Namibia - terence clark

[dale]

please note that the top guide Mola Mola UK used here Terence Clark has now moved on and has disassociated himself from this company. Anyone going to Namibia please find him here from now on
www.molaangling.com

it may be the UK branch will go on but not with their best guide.

i would recommend him highly:)

[swiss]

why did he disassociate himself????????

[dale]

feels he can do better working for himself rather than through mola mola uk.
he also felt the cost was getting too high going through the uk agents.

[fishyrob]

Hi Dale. Terence mentions you have a report on here of your trip last Feb, but I cant fnd it. Can you point me to it? I was part of a group that was supposed to be out there (Terence's missing party) but was advised by someone who shall not be named on Forum, to cancel as the fishing wasnt so good. It wasnt the correct advice.....

[dale]

hi the trip was the first week in Jan
http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17459

i'll think you'll find that's an accurate and balanced report. if you were told not to travel its understandable as it was exceptionally poor at that time.
from terence it was poor for another couple of weeks after we were out with a couple of reasonable days until the weather broke then it picked up some what.

possibly like all angling around the world nothing is guaranteed.
that was my 2nd poor trip in 18 months with the weather reeking havoc the first time as well. too cold!

although its was too cold the 1st time there were plenty of smaller fish. if you can call up to 100lbs small but by Namibian standards it was.

i don't think cancelling was the smart thing if that was what you were told. i would have rescheduled. suppose your circumstances would have played a big factor.

don't give up on it as i'm not. planning trip number 3.

were you one of the party who was lucky enough to get into the national park?

[fishyrob]

Found it... You wont beleive this, but I was actually supposed to be out there the week that Marlin Man was out there. We didnt go, because SM gave us the option to postpone until next year. Cant beleive it. But, thats fishing...!! I can see why Terence wasnt happy. He was actually without clients when the fishing turned on, because it was us!!

I was indeed one of the lucky ones to get into the National Park. It was a VERY strange experience, going somewhere where hardly anybody has been in the last fifty years. There is an old fish processing plant buried in the sand, and an abandoned wardens cottage sitting by a FRESHWATER lake. Yep, a fresh water lake in the Namib desert. That just about sums up the place. Would have loved to cast a lure in there..

We managed 57 bronzies to nine anglers in about eight hours. When the fishing was at its peak, the guides were stepping on Guitar shark that were right up on the beach in their desperation to escape the bronzies. It started good, got better and then went crazy for about an hour and a half. Then, they just went, and we didnt get a sniff. I'm not a super caster with fourteen foot of boat rod, and big penn boat reel, but even I managed to catch a couple with my own efforts, because you only needed to be twenty yards out and the guides were busy all over the show. If we had been mentally preopared for it, the tally would have been far higher, but several people hooked into hour and a half fish, one guy on for perhaps two hours before he lost the fish (I think it was on a bar, or maybe another line) Still, the fisheries guy was over the moon with the results. I dont know how the progam is going with the research. The scientists website hasnt been updated for a while. Did you pick up any news at all?

Provisionaly booked with Terrence for next year, taking my woman who will be by then my wife. Looking for a similar time, around the second week of Feb. I really feel for you being disapointed with the fishing, because when its hot there is nothing like it. We too were teased with the trip the guys did to Angola, both with Henry G and I think they did it before with th Toyota Eco-Challenge. It sounds amazing, but I also like what I hear about the Gabon thread. Here's hoping for the lottery.................

For Sale:- Secret venues for MASSIVE perch. Will sale or swap for Holiday in GABON.......

[dale]

Glad your booked up again.

did you book direct or through Mola Mola? if you used SM then you have a problem.

he has been kicked out of the country for good and the debt collectors are after him as he owes the guide, hotel and others a small fortune.

[flipper]

Dale when we went over with MolaMola we had Warren as a guide and found him excellent. Terence was fantastic fun to talk to and have a laugh with but he was obsessed by the sharks, but Warren was good for the sharks and more than happy when we asked to fish the reefs for species on lighter english rods.

Do you know if Warren still guides?

[dale]

yes warren still guiding. i,m sure terence can organise a trip with him.
thing is warren usually contacts terence for advise on the others so its just a case of asking terence for time away from the sharks to do others.

last time out we had 120kg gutted in 4-5 hours of steenbraas. fish to 20lb

[flipper]

Thanks for the info, I loved catching bronzies, but got just as much happiness catching Kob, Gullies, Sandies and Steenbraas on the light gear.

A great holiday and great memories.

[PanamaJack]

In that it might add to members understanding of this situation there's, I have noticed, a note from Terence himself on this thread - http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=64417.

[fishyrob]

I would like to make a final comment on all the BS about fishing in Namibia. Unfortunately, I have been dragged into the quagmire behind the threads, in the world of PM, and one thing that I have discovered is that all parties with grievances are cherry picking in what information they give or dont give. For the record, I would like to record the facts, for the sake of both Steve and Terences reputations.

