Wild and Exotic information on salt water fly fishing
We use a number of bases and different boats to explore the bounteous waters of the Lamu archipelago or the open blue waters beyond the reefs. There are miles of unexplored mangrove channels, coral reefs and wild beaches a short distance from Lamu town capable of providing hours of exciting light tackle action, and the open blue water with an abundant and diverse population of game fish lies a short run out beyond the reef.
Our fishing guides, captains and crew are all passionate fishermen with a variety of special skills and interests. Whether you are keen to fish south inshore or offshore, we have guides with the knowledge and experience, plus the boats and equipment to ensure truly memorable fishing.
Blue water species include:
Sailfish, striped marlin, black marlin, blue marlin, broad bill sword fish, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, kingfish, and dorado.
Sailfish peak time is October and November but we do encounter them all year round in good numbers
We see our first black marlin at the end of November, peak time is mid December until end of February/ early March
Striped Marlin appear in large number at the end of December peak January and February but are still plentiful through until April
Blue Marlin are less frequently caught as they tend to run deeper than our other bill fish, but there is a chance of catching them from early December through till April – the largest we have encountered being an estimated grander (tagged and released) in December.
Broadbill swordfish can be caught all through the season – the best fishing tends to be on moonless nights and the peak seem to be November, March and April when it is not unusual to have over 20 strikes in an nights fishing . Swordfish are notoriously difficult to catch with very soft mouths.
Yellow fin tuna appear in huge number s in October and can be caught throughout the year. We have encountered larger fish in December and January with the lodge best being 83kg and some larger ones long line released.
Dorado are available all year round – wherever one finds a floating weed line or piece of debris there are usually plenty of these beautiful fish hanging below it. In March when the monsoon starts to change they appear in huge numbers and can be easily caught on light tackle
Note that these are rough guidelines only, and each season can vary. We have encountered all of these species ‘out of season’
Inshore fish species include:
Giant trevally, blue fin trevally, golden trevally, black tip trevally, brassy trevally. Also long tail tuna, Kawa kawa, torpedo scad, Needle scaled queen fish and talang queen fish, oxeye tarpon, lady fish, mangrove snapper, large and small spotted pompano.
There are numerous other species that can also be caught but above are the species that we tend to target. We have seen milk fish and bonefish but as yet we haven’t located anywhere predictable to catch them. The best inshore fishing has been between September and April – the cleaner water and calmer conditions make life easy when light tackle fishing… There is still potential for some fun ‘out of season’ but for keen fishermen it can be frustrating as the weather dictates what is possible on a fishing front.
Fishing equipment:
The deep sea boats that we work with are equipped with all new Shimano rods and Shimano Tiagra reels from 30lb to 130lb class. These are generally loaded with both braided and mono filament line depending on preference. We have an extensive range of lures, drop shot, jigs etc. There are heavier Penn trolling outfits for the skiffs for those who don’t wish to spend the day out on the larger boats.
We also have a range of fly tackle manufactured by explorer ranging from 4 weight rods for light fishing within the mangrove channels through to 14 weight rods for blue water action. These are loaded with Rio lines appropriate for our local conditions and we have them in both left and right hand wind. We have a good range of flies available including blue water flies for bill fish.
However it is recommended that anglers wanting to target marlin and broadbill on fly bring their own equipment- 16 weight rods, and reels with sufficient backing.
Fishing methods:
Most of our blue water boats are crewed by 3 – a captain and two mates. They are well trained and can adapt to different methods and styles depending on conditions and anglers. Trolling lures(30 – 130ilb) , bait and switch, live baiting , fly fishing and vertical jigging are all possible as well as casting light tackle at busting tuna or shoaling Dorado. Tag and release of all bill fish is encouraged.
In shore we tend to do most of our fishing from the skiffs with light spinning tackle and fly tackle. For long tail tuna and kawa kawa the guide looks out for feeding birds and positions the boat in the path of moving shoals of fish. Trevally can also be targeted like this and massive shoals are sometimes encountered chasing bait fish in relatively shallow water .
There are numerous reefs and shoals in the area that produce giant trevally, brassy and blue fin trevally as well as red snapper, kingfish, barracuda, queen fish, rainbow runner. Oxeye tarpon tend to be limited to a few ‘secret’ mangrove channels and are most easily targeted on the neap tides. Pompano can be caught from the beach or from a boat carefully positioned behind the surf line. This fishing is always best when conditions are calmer.
