Mauritius - help

[markdej]

A few tips for the Mauritius bound, firstly the bus is possibly the cheapest way to get around.
Unless you hitch, most drivers are friendly and the country is mostly safe to try.

On the safety note: We very VERY wary if you venture to the black river gorges.
The only tme I have ever been a victim of violent crime was there!
got jumped by 3 locals, cost me a camera, a good few Dollars, a watch, a pair of shoes, a mild concussion and a spot of pride.
But gave one a hell of a sore head!
(The polic response is amazing though if you tell them you are foreighn)

You can also pick up real bargains on great linnen shirts in most of the markets.
Alot of the premier clothing brands are manufactured on the island!

From a fishing perspective, there are alot of mullet off the piers in Port Louis.
And the yacht club has a lovely strech of water with a good gamefish population.
The southen parts of the Island have less polluted water than the touristy spots and the flats in tamarin bay are exceptional.
(Took a labrador on a run over 300m out!)

The best thing though is you can buy fairly cheap Guinness Quarts at the local stores!

Take it easy,

Mark

[Michael]

Yeah the bus was the cheapest to get around...mostly just used it to get to the supermarket up the drag from the hotel. Can buy beers, etc etc there.
One thing shocked me... 1 x 5kg bag of Charka braai briquettes = R 80.00!! Nuts!

Yeah I heard Mauritius has their fair share of crime too in the isolated area's...trouble is, you can't even take a can of pepper-spray there with you, they don't allow it in your hand luggage or check-in luggage. Pity, it will be good to see a Creole puke his masala out...

Mike

[markdej]

Yea, If i am entirely honest, a can of mace in the face would have realy brightened the mood! hehehe

[HolyGT]

Not a venue you should spend your hard earned $ to go fishing at. But great for a bit of R&R and She-ing and He-ing though.

If all else fishing wise fails, try dinamite - the locals have used a very effectively for years.

You can even BAR - Bomb and Release.

[chris williams]

As I said earlier, cheapest offshore fishing is taking a half-jack of whisky or Phoenix six-pack (purchased from the local cafe with the aid of a bus as the others have said) to a water taxi dude. Spot the offshore flotsam past the coral reefs and nail a few dorado...let the gold-ridden Russkies waste their time, money and 'enviro-sensitivity' on Catch And Keep marlin fishing...

[chris williams]

By the way Nkula Nkula's thread elsewhere got my mind at work. An entrepreneurial suggestion for any of you footloose/fancy-free dudes...why not go into partnership with a Mauritian local (one who praats the Froggie/Creole taal) and set up a mini fly shop with the bare essentials and your own tied flies that work locally (you'd have a captive market) concentrating on budget flyfishing trips - either guiding on the shore or inshore flyfishing using the water taxi locals so helping the local community - maybe teach some of the guys to tie flies for your shop as well. It'd offer something for all the overseas tourists. You could attract the African and Engels dudes and your partner could praat with all the Francophones and Ukrainian drug-dealers...

It would be a budget-price and informal option for the masses of regular guys who can't afford or don't like the morals and type of CANR marlin fishing they mostly practice there. You could mark up your 'bar' (Coleman/block of ice, bottle of Green Island and a dozen Phoenix) prices in the boat but not obscenely like the hotel chains

Seriously if I was single I'd be there now - most probably dreadlocked and bankrupt, but also probably pretty happy!

[redhumpy]

So I am back from Mauritius and had a blast. HOWEVER, I was there the same week as the big cyclone. 7 days in Mauritius of which it rained for 5 days at 200mm per day (= 1300 euros drinks bill). Obviously that meant that all the booked fishing had to be cancelled. The two days sunshine we had I spent on the beach with my wife. I tried for about half an hour fishing of the beach in front of the hotel and managed to catch what the locals called Leopard Fish (cod) and a Barracuda. I will most definitely go again and this time also pack in a small 4 piece dropshot set-up. On the last day I was standing on the beach and could see literally hundreds of Barracuda in the surf....I'll get them next time!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Nice Mario,thanks for sharing.Pitty about the crappy weather.

Viva le Coco

G

[teez]

hi all,

pretty old thread i know, i need some advice as i am off to the island at the end of July so need some advice on drop shot(what works) and flies(what works). i have contacted Dom but his price is a bit high for me and we are only going to be there for a week so i will be fishing of the shores in front of the hotel.

[redhumpy]

Get hold of Steve Louise at Trou Aux Biches, or the people at La Cannonier can give you his details. Fraction of the price. Mauritius is not that big, look him up in the phone book.