MarlinMoz Fishing Charters puts together packages for serious anglers…in the best waters, on the best boats, and with the best crew.
Throw in the best available accommodation, service and food…and you have our recipe for good times.
2014/15 Prices Available Shortly
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Package rate Includes:
· 4 or 6 night (as per package option or other requested) full board / all inclusive accommodation in beach chalet
· Breakfast, lunch and dinner & all inclusive drinks
· Bottled water, and tea / coffee facilities in room
· 3 or 5 Full days fishing (as per package option) on one of the resort´s 31ft Gulfcraft walk-around Sportfisher.
· Fishing charters includes: 150 liters of Fuel per day (above average consumption on a full fishing day charter), Captain and deckhand, meals, beverages, equipment and
terminal tackle.
· Non-motorised Watersport activities / equipment
· Marine Reserve Fees
Rate Excludes:
1 Visas – if required (South African passport holders do not require visas)
1 Fuel usage (if exceeds the 150 liters included per day)
. Transfer flights
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BRIEF HISTORY
The Bazaruto Archipelago is by far, Mozambique´s 2500 km off coastline most well know Big Game Fishing destination. The area first gained
notoriety amongst the offshore fraternity in the late 50´s, when pioneer anglers discovered an exceptionally healthy population of giant Black
Marlin. Until the mid seventies, before the country erupted into a 20 year civil war, the area was considered, along with Australia´s GBR and Peru´s
Cabo Blanco, one of the world´s top Giant Black Marlin fisheries. During that era various fish of biblical proportions were caught by the small and
basic fleet fishing out of Paradise Island, including over twenty above the magical 1000 pound barrier.
With the end of the war in the early 90´s anglers were once again lured to these waters, but due to a lack of infrastructures, accessibility, suitable
marlin boats and an amazing variety of lesser game fish, anglers focused on the extraordinary light tackle sailfish, game fish and fly fishing
opportunities, rather than the majestic Marlin of yesteryears. Still, the very few who ventured out to target those experienced exceptional results.
However, with the opening and upgrading of a number of resorts and professional Big Game Operations in the last decade, that has all changed and
an ever increasing number of anglers are, between September and January of every year visiting the archipelago to specifically target these. Those
lucky enough to have done so have found that the Mozambican war years have left the resource virtually untouched, with giant fish being
commonly caught every season.
Except for a fish caught in tofo (200 km south), the archipelago waters are still to date the only in Africa to have produced Black Marlin in excess of
a 1000 pounds and the current All-African record for the species was caught off the northern tip of Bazaruto Island in November 1998, an
incredible fish of 1298 pounds (incidentally to date the biggest Black ever caught on a lure worldwide). The biggest fish caught recently was our
1107 lbs in November 2009 by angler Jerome Sedgwick during the last day of the Bazaruto
Invitational tournament, which had it not being ravished by sharks could have potentially weighted
in excess of 1400 lbs and broken the record. Almost to the day, last year and again on the
tournament’s last day regular angler Carl jankowitz, hooked a monster that got tail wrapped and ,
weighted 1098 lbs, giving us the 5th win on the tournament in the last 6 years.
BLUE MARLIN are also present in the area but seldom caught as they patrol much deeper waters
than the customary Black Marlin grounds. Their potential is still relatively unknown but in recent
years, when things get slow off the reef´s edge, boats have ventured out wide with lures with
encouraging results with fish over 800 pounds being released. STRIPED MARLIN is also present
and sporadically seen fining, but catches are scarce as they also roam much deeper water than the
traditional grounds.
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SEASON
Large females accompanied by smaller males start to make an appearance offshore from late August to early September. Although the season can
stretch to April and fish have been caught on all calendar months, peak season normally runs from September to January.
TECHNIQUES
Traditionally the Marlin off Bazaruto were mainly targeted either with live or skip/swim baits, but in the last few years the I.B boats experimented
with lures and have had tremendous success. This is certainly one of the most alluring, educational and interesting aspects of Marlin fishing on the
archipelago, has depending on conditions all techniques work well and on any given day one is likely to use all three methods as well as bait &
switch.
