capt alex
08-10-2007, 21:05
Little bit slow in Kenya concerning marlin but the sails run earlye and the boys have a lot of action.
Weather still ruff and wind blowing from south east and the water is still dirty and thats maybe why the marlin dont show up in great numbers yet.
Still they catch and local fishermen from malindi cought a marlin on 600 kg plus in net on shallow water.
Maybe this year we catch a grander again?
From Capt Andys news site!
A huge black marlin was reported caught in a net close inshore off Ngomeni, too big for any scale, so it was chopped up into pieces and the aggregate weight was about 600 kgs! When an allowance is made for loss of fluids etc, this amounts to a truly enormous fish, a size even the best champion anglers would pray for – but whether it would ever be landed on rod and line would be problematical.
However it is a pointer for what might be in a fortnight's time at the Malindi International Festival, to be fished from the Malindi Sea Fishing Club on Sat.20th/Sun.21st October. Sponsored this year by Fly 540, the low cost airline, there should be a good turnout of fishermen who traditionally come to this tournament every year. It is the oldest tournament on the coast's calender, and next year will be the 50th anniversary.
Normally it is won with sailfish, but there is a hardcore of enthusiasts who put out their livebaits, and wait for that monster marlin which would sweep the board and bag all the top prizes – it has happened before!
From Shimoni Mac Spence, a long time local fisherman, and a friend went out in Broadbill, and caught seven yellowfin tuna ranging in the 20-26kg bracket. This is notable, as for many years the Pemba Channel used to have a good run of big yellowfin around October, and often with them were some large blue marlin. For three previous years this run did not materialise, all the big tuna seemed to be further north eating shoals of mantis shrimps, so this is a good sign and bigger ones will probably come in as the month goes by. There are plenty of sailfish close in along the dropoff there also, but hard to catch as they are gorged on the huge sardine shoals.
Last years winner at the Malindi Festival, Phil Revett, is already practising and out in Unreel with skipper Rob Hellier, he tagged a 90kg black marlin on the Watamu Banks. B's Nest raised two marlin on a recent trip, and saw a third swimming, but they are hard to persuade to take the baits at present, and bait itself is hard to catch. The Watamu boats have been catching the odd sail, and some good wahoo and kingfish, but the water has continued rough, with a day of very heavy rain last week.
From Malindi, Snowgoose seems to be the in form boat at the moment, with seven, six and four sail on various days in the week, the fish being mainly close to Malindi or in the Leopard Reef area. Neptune found two sail and a very big wahoo of 32.5kgs, bigger than many of the sailfish, with four sail another day. October should see large shoals of small tuna coming in, and Neptune with 24 had a good catch of these which keeps the anglers busy.
At long last, the Mombasa – Malindi road is being repaired. The layman might wonder why the authorities wait for two years until twenty times as much aggregate is needed for the job with the potholes four times the size, but then we are not qualified road engineers!
Tight Lines
Capt Alex
Weather still ruff and wind blowing from south east and the water is still dirty and thats maybe why the marlin dont show up in great numbers yet.
Still they catch and local fishermen from malindi cought a marlin on 600 kg plus in net on shallow water.
Maybe this year we catch a grander again?
From Capt Andys news site!
A huge black marlin was reported caught in a net close inshore off Ngomeni, too big for any scale, so it was chopped up into pieces and the aggregate weight was about 600 kgs! When an allowance is made for loss of fluids etc, this amounts to a truly enormous fish, a size even the best champion anglers would pray for – but whether it would ever be landed on rod and line would be problematical.
However it is a pointer for what might be in a fortnight's time at the Malindi International Festival, to be fished from the Malindi Sea Fishing Club on Sat.20th/Sun.21st October. Sponsored this year by Fly 540, the low cost airline, there should be a good turnout of fishermen who traditionally come to this tournament every year. It is the oldest tournament on the coast's calender, and next year will be the 50th anniversary.
Normally it is won with sailfish, but there is a hardcore of enthusiasts who put out their livebaits, and wait for that monster marlin which would sweep the board and bag all the top prizes – it has happened before!
From Shimoni Mac Spence, a long time local fisherman, and a friend went out in Broadbill, and caught seven yellowfin tuna ranging in the 20-26kg bracket. This is notable, as for many years the Pemba Channel used to have a good run of big yellowfin around October, and often with them were some large blue marlin. For three previous years this run did not materialise, all the big tuna seemed to be further north eating shoals of mantis shrimps, so this is a good sign and bigger ones will probably come in as the month goes by. There are plenty of sailfish close in along the dropoff there also, but hard to catch as they are gorged on the huge sardine shoals.
Last years winner at the Malindi Festival, Phil Revett, is already practising and out in Unreel with skipper Rob Hellier, he tagged a 90kg black marlin on the Watamu Banks. B's Nest raised two marlin on a recent trip, and saw a third swimming, but they are hard to persuade to take the baits at present, and bait itself is hard to catch. The Watamu boats have been catching the odd sail, and some good wahoo and kingfish, but the water has continued rough, with a day of very heavy rain last week.
From Malindi, Snowgoose seems to be the in form boat at the moment, with seven, six and four sail on various days in the week, the fish being mainly close to Malindi or in the Leopard Reef area. Neptune found two sail and a very big wahoo of 32.5kgs, bigger than many of the sailfish, with four sail another day. October should see large shoals of small tuna coming in, and Neptune with 24 had a good catch of these which keeps the anglers busy.
At long last, the Mombasa – Malindi road is being repaired. The layman might wonder why the authorities wait for two years until twenty times as much aggregate is needed for the job with the potholes four times the size, but then we are not qualified road engineers!
Tight Lines
Capt Alex