Kenya stands as one of the world’s best playgrounds for the angler seeking to catch broadbill on fly. Kenyan big-game anglers are a highly innovative bunch who take their sport seriously. The waters they fish are rich in game — filthy rich, actually. All of the Pacific billfish species can be caught here, and many figure it’s only a matter of time before one of this region’s boats posts the world’s second fantasy slam – five billfish species in a single day.
In the peak swordfish season of February and March, skippers here estimate — conservatively, they say — that up to 15 broadbill can be raised each night. Skippers here have kept very good records of fish activity and catches in these waters. These records indicate that the period starting from six days before and ending six days after the new moon represent the best nights to try for swordfish.
However, good record-keeping aside, the captains here stop short of claiming to be experts at this new game. Like any other fishery in its infancy, fly fishing for swordfish remains far from a proven science. Still, Sahiaoui and Capt. Ali Al-Harazi proved on the B’s Nest that the fish are catchable for those who employ the right combination of preparation and luck.
Anglers interested in trying the Kenyan waters for swordfish or any other Pacific billfish species should call Hemingways Resort in Watamu, Kenya. Phone 011-254-122-32624, fax 011-254-122-32256.
For more information regarding general angling in Africa and the Indian Ocean, contact Indian Ocean Angling Adventures, a tour operation based in Durban, South Africa. Phone 011-273-12664747; fax 011-273-12667481; e-mail ioaa@iafrica.com; or www.ioaa.co.za.
