I'll be heading for Moz September of "09" for Croc, Hippo, Sable and Leopard and will be up on the Zambezi some and would like to try and take a tigerfish or two. Does anyone have details on flyfishing equipment, rod weight, line weight, leaders and flies as well as spinning tackle set ups as well? I would like to take some equipment along, then plan on leaving it with my PH for others to have a go at the tigers. Any and all suggestions are appreciated and PM me if you like as well. Thanks.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

I don't know jack about fly-fishing gear but if you really wanna make the PH's day...then take a mess of appropriate hooks for the more common clients who drift and troll. When I was in Zim recently, hooks were in regular use as currency on the river and were a good way to buy tiger bait rather than kill and hour fishing for it (not that this is a bad way to spend an hour mind you ). You might also consider taking him steel trace, swivels, and high quality 15 pound test line. Beyond that if you want to take rods and reels, I would suggest the most durable, compact and basic trout equipment you can find. This is stuff that clients are going to abuse most likely, so stuff that is built like a brick S(*$house is better than really sophisticated equipment. My time in Zim was a prime example of this. I used a total junker trout rod to land the 7.5 kilo beast shown below.

quote:

Originally posted by tendrams:
(sorry for the headless photo)

Nice tiger, are you the invisible man ?

I would suggest no less than an 8 weight fly rod. Take the same spinning equipment you would use for big pike. Be sure to take some big circle hooks and also some steel or titanium leaders. I only used the outfitters equipment with bait but I would think big salmon streamers would work on the fly rods. We fished deep. I don't know if you can catch them with regularity on the surface. We were in the Zambezi and the current was pretty swift. I was there in late July and fishing was very slow. I was told best time was September on.

A good 8 wt rod should work ok. Try a Teeny sink tip with large salmon streamers. Not sure as to color.

While the PH said it looked good, I caught nothing on my bass setup with 10 lb line and casting #2 Mepps on the Ruvu.

Larry,

To me an 8-9 weight rod, a sinking line and metal trace would be the way to go. You might get by with heavy mono but tigers are far worse on leaders than northern pike. As for flies a big Flashfly might be perfect or something equally gaudy.

I actually think levelwind bass gear is perfect or levelwind with a steelhead rod, 14 pound line and metal trace. An assortment of Rapalas in medium to large size should be perfect.

I'm fishing for Tigers again in '09 on Caborra Bassa and am really looking forward to it.

Mark

I know I am going to get flack for this, but I think Tiger is an over rated fish. I am not denying they are fun to catch and their appearance is certainly a sight to behold. But I expected much more. On the otherhand Mahseer a freshwater Indian fish is a massive fighter. Mahseer do grow much bigger which of course is not a fair comparison to a Tiger...but if you compare a similar size fish a Mahseer is a much greater fighter.

Google it to get more information....

Thanks everyone!! Lots of good tips and knowledge for sure as usual here on AR. Tendrams, could you be a little more specific on the hooks, size, type and brand names if you have it? I will go with what works on the local scene for sure, but have heard on here before that tackle is always in short supply and somewhat lacking in function. Any and all other comments and info is appreciated and some more success pics would be nice as well.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

I will try to add the photo of a real tiger fish. It is called the goliath tiger and would take exception to being called over rated.
Camshaft

sorry try this link:

http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/Camshaft2008/?...goliathtigerfish.jpg

http://www.tigerfishfrenzy.com
http://lionroars.co.za/Fishing%20info.htm


The above links have a great collection of info on gear necessary for Tiger fishing. You can walk into bass-pro with a list from this site and stock up.

As for local currency, give the PH and boat captain a big bag of small hooks for Chessa (mouth is about the size of your fingernail). That's what the locals fish for very often and they love to receive hooks in exchange for bait. Makes everyone's life easier.

Best,

tendrams

You need to carch the Chessa for bait to start with anyway!

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
You need to carch the Chessa for bait to start with anyway!

Don't get me wrong, I like catching the occasional Chessa...but I would rather not regularly spend an early morning hour on the water catching Chessa simply for bait. Much better to simply pay a local fisherman for Chessa (using hooks as the regular currency) and therefore start the tiger fishing earlier.

no contest.

tendrams

Good point, if there are any locals.

we've taken fishing tackle & left it with our ph's several times. I've yet seen one who didn't love fishing and the tackle was always a very welcome gift. Don't forget the camp staff too - they all fish and things like hooks and line are all but impossible for them to get.

Tigers? - pah! - Get some proper fishin' in!!!

Shakari - I have other ideas for those guys.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Tigers? - pah! - Get some proper fishin' in!!!

Thanks tendrams - those websites look like the "motherlode". Don't have time to study them this AM but will give them a detailed look ASAP.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by tendrams:
http://www.tigerfishfrenzy.com
http://lionroars.co.za/Fishing%20info.htm


The above links have a great collection of info on gear necessary for Tiger fishing. You can walk into bass-pro with a list from this site and stock up.

As for local currency, give the PH and boat captain a big bag of small hooks for Chessa (mouth is about the size of your fingernail). That's what the locals fish for very often and they love to receive hooks in exchange for bait. Makes everyone's life easier.

Best,

tendrams

Tigers tear up flies pretty badly. In RSA, you can buy special "tiger" flies, streamers with copper wire bodies that hold up better.

A short section of braided steel leader is a good idea as well. Like fishing for cuda.

You need to get the flies down so a sink tip is good.

As to weight, you can catch them on anything from a 5 up to an 11...choice depends mainly on what flies you plan to use as well as wind (and how much time you have to land them.)