FISHING AREAS
The most consistent Black Marlin fishing are at the reef´s edge in between 45 and 120 meters (130 to 360 ft) of water, a mere three to six miles
from shore. This of course provides relatively short runs to the fishing grounds (20 to 40 minutes) and fishing in sight of the breathtaking scenery
of the deserted beaches and exquisite sand dunes that make up Bazaruto´s windward coastline. Another exceptional aspect of fishing these waters
is that as there are a limited number of resorts in the area and therefore very few boats and one will rarely see more than a handful of fishing
vessels stretched over the fishing grounds – actually most times you are likely to be fishing on your own.
OTHER FISHING OPPORTUNITIES
The Bazaruto archipelago is not only known for its big game fishing, but for its diversity and never ending fish species. Be it plugging the reef´s for
GT´s, fly fishing, vertical jigging, drop shot or any other method we are always willing to cater for every angler´s specific requirements.
LIGHT TACKLE CONVENTIONAL TROLLING – Being a productive but still relatively easy method of fishing for skilled and inexperienced
anglers alike, light tackle trolling is probably Bazaruto´s most common way of angling used by deep-sea fisherman. Most game fish are caught with
this method including smaller Marlin, Sailfish, wahoo, Dorado, kingfish, tuna, king and queen mackerel and a kaleidoscope of other species.
LIGHT TACKLE (DROP SHOT & SPINNING) – Working jigs, spoons or drop shoot on light to ultra light tackle in the archipelago´s various reefs
can produce a vast array of big and small game fish species. Some reefs such as 25 mile and lighthouse/III trees have produced over 15 species in a
single day and the chance to hook one of the various species of kingfish, that will test your angling skills to the limit, is almost guaranteed.
PLUGGING / POPPER FISHING – Being the visual and active way of fishing that it is, working poppers and other kinds of surface plugs is
undoubted one of the most exciting ways to target the toughest fish that swims the reefs. Giant Kingfish (GT) fishing is almost a religion on the
archipelago and various spots are known to regularly produce extremely large fish. Other species such as king mackerel, snappers, queenfish, all
members of the kingfish family, sharks and other´s are also regularly caught using this technique.
VERTICAL JIGGING – Because of its ability to cover all the water columns, vertical jigging opens untapped doors to fishermen by producing an
endless variety of species. These techniques as only recently been used extensively in this area but the results are taking it by storm with some big
Amberjack´s, Gt´s, groupers and various other kingfish and bottom dwellers being taken.
FLY FISHING – Be it teasing billfish on the fly, chasing surface feeding schools of game fish, using fast sinking line on deep reefs for GT´s, casting
over shallow reefs from the boat or beach or working the flats the diverse Bazaruto coastline and reef structure offers exceptional fly fishing
opportunities. On last season´s best day in November we caught a total of 17 different species, including 5 species of kingfish, green and rosy
jobfish, king and queen mackerel, largemouth and needle scale queenfish, torpedo scads, rainbow runner, pinkhandle barracuda, salad fish, bonito
and garfish.
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FEATURED FISH SPECIES
SAILFISH – Caught year round, sailfish are more prolific between mid-April to mid-October, normally peaking around May and June and again in September. With
the right conditions one can expect anywhere between 10 to 30 shoots a day on fish averaging around 70 pounds, with the area´s record being 118.5 lbs.
They are regularly caught as a by catch when targeting Marlin with lures, especially at the beginning of the season.
WAHOO – Wahoo are present in bigger numbers between September and January, normally with a second run in April and May. 30 to 50 pound fish are the norm
although fish in excess of 80 pounds have been caught. Also regularly caught as a by catch when targeting Marlin.
DORADO – A summer species that is primarily caught between September and March, with October to January being the best months. The resort´s record stands at
64 pounds. The biggest bulls are normally taken when pulling fast trolled marlin lures in deep water.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Although more associated with the warm water summer months, these species does not seem to look at the calendar and makes sporadic
appearances throughout the year, and the resort´s record of 52 in a day was actually made in the winter month of July. Close in most are football size fish of around 10
to 50 pounds, but fish in excess of a 100 lbs have been caught out wide.
KING MACKEREL – Probably the most prolific game fish species in southern Mozambique, they are caught year round with all sorts of methods. The biggest
crocodiles that can attain in excess of 80 pounds are mostly caught on downrigger rigged live baits.
GIANT KINGFISH – These kings of the reef´s are also present year round and an exceptional sought after species on the archipelago. They are mainly caught by
plugging along the numerous shallow reefs along the island´s eastern coastline and in the strong current gaps between the Islands. . Fish between 30 and 60 pounds
are regularly caught, with the resort´s record being a brute estimated at over 90 pounds. We have an exclusive T&R practice for this species.
