Fishing slow as Okavango River rises, filling up the floodplains

Okavango river in Namibia 

The Okavango River water level increased significantly since November 2013 with water now (latter part of December 2013) pushing into the flood plains. This is the fish breeding season. Feeding is now a second priority. The water is quite murcky with an average temperature of around 27.5 degrees Celcius. Fishing is slow with only tiger fish taking the lures in deeper channels and smaller tigershunting  next to flood plains. 

Water pushing into floodplains.

Be on the lookout ... Hippo's everywhere...!!!

Ester Burger with her tiger fish caught with a small halco lure while trawling

Dawid Burger with a nice size Tiger Fish also caught with a small Halco lure (red & black with white stripes works in the murky water) while trawling in a deeper channel

Another Giant Tiger Fish Released: 17 November 2013

Dawid Burger with his tiger fish of over 5kg

The Okavango river was very low during November 2013. We could only fish from the river bank. The fish was very active in the morning and afternoon, Managed to land several smaller specimens of tiger fish in the clear and shallow water (1-1.5m) behind sand banks. 

Dawid caught and release this giant tiger of over 5 kg with a double bladed copper spoon. The water temperature was 25.5 'C.

Elephant Fishing Encounter: Lower Okavango Namibia 6 October 2013

Largemouth Thin-face (Serranochromis angusticeps) caught with dropshot (1/2 ounce jig with modified paddle tail plastic)

Dawid with a Largemouth Humpback (Serranochromis altus) caught with a meduim size double bladed copper spoon

Went for a spot of fishing Sunday, 6 October 2013. The river is very shallow and difficult to navigate with hippo's occupying all the channels between the sand banks. Still managed to land 14 large-mouth and 6 tiger-fish. Lost some big tigers while trolling. The water was murky in some places. Water temperature, 24.9 'C Caught most of the largemouths in eddy's behind sand banks. Tigers were biting in the deeper channels (2-5m) 

Saw several groups of elephant crossing the river. One young elephant showed his discontent when we passed him on the bank to close to his liking. The video is available at: http://youtu.be/2mHoF4oqVCQ

Sunset over the Okavango

Afternoon Fishing on the bank down from our house: Okavango river 20 September 2013

Dawid with a good size tiger caught from the bank

Dawid and I went for a few casts on the bank of the Okavango down from our house just before sunset. We managed to land this monster with a 1/4 ounce dropshot with steel wire leader in 1m deep water...fish was released.

The water is getting warmer and tigers are  more active with water temps at the time 23.5 'C

The water temperature at the moment is 24.6 'C (2 October 2013).

Ambient temps outside(midday) up to almost 40'C. 

Water level of the river is very low...can still move with the boat over some sand banks to get to deeper channels ...lots of Hippo's...!!!!

Okavango (kamutjonga) Fishing Report 24-26 August 2013

Dawid with the biggest Tiger Fish of 4kg for the day

Video available at: http://youtu.be/kpn48up0kzs

Dawid and I was accompanied by his cousin Keanu and uncle Trevor Pearce on Saturday, 24 August 2013. We managed to land 33 Largemouth humpback and 5 Tiger Fish.

Most fish were caught behind sand banks and  in back waters. The tigers were caught in the deeper channels. The water temp was 79 degrees F.

Sunday, 25 August 2013 it was only Dawid, his cousin and I that went out fishingh. We managed to land another 26 Largemouth humpbacks  and 3 tiger fish.

All fish were successfully released

Cousin Keanu with his first ever Tiger Fish

Uncle Trevor Pearce with one of the smaller Tigers

Excellent Fishing during Mahangu Game Reserve Fish Disease Survey: 2-4 August 2013

Some of the boats and anglers from Crokango Angling Club that assisted the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine resources with the EUS survey in Mahangu Game reserve

One of the core functions of Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute (KIFI- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources MFMR) is Fisheries Research. This is a broad and vital function that includes different types of research such as Fish Biological Surveys, Water Quality, Brood stock collection and Fish Disease monitoring.

Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute (KIFI). Next to Mahango Game Park. Yellow line on the bottom is Botswana border

Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute (KIFI)  has an International and Regional obligation to monitor fish diseases such as Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS). It was against this background that we conducted a joint fish disease survey in the Mahangu Game Park with anglers from the Crokango Angling Club using sport fishing techniques (rod & reel) to minimize the disturbance of fish and the ecosystem. Catch and release was strictly implemented with the recording of fish data on our Recreational Angling Forms. Only affected (EUS) fish were kept for sampling purposes.

