Bazaruto Archipelago waters on fire, double-headers and more
Bazaruto Archipelago waters on fire, double-headers and more: After a couple days off due to a late cancellation we started with Johnny and Michael Velloza today. They have had a few trips with us the last couple years and some good ones at that.
This one was really cool but it could have been epic if the fish played ball seeing they were there but just not feeding and most of the bites we got were halfhearted.
Stats
We did between light tackle game fishing and some heavy tackle fishing and all in all in the time we put for Marlin in the four days we fished we raised 12 fish, but only got 6 bites and hooked 2 fish which we released.
At least we got the right one to stuck on the last day for Michael which at 600 pounds turned out to be the first nice one for the Bazaruto Season.
Amazing Bazaruto sightings
Besides that, there was some amazing game fishing and some beautiful sightings, the humpback whales are all over, loads of dolphins, turtles and yesterday we even saw a tiger shark eating a live turtle on the surface which was a first for me…
Besides the fishing, the rich waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago offer some special sightings of whales, dolphins and much more such as these turtles having some fun at the dawn of day!!!
But here´s a day-to-day account…
VAMIZI 23.09.22
Fast start…
Our first day we went 1 from 3 on Black Marlin…
The start of the day was mayhem…..like Johnny said `I have never seen anything like it!
Crazy morning bait session with king mackerel and Yellowfin Tuna schooling together.
For a couple hours we caught heaps of them trolling, popping and spinning.
Nonstop action, real wild!!!
I was just trying to get some mackerel tuna for skip baits but the YFT and cuta gave them no chance.
Eventually, we just had two rods out and when we hooked up, usually on both we would throw the popping and spinning sticks and go VAS!!!
Wild!
As usual, I was itching to put the heavy tackle out and when we did…
Well!!!
WTF!!!!
Literally as are putting the two long lures out, still in free spool and in 35 m of water, we get a double with a #400 fish on the left and a Sailfish on the right. Both jumped and threw the hook.
WTF!!!
Talk about a wild start!!!
We pulled the lures for another couple of hours and caught a few YFT Tuna and around mid-day went to help a boat in distress that had lost their steering.
Back at it we pulled the lures and got three dorado and lost a real nice wahoo by the boat.
Then a few skipjack on the bait rods.
The last two hours of the incoming we set the baits out.
20 minutes into it we got a #200 take the skip bait and fell out on the first jump.
Last tack of the day….
Going into the ledge at right on top of Aladdin’s we get a fish, again on the skip bait.
Not the most aggressive but real cool for everyone on board as this fish come on the bait three times but not commiting!
I tell Alex to take it out of the peg and hold it and then BANG….
Hookup, into the races and Michael gets to work in the chair and 10 minutes later we release a “250 and pop up the “M on the way home.
Pretty average water but nonstop action day….
Michael´s Velloza´s Black Marlin release on their first day of the trip. It was pretty much nonstop action the all day and it ended up with a beautiful bite on the last tack of the day, right at the tide change for a by the book finish….
24.09.22
Raised 4 today…
…but only got one billing the bait the other´s not even a touch.
All fish around the same area in the southern side of Amberjack, a quarter mile from each other!
First one come on the Ruckus, faded backed and showed the Xpress and was there for ages. After a turn come back and was on the Magnet for at least 2 minutes…not a nibble!
Switched to the baits got one up on the swim and it billed it twice but no aggression or pick up. An hour later one on the skip bait, all lights on but NADA!
Quarter hour later another on the swim bait and again the same ridiculous show.
Tearing one´s hair out…
…or the little it’s left of it!
Not sure if it was the drop in pressure, the sudden water temperature raise or the Beast from the East but they were certainly off today!
Although we got a couple tuna, after yesterday´s mayhem even the bait session was slow this morning.
Slowed down!
As we went north on the third day it was clear it had slowed down and even the mayhem, we had on the light tackle could not be seen.
We got 8 big mackerel tuna and a couple king mackerel in the morning and then tried for Marlin the rest of the day first with the lures and then with the dead baits.
After raising five the previous day we did not even have a sniff and only got a couple jube jube´s.
It was clear there was a different body of water in there and as the afternoon progressed it turned more milky and real slow
Time to change tacks…
The next day we went south.
Game fished in the morning and caught some bonnies and kind mackerel.
Put the lures at 8h45 and at 9h35 in the middle of skipack & jube jube school get a bite on bait rod and as I stop Marlin comes on Magnet but of course no momentum of hookup.
10 minutes later have one small come on Bonito Smoker miss it come again and took some line but no hookup.
Ohhhh Lure fishing can really mess you up!!!
We then get 7 kg YFT and put it out as live bait.
Within 10 mins have a hammerhead chasing it, we pull the bait to the boat and with leader in hand a 600 pound Marlin tries to eat it then YFT jumps out the water twice with marlin in pursuit and fish gets tangled in line.
What a mess what else is going to go wrong!
Nada…it actually went like clockwork!
Put the dead baits and in some area 62m at 9 mile we get a bite on the big quennie swim bait and release a 600 that almost jumped on the boat.
Real wild stuff…
Out of bait we put the lures and work south where water real green but in the middle of skipjack school have a small fish come on the express but missed.
We finished the day and the trip with a real nice bait fishing session catching 14 qennies and 9 trevallies´s.
Thanks for the great times Johnny and Michael and see you back here in November…
This 600-pound Marlin we got for Michael was a real wild one and stayed up on top so we had him on the leader quick sticks and it almost jumped in the boat….
After many years we finally got the ball rolling and have some satellite tags to put on some big fish this year…fingers crossed they show up good and big in the months to come.
Right on thanks Duarte for making the effort to get this to us. We all appreciate it! This season is booked out but pop an email to Duarte on dudas7mares@gmail.com or me on umzimkulu@gmail.com, to talk about next season. Or the blue marlin bite in the early new year. Or the sailfish in the wintertime.- Sean
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