Big tigerfish from Tanzania
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I was photographing a fly fishing job out in Tanzania a couple of weeks back – big tigerfish on the fly. Saw them landed to 18lbs, guys were smoked by bigger fish on several occasions. Tigers to 26lb have been taken on the fly so far at this camp. Awesome stuff. Got some material I was really pleased with, especially considering the shooting limitations – I really wanted to get in the water etc., but with some very big crocs and plenty of hippos around, I was strongly advised against doing so !! Man these fish hit the fly hard. I am not a very good fly fisherman myself, but I was encouraged to have a go – “hit them really hard” I was told. So I went and broke an 8 weight on the strike. Mildly embarrassing, got some beauty line burns into the bargain.
Bunch more photos on my website, check here :
http://www.henry-gilbey.com/fishing_pictures/tanzania_big_tigerfish_on_the_fly.html
Mutant stripers with teeth!
How was the hookup percentage? I have heard that they have a hard mouth and can be difficult to get positive hook-sets.
I was photographing a fly fishing job out in Tanzania a couple of weeks back
LMAO . . . that is a perfect introductory sentence Henry.
Thanks guys for taking a look, and for the hugely kind comments…..
Yes, they use a short 30lb wire biting tippet. And yes, it is not easy to get “purchase” in that mouth – talk about doing all they can to set the hook home, but a number of fish are lost. It’s the nature of this fishing.
Super-aggressive fish, wonderfully brutal and unsubtle fights. I have done a lot of work in Africa, in some weird and wonderful places at times, and I have never, ever had a bad experience. I love it, and this kind of tigerfishing to me is like a complete kind of Africa experience rolled into one. Awesome fish, true wilderness (but boy are you looked after), wildlife etc. – can’t beat trying to get to sleep with the sound of lions roaring and hynenas coughing. Plus various animals rustling around outside your (luxury safari) tent. Tarzan I am not !! There is nowhere like Africa, and there is so much fishing over there…..
Kind of torn with my photos a bit – we managed to get out on the odd sandbank to get a few grip and grins, close up on the fish shots etc., but somebody had to keep a close eye out for crocs etc., and we always worked very quickly for that reason. I had a number of shots in my head that I simply could not get, but that is the nature of this fishing I suppose. One of the boats was attacked by a hippo the week before we got there – thing came out of nowhere and locked its jaws on the side of the vessel. Everybody was fine, but yes, you looked around when answering a call of nature !!
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