The survey took place from the 8 -11 August 2013 and  consisted of 5 boats, 8 anglers and 5 MFMR personnel including myself. My son Dawid also participated

Fishing started Friday (2 August) morning at 8:00 local time. Only a lunch break (13:00-14:30) interrupted fishing which continued to 17:00 every day. Sunday (4 August) we stopped fishing at 12:00.

Mr. Alex Muhero (KIFI) with  a Threespot tilapia. Fish with lessions taken for sampling 

Species targeted: 

Those prone to EUS infection. This included the Humpback and Thinface Largemouth, Nembwe and Pienk Happy.

Samples taken:

16 fish with lessions were taken for sampling and testing for EUS

Water condition: 

17 degrees celuis, murky to clear water. Most fish caught next to reed banks and in backwaters and lagoons behind sand banks.

Backwater of Okavango in Mahangu Game Park

Tackle used: 

Mostly small plastics with 1/4 ounce jig heads and smaller. Also small efzet spinners and small rapala, halco and other brand lures. Humpbacks were biting on the bottom. Most success when small plastics were pulled along the bottom next to reed banks or in backwaters and lagoons behind sand banks.

Catch report:

250 Humpback Largemouth (Serranochromis altus) and Thinface Largemouth (Serranochromis angusticeps) 

15 Nembwe (Serranochromis robustus)

5 Pienk Happy (Sargochromis giardi)

7 Catfish

15 Tiger fish (did not target tiger fish)

Largemouth with plastic (drop shot)

Largemouth with plastic (drop shot 1/4 ounce jig) still in his mouth

Dawid with Nembwe caught in backwater with dropshot (1/4 ounce jig)

Dawid with Tiger Fish caught on 1/2 ounce jig and plastic minnow (paddle tail)

Jig head still in tigers mouth. Minnow gone...with such teeth

Alex Muhero with a Largemouth caught next to reed bank

Tigers still sluggish: Lower Okavango, Namibia: 14 July 2013

Dawid with the biggest Tiger (3kg) landed for the day...

We only  launched around 11:00 am on Sunday (14 July 2013) morning. Still managed to land 7 tigers. 3 Of them was above 1kg. Dawid lost a nice size tiger of about 5 kg close to the boat while waiting for me to ready the camera ....!!!

The fish are not very active yet with water temps around 65 F. One cannot really blame them. We missed one Nembwe strike. All the fish were caught in relatively shallow water (1.2-3m) off sand banks. There was not much action in the deep channels (with deep diver Rapala and Halco). Did not do any drift baiting.

There was time for some interesting photos from the surrounding area close to the banks of the Okavango river (below).

Majestic Boabab

Sable antelope

Impala ram

Video of African Pike Feeding

African Pike (Hepsetus odoe)

The video of African Pike (Hepsetus odoe) feeding on livebait is available at
http://youtu.be/d9bw6oOgUFs

Wild Fishing with Elephants; Okavango River, Namibia

Fishing in the Okavango river in Namibia has many challenges regarding wildlife encounters. Never a dull moment. You are constantly on the lookout for Hippo...what a pleasant surprise if a group of elephant appears on the river bank or cross the river while you are fishing...with a nice size tiger on the other end of your line. Dawid managed to hook into some nice sized tigers on our last outing Saturday the 1st of June 2013 with elephants and hippo's galore...!!!

The video is available at: http://youtu.be/SILJyRyAIFQ

Cold water affecting the bite: Okavango

Bridge over the Okavango river at Bagani in the West Caprivi

Fishing on the Okavango river was not good the previous weekend (25-26 May 2013). Water temps dropped to 65 F. Only got small tigers on the drift (tilapia fillet). The only worthwhile photo was this one of the bridge...!!! 

Crockango Angling Competition: 1-4 May 2013

One of the Tigers caught during this years Crockango angling competition 

Read more about the 2013 Crockango Angling competition at: 
http://aquaculturenamibia.blogspot.com/2013/05/crokango-fishing-competition-final.html
and
http://aquaculturenamibia.blogspot.com/2013/05/crockango-fishing-competition-1-4-may.html

Okavango Tiger Fishing: 27+28 April 2013

Dawid  with one of 15 tiger fish landed over the weekend

My son Dawid and I went again fishing in the lower Okavango (Namibia) this weekend. We had a very nice time with some decent Tigers(15), Nembwe (4) and massive Thin-face tilapia (1). I was skippering the boat. 90% of the fish was caught by Dawid with dropshot (1/4 ounce jigg heads and 7 inch minnows with paddle tails) and double bladed copper spoons.

