Kenya Experience

Kenya Experience 

Having a career in fishing is not just about catching fish, it’s all about sharing adventure stories, memorable catches and pictures along with hints and tackle advice, but not just in the form of articles but also by meeting people. It’s been interesting over the years to see the way people’s attitude and requirements have changed One way is with the ever increasing demand of good fishing holidays abroad fueled mainly by TV programs showing not just great fishing but also fantastic tropical scenery. Therefore it’s no longer just groups of hardened anglers looking to venture further. People are now looking for destinations where they can experience the holiday of a lifetime and believe it or not bring the wife. With this in mind it was easy to pick the last of our trio of guided fishing holiday destinations escorted by yours truly for Angling Direct Holidays and Angling Times. It just had to be Kenya, as it’s an ideal venue for experienced and first time anglers, owing to the diverse nature of the Indian Ocean, especially the Watamu area which boasts a large number of fishing grounds of widely differing nature, all within a short distance of port. These include oceanic tidal rips, shallow bands and undersea mountains. It is therefore possible to fish a number of different fishing grounds in one days fishing, maximizing ones chances of success. This abundance and variety of fishing of Watamu is particularly important for the first-time angler. On your first few trips, you want to catch plenty of fish, and not just have several large specimens to show for a whole weeks fishing. On average the boats catch more than 100kg of game fish per day! With many fishing resorts it is often a case of “you should have been here last week” with the ocean seemingly devoid of fish at the time of your trip, although nothing in fishing is guaranteed, the Watamu area of Kenya is recognised world-wide as a very reliable place to catch fish, and it is unusual to come away empty-handed. 

For accommodation there can only be one place. The world famous Hemmingway’s resort, this is where you and your partner can indulge yourself in the wonders of the Indian Ocean. Located on Turtle Bay, a five-mile stretch of pristine sandy beach with just 4 hotels, in contrast to the major tourist regions of Mombasa and Diani Beach where dozens of hotels line the coast. Turtle Bay was recently voted one of the top 6 beaches in the world. Hemingway's is Watamu's only 5 star hotel, and boasts Africa's biggest and best game-fishing centre, Some of us just want to fish every day all day of our holiday but partners may not want to fish at all!. Sound familiar? Hemingway's gives you the ideal solution for angler and non-anglers alike, as there are more than enough non-fishing activities to keep everyone happy. 

At its simplest level, try a relaxed day in the hotel having a late breakfast on the terrace, an occasional dip in the pool, and a lunchtime seafood grill. As the sun starts to drop, its afternoon tea and cakes whilst you watch the fishing boats come in, and hear the tales of the big-ones that got away. For the angler and non-angler the fishy banter continues into the bar and into the evening, lubricated by the tasty locally brewed Tusker beer. Pre-prandial drinks on the terrace and a 5-course dinner under the stars (weather/season permitting) complete a perfect lazy day. For the more active, the coral reef begins within 5 yards of the shoreline directly in front of the hotel, with free glass-bottomed boat trips to the ‘coral-gardens’. I promise you that on this trip you will experience great game fishing, coupled with the best accommodation and activities to be found anywhere in Kenya. Bring the wife and by the end of the trip you will be able to go fishing anywhere and when ever you want in the future, what other reasons do you need to book yourself a place on this trip. 

First though we need to get there.. After flying out to Nairobi airport it’s only a short connection flight to the small airport of Malindi where I will be there to meet you all, fifteen minutes later you will arrive at the Hemingway’s resort for a refreshing drink. The following morning after a hearty breakfast we will all meet up and pair people up into teams of three, for you are here for fourteen days with five days big game fishing each. I will spend two days with each team providing help and support to try and make you the winning team for we are going to have our own mini fishing tournament. Each team decides what they want to fish for, Go all out for big Marlin or bag up on species like Kingfish, Skipjacks, huge giant Trevally, and do unbelievable battle usually for 2 or 3 hours with the impressive Tiger Sharks that average around the 600lb mark. For those with a little more experience and adventure why not try your hand at Sailfish on the fly? For those not familiar with billfish on fly, an un-hooked strip of bonito belly (or similar) is trolled at normal trolling speeds. Once a sail is raised, it is teased up towards the boat, and the strip is continually pulled from the fish, winding it up into a frenzy. At this point, sailfish 'light up' - the pectoral fins become an iridescent electric blue, and the dorsal fin takes on a brilliant purple hue, the fish weaving from side to side slashing at the bait. It really is a most beautiful and adrenalin-inducing site! If your nerves are still intact, now is the time to kick the boat out of gear, cast your fly, and retrieve. Your first fly-caught sail will be a memory never forgotten, and those flabby finless 1lb trout stockies suddenly seem to lose their appeal! 

On your days off as mentioned there are lots of other activities, but I am sure a lot of you once you have experienced the fishing will be booking up additional days. Also on offer for those who realy want to impress the wife, is taking a three-day private safari, where you get up close and experience the wild game side of Kenya. 

So to recap, you now have three destination choices, Cuba and Mexico (as featured in Angling Times over the last two weeks) and now Kenya, which completes the trio. If you fancy any of these exclusive trips, fantastic worldwide fishing and wish to join me, well don’t dream anymore. Live the dream, call Angling Direct Holidays, reserve your place and I will even take your pictures, so you can start to tell your own stories. 

For full details, contact Peter Collingsworth on either 0044 1603 407596 or visit their website at www.AnglingDirectHolidays.com