|
|
 |
 A
weekly departure from Nairobi visiting Amboseli, Lake
Nakuru, Masai Mara.
more...
|
|
|
|
 |
The East African game fishing
season lasts most of the year from July to sometime in May.
There are two seasons - from mid-March to November, the southeast
wind blows - called by locals as the 'Kusi', and there is a
cool feel to the air. The northeast wind, the 'Kaskazi' blows
the rest of the time and during this period; the seas are warmer
and relatively calm.
Game Fish - travellers en route to their destination
Most of the game fish in the East African waters are not resident
and are actually just passing through our waters towards their
destination. They too are a kind of tourist species! Therefore,
even though there are historical records to verify when a particular
species appears along the coastal waters, there is always some
amount of uncertainty. Game fish are also known to appear at
times of the year when they are least supposed to. The main Billfish
- Sail fish and Marlin season runs from November to mid or late
March, but Sailfish and Black Marlin often come inshore in numbers
in August - and this season has proved to be fantastic for Black
Marlin in the past few years.
Fishing for trophies
The ultimate record in East African fishing circles is the billfish
family, which includes sail fish, black, blue, striped and white
marlin, spearfish and broadbill swordfish. The Kenyan coast
has six of the seven which is quite unique. Many record-aspirants
try and catch as many of these different types in one day as
they can: three is a 'Grand Slam', four a 'Super Slam' and five
(- which hasn't been achieved to date - ) would be called, a
'Fantasy Slam'. Kenya has had loads of Grand Slams and several
Super Slams.
Different species of fish you can catch
Sail Fish - Suli Suli
Known locally as 'suli suli', Sails are by far the most numerous
of the Billfish on the East African coast.
Description
The sail fish are dark blue on the top and brown-blue laterally,
with a silvery white underbelly. Its upper jaw is elongated
in the shape of a spear. Its first dorsal fin is greatly enlarged
in the form of a sail. It has very narrow pelvic fins, with
a body covered with embedded scales.
The Sail Fish Experience
Finicky and sometimes skittish or playful, they cheat the best
of anglers at times. They are very dramatic unless overpowered
by an excessively heavy tackle. Experienced anglers comment
that this spectacular acrobat is more fun on light tackle, so
just ask for it! Sails will jump and slither across the surface
of the water in an unforgettable display. They are relatively
easy to bring in when hooked (that's the tricky part). The Sailfish
is a milestone in any angler's early fishing experience. Sails
also make a tremendous and heart-stopping challenge when fished
for on fly-tackle (see saltwater fly page).
Marlin
Marlins are the royal family of the fish world: the Marlin.
We have three types here - Striped, Blue and Black.
Striped Marlin
Stripes tend to run offshore in cleaner water and can travel
in packs. Smaller and slimmer than the other two, this fish
will still give a good account of itself.
Blue Marlin
Description: The feature that distinguishes the Blue
Marlin is a pointed dorsal fin that suddenly curves downward.
It's anal and pectoral fins are also sharp and pointed.
The Blue Marlin Experience
A jumping Blue Marlin is the ultimate thrill as the power and
fury of these fish under full throttle is simply awesome. Complete
changes of direction by these fish will convince fishermen that
there are two on at once and frantic re-routing of the boat
is the order of the day, as line usually gets desperately low
within seconds of the opening of hostilities.
A big Blue Marlin is a privilege to see and they are found usually
in the deep water, following the yellow-fin or other tuna shoals.
Some very big Blue Marlin can be expected mid-February to mid-March.
Those who doubted the existence of a thousand-pound marlin off
Kenya, were put well in their place by the capture of a 1247
lbs. Blue Marlin, caught by German angler Johannes Kramer on 18/3/95.
Black Marlin
Description: The distinctive physical characteristic of
the black marlin is its rigid pectoral fins. Its colouring is
variable and ranges from blue to slate. Its weight varies from
30 kgs. to 1000 kgs.!
The Black Marlin Experience
Blacks come closer to shore and are often encountered in very
shallow water. The buffalo of the species is tough. If you haven't
done your homework, he'll find you out and be gone. Often fighting
deep, using his pectoral fins to hold him down in the water
they are worthy adversaries (especially the little ones!). Medium
size Blacks can be expected around August/September, but the
main season is from December to mid/late March. The 2000 season
witnessed a tremendous run in August with a dozen or more strikes
to a boat in one day, with up to five fish tagged and released
- yes, by one boat! Not huge fish, perhaps, but if five marlin
in a day isn't impressive, you might as well take up knitting!
Broadbill Swordfish
Description : The Broadbill Swordfish species is easy
to identify by its long, flat sword-like bill from which it
gets its name -"Swordfish". The Swordfish's smooth,
flattened sword is significantly longer than the bill of other
billfish. The back and sides of the fish range from dark brown,
bronze to dark metallic purple, while the underbelly is dirty
white to light brown in colour. The dorsal and pectoral fins
are rigid and do not fold down.
