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Thread: Bazaruto - salt water fly fishing

  1. #1
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    Default Bazaruto - salt water fly fishing

    I am going to Indigo Bay on Bazaruto in February and I wanted to know if anyone has any information regarding the fly fishing there. Does anyone know whether there are there any guides or people that we can contact to get us in the right spots, either in Bazaruto or in Vilanculos.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by carlvanr View Post
    I am going to Indigo Bay on Bazaruto in February and I wanted to know if anyone has any information regarding the fly fishing there. Does anyone know whether there are there any guides or people that we can contact to get us in the right spots, either in Bazaruto or in Vilanculos.
    I think there are quite a few guides in those parts - MC has experience there - MC?

  3. #3
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    Renoir Le Nourey runs or did run the local dive operation in Vilancoulos, if he is still there he should be able to point you in the right direction.
    PS if he's there give him my regards.
    It's not in the catching, it's in the learning something new.
    view albums at. http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/album.php?u=659

  4. #4
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    calvanr (?)

    Hi there

    Yes, I lived at Indigo and guided from there for two years.

    Villanculos is definitely not a worthwile fishing destination. You might catch the odd Gurnard from shore and once in a blue moon a shoal of small Bonnies pass right past the harbour wall. This area is in the lee of the islands and the water is generally quite dirty for at least a few hundred metres from shore. Don't waste any time here.

    Indigo is primarily a boat fishing lodge. There will always be exceptions though. From time to time you have the chance of catching really big Couta from shore amongst the boat moorings. The Bludgers and Bonnies also sometimes pass within casting range, but these events are few and far between.

    To the north of the lodge, about two kilometres, you will find some fairly good fishing at a spot called Gengarime. At low tide you can fish off the reef into water that is up to 35m deep. Just on the northern side (right next to) of Gengarime you will sometimes find Natal Snoek feeding in shallow water at high tide. This spot is however very heavily fished by locals and it can also be very temperamental. On big surf sticks you can pick up some good GT's from shore here, but then you will need strong tidal movement and fish right into dusk.

    If you budgeted for a guide and boat charters, then Indigo is a great place because it is within reach of a large number and variety of fishing spots.

    From the lodge it takes about twenty five minutes to get to the gap between Baz and Benguerra. From here it is another ten minutes and you are at two mile reef. Both of these spots are awesome with lots of medium sized Kingies and a host of other worthwile fish.

    I must run now, but I will give you some more info tomorrow.

    Cheers
    MC

  5. #5
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    Good morning carlvanr

    Around the other end of Baz, on and around the northern tip, you will also find great fishing. This is about 45 minutes from Indigo. Lighthouse reef can produce loads of Kingies and a decent variety of reef species. The Bonnies also come thick right off the point and here it is worthwile to explore much further out to sea for the Bonnies. Afternoon sessions during spring tide periods are especially good for the Bonnies if you travel in a north-easterly direction right off the northern point. Further along the open side of the island towards Sailfish Bay is better for trawling, but you do sometimes find large numbers of football sized Frigate Tuna here. The sandspit at the northern tip of the island can sometimes produce good numbers of small Kingies and Queenfish, but we tended to mostly fish with heavy tackle for sharks in this area.

    From Indigo towards Paradise Island you will find vast areas covered in shallow sandbanks. Over these shallow areas you will always find good shoals of Bonnies, Couta and Snoek. I loved fishing here. It is very easy to find fish by simply looking for birding activity. Thick concentrated birds indicates Bonnies and sparsely spread birds normally indicate the presence of Couta or Snoek.

    The final option is to take a Landie across the island to Sailfish Bay and to fish into the surf for Kingies and reef species. The different spots are too many to list, but concentrate on the various gulles on a pushing tide and don't be afraid of wading quite deep into rough water.

    carlvanr, if you have any other specific questions, then please ask.

    Cheers
    MC

  6. #6
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    Default Bazaruto - salt water fly fishing

    MC

    Thanks for the response -great to get such relevant information.

    We will definately do quite a bit of boat based fishing-or at least have access to be taken to good spots by boat
    I believe that Linene Island is well geared up for fly fishing with the lagoon etc.

    Do you have any experience here?

  7. #7
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    calvanr

    No, I never fished as far as Linene. The closes I ever went was Bangwe Island.

    Friends of mine fished there though and the reports were not that great. The shore based fishing was average to poor, but my mate Jannie (he will read this) got two Couta of about sixteen kilos each off the beach in the lagoon. I believe that these fish were exceptions and this will not happen again in a hurry. Apart from these fish they got the odd small Couta and Snoek off the eastern side of Bangwe and some small Kingies from some offshore reefs.

    The main problem here is that the surf is very big and this really limits shore based fly fishing. Also keep in mind that there is no reef structures on shore here and this type of featureless sand structure generally holds very little or no fish. Even the offshore fly fishing is not nearly as good as it is at a venue like Indigo, Baz or Benguerra Lodge.

    If I had to choose a spot to fish February, then it would propably be Baz Lodge over any of the other lodges. You must keep in mind that Feb is cyclone month on the islands and this could keep you shore bound for the entire time that you are up there. Baz lodge undoubtedly has the best and most varied shore bound fly fishing in that area, if not on the eastern side of Africa. Even when the sea is on its head you will find loads of fish from shore and there is about 40kms of unspoilt coast that you will virtually have to yourself. We used to only fish the surf when there was absolutely nothing happening offshore or when the sea was totally unfishable due to strong winds etc and the fishing always cooked. You will realistically have chances at some really good GT's and Bluefins in the ten kilo range from shore here and the Greenspots are ever present.

    When you have a better idea on your exact plans I will be able to give you some more relevant info and also put you in touch with a good guide etc.

    Cheers
    MC

  8. #8
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    An update on this thread....for a spot close by.
    Just returned from Bengeurra and stayed at Azura about 6km south of the channel between Benguerra Island and Bazaruto. I snuck a 9 weight into my bag and went up to the north point of Benguerra twice. First time I spent 45 minutes casting blind over large clouds of baitfish just inside the channel. 3 takes on an olive clouser and one hook up of a small queenfish that tailed twice before it threw the hook.
    The next time I got a little more serious and spent two and a half hours on the very north tip of Benguerra. Spring tide, huge water movement and thought it was going to be a winner.
    Did not get a touch but again huge clouds of small baitfish holding in the shallows so was very surprised it was so quiet. That was until i saw local fishermen with nets circling and hauling huge shoals out, i got pretty despondent from at that point.
    Kept going though and was hugely excited to see two black shapes literally bullying their way along the shoreline...yup, two beautiful GT's. Would guess one of about 75cm and the other a little smaller but still a bruiser.
    Got in two casts and had a chase and turn from one before the buck fever stuffed my third cast up at which point they both charged through a baitfish ball 5 meters from the sand in front of me.
    The netting has just about decimated anything there I believe as with that many baitfish there should be continued chases from gamefish on that sort of tide but instead it was really quiet...bar the highlight of seeing those two big black shapes being the bullies they are....next time. :-(

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