Amazing African Tiger fish behaviour captured

Tiger fish capturing a swallow in full flight

Video available at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqL1aXabUY8

Young Namibian fisheries scientist Francois Jacobs originally from Otjiwarongo currently busy with his post graduate studies at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa  captured the attention  of  the world with  a video clearly showing a swallow in full flight being captured by a Tiger fish.

This bizarre behavior of the African tigerfish was speculated  for decades, but had never been confirmed. It took extreme dedication and patience by Francois and his fellow researchers to capture the video. They reported  about 20 successful attacks on swallows by tiger fish every day they spent on the lake located in Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa.

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