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Jozini Dam Central Reservations

Jozini Information, Jozini Accommodation, Jozini Tiger Fishing

Information and Reservations

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Jozini Dam

The Jozini Dam is situated in the north eastern corner of South Africa, on the south western side of the Lebombo mountains on the 'Elephant Coast' and covers a total surface area of 16 000 hectares, making Jozini the third largest dam in South Africa. The Jozini Dam is fed by the Pongola River, which has its catchment on the Eastern Escarpment and the Highveld and eventually flows into Mozambique where it becomes the Rio Maputo and flows into Maputo Bay.

Jozini Dam has clear, warm water and plenty of small fish, making it the perfect habitat for the formidable Tiger fish. Jozini was originally build in 1970 to irrigate over 80 000 hectares of fertile farming land on the Makatini flats, east of Jozini, supporting products such as maize, sugarcane, cotton, and various subtropical fruits including mangoes and litchis.

The water levels of Jozini Dam stayed very low for 13 years, and remained below 12% full until in 1983 when cyclone Demoina moved overland from the Mozambique Channel caused floods that filled Jozini in 3 days! . All the fish which inhabit the Pongola River now thrive in Jozini Dam and their populations are still expanding. Endemic species such as yellow fish, barbel, tilapia and tigerfish as well as exotics such as black bass and carp are present in Jozini. Jozini Dam is the best tiger fishing destination in South Africa, second to the Olifants and Komati rivers, with tiger fish of 5 - 10 kg being caught often recently, now that the tiger fish populations in Jozini are well established and growing.

Jozini Dam

The land surrounding Jozini was originally farm land, but has now been returned to its natural state and is protected by KZNCS and private land owners, many of which have removed fences separating farms, to create a huge conservation area known as the Jozini Biosphere Reserve. Large game such as elephants, rhino and buffalo have been reintroduced to Jozini and their populations are thriving, with good grazing and browsing, and a permanent water source, the Jozini Dam.

The popular attractions around Jozini Dam include tiger fishing and game viewing, and water safari, especially since the return of elephant, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo herds. Other wildlife in the area includes, warthogs, reed buck, giraffe, impala, kudu, bushbuck, steenbok, hyena, cheetah, wild dog, cerval cat, and even the occasional sighting of leopard, which roam free in the Lebombo mountains which lie east of Jozini.

The Jozini Dam’s muddy banks and reed beds are perfect habitat for a huge variety of water birds and waders, and over 350 species of birds have been recorded at Jozini, including the white faced duck, darters, saddle billed storks, yellow billed storks, Egyptian geese, long tailed cormorants, white breasted cormorants, secretary birds, grey herons, kingfishers and fish eagles.

Jozini Accommodation

Jozini Dam Lodges

Accommodation Info and Reservations - Tel: 082 2575 612

Jozini Lodges

Nkonkoni Tigerfishing Camp - Jozini Dam

If you are planning a trip to Jozini, lodges of all varieties are available, ranging from a tented Lodges to Tiger fishing lodges near the shores of Jozini, and hunting lodges in the bush. Staying at a Jozini lodge is the best way to experience Jozini, its wildlife and the fantastic tiger fishing.

Jozini has so much to offer for the wildlife and outdoors enthusiast.. Activities at Jozini include tiger fishing trips, water safaris, game drives and birdwatching around the Jozini Dam. By using a Lodge at Jozini as a base, you can explore the protected wildlife areas around the Jozini dam, visit the surrounding Parks including the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, the St. Lucia Wetlands Park and Mkuze. For tiger fishing at Jozini, choose a Jozini Lodge according to where the best fishing is at that time of the year. Contact us for free advice about tigerfishing in Jozini and the best Jozini Lodges for tiger fishing.

Jozini Dam Camping

Jozini Dam Campsites and Lodges
Jozini Dam, KZN - South Africa
For Reservations Tel: 082 2575 612 / 076 4855 366

Jozini Dam Camping Sites

Fish Eagle Camping site

Golela Camping site

At the southern end of Jozini Dam, near to Mkuze, the Jozini Dam Camping site (Fish Eagle Camping site) is situated below the cliffs of the Lebombo mountains, near to the Pongola River Gorge. The area to the right of the Jozini Dam camping site offers deep water angling. To the left of the Jozini Dam campsite there are also weed beds nearby on the southern and western side of the Jozini Dam.

