Mar Leo Fishing Resort – Roodeplaat Dam Review

A Barefoot Fishing Venue Review of Mar Leo Fishing Resort at Roodeplaat Dam

Review – September 2026

Barefoot Fishing – Fishing, Fellowship and Life Beside the Water

Venue at a Glance

Introduction

Mar Leo Fishing Resort sits on the banks of Roodeplaat Dam, close enough to Pretoria to be practical for a day outing but developed enough to support proper camping and family stays. It is a venue I have personally fished and reported on through Barefoot Fishing, including a documented visit to Stand 9 on 20 January 2024.

This review uses that first-hand Barefoot Fishing material as its foundation and adds current public information about the resort and Roodeplaat Dam. The aim is not merely to say whether fish can be caught, but to consider the whole experience: fishing potential, stands, camping, ablutions, family facilities, access, changing water conditions and what an angler should know before making the trip.

Location and Access

Mar Leo is situated at Plot 76 Zeekoeigat on Roodeplaat Dam, north-east of Pretoria. Public listings currently identify the venue as Mar Leo Camping, while some of my earlier material refers to Mar Leo Villas.

Its location makes it especially attractive to anglers from Pretoria and surrounding Gauteng areas who want dam fishing without travelling several hours. Please note that they do not take bookings and anglers / campers is treated and a first come first served basis.

Bookings and Contact

The current public contact number listed for Mar Leo Camping is:

+27 82 817 0405

Current rates were not sufficiently consistent across public sources for me to include them as verified 2026 prices in this draft. I recommend confirming day-visitor, angler, camping, extra-person and any stand-related charges directly with Mar Leo before travelling.

The facility is cash-only.

The Resort Layout and Stands

Mar Leo is a family-oriented waterfront fishing and camping resort with approximately 24 waterfront camping stands and about 20 day-visitor picnic sites. The sites have dedicated power points and braai facilities.

At this time I have not yet compiled a stand-by-stand description.

The Fishing Environment

Roodeplaat is a substantially different fishing environment from smaller controlled waters such as Zonderwater Dam. Wind, vegetation, open-water conditions, water quality and fishing pressure can all influence a session. This makes accurate casting and a willingness to adjust distance particularly important.

My Stand 9 report gives a useful working distance of approximately 80–100 metres. That should be treated as a proven starting range from that visit rather than a permanent rule for every stand, season or water level.

Fish Species

The fish species listed in my Barefoot Fishing Mar Leo report include:

• Carp
• Barbel
• Mudfish
• Kurper
• Bass

Carp and barbel are the species most consistently associated with bank angling at Mar Leo. Older and newer angler reports also show that fishing can vary sharply from one visit to another: some sessions produce good carp activity while others are slow enough that barbel become the main result.

My Barefoot Fishing Report – Stand 9, 20 January 2024

The indexed report identifies the venue as Plot 76 Zeekoeigat, Pretoria and records the following practical information:

• Facilities noted: swimming pool, ablutions and toilets.
• Fish listed: carp, barbel, mudfish, kurper and bass.
• Barbel bait recorded: platanna.
• Working distance recorded: approximately 80–100 metres.

Other indexed references to my Barefoot Fishing material note that nice carp were caught at Mar Leo.

Baits, Flavours and Productive Distance

MOST EFFECTIVE AND PROVEN BAITS I HAVE USED:

BOLDIPS

• Pineapple
• Stuttaford
• Fruity
• Banlic
• Perdeby

FLOATS

• Garlic – I prefer the Vampire Brand
• Honey
• Aniseed

BARBEL

Platanna worked at roughly 80–100 metres. I was also successful with a combination of snails and Earthworms on the hook with the snails being crushed. Dove and chicklets as well as fish heads worked as well.

CARP

Combinations such as almond and banana with dough, and other sweet flavours also performs well.

For a first session I would use the 80–100 metre zone as a reference point, but I would still stagger rods at different ranges until a feeding line becomes clear. Wind, hyacinth, season and the position of the selected stand can all change where fish are holding.

KURPER

Earthworms, Floaties and Dough

I have not been successful catching muddies or bass at the Mar Leo venue.

Camping and Power

Mar Leo offers more developed camping infrastructure than many basic bank-angling venues. Current public venue information describes 24 waterfront camping stands with dedicated electrical points and braai facilities.

For campers, the presence of power is a meaningful advantage for refrigeration, lighting and charging. Anglers should nevertheless confirm what electrical connection is supplied at the booked stand and bring the correct lead/adaptor rather than assuming a particular plug format.

Ablutions and Family Facilities

Mar Leo includes communal ablution blocks with hot water, a swimming pool and children’s playground equipment.