The flood plains have not yet started emptying back into the river...should happen within the next 2-3 weeks...Fishing will then increase by 100%...can't wait...!!!

Next week the Crockango Fishing comp starts (1-4 May 2013). Will report on it... 

Dawid with a giant Thin-face Tilapia also caught on drop-shot 

Dawid with one of the Nembwe also caught on drop-shot during the weekend

Tigers starting to bite

Dawid Burger wait a small Tiger Fish 

The Tiger Fish started biting in the Okavango as the water recedes from the flood plains. The next month might be good  for tigers and nembwe until the floodplains emptied and the water temps go down to below 18 degrees with the start of the winter.

We went testing a small alu boat on Saturday 20 April 2013. Dawid managed to catch this small tiger  in an eddy behind a sandbank...

Ladies can also do it

Read more at:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151434605677762.1073741826.772992761&type=1

The Past Fishing Season February, March 2013

The past fishing season started of with a bang, especially with the Bronzies... Ray Newing from Isle of Sheppey came over with Malcolm at the end of Jan. Target species were mostly edibles, but we did fish for Bronzies on 3 occasions. A couple of times we hooked Bronzies on light tackle whilst fishing for edibles, which ended in tears. We did catch a couple of nice size cob, but nothing big. Most of the fish around 4 - 7 kg. Among them we also caught a few rays, sandsharks etc., which was later used for Bronzie bait. It was Malcolm s first outing to Namibia and a hefty 20 Namibian dollar bill was the prize for the biggest fish caught... Ray wrote the following after the trip: "Malcolm has face-booked his fish, and has my N$20 pinned on the shop wall. He also is serious about. going again.
Hope everythings o.k with you, we had a great time there. Thanks!!"

Read more at: http://johansafari.blogspot.com/2013/03/past-fishing-season.html

Follow Johan at: http://johansafari.blogspot.com/

Sport Fishing Angola

December 2012: Quanza river Angola

 Quanza river, Angola

Photos (including those not displayed in this post) available at: 

https://plus.google.com/photos/115649327072988853579/albums/5836898255697522545

Video available at:

http://youtu.be/lyLtI4EseBc

Also read Angola Holiday Report December 2011 available at:
http://fishingsthelena.blogspot.com/2012/09/saints-share-your-catches-online.html

As usual we traveled to Angola during the December holidays. A trek of more than 2000 km to our destination this time, the Quanza river. The whole trip is a logistical nightmare as the roads in southern Angola is still a huge challenge, especially if you are pulling your boat with a vehicle packed to the rafters. 

Roads in southern Angola

Road-side repairs to the boat's trailer in Lubango, southern Angola

Once you reach Cahama in southern Angola it is smooth riding all the way to Luanda on very good to fair tar roads. 

The inshore fishing at the Quanza river was very good considering water temperatures that varied  from 26 to  29.8 degrees Celsius. I could only see one tarpon jumping, but there were many Jack Crevalle,  Barracuda and West African Spanish Mackerel. Dawid also managed to catch a small "Geelbek" cob.

Dawid Burger with a Quanza "Geelbek" Cob

Dawid with his first of 9 Jack Crevalle 

Dawid with a big Garfish

One of the smaller Jack Crevalle

Dawid with another Jack Crevalle

Dawid with a West African Spanish Mackerel

The off-shore fishing was a bit quiet. We spend a lot of time trying to get a Sailfish. Unfortunately only managed to hook 2, but lost both. There were however plenty of Blue Runner and Dorado to keep us busy.

Dawid with a Blue Runner

Dorado for the "braai"

The highlight of the trip was to meet up with long time friend Fernando Duarte and his fishing mates, Tavira Lopes (Trex) and Marco Couta. These guys are the best sport fishermen in Angola, which became very apparent when they joined up with us and we went fishing with them on Fernando's 35 ft, 900 hp sport fisher. The sea conditions and the location was not ideal, but Fernando managed to put us on some nice Amberjack, Dorado and Blue Runne action. Their skills on the boat was amazing and I could see why they are so highly rated in Angola.

The beach braai's and fisherman talk late into the night will stay with me for a long time. Marco Couta demonstrated his skills as a master fish cook with the most delightful Dorado and Baracuda braai.

Thank you guys...!!!

Boats on anchor. My small 15ft boat and Fernando's 35ft sport fisher

Fernando steaming to the fishing grounds

Dawid with his first Amberjack on Fernando's boat

Dorado braai on the beach with friends Fernando and Marco

Beach breakfast with friends Tavira, Fernando and Marco