ADDITIONAL SPECIES
Amongst the most common game fish species are:
• 10 SPECIES OF KINGFISH (caranx & carangoides family) bluefin, yellowtail, longfin, big eye, brassy, yellow spotted, bludger, short fin and ferdy.
· 4 SPECIES OF TUNA – Yellowfin, Skipjack, bonito and kawa kawa
· SHARKS – world record size Zambezi (bull), hammerhead, Tiger, dusky, blacktip, silvertip, Java (pig nose),
• BARRACUDA – Great & Sea Pike
• QUEEN MACKEREL (Natal Snoek)
• QUEENFISH – Largemouth (talang) & needle scale (five spotted)
· SNAPPER´S
• AFRICAN POMPANO, MIRRORFISH, LADY FISH, MILKFISH AND BONE FISH.
· RAINBOW RUNNER.
• PRODIGAL SON
· TROPEDO SCADS & GARFISH.
• GREEN & ROSY JOBFISH & MANY MORE…
We FULLY SUPPORT THE RELEASE OF ALL BILLFISH & OTHER GAME FISH SPECIES…
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BOATS
VAMIZI and IBO are two Gulf Craft 31’ft Walk-around
Sportfisher´s, powered by new twin 175hp outboard engines.
They are professionally rigged with state of the art fighting
chairs, carbon fiber outrigger´s, downrigger´s, luna tubes,
electronics and all other necessary equipment.
Cruise speed of ±24 knots, and max speed of ±38 knots. These
craft can take a maximum of 4 anglers.
TACKLE
REELS: Shimano
• Tld 20 / Tld 25 / Tld 30
• Tiagra 30 W LRS
• Tiagra 50 W LRS
• Tiagra 80
RODS:
• 20 lbs: Shimano Tiagra / TLD 66 / TLD 70 / ST 20/30
• 30 lbs: Shimano Tiagra 30 & stand up3050R
• 50 lbs: Shimano Tiagra 50 (Straight & bent butt)
• 80 lbs: Shimano Tiagra TI 80 S (Straight & bent butt)
· 130 lbs
· All our heavy tackle reels are loaded with a 130 lbs Dacron backing and a 200 yard 130 lbs Sufix hi vis monofilament top shoot and Sampo ball bearing
swivels.
TERMINAL: We carry all the necessary terminal gear from light tackle trolling to heavy tackle fishing. We do not carry spinning, plugging and fly fishing equipment
and guests are required to bring their own.
· A vast assortment of Marlin artificial lures and teasers such as Legends, Black Bart, Pakulas, Island lures, Moldcraft, Joo Yee, Marlin Magic, Williamson,
Predator and other´s. Circle and J hook live and skip bait traces and leaders.
· Sailfish traces, lures and teasers, trolling plugs such as Halco, rapala, yo zuri and others
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ACCOMODATION
Situated just above the Tropic of Capricorn, Indigo Bay & Spa is nestled on the 12 000 ha Bazaruto Island, the biggest and most northerly Island of the jewel-like
Bazaruto Archipelago. The resort offers world-class luxury and facilities, its elegant yet natural design perfectly complimenting the beauty of its tropical location
overlooking Indigo Bay on Bazaruto Island. The guest areas, as well as the luxury Beach Chalets and Bay View Villas, have been constructed of natural materials like
reed, soft-fringed thatch and wood in order to blend harmoniously with the natural surroundings.
Each chalet and villa offers complete luxury, with air-conditioning, mosquito screens, sumptuous en-suite bathrooms, mini-bars, 24-hour power, satellite TV and
telephone access. A choice of separate, inter-leading and shared veranda chalets and villas are available.
The
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The charter fleet at Indigo as been at the forefront of the rediscovery of the Archipelago´s exceptional Marlin potential and for the last 5 years, our boat
VAMIZI has been Mozambique´s top Marlin vessel, ranking up numbers not seen since the archipelago´s heyday´s of the 60´s and 70´s.
Join us for an adventure of a life time…
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Duarte Rato may be contacted on:
dudas7mares@gmail.com
+ 258 82 805 716
+ 258 84 639 0466
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View Comments
Amazing pictures Captain!