These facilities make Mar Leo more suitable for mixed family groups than a fishing-only bank with minimal infrastructure. Non-angling family members have at least some alternatives while the anglers remain at the water.

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible ablutions is not on par with any graded paths, or which Mar Leo stands provide the best level access to the water. For that reason, I do not want to label the venue wheelchair-friendly without qualification.

Anyone travelling with a wheelchair user or a person with limited mobility should contact the venue before visiting and ask specifically about the best stand, distance to ablutions, ground surface, slopes and vehicle access.

Security and Family Environment

Mar Leo is a managed private camping and fishing venue rather than an unrestricted public bank. This generally offers a more structured environment for families and campers. Public descriptions consistently position the resort as family-oriented.

As with any venue near a major urban area, anglers should still apply normal camping precautions: keep valuables secured, understand gate arrangements, and confirm arrival and departure procedures with management.

A Major 2026 Consideration – Water Hyacinth

One of the most important differences between my 2024 Mar Leo report and a visit planned in 2026 is the condition of Roodeplaat Dam itself.

Water hyacinth remains an active problem on Roodeplaat. A Rhodes University Centre for Biological Control update in March 2026 described healthy invasive hyacinth on the dam, and a public update dated 18 August 2026 estimated that roughly 37% of Roodeplaat Dam was covered.

This does not mean that 37% of Mar Leo’s bank will necessarily be blocked on the day you arrive. Hyacinth moves with wind and water conditions and control work continues. However, it is significant enough that I would regard a same-week conditions check with Mar Leo as essential before a planned fishing trip.

Ask management whether the waterfront stands are currently open, whether hyacinth is concentrated on the Mar Leo side, and whether casting and landing fish are being affected.

Current Fishing Context

Recent fishing media from 2026 still show anglers fishing Mar Leo, including a recent trip described as producing small catches. That is useful evidence that the venue remains active, but it also reinforces a lesson familiar to Roodeplaat anglers: this is not a guaranteed high-numbers water on every visit.

What I Like About Mar Leo

• Close to Pretoria and practical for day trips or weekend camps.
• True waterfront fishing and camping rather than having to travel from accommodation to the bank.
• Electrical power at camping stands according to current public venue information.
• Ablutions with hot water, swimming pool and children’s play facilities.
• A useful range of species, including carp and barbel as primary bank-angling targets.
• The 80–100 metre working zone from my Stand 9 report provides a practical starting point.
• Family-oriented infrastructure makes the venue suitable for more than the angler alone.

Points to Consider Before Visiting

• Confirm current rates directly with Mar Leo; I have not found a sufficiently reliable current 2026 tariff to publish as fact.
• Confirmed payment method; Cash-only.
• Ask specifically about water-hyacinth conditions on the Mar Leo bank shortly before travelling.
• Do not assume that the 80–100 metre range will be correct from every stand or under every condition.
• If accessibility matters, confirm the exact stand, terrain and ablution access before visiting.
• Power is publicly listed for camping stands, but confirm the connection type and availability for your specific visit.
• Roodeplaat can fish slowly; be prepared to adapt species, distance and bait rather than relying on one approach all day.

The Barefoot Fishing Perspective

Mar Leo fits well into the Barefoot Fishing idea of Fishing, Fellowship and Life Beside the Water because it gives the angler more than a peg. It combines fishing with a usable camping environment and facilities that can make a family stay practical.

The venue should nevertheless be approached as part of the larger Roodeplaat ecosystem. The quality of the resort and the quality of a particular day’s fishing are not always the same thing. Dam-wide vegetation, water quality, weather and fishing pressure can change the experience quickly.

For me, the sensible approach is to value Mar Leo for its location, infrastructure and fishing potential while checking current water conditions before committing to the trip.

Overall Barefoot Fishing Recommendation

RECOMMENDED – WITH A PRE-TRIP CONDITIONS CHECK

Mar Leo is a worthwhile Roodeplaat option for social anglers, carp and barbel anglers, families and campers who want to remain close to Pretoria while still enjoying a waterfront fishing environment.

Its strongest advantages are the combination of waterfront stands, camping infrastructure, electrical power, ablutions, pool and family facilities. The principal caution in 2026 is not the resort itself but the changing condition of Roodeplaat Dam, especially water hyacinth.

My recommendation is therefore simple: confirm the latest rate, book the most suitable stand, ask management about the current hyacinth position and fishing conditions, and prepare to adjust your distance and bait once you are on the water.

Herman Bouwer
Director: Barefoot Fishing
Barefoot Fishing – Fishing, Fellowship and Life Beside the Water