While I am looking for a new boat to start fishing on I got an invite to go spend a few days over in Kenya fishing. I was able to fish for 18 days and we ended up catching 16 marlin (Blues, Blacks, Stripes) and 40-50 sails. We could of caught hundreds of sails if we would have tried to but the charters only wanted to target marlin. The weather was kind of bad the first few days the wind was blowing and pushed alot of cold green water in and in turn few marlin were seen, once the weather changed fishing got better with 2-4 shots a day. Here a few pics I shot when i could get a chance and with a bad camera.
CB,
Cool pics, thanks for the post. How do their crews, fishing techniques, equipment, etc. differ from ours, if any? How far did y’all have to run before “lines in”?
Fishing is a little different. We targeted marlin most of the time so we pulled luers. Tackle is hard to come by over there so the use heavy leaders and re-use everything. They use alot of strip baits and everything is a double hook rig. When I was there there was no bait to be had. If there is bait they do alot of live baiting and bait and switch. Fishing starts a mile off the beach sails and blacks. But most fishing is 15 miles or so offshore where there are some mountains. Most boats carry three mates every day one of them just sits on the bow of the boat and looks for tailing fish or free jumpers (you see them all day). They fish rips that form out on the mountains and there are alot of fish they tail in the swells and you can spot them and swing around and most often get a shot at the fish.
Good stuff, CB. Thanks for the reply.
Wow. That looks like a pretty amazing trip. Thanks for sharing.
How many blues do they keep compared to the ones released? If the country stays stable they could have a pretty good charter industry over there it looks like.
Chas’n born, Chas’n raised!
CB,
Where in Kenya (port) did you fish out of? I have been and did not realize the fishery was this red hot.
Thanks
240 0utrage 250 verado
I was in Watamu. They release most fish, they have a tagging program that they started and it has taken off pretty good. The only fish that get killed are ones that come up dead. They mostly fish j hooks and get a number of gut hooked fish, but are trying to change to circle hooks. It is hard for them to get tackle over there so it is hard to experiment with hooks, but I did get some shipped over that we use here so they are trying those out now. We did kill two; one black that came up dead and a blue for a guy that has been trying for many years to catch a big blue. He told the crew if he caught one over 600 he would buy them cell phones and a pay the bill for a year (fish went 612). They fleet there stays pretty busy with most boats staying booked over 200 days a year. Right now is the time for billfish, but later on near july and august they get some real good meat fishing with some big wahoo and yellowfin live baiting and also catch blacks. The charter clients are a little different they mostly book for around 7-10 days in a row the client that was there when i left was fishing for a little over two weeks.
Great post - thanks
Tight Lines,
Dennis C.
Dang I wanted to go there and get a Cape Buffalo. Nice to know there’s great fishing too! Fantastic pictures.
great “lit up” pics…thanks!
.
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
Dang, nice trip ! Coming down to Fripp this summer ?
I may be down there trying to find a boat to fish on full time or at least a something more steady than what I have been.
The fishery in Kenya is similar to Costa Rica. Lots of variety.
Most guys fish out of Hemingways there in Watamu.
quote:
Originally posted by 13skullsDang I wanted to go there and get a Cape Buffalo. Nice to know there’s great fishing too! Fantastic pictures.
Unfortunately, the bunny-hugger, enviro-wackos were successful many years ago in permanently shutting hunting down in Kenya. Animal numbers have plummeted since then with the departure of sport hunting and the viral increase in poaching. If you want to hunt a buff, you need to head south. I suggest Zimbabwe. If you’re serious, contact me and I can set you up with someone.
Most of east Africa has great fishing. Congrats!
Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”