The Mission Fly Fishing Magazine

12/01/2026

R A I N B O W • R U N N E R
“We were armed with 12-weights and GT Flies as GTs were our prime target in these huge bait ball bust ups on the flats, but the rainbow runners, despite their smaller mouths, ate the brush flies with no issue.”

When a common deep-sea target makes an uncommon turn to the flats, it can make for a spectacular sight-fishing session, as Andre van Wyk experienced when rainbow runners (Elagatis bipinnulata) turned up in the shallow waters of the Seychelles. Find out more about issue 37’s Wish List Fish from the archives at the link below.


Photos c/o FlyCastaway

When a common deep-sea target like the rainbow runner makes an uncommon turn to the flats, it can make for a spectacular sight-fishing session

08/01/2026

L I L L I P U T • C L A N N I E S
“We were almost certain none of the fish we caught, including the biggest, a ±40cm brute that I found in a deeper pool, had ever seen a fly before. It turns out that this same river had undergone a mass poisoning treatment over a decade ago in an effort to eradicate invasive bass. At that time, the local Clanwilliam yellowfish population was under deep threat from the predatory aliens introduced a while ago for sport. In that case, a targeted freshwater poisoning would’ve eradicated all aquatic life as the chemicals flowed downstream. The idea succeeded with a re-introduction of the native fish inhabitants – Clanwilliam yellowfish and Clanwilliam redfin.”

The original indigenous fish of the freestone tributaries of the Oliphants system have been under threat from invasive species for quite some time, but in one particular small stream Matt Kennedy fished, Clanwilliam yellowfish are making a comeback. Read more about it at the link below.



📷: Cameron McDermott, Matt Kennedy

The Oliphants River system have been under threat from invasive species for some time, but now Clanwilliam yellowfish are making a come-back.

05/01/2026

T I G E R • C L O U S E R
According to ’s Illovo-based fly tyer, Raymond Mutemeri, the combination of a black-over-orange SF blend wing with a copper tinsel body wrap makes the Sunset Frenzy Tiger Clouser a winner for the tigerfish of the Pongola and Zambezi systems. Ray also employs the use of a bucktail underwing and overwing, preventing the synthetic fibre from wrapping around the hook when being retrieved. Watch the full step by step video at the link in bio.
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05/01/2026

D E A D • O F • N I G H T
“My dog, always calm and by my side, shot up like she was on some strong s**t, and ran outside to urgently dig, apparently, a tunnel to the other side of the world. She never digs. I followed her outside, where a near-imperceptible breeze began replacing the chill in the air with a thick but pleasant warmth. Serotine bats were dive-bombing moths around the lamp post like a squad of nano-dragons flying on pure badness. More birds joined the chorus. Another chorister robin, then an olive thrush, and a shrieking mousebird, a hadeda, of course, and a turtle dove and an owl. The night was bright with a few small, low clouds that morphed faster than the air seemed to be moving – it had rained softly until an hour before. What makes a bird sing his heart out in the middle of the night? What is this feeling in my soul? Are we connected? It became impossible to ignore the surging urge to get out there. It can’t be. What if I take the bait and it’s bulls**t? What the hell then?

That would be it. That’s what the hell then.

“I went back inside, switched the kettle on and checked on my aquarium. The school of tetras were clearly agitated. I ran a key-ring laser light along the glass to see how they’d react. They practically knocked each other out to catch the running red dot. It’s an old trick that rarely lies, and I suppose that was all the convincing I needed. I fed the fish well, and checked the tides.”

Blame civilisation or evolution but as animals we are, mostly, disconnected from the natural world. However, as LeRoy Botha experienced, there are occasions when even humans can’t deny the signs that something is afoot. When it happens (and you will know it when it does), you would do well to go fishing. Read LeRoy’s Undercurrents from issue 54 at the below.

There are occasions when even humans can’t deny the signs that something is afoot in nature. When it happens you would do well to go fishing.

