Fishing on The Zambezi River

Fishing on the Zambezi River to the novice or experienced angler is possibly as close as one can get to absolute perfection. But what can one expect to catch and how? What are the best times of year and what are the potential dangers if any?

Our focus on this page is fishing the section of the Zambezi above Victoria Falls.

As all fishermen know it is not only about the catch but it’s about being at one with nature and your surroundings. Well what better place can you do this than on the Mighty Zambezi River?

"One of the greatest charms of angling is that of all the sports , it affords the best opportunity to enjoy the wonders and beauty of nature."                       J.J. Manley

It is ever changing through the seasons so one visit is never the same as the next keeping you spell bound every time. Wildlife and birds are in abundance and for me nothing much can be finer than a days fishing on the Zambezi River.
 

What you can catch

There are over 75 fish species found inhabiting these waters. The most sought-after of these is the Tiger Fish, well renowned as probably the greatest fighting fresh water fish around. It is a ferocious species which can grow as large as 33 lbs (15 Kg) in weight.

However you can also expect to catch three-spot, pink-happy and Yellow-belly bream, Upper Zambezi Yellowfish, African Pike and Silver Barbel to name just a few of the most common.

The gorgeous Yellow-belly Bream (Nembwe) reach over 4kgs in weight and is very popular amongst anglers. Vundu is a type of catfish and is the largest fish found in the Zambezi, and can grow as large as 100 lbs. However the Vundu is only found below the Victoria falls and not above the falls.

"Lord grant that I may catch a fish so big that even I in telling of it afterwards would have no need to tell a lie."

How To Catch it

Trolling and spinning with artificial lures for both Tiger fish and Bream are the standard methods used.

Bottom fishing and drift bait (fillet or live bait) are also very successful methods.

Some of these methods obviously require the use of a boat, so unless you have your own, it