1) I took a trip through MolaMola.co.uk in February 2004. I had a fantastic time. Steve,Terence (and Henri) gave us a fantastic trip, lots of fish. Made many friends amongst the local people also, some of whom I am still in contact with now. Incredible. Expensive - Yes. Value for money - Exceptional. Did I have any issues- Yes, didnt want to leave, but lifes like that.

2) Booked again for Feb 2006. Got told by Steve that the fishing was terrrible, and I might like to postpone. I talked to my group, and we agreed to postpone. Asked Steve about the deposit, and he suggested to hold it over for another booking. We were happy to do this. Was the fishing terrible - I think Dale can confirm that. Although there are usually the big edibles when there are no sharks, many people have interest in Namibia purely for the bronze whalers (whereas most of the German clients of these guys perfer to fish for freezer fodder - interesting comparison I thought...). There are other, cheaper options for Kob and Steinbrass in SA. Was it the fault of MolaMola.co.uk or of Terrence that there were no sharks.- Doh! Of course not. Was Steve right to give us this advice - Actually, I think yes. I think because of the specialsed nature of the trip, any responsible operator should advise their client of the latest position. Was the fishing bad - No, it fished its head off starting the very day we should have turned up (see Guitar Mans report). Am I gutted - No, because I understand fishing and I know full well this happens. Should Terrence be upset - Of course, it was a great opportunity to show the fishing was good. He knows our group, and he knows we would have made the best of the fishing. And he was left without clients at a very busy time of the year (the Namibian guides really only do good business through the September to March season, so they have to try an make their income last - hence the seemingly high prices in an economy where a kilo of steak is less than a fiver, cooked and served with a bottle of SA red...)

3) all this BS kicks off. I get told lots of things off the threads. I know many of these things allready, but some I am very suprised at. All of the information I have was given in strict confidentiality, but there are three people who might read this thread feelin a little uneasy right now. I can understand why two of them are passionate about it. They both have livelihoods to protect, mortgages to pay, that kind of thing. The third one is just an agitator, who obviously doesnt understand how the world works. I should imagine the result of a sheltered upbringing. Unfortunately, he has taken a side, which is something I am not prepared to do.

4) Now I am rocked by the whole thing. Suspicion of financial irregularities start creeping in. Having been ripped in the past, I get worried and ask Steve for a refund. The money is in the bank three days later. Do I trust Steve in matters of money? Absolutely. He had my money as we agreed, and I didnt have to argue it out of him or worse. I just asked, he said of course, and the money was back to me again.

These are all facts. Its a shame that anything to do with fishing has to degenerate into the sort of situation that we all go fishing to escape from, but thats life! To underline everything, both Steve and Terrence are first class. Terrence never needed an agent in the UK, as it is reasonably straight forward to arrange a trip out to Walvis bay, but with Steve the fishing did get very well publicised, and I would say MolaMola.co.uk is one of the reasons so many English anglers are now going over there (especially after Mr Gilbys article, which was a molamola.co.uk trip). Steve also made a very good host when we werent on the beach, which was all part of the crack for me.

Please take this as an unbiased and fair opinion of the situation. My involvement with both parties is purely as a client and I have no other involvment with either party. Steve has not contributed on these threads, which must have taken a lot of tongue biting, and is the main reason I feel that I should post. I have far better things to do to be honest than sticking my head over the trench.
Would I go to Namibia to fish with Terence again? Already planning a trip in February, just need to generate some money for it!! Would I do another trip through MolaMola.co.uk? Definately, I know Steve is actively looking for more venues that offer something a little different, and when he comes up with one I will want to give it a look, because I know he wont settle for anything less than exceptional. I was worried about the money, but when I actually dealt with it I got the same good service that I got in 2003/4.

If anyones going to kick back at me for this post, dont bother. This is the last post from me on the whole thing. I would rather be fishing. This is the way I see it. Full stop. Bored of it all now. IF you want to talk Bronzies, fine. If you want to talk who did what, dont waste my time.

Cheers

Robin

[Raptor1]

Robin,

A most honest and very fair post,think all involved would like to see the saga ended.I know very well and still fish with both the guys involved,so I know the story,think it has run its course finally.

You want to talk Bronzies and Edibles,feel free anytime,always on lookout for company to join to go back with,this whole situation has put a lot of guys sitting on fence,along with last seasons results.Not the guides fault may I add,who has sway over the weather.

:clap3:

[fishyrob]

Hey Raptor, Well, as I said I am looking to return in February, but I wont be making a positive booking until around Christmas time, as I need to know I have the readies for it. But you would be very welcome to join us. I have a definate two people-Me and the nearly Mrs, and a possible third, so if thje timing seems right to you, drop me a pm. Cheers. Robin

[Raptor1]

Hi Robin,

Get me at dacmilne@yahoo.co.uk

regards Davey.

[fishyrob]

Hi Raptor. Will drop you an email when I get back to the UK. AM in Czech just now, and off to Venezuela for a couple of weeks!!!