Bazaruto Marlin fishing update report…Nov 2016 Season!
It´s been a long month away, the first time I have ever been away for so long over the Bazaruto Marlin fishing Season for more than a decade and a half…but the GBR was more than worth it!
Just a small report to put you up to date on what happen since and up to date…
Has you know I left on a real high in mid October, when the fishing was absolutely superb and we where catching them up everyday. Our best day we raised 9 with the best for the day going #650 and the biggest fish we caught over that period was a very conservative 900+. The week after I left the bite was still going real strong and VAMIZI & BIG BOB, the only two boats consistently fishing made the most of it with some nice fish.
Straight after that the northerly wind took its tool and very poor water moved into the grounds. There was some great inshore fishing with lots of nice size king mackerel, bonnies, bludgers and some good GT fishing on the plug. However, green water moved in and along with zillions of dead yellowish algae on the surface all the way to 400 meters of water. Obviously the bite went slow and a only a few fish reported on the normal grounds over that time with no size to make a big deal of it. The few boats fishing during this time mostly decided to fish out wide and a few Blue Marlin where caught altough not as consistently as the fishing had been close in up to then.
However, the week after and still in pretty harsh conditons there was some good fish caught showing that even with harsh conditions there´s always some great fishing to be had at Baz. Over this time the biggest fish we heard of where a #700 for YELLOWFIN, a #731 lbs for SULI SULI and a #800 lbs for BELUGA.
Into November and with water conditions still bad there was the odd reports of some fish being caught altough no real big girls around. After his great trip in October Ian du Plessis and Neil Bartie decided to come back and fish a few days with Alex aboard VAMIZI. They released two for four over their four day trip along with some good game fish. Straight after VAMIZI had another three day charter which produced two fish up to #400 along with a couple sailfish.
The second week in November started to improve and some more big girls showed up with BIG BOB and QUATRO both releasing fish estimated at 800 pounds. Besides that there where a reasonable amount of small to medium range Black Marlin released along with a few sailfish.
The Bishop´s, who have now become regulars the last three years started fishing on the 17th with Alex aboard VAMIZI…trying to better Mat´s 900 plus pound fish he caught on his first day last year! Their first day was action full and they went 1 for 3 on Black Marlin, 1 for 1 on Sailfish and caught a bunch of tuna. They were back at the resort at 1pm, so not bad for a first morning. The second day was not as productive with flat calm water and green water again close in. They released a big Zambezi and a bunch of game fish but then decided to go wide and it was very slow with no bait around. Slow for all boats fishing and only a couple of small Black´s caught and ´TAMOS JUNTOS lost a BIG fish after 45 minutes. The Bishop´s third day aboard VAMIZI was full of action on the game fishing side and Alex reported that there where tuna, mackerel, bludgers, bonito and all kinds of other bait all over in the shallows. However, once they put the lures out and went deeper it quieten down although they did get two Black´s up but unfortunately could not catch either. The first was a mid-ranger that pulled the hooks after a series of jumps and the second a Rat that never connected. The only other boat fishing BIG BOB also reported a slow day missing a fish about #500 on a skip bait.
The next day, the 21st November the guys had a break and there were only two boats fishing who reported great conditions with proper blue water on the grounds at last. BIG BOB missed one and SAILFISH went one for two, getting a +- 700-pound fish on a swim quennie that died on them. The boys on VAMIZI was successful although unfortunately they pulled the hooks on a real nice one but ended up going 1 for 2 on Black Marlin and 1 for 1 on a big sailfish estimated well over a 100 pounds. The next day the hook´s never stuck on a real nice one again. This time the fish took a slow skipping bait ten meters off the transom after fiddling around with the small YFT live bait for ages. He dropped the bait but as soon as the boys started reeling in a skipping the bait he again pounced on it. This time it loaded up but after a sustained run there it come loose.
We have just had two days of solid, much needed rain – although it did keep everyone on ´´wet´´ land. Good to be back on the Island and hope to be out there for the next 16 straight days´s until we take a much deserved break…
Tight lines,
Duarte A. M. Rato
Sportfishing Charters @ Vilankulos & Bazaruto Archipelago
Email: dudas7mares@gmail.com
FB: MarlinMoz Sportfishing & fishbazaruto.com
Skype: duarteamrato
Phone: 00 258 82 805 7160 / 00 258 84 639 0466