Seasons:
The weather off the east African coast is governed by the ‘Kaskazi’ a north easterly monsoon that brings clear weather and blue water, and the ‘Kusi’ which is a south easterly monsoon that brings us colder water , rougher seas and some rain.
The Kaskazi usually starts to blow at the end of November or early December it is a steady wind that usually is at its strongest around the end of December and early January. In March it tends to get very calm and still in anticipation of the change which usually come s mid April when the wind swings to the south east (Kusi) this wind then blows through until September when again it starts to calm down before swinging to the northeast Kaskazi again, as a result the calmest hottest times of our year tend to be November and march during the changeovers.
In conjunction with the winds there are two currents that affect the Lamu area; the Somali current which sweeps southwards from Oman down the Somali coast line until it meets the eastern equatorial current. The eastern equatorial current flows westwards along the equator until it meets the African continent whereupon it splits into a northerly and southerly flow the southerly flow sweeps down the Pemba channel and into the straights of Madagascar whilst the northerly fork pushes up the coast until it meets the Somali current.
This meeting point is usually a very productive fishing ground. In October it occurs north of Lamu and by December it is usually off the famous north Kenya bank – the confluence moves further south as the Somali current picks up strength. This effect reverses in June or July when the Easter n Equatorial Current pushes north again.
Kenya general information and map
Capital: Nairobi
Getting there: Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta international airport is the hub of East African air transport, and it has connections to most European cities. The flying time to Nairobi is approximately 9 hours from London.
Time: GMT plus three hours
Try not to miss: The Masai Mara for breath-taking vistas and unrivalled game viewing opportunities that reach a peak during the migration of plains game and attendant predators between late July and mid September. Wild and Exotic have a selection of camps and lodges chosen for location and style of management that will ensure you are up close and personal with the action. A short distance away lies Lake Victoria, where the attractions include fishing for huge Nile perch and searching for the rare roan antelope in Ruma National Park. The beautiful Chyulu Hills also stand within the Mara ecosystem, close to Amboseli National park where large herds of elephant roam the plains against the backdrop Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, just across the border in Tanzania.
The northern plateau of Laikipia sits beneath Africa’s second highest mountain, Mt Kenya, and is home to vast private and exclusive wildlife reserves where the visitor can enjoy fly camping, walking and camel safaris. Meru National Park is another far from the beaten track destination in Northern Kenya where we work with two fabulous lodges in pristine wilderness settings. For the adventurous we recommend a visit to the Northern Frontier District and Lake Turkana – otherwise known as the Jade Sea – and the Chalbi Desert, remote and wonderful destinations for the intrepid traveller.
After the excitement of the bush we recommend a stay beside the Indian Ocean, where deep sea fishing, diving, snorkelling, diving, and other water sports await the energetic. In our opinion the best Indian Ocean destinations in Kenya are to be found on the less populated and beautiful northern coastline close to Lamu, where we represent a handful of stunning and exotic hotels.
Visas: All UK visitors require a visa. Visas can be purchased from the Visa counter at Arrivals in the airport, or visas can be applied for online http://kenyahighcom.org.uk/wp-content/themes/kenyahighcom/forms/Form-22-Application-for-Visas.pdf. Visa processing time after application and payment is seven days, and is US$50..
Weather: July, August and September are considered the best times to visit Kenya. June, November, December, January, February and March are also good times to visit. There are short rains in November, and long rains in April and May.
Why Kenya: It is often said that Kenya has been spoilt by mass tourism, and it is true that certain areas have suffered from exploitation. However Wild and Exotic have identified scores of remote and exclusive lodges in many different regions of Kenya, where the timeless beauty of this country remains as captivating and wild as ever. Few countries in Africa can match her extraordinarily diverse landscape that includes the fertile plains of the Masai Mara and the Rift Valley, arid deserts in the North, Lakes Turkana and Victoria, the snow capped peak of Mt Kenya, and the azure blue Indian Ocean. The standards of service and guiding are consistently high throughout Kenya’s national parks and there is no better country in the world in which to view Africa’s wildlife at its magnificent best.
