shore report for Namibia

**dale** · 25-01-2006, 19:04

Namibia.... the return

Hi

Just thought I would post this report on my 2nd holiday in 18 months to Namibia.

This is a precautionary tale rather than one of awe inspiring catches.

3 of us headed down there late 04 to catch a few fish but suffered some unseasonable cold weather which we were told had held the fishing back considerably. Well we all know these things happen. Disappointed but undefeated.

Recently there has been some TV footage of large sharks being hauled in by smiling anglers.

This report is of my last trip in Jan 06.

We booked for 7 days shore angling using reputably the top guide in the country.
To be honest after this I still think he is.

We eventually got there after 27 hours on the road, plane and road again. Tired and excited. After a nice meal and a few drinks of to our comfortable beds.

Next day the guide picked us up but instead of the brimming excitement you would have expected despair hung in the air.
The news had sunk in. there were very few fish to be caught. It had been that way for weeks.

What followed was 7 very very long hard days where we were on the beach for up to 14 hours a day. Seemingly they had a north wind and that had killed the fishing stone dead. Sometimes this happens in this area but this time it had lasted far longer than ever before.

Through sheer determination we did eventually catch a few fish but boy did we have to wait. Over the 7 days between 3 of us we caught 4 gulley sharks (20, 25, 30 35lbs) 5 smoothhounds (42, 32, 27, 17 & 8lbs) 1 sand shark 6lbs and 5 bronze whaler sharks (100,130,135,145 & 180). That’s a paltry 5 fish each for 7 days. I was lucky enough to catch 6 so 1 of the guys had less. The last day was reasonably good in comparison with 8 fish in the day. You can do the math for the rest.

My mate Colin did get a 42lb smooth hound which put up a tremendous scrap and I only wished they were that big in the UK.I was the luckier one of the group as I bagged 2 bronze sharks of 135 & 180lbs. The last gave me the runaround literally as I had to chase it a mile along the beach and it took over an hour to beat. Something I’m very glad I have finally experienced but was it all worth it.

A word of caution re these trips is that when we booked our expectations were high due to the mental pictures drawn by the operator of how good things would be and the referees he asked us to contact. Now I have been twice I would say yes these super catches do take place but there are plenty of weeks out there when it’s like this. If you decide to go remember it can be **** to.

Anyone wishing some information re this area I’ll be more than happy to advise.

**Drago** · 25-01-2006, 19:50

Good report Dale.

Any pictures?

**dale** · 25-01-2006, 20:48

Couple of pics

**Drago** · 25-01-2006, 21:22

A couple of cracking fish there

**dodgy** · 25-01-2006, 22:02

right thats the bait dale

what did you catch

well done any of those would a life time fish

**PanamaJack** · 26-01-2006, 10:02

Hi Dale
Thanks for a balanced report. I guess, particularly with agents or those globe trotting for TV and videos, there's always going to be an element of over-selling. That's when it can help getting it 'straight from the horse's mouth' in the guise of the guide. Although again I suppose it is his livelihood.

Did he offer any suggestions as to the dirth of fish on this latest trip? I understand there's increased commercial activity from Walvis Bay now and, although they may not be targeting the sharks they are an apex predator and need the bait shoals. Or is there any finning going on?

It's a while since any of our members fished down there - January 2004 was the last time. But they did have some great fish, the best 352lbs. There're pictures on our web site - http://www.scbi.org.uk/pages/News_WhatsNewNfc200401.asp.
Dave

**dale** · 28-01-2006, 11:14

the sharks are not there in the numbers there maybe used to be but the unseasonal hot weather was the biggest factor. warm north winds clear the water and send the temp to 23c+ which the fish don't like.

they usually get a spell like this but december was the month it happens usually and it normally only lasts for a few days at a time. this time it had gone on for 7 weeks according to the guide.

for me the potential of the place can't be under estimated but i think the new mecca will be Angola as the civil war is over.

