AMERICA-BASED ANGLER BAGS E15K

TSHANENI – Visiting angler Cyle Newton, was just 1.44kg short of netting a whopping E100 000.

However, Newton will be heading home E15 000 richer, following his victory in the two-day intense Sand River Dam Bucketlist Challenge, which ended yesterday.  If the visiting angler had caught a bass weighing 6kg or more, he would have gotten an extra E100 000, to take his earnings to E115 000.  Bass is a generic common name shared by many species of ray-finned fish.

Newton’s triumph was sealed when he reeled in the largest catch of the competition on Saturday, weighing up to 4.56kg, to earn the top prize. Despite facing a challenging day of angling on Friday, where he only managed to catch one fish between 6 am and 1:30 pm, Newton’s perseverance paid off, securing him the elusive first place. “A lot of guys weren’t catching anything, but we had to stay with it. We found a bit of luck in the cabbage patches and reeds, but mostly in the shallow water,” Newton shared.

He revealed that his most significant bite came from the shallow water or by the bank, bagging an impressive six fish on Saturday, due to a higher number of bites. Newton also disclosed that he participated in three competitions in the country and thoroughly enjoyed each one, admiring Eswatini’s beauty and tranquility, while expressing his hope to return soon. When asked about his plans for the upcoming Magagula Challenge in September, Newton expressed uncertainty, but confirmed that he would consider it. Meanwhile, Wimpie Bouwer, the fourth-placed angler, described the competition as an amazing, yet challenging two-day experience.

“We definitely learned from last year; there were a lot more top water bites, and that’s why we opted for top water fishing this time around,” Bouwer noted drawing from his experience in last year’s edition. Bouwer was pleased with his performance, securing two top 10 prizes, earning E3 000 for fourth place and E750 for placing 10th . His notable catches included a 3.025kg fish for fourth place and a 2.090kg catch for the 10th  place. Bouwer also revealed his regular fishing routine, stating that he went fishing almost every second weekend and was a member of the Eswatini angling national team. He expressed his fondness for the Maguga Dam, citing its structured and challenging environment as the reason for its appeal.

In addition to the main competition, a Barbel category offered an opportunity for anglers to compete for a prize of E700. Morgan Rudd wasted no time in claiming the cash prize after reeling in a Barbel weighing 6.89kg. Derek Hopf, President of the Eswatini Angling Association (EAA), mentioned that Newton, the competition winner, was only 1.44kg short of E100 000, while last year’s largest catch slightly exceeded this year’s.

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