By: The Managing Director of SACS
Contact: md@sacarp.co.za
Subscriber applications: http://www.sacarp.co.za/register
Subscriber News –
We are now moving towards Winter and it is time for monster Carp to be landed again from SACS venues. This year we are hoping for a 50lb’er from Kwaggahoek dam as various bigguns was landed during the autumn months.
Pertaining to various questions posed by Carp anglers about the use of “Drones” for Carp fishing I wish to provide the following feedback. I was invited to attend a safety briefing for Pilots at Westline Aviation on 28 February 2018 where a CAA certified Commercial “Drone / Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA)” Instructor, namely André Steyn, presented to attendees the safety aspects, law and regulations governing RPA’s / Drones. Firstly, there are no difference between law and regulations governing RPA’s or Drones as a drone is in fact an RPA. Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Regulations, that came into operation on the 1st of July 2015 are thus applicable to both. Do not let friends tell you that they are not. For the purpose of this article I am only going to use the word “Drone”.
Kindly click on the following website link explaining how the uses of Drones are classified, where it may be operated / not operated as well as the do’s and don’ts: … more about RPAS/Drones.
For anglers, the most important from the Part 101 Civil Aviation Regulations are the following:
• Drones may not be operated 10km or closer to any airspace, airports, airfields or helipads
• Drones may not be operated 50 metres from other people or buildings
• Drones may not be flown at a height more than 45 metres from the ground
• Drones may not be flown on any property without permission from the owner of the property
• You can use a Drone to scout / film a dam; only with permission from the owner.
• No object may currently be dropped / released from a Drone in South Africa. It is thus illegal to drop bait or fishing lines from a drone into a dam or sea!
Please take note that if your Drone gets in the way or collides with any manned aircraft that it will be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which can lead to criminal charges. A manned aircraft always have right of way above a Drone.
I wish to request our subscribers to act responsible if Drones are to be incorporated as technology with your fishing gear. Please do not drop bait or fishing lines from a Drone and communicate with me before using it to scout the lake; to get proper authorization from the owner of the venue.
Venues –
Kwaggahoek dam is full again after we received much needed rain in the catchment area. Some Israeli Carp has also been introduced to Kwaggahoek dam during March 2018. These fish are quick growers and are expected to reach 44lb’s in 7 years. SACS wish to thank Martin Nel for his sponsorship and personal involvement to introduce it safely into the dam. If you perhaps catch one of these fish please handle it with the utmost care after you have experienced its beauty and kindly release it immediately.
Images –
Naeem Wahab with a beautiful 15.5kg Kwaggahoek dam potbelly Mirror
Inayath Wahab with a 17.8kg Kwaggahoek dam Common