The Broadbill Swordfish Experience
Over the past five or six years, and at first entirely on a
trial-and-error basis, some of the main operators of charter
fishing in Kenya have pioneered a new and offbeat attraction:
overnight expeditions in search of the Broadbill swordfish.
Such a venture does not appeal to everyone. However, those who
have sampled it acknowledge that it gives the rich tapestry
of life a whole new dimension. The broadbill is definitely the
strongest fighter in the ocean, and an experience not to be
missed. So far, mainly small broadbills have been caught off
Watamu, (i.e. 30-70 kgs.) but four or five in a night is not
uncommon.
Shark
We have three species of Caraharinus here: the Hammerheads,
the Tigers and the high leaping Mako.
A rarity of Kenya is the Great White Shark, with a real whopper
netted by local fishermen in 1995. Its head alone weighed in
at over 1000 lbs., with the whole fish estimated at 5,000 -
6,000 lbs.!
Tiger Sharks are being caught with ever-increasing frequency.
Watamu skipper, Pete Darnborough released a female, heavy in
pup and estimated at over 1000 lbs. in December 2003. Other
shark species caught include Bull Sharks and 250 kgs. Oceanic
white-tips. There is currently a world record pending for this
225 kgs. Bull Shark caught on a 37 kgs. line from the boat 'Tina',
fishing out of Watamu (March 2002). The angler was Ian Fenton.
Giant Trevally (locally known as Karambesi) A world-record
size is here but have yet to be boated under the very strict
IFGA regulations. Usually caught on live bait using down-riggers,
they are very tough fighters. These slow-growing fish are generally
tagged and released, as was this 38 kgs. specimen caught by
David Bird.
Wahoo
Description: The fish is shaped like a missile to start
with, and can fold its dorsal fin into a slot down the back,
adding to the streamlining when it speeds up. The Wahoo is an
extremely quick fish and some believe it can reach a-mile-a-minute
speed!
The Wahoo Experience
Wahoos are renowned for their searing first run (being one of
the fastest fish in the sea) and when there are a lot of them
around, chaos reigns as lines are cut all over the place by
fish striking at terminal tackle moving through the water. This
monster Wahoo (refer to picture given below), weighed in at
46 kgs., is the second biggest ever caught in Kenya by captor
Janet Lloyd.
Kingfish
Kingfish will often chop up a bait or two just behind the hook
before you get one. But they make up for it by being excellent
table fare.
Barracuda
Barracuda are the third member of the razor-gang. With teeth
like a German Shepherd dog they are for light line only, fighting
like a wet sack on heavy gear.
Dorado
Known here as 'Falusi', elsewhere somewhat confusingly as 'dolphin',
these fish come streaking across to your lures, iridescent with
all the colours of the rainbow as they take to the air when
feeling the hook. Fabulous light tackle fish and great eating
when prepared on the day of catch. Most run around three to
five kgs., though monsters of 25 kgs. are occasionally caught
here.
Tuna family
Yellow-fin Tuna
Description: The caudal fin of the yellow-fin tuna has
a distinctive "M" shape at the centre of its fork.
The body-profile of the yellow fin tuna is somewhat flat behind
the second dorsal and the anal fin. Yellow fin tuna adults are
distinguished by having a pectoral fin that is moderately long
and spans a third to a fourth of the body-fork length. In juveniles,
there are about twenty broken pale lines across the lower half.
The second dorsal and anal fins may be exceedingly elongated
and bright yellow in the larger variety.
The Big Yellow-fin Experience
Big Yellow-fin (up to 200 lbs.) migrate past here between August
and November (and sometimes come back again) while the 'schoolie'
small Yellow-fin are found virtually the whole year round. Yellow-fin
always gives a powerful performance, invariably going deep.
Another very worthy quarry on light spinning gear. Skipjack,
Kawakawa (Bonito) and Frigate Mackerel swim in shoals, surrounding
and forcing small baitfish to the surface, making the water
boil and giving their position away. These fish make excellent
bait, either fished whole, or as strips. Many never make it
back to the boat; the toothy predators being so thick on the
ground that many get nailed on the retrieve. Bonito are another
tremendous light-line and fly proposition, being numerous, and
very strong fighters. If you've never fished for tropical game
fish before, even a 4 kgs. tuna will probably fight harder and
longer than any fish you have caught before. A much rarer species
in Kenya is the long-tail tuna. This photos shows a specimen
16 kg fish caught on a rapala on a 4 kgs. line. Captured by
Pete Coleshaw on a fishing safari to the delta of the Tana River,
it is way over the current line-class record of 12 kgs.
To book the Tracks and Hooks Safari, which is a great combination
of the BIG FIVE and the BIG FISH! DIVING IN KENYA, click
here! |
|
|
|
|
