FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
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- Rank: King George Whiting
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FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
For many years a fishing visit to Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya has been on my “must do” list. The lake is situated in a desert area close to the Ethiopian border and is the largest freshwater desert lake in the world. It is also in a very remote area. To get there involved a two-hour flight, with one very quick stop, from Nairobi to Lodwar in Turkana County and then 2 hours to travel just 65 km on a rough sand and gravel road to the Eliye Springs Resort – forget any ideas of air conditioned luxury! More like heat and a lot of mozzies. To travel by road from Nairobi is about 2 days.
This is really desert country with large areas of gravel and small thorn bushes, occasional groups of larger thorn bushes close to water courses, and then white sand for the last 10 km or so. There were an amazing number of goats feeding on almost nothing, a few camels, and every so often a thatched Turkana hut with a few people. Water is extremely scarce.
Dawn at the Lake, my Boma (room), and waiting to go fishing.
On arrival at the resort we were informed that the larger boat had a “small problem” so we would be using the smaller one – about a 5m old glass cabin cruiser with an 85 hp Yamaha. Sadly this boat had no canopy – quite a pain with 8 hours of sun in a cloudless sky coming up! At least we had hats and plenty of sunscreen! The local boatman seemed to know the boat well but it was obvious few serious fishermen come to the lake. There are very few boats at all on the lake and most are local wooden fishing boats – we sighted one boat in 8 hours. Fishing gear on the boat was two well worn rods and reels with braid and a box of mainly cheap and nasty lures. I had taken along a DAM rod and reel with 20 lb mono and a few Rapalas and odds and ends. Every hit we had when trolling was on my rod and a deep diving Rapala.
Lake Turkana is best known for Nile Perch with fish over 50 kg still being regularly caught by local net fishermen. The Big Fish Man recorded an episode there a few years back and managed one decent Nile perch of about 45 kg in 6 days. The water is fairly cloudy along the shore but we headed about 12 miles North to Central Island – a series of volcanic craters and outcrops in the middle of the lake – where the water was clearer. I have caught Nile Perch before in Lake Victoria in Uganda - that lake is easy to get to but heavily overfished with very few Nile Perch over 15 kg left.
We then trolled around the main Island and several rocky outcrops. There was no sounder so we had no idea of what was underneath us. During the day I managed a Nile Perch around 4 – 5 kg and my friends managed a smaller Perch and a very small Tigerfish and lost a couple of other small Perch. I managed to get the boat stopped and drifting along a steep rocky shore and was casting a large soft plastic leftover from a Barra trip. After about 10 minutes I had a really savage strike followed by a long powerful run that ended up snagging me. I really would have liked to see that Perch!
We had a quick check out of Central Island and one of the craters. The next one had a minor erruption not too many years back and had strong sulphur fumes - we gave that a miss.
It was then a 45 minute run back to the resort and a very long shower - followed by Nile Perch for dinner! An interesting trip even if no monster Nile Perch.
This is really desert country with large areas of gravel and small thorn bushes, occasional groups of larger thorn bushes close to water courses, and then white sand for the last 10 km or so. There were an amazing number of goats feeding on almost nothing, a few camels, and every so often a thatched Turkana hut with a few people. Water is extremely scarce.
Dawn at the Lake, my Boma (room), and waiting to go fishing.
On arrival at the resort we were informed that the larger boat had a “small problem” so we would be using the smaller one – about a 5m old glass cabin cruiser with an 85 hp Yamaha. Sadly this boat had no canopy – quite a pain with 8 hours of sun in a cloudless sky coming up! At least we had hats and plenty of sunscreen! The local boatman seemed to know the boat well but it was obvious few serious fishermen come to the lake. There are very few boats at all on the lake and most are local wooden fishing boats – we sighted one boat in 8 hours. Fishing gear on the boat was two well worn rods and reels with braid and a box of mainly cheap and nasty lures. I had taken along a DAM rod and reel with 20 lb mono and a few Rapalas and odds and ends. Every hit we had when trolling was on my rod and a deep diving Rapala.
Lake Turkana is best known for Nile Perch with fish over 50 kg still being regularly caught by local net fishermen. The Big Fish Man recorded an episode there a few years back and managed one decent Nile perch of about 45 kg in 6 days. The water is fairly cloudy along the shore but we headed about 12 miles North to Central Island – a series of volcanic craters and outcrops in the middle of the lake – where the water was clearer. I have caught Nile Perch before in Lake Victoria in Uganda - that lake is easy to get to but heavily overfished with very few Nile Perch over 15 kg left.
We then trolled around the main Island and several rocky outcrops. There was no sounder so we had no idea of what was underneath us. During the day I managed a Nile Perch around 4 – 5 kg and my friends managed a smaller Perch and a very small Tigerfish and lost a couple of other small Perch. I managed to get the boat stopped and drifting along a steep rocky shore and was casting a large soft plastic leftover from a Barra trip. After about 10 minutes I had a really savage strike followed by a long powerful run that ended up snagging me. I really would have liked to see that Perch!
We had a quick check out of Central Island and one of the craters. The next one had a minor erruption not too many years back and had strong sulphur fumes - we gave that a miss.
It was then a 45 minute run back to the resort and a very long shower - followed by Nile Perch for dinner! An interesting trip even if no monster Nile Perch.
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- Rank: King George Whiting
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:18 pm
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Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Am sure Barra Mick will think this is a Barra - they are almost identical and fight the same way.
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- Bluefin
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:21 pm
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- Rank: King George Whiting
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:18 pm
- Has liked: 60 times
- Likes received: 138 times
Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Part of a crater.
A small Nile croc on the rocks
My workmates at the resort.
A small Nile croc on the rocks
My workmates at the resort.
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- Rank: Garfish
- Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 9:59 am
- Location: Brunswick West
Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Wow, an amazing report from a part of the world that few of us probably ever consider. And thanks for the pics as well. What a mission just getting there!
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- Rank: Kingfish
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Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Looks like a barra.Paulanderson wrote:Am sure Barra Mick will think this is a Barra - they are almost identical and fight the same way.
Absolutly fantastic trip you had there.....awsome pics with the story.
Makes fishing in port phillip bay very boring.
Cheers bm
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- Rank: Flathead
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Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
What an awesome report, love hearing about places I didn't even know existed. Thanks for sharing
- Boonanza
- Rank: Premium Member
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Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Great report mate :thumbsup:
A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether to say it.
- davek
- Moderator
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Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA
Thanks for that enjoyable report and pics, well done, cheers davo :a_goodjob:
It's an exhilarating feeling catching a fish
But it's an even better feeling releasing them
But it's an even better feeling releasing them