17/12/2025

C D C • T I L T W I N G
Gordon van der Spuy (aka ) has adapted Ralph Cutter’s original EC Caddis design by replacing the hackle underneath the deer hair wing; instead using CDC in the Tiltwing, to serve better on slower-moving, ultra-clear trout streams. In this mayfly imitation, CDC works well as a parachute because it is a mobile material and is reactive in light; both things that encourage the successful imitation of a natural mayfly. Learn how to tie this fly in the step-by-step video at the link in bio.
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10/12/2025

Save yourself from crappy Xmas gifts this year and forward a link with what you want to your loved ones. Back by popular demand, our legendary coral (not pink!) grunter T is flying off the shelves. Get yours while stocks last. Or get the Ice Blue variant. Or get an epic Sterkies T. Or the Meneer yellowfish T. Or the Ha***ob T. Or the Fokken Besig tarpon or largie Ts. Or The Mission Buff, hoodies, crews, reel pouches, stickers, floppies, truckers, dad caps, Tom Sutcliffe and Gordon van der Spuy books, limited edition cover prints or mag subscriptions.

Orders before 17 December will be delivered in time to be put under the Christmas tree. Shop our full merch range at the link below.

www.themissionflymag.com/our-shop

04/12/2025

G E A R • G I F T I N G • G U I D E
Over the past year, our inner circle of contributors have got to grips with a ton of great fly fishing-related gear, clothing, tackle, gadgets and goodies. For this guide, we asked them to name two of those things. Firstly, an item that they have actually used, believe in and would recommend to anyone else, and secondly, an item that they don't yet possess, but that’s caught their eye. This certainly isn't the gear gospel, or the ultimate guide to getting you suited and booted for eternity. Rather, it’s an informed curation straight from the mouths of some of our most trusted (metaphorical) fly fishing horses. Check out the full guide at the link below.

Over the past year, we've had some very useful fly fishing related gear come across our inner circle of contributors.

02/12/2025

V A N D E R K L O O F
“We went balls deep, then waist deep, then chest deep, then up to our necks until we were treading water. It took some time before Eddie found the spot, a lekker flat rock that we could stand on in waist-deep water. It wasn’t very big. Just big enough for the two of us to stand very very close to each other. Eddie with his shirt off standing behind me, pretty much pressed up against my back like a scene from Titanic, softly saying, ‘Just slap it over there Smokey.’ It really wasn’t a vibe at all.”

When Smokey the Bear and his compadre Trav set off on the equivalent of a buddy cop road trip at the tail end of last summer, they were hopeful about what they'd find in two very different fisheries - Thrift and Vanderkloof dams. In his inimitable style, Smokey tells the tale of what went down in part two of their fly fishing journey. Read the full tale from issue 54 at the link below.

Smokey and his compadre Trav set off on a road trip at the tail end of last summer, searching for largemouth yellowfish in Vanderkloof dam.

27/11/2025

C A R P • T U G G E R
According to highveld carp and barbel fly fishing guide Terry Babich (), being able to place your fly accurately in front of feeding carp is imperative when sight fishing. That’s why the Carp Tugger has a bright tungsten bead head and generous wrappings of lead wire on a heavy gage hook; allowing it to sink into the zone fast. Other than that, a bright marabou tail makes the fly visible and mobile in the water, and the body is tapered with coarse dubbing, giving volume and contrast to the fly. Watch the full step by step video at the link in bio.
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26/11/2025

“My biological parallel to the Spanish barbel we are chasing (Luciobarbus bocagei) is a smallmouth yellowfish. A virtually identical animal, yet I cannot fathom them running into perennial mountain streams. It sounds like an absolute dream. Hemingway's generation missed a trick by ignoring Spain’s endemic species.”

When local knowledge from guide Álvaro Lorenzo, like-minded approaches and perfect timing come together, as it did for Peter Coetzee on a special stream in the Spanish countryside, sublime dry fly fishing for barbel ensues. Read ‘Bullseye’ from issue 54 at the link below.

Peter Coetzee experiences sublime fly fishing for barbel on a special stream in the Spanish countryside with guide Álvaro Lorenzo.

21/11/2025

F L Y • S H O P • F R I D A Y
Our new video series shot in South African fly shops, is where you’ll learn to tie tried and tested go-to fly patterns, demonstrated by the experts. The step-by-steps include a tigerfish Clouser, the lethal Carp Tugger, a high performing trout bu**er, a meaty largemouth yellowfish Muishond and more. Week by week, shop by shop, you’ll be adding fly recipes to your repertoire. The best part? Each tutorial will link straight to the materials that can all be found in one place, at that shop - the simplest way to get you tying at your vise ASAP. Check out the latest release, Terry Babich’s Carp Tugger, at the link in bio.
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