Category: FishBazaruto

Posts by Captain Duarte Rato, fishing the pristine waters of the Bazaruto Archipelego.

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Bazaruto Winter time Humpbacks

Whale Watching with the Sardine News team

Bazaruto Winter time Humpbacks

Welcome back to Captain Duarte Rato, as he begins another seasonal sojourn on Bazaruto Island, near Vilancoulos, Southern Mozambique.

Winter on the island is better than summer most other places, temperatures hang in the twenties, the water too. And winter gamefishing is another challenge entirely as the focus goes towards big gamefish on live baits. Big gamefish, including the infamous dirty fighter, the GT, Giant Kingfish or Giant Trevally. The Caranx Ignoblis and other kingfish species seem to be more active and prevalent in winter time, and if you are not careful, you may find yourself attached to one these 50kg beasts, who readily devour a live bonito, or a well-placed plug.

For the more placid, it is also whale season on Bazaruto, and humpbacks can be seen right out front of the lodge. Along with the dolphins and other whale species, the Whale Sharks that everyone love, love the waters of Inhambane Province too, and a swim in the warm clear water with one of these 30ft beasts can be the experience of a lifetime.

For more on Bazaruto, and to follow Captain Duarte Rato’s fish catching antics, surf on over to http://fishbazaruto.com, where Duarte uploads stories and photos taken each time he does a trip.

Whale Watching with the Sardine News team
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Captain Duarte Rato tracked down fishing in the Ascension Islands

Captain Duarte Rato tracked down fishing in the Ascension Islands

Well we found out what Captain Duarte Rato has been up to, and have photographic proof!

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Captain Duarte Rato has been tracked down fishing in the Ascension Islands. His yellowfin pictured here went 110kg’s and was caught on a surface popper?!

Yep, these guys have been nailing yellowfin over 200 pounds on surface poppers?! In fact, as was reported by Duarte, an angler from Germany, fishing off the side, got himself a 230lb yellowfin tuna?! Off the side?!

This is merely a sneak preview of what’s to come as we ready ourselves, here in the studio, for the senseless onslaught and adrenalin overload that comes with processing Duarte’s reports.

For another sneaky peek into Duarte’s , we are all geared up for Livestream from the boat, to thesardine.co.za website. Imagine watching Duarte’s antics live! No more imagining, it’s coming to a screen near you!

Hold onto your fighting chairs!

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Blue Marlin World Cup 2015

Blue Marlin World Cup 2015

Captain Duarte Rato gives an entertaining account of the Blue Marlin World Cup 2015, on his new website fishbazaruto.com. Click the following links to read all about it…

http://fishbazaruto.com/the-4th-of-july-blue-marlin-world-cup-2015/

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A Blue Marlin leaves the water as pro photographer Captain Duarte rato hits the shutter.

The competition is unique, exciting and worldwide. And as a result has grown in popularity over the decades. Read the following excerpt and click this link to check out the full story.

“No other big game tournament allows teams to fish anywhere in the world for 8 hours in their time zones. The World Cup is for 1 day only, for 1 species only and with 1 winner only. There is no second place in the World Cup.

The entry fee of $3000 includes everyone on the boat. The OPTIONAL additional $5000 BIG BLUE CHALLENGE is for those who want to win an even BIGGER AWARD, (see rule 10). In 2011 this division was won with a 585 lb Kona blue marlin.”

The competition was won by Madeira…congratulations!

Follow this link to read Duarte’s story…

Blue Marlin World Cup
Blue Marlin World Cup 2015 winners, Pesca Grossa, representing Madeira
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Winter marlin and hot gamefish action on Bazaruto

Winter marlin and hot gamefish action on Bazaruto

Captain Duarte Rato checking on from Bazaruto…

Click here for the full story and to check out Duarte’s encyclopedial new Bazaruto marlin fishing and gamefishing website fishbazaruto.com.

Catching gamefish like crazy and even a marlin, quite a handsome one at that, 400lbs plus, in the middle of winter. Just goes to show that those waters are favourable to billfish year round, and although November and April are insanity on a stick – any time of the year will do.

An excerpt from Duarte’s report…

“We decided to head up north on our first day and got onto some tuna mid morning. Being the marlin aficionados we are we decided to live bait a small juicy YFT – maybe to much optimist to do during the peak of winter – but after all we have caught good marlin on all calendar months and within 30 minutes we had a take from a 400 plus pound Black. Unfortunately the circle never found the spot and after a big run the fish through the bait on it´s first jump. Disappointing but still nice to see a good size fish in the middle of winter.”

Read the entire post here.

Bazaruto
Carl Jankowitz with a healthy winter GT caught and released off Bazaruto
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Natal Snoek feast & a great day with the Fish Therapy gang!!!

Natal snoek or sailfish? You can choose on the islands pal!Duarte Rato

Natal Snoek feast & a great day with the Fish Therapy gang!!!

Natal snoek or sailfish? You can choose on the islands pal!Duarte Rato

This last week we have been enjoying a real feast of light tackle spinning for the natal snoek (Queen mackerel) that have been feasting in tiny sardine day in and day out off the flats and channels between the Islands. Being just a short run away we been going for early morning & late afternoon feasts, which have provided unbelievable fun for our guests!

 

Then Sunday, the 10th May we went out with Pieter, Eugene and Christiaan, the fish therapy gang and enjoyed a awesome day in flat calm weather – which as been the norm lately!

 

We started popping on the reef but after 2 drifts had only had three kingfisg chases so decided to go and chase the birds that were on top of a mayhem of shoals of greenspot kingfish and queen mackerel. As usual it was great fun and we caught and released a few before two Zambezi sharks appeared on the scene and started to take the hooked fish.

 

We decided to go offshore and within minutes of starting Pieter was into a fierce fish that turned out to be a 23 kg cuda. We then had a sailfish pack attack with a fish on the teaser and three on each bait we had out there. Both fish that took the lure/bait combination did not hook-up, but the one that took the swim ballyhoo on a circle hook on a spinning setup hookup properly after a short drop-back and Christiaan released his first ever sailfish.

Happy days and the beers were flowing as we made a early run home…

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