Pongola River is a small pond and we advocate the use of light tackle and small flies to take advantage of the plethora of fledgling tigers that proliferate the thickly vegetated river banks. However, the Pongola is also capable of producing Tigers akin to those of Lake Jozini and the Zambezi (see Gallery for pics) and beware the casual fisherman who underestimates the strength of the brutes that lie beneath. Scattered along the 40km of river of which we are custodians places like Heart Break Pool and Take A Lesson Bend pay tribute to “the (big) one’s that got away”.

 

So, come and cut your teeth fishing from white sandbanks into alluring drop offs that are so easily visible in the clean blue waters, or from our specially designed river craft safe in the knowledge that there are plenty of smaller tigers around but tantalizingly and somewhat nervously aware that somewhere in the deep lie the primordial “menere” that may well leave you heart broken and humbled. If you are lucky enough to hook and land one of these monsters you join a select few who know the feeling of doing battle with a truly wild and magnificent animal that is the Tiger fish.