Vilanculos Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and Tuna Feast!

Post author:Shonalanga
Post published:June 19, 2026
Post category:Captains Log
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Vilanculos Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and Tuna Feast!

Vilanculos Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and Tuna Feast! Beautiful calm weather, sunny skies, flat calm seas, the stunning winter light, the exceptional sunrises and an amazing Blue Marlin bite out wide with some fast tuna action in between.

And now, to top it off we have had good numbers of Black Marlin joining the feast for an absolutely magical time.

It does not get much better than this!

The irony is that it’s all come about because of some unseasonal slow game fishing in the shallows. We know mid April to early June (and last year it went all the way to October and beyond) is a cracker time for Blue Marlin of the Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago. It’s also a good time for Black Marlin, not the Giant fish we get during the Sep – Nov spawning season) but good numbers (and we have caught some real good fish including a couple close to the 1000 pound mark during this time).

Vilanculos Black Marlin

But most of the charters we had come for the fast light tackle action on wahoo, sailfish, big king mackerel and other game fish this time are so well known. When that was not firing we changed tactics and enjoyed some real special times with the heavy tackle.

It’s been solid and reliable and since early May we have caught 16 Marlin in 21 fishing days, most of which we have only put between 4 to 6 hours a day on heavy tackle.

The numbers; 42 raised, 35 bites, 23 hookup’s and 16 releases!

Up to last week the average was much better and the hookup ratio close to 80% but then the smaller Black models moved in and it all changed! But great action all around non the less for us and everyone else enjoying this great Vilanculos Blue & Black Marlin and Tuna feast!

We have had days with up to 5 and 6 Marlin bites a day and exceptional fast tuna action!

On a short trip to Linene aboard the good ship Strenue during the second week of June the fish started biting funny and the hookup ratio dropped tremendously but we still managed to release a Blue out of 4 bites ad 4 hookup’s along with some wahoo, tuna, dorado and skipjack.

Marlin Flag at sunset

Its curious and so uncommon that the game fishing is so rather slow inshore which might be explained by the lack of bait (Jube Jube) and the exceedingly warm water we had to mid-May, but out wide we have had great fun on the light conventional and spinning sticks on yellowfin tuna and skipjack with the odd dorado come in as well.

Claudia with a skipjack tuna

Dorado for the pot!

All the way from Italy, Giacommo with yet another Yellowfin Tuna

Tuna Feast!

We have had a lot of first time Marlin anglers the past few weeks and all but one of our clients during this time walked away with their first Marlin release!