Camping at Jozini Dam for tiger fishing in the wet season, from November to April is better at the Fish Eagle camping site on the southern shore, because the water is cleaner furthest from the Pongola River.

The camping sites at Jozini are basic but offer comfortable camping and are situated perfectly for nature camping access to good tiger fishing areas and also good game viewing, as the areas around Jozini Dam and the campsites are protected areas with big game including elephants, rhino and buffalo. Hippo and crocodiles are common in the lake and one has to take care!

Jozini Dam Camping Reservations Tel: 082 2575 612

E-mail: charl@extremenaturetours.co.za

Jozini Dam Camping

Things to do while Camping at Jozini Dam

Tiger fishing in Jozini Dam and Below the dam wall

Game Viewing by boat

Visit Mkuze Game Reserve

Visit the Pongola Game Reserve

Jozini Tiger Fishing

Jozini Tiger fishing Tips

Tiger fish are predators and one uses similar bait, lures and techniques to catch tiger fish in Jozini, that you would to catch other aggressive game fish. Tiger fishing techniques in Jozini include using livebait (Tilapia, small tiger fish), dead baits including sardine, shrimps, chicken liver and ox heart.

These baits can be fished on the bottom with a light sinker when the tiger fish are in deep water, and with a float with a varying length leader when the tiger fish are moving close to the surface. Fillets and strip baits trolled slowly on long lines behind a boat works well in Jozini when the tiger fish are near the surface.

Spinning and spooning are popular and successful tiger fishing techniques in the Jozini Dam. These tiger fishing methods work well in faster-moving water and when the water is not very clear and the tiger fish are hunting actively near the surface. Allowing spoons and spinners to sink to near the bottom works well to lure tiger fish from deeper down, especially when the sun is high.. Yellow and red Meps No.& 4 spinner, silver and copper spoons 1- 4 inches in length where there are smaller tiger fish and larger ones for the giant Tiger fish.

Drop Shot lures (soft plastics) work very well for tiger fish, and on light tackle, tiger fishing with drop shot lures can be fun for days until all your plastics have all been shredded (and you use anything including your favorite fishing shirt to cut strips, soak them in some sardine juice and hook them on!).

Tiger fishing with dropshot is a good technique deeper water and allows one to work the entire water column effectively for shallow or deeper moving tiger fish. Start with blue green and silver and add a flash of red. Try other colours if those are not working on the day, but tiger fishing with dropshot tends to be more successful with realistic colors in clean water and bright colours in dirtier water. Try to copy the colours of what you think the tiger fish are feeding on.

Hard plastics (e.g.. Rapalas, Halco etc.) are very effective artificial baits for many types of game fishing, including tiger fishing. Once again, tiger fish in Jozini prefer realistic colors, but red and white is also a favorite. For tiger fishing, having some deep diving lures in your box is essential when the tiger fish are deep and you can't get hold of bait.

Fly Fishing for tiger fish is one of the best forms of game fishing and pure adrenalin. 8 to 10 weight fast action rods are required. The reel you choose for tiger fishing must be balanced to the weight of your rod and must have a disc drag system as tiger fish are notorious for burning out reels in there first 50 meters of their run. Your reel must also be able to hold about 200 meters of braid backing for those giant tiger fish.

Nothing less than an 8 weight rod should be used as heavy fast sinking lines need to be thrown maximum distances in the clear water of Jozini Dam.

Fly Colours for tiger fishing change according to the time of the year and water clarity but I always have red/yellow/white; blue/white; green/white; chartreuse/white and plain black deceivers, polar fibre minnows and clousers in my box. But bring as many different types of flies as you can on your tiger fishing trips with you.

Call me anytime for advice on tiger fishing spots, tiger fishing techniques and tiger fishing charters.

Jozini Lodges

Jozini Campsites

Jozini Tiger fishing

Tiger Fishing Adventures Extreme Fishing Safaris

Boat and Skipper Hire - Contact Reservations

082 2575 612