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Trout for fishing venues and lodges in Emgwenya (Waterval Boven)
Emgwenya draws climbers, hikers and anglers to the top of the escarpment. We supply trout fingerlings and stocking advice to the venues and lodges that host them.
- Fish health checked before every dispatch
- Stocking advice with every order
- You speak to the people who raise the fish
- Delivering to Emgwenya
A tourism town on the edge of the escarpment
Emgwenya, formerly Waterval Boven, sits at the top of the escarpment above the Elands River waterfall. It was established as a supply town on the old railway line between Pretoria and Delagoa Bay, and that history is still visible in the sandstone five-arch bridge and the old railway tunnel, both national monuments.
Today the area is best known for rock climbing, with a large number of routes that draw climbers from home and abroad, plus hiking, horse riding, mountain biking and birding. Fly fishing is part of the mix, on stocked dams and on the river. Stillriver Trout supplies fingerlings to the venues and lodges that offer it, from our hatchery near Dullstroom.
Fishing as one of several activities
Many visitors to Emgwenya come for the climbing or the walks and pick up a rod for an afternoon. That changes what a venue needs from its trout. A beginner wants a fair chance at a fish. A keen fly fisher wants a fish that makes them work. Both want a dam that looks alive.
For most lodges that means a stocked dam with a steady population of rainbow trout, restocked as guests take fish out, with perhaps a few brown trout for the experienced angler. We help you plan numbers and sizes so the dam fishes well for visitors and still holds up in late summer, when shallow water warms and oxygen drops.
Start with our stocking calculator, then send us the number with your dam details. Species and sizes are on the fingerlings page.
Keep trout out of the river below the falls
This is the local point that matters most. The river below the falls is not stocked with trout because it holds an endemic yellowfish species.
We sell fingerlings for dams, not for rivers. If a buyer asks us to supply fish for river stocking here, we will say no.
The national listing of rainbow and brown trout as invasive species was excluded from commencement until further notice (Notice 115 of 2021). In Mpumalanga, the MTPA has required permits to sell and stock live trout, except in dams not connected to rivers. Confirm what applies to your dam with the MTPA. More on stocking trout in dams.
Fresh trout for the lodge kitchen too
Lodges that stock trout for guests often want trout on the menu as well. We supply fresh whole fish, fillets and smoked trout on scheduled runs. Ask whether your kitchen can join a route: see wholesale trout and smoked trout.
If you want to see how we raise the fish before you order, you are welcome on a farm visit. Otherwise, a WhatsApp message with your dam size, depth and water source is the quickest way to start.
Getting fish to the top of the escarpment
Emgwenya is on our Highlands delivery runs, and fingerlings travel bagged with oxygen, timed for the cooler part of the day. If you run a lodge or venue, tell us how many guests fish the water in a typical month and whether you feed the fish. Those two answers shape the order more than anything else. A dam fished hard by day visitors needs restocking more often than a quiet lodge water fished by a handful of guests.
We also suggest a quick look at the dam before the first order: how deep the deepest part is, where the water comes from, and whether the dam spills into a stream. A dam with an outflow into the river system is exactly the case where permits and escapes need thought, given the yellowfish below the falls. Send photos on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly whether the dam suits trout, and how many it can carry. If trout are the wrong fish for your water, we will say that too, and point you to our guide on why trout die in dams.
Questions from Emgwenya venues and lodges
Do you deliver trout to fishing venues in Emgwenya?
Yes. Emgwenya (Waterval Boven) is in our Highlands delivery area. Fingerlings travel bagged with oxygen, and we plan deliveries for the cooler part of the day. Send your dam details and how the water is fished on WhatsApp, and we will reply with a suggestion, a quote and a date.
Can I stock trout in the Elands River below the falls?
We would not advise it. The river below the falls is not stocked with trout because it holds an endemic yellowfish species. Stocking a river is also a different legal question from stocking a closed dam. Keep trout in suitable dams, and check what applies with the MTPA before you stock anything.
How do I keep a guest fishing dam fishing well?
Restock little and often rather than in one big batch, keep a record of fish stocked and fish taken out, and avoid overfeeding. A dam that carries too many fish is the one that crashes in late summer. We help venues plan a restocking rhythm when they order.
Are rainbow trout easier for guests to catch than brown trout?
Rainbow trout are generally the easier fish for visitors, because they feed readily and suit put-and-take fishing. Brown trout are warier and appeal to experienced anglers. A venue that serves day visitors and keen fly fishers often stocks mostly rainbows with a few browns.
Is a permit needed to stock trout at my venue?
Possibly. The national listing of trout as invasive was excluded from commencement until further notice. In Mpumalanga, the MTPA has required permits to sell and stock live trout, except in dams not connected to rivers. Confirm your situation with the MTPA. See stocking trout in dams.