**PanamaJack** · 28-01-2006, 12:41

Hi Dale
Well that's certainly the first reference I've seen on this forum to Angola. The civil war with Unita officially ended back in 2002 but it does seem to drag on, and the country's awash with guns. I recall going to Guatemala at a similar stage in its 're-building' program and it was just a bit frightening - too much hostage taking still going on. And the police seemed to work 'office hours' only and then have second jobs in the evening guarding banks and restaurants. I guess though with those remoter southern parts of Angola they don't have the 'luxury' of many policemen.

However, and I haven't been in touch with them for ages, I know that Jeri and Sue Drake had started to visit southern Angola. And they came back with tales of big Tarpon, reputedly up to in excess of 250lbs. There were loads of other species present including Guinean Snapper from the shore and, slightly offshore, they were catching Sailfish. Many of the Atlantic world Sailfish records come from Angola.

I guess the Namibian guides would have talked about Angola. The bit I've got which may or may not add to the picture is, albeit secondhand from Jeri, against this url on our Club's web site - http://www.scbi.org.uk/pages/News_Ar...ica_Angola.asp. I'd certainly be interested if there's more you could add, that's more current.

All the Best
Dave

**Henry Gilbey** · 30-01-2006, 08:40

Sad to hear of poor fishing at the moment in Namibia, but with the adverse weather conditions I reckon there is not much that can be done about it until the winds change.................I do know how it feels to build up for that week's fishing overseas and then see it all go a bit wrong.

But I know how hard the (good) guides out there work for their clients, and I know how hard the (good) operators work for the people coming over.

It will improve. Call it a duff year. But I know this does not make it any easier to accept.

As for Angola, great fishing, been in there a couple of times and seen staggering potential. If there is ever a really proper set-up put in place for anglers, could be some of the best shore fishing in the world.

Look at Gabon (central west Africa). totally stable, easy to get to, and so far I have yet to see better fishing anywhere, look here for a brief taste : http://www.henry-gilbey.co.uk/essay_gabon.html .

Seems to have most of the species that you can catch at the places I have been to in Angola (except for garrick and kob), crawling with huge cubera snapper, threadfin, jacks, tarpon, etc..

Seems to be Africa's best kept sea fishing secret.....

**PanamaJack** · 30-01-2006, 09:30

Henry I was quite surprised to see mention of Gabon. Initially because of its relative remoteness the only people that got to fish the area were employees of oil companies - there was a 'R & R' camp close to the mouth of the river. Then laterly you could have got there, but like a number of those West African venues, arrangements had to be made through Paris-based agencies and there was, for many, always the language issue.

So it's great to see the development of that area, it has tremendous potential. Our Club's All-Tackle record (on 30lb class tackle) for Tarpon is still held by a 214 pounder from Gabon caught way back in November 1981. And I remember the member that caught it, whilst he was shore casting on an island at the river's mouth, being shocked when he spotted a huge Tiger Shark in shallow water. He was convinced it was in the 18' range!

As you mentioned it is stable politically, a huge plus point. I remember the same member some years after that targeting big Tarpon off Sierra Leone, in a really remote area of the country. On their first day out the guards at a local garrison on the river bank started firing with a heavy machine gun over their heads to attract their attention. It certainly did that! When they landed the camp commandant - the garrison were there to engage cross-border insurgency - made it clear that his men hadn't eaten for days and he would appreciate it if they brought some fish in for them. That certainly made them fish hard!

Their best fish there was just over 200lbs but they did hook a monster 'dredging' - blind casting with a sinker - on a fly rod. From sightings they were convinced it was over 300lbs. It towed them, up and down, for over 7 miles before it snagged under wha appeared to be a discarded longline.

Sierra Leone, other than in the major towns, still appears to be unstable with rebels hacking limbs off victims. Presumably to put pressure on the central government's resources?

Finally in case anyone reading this thread's interested, as well as Gabon, they're also catching monster Tarpon at the Bijagos archipelago off Guinea-Bissau.
Dave