Fishing in Augrabies Falls National Park

Augrabies Falls National Park sits in the Northern Cape where the Orange River cuts through ancient granite on its way west.

The park is built around the river and the gorge it has carved — this is arid, semi-desert country, and the Orange is the water that defines it.

The falls themselves, where the river drops 56 metres into a granite ravine, are the park's centrepiece, but the river above and through the park is what draws anglers. The Orange River is the fishing here.

It holds largemouth yellowfish, smallmouth yellowfish, and mudfish — all species that test fly tackle in the clear, cold winter water. Largemouth yellowfish are the main target for most visiting fly anglers, and they are not easy fish: expect to work for them.

Smallmouth yellowfish and mudfish also move actively in the right conditions, and mudfish in particular can show surprising aggression on the fly, chasing patterns in mid-water rather than simply taking off the bottom. Water temperature matters on the Orange.

In winter, releases from upstream dams can push temperatures down sharply — into the low teens Celsius — which slows fish noticeably. August is a known fishing period, though cold water is a real factor.

When conditions align, numbers can be good even if the fish require patience. SANParks has designated fishing at Augrabies as catch and release. That designation shapes the entire experience — this is not a harvest fishery, and the park manages it accordingly.

Contact the park reception directly for current permit requirements and rules before you go; regulations in protected areas can change, and the park is the authoritative source. The Orange here is waded and floated.

The granite landscape means the river runs through dramatic, rocky terrain — not easy access in places, but that is part of what keeps the fishing honest.

For a river in a semi-arid national park, it holds fish that pull hard, in country that asks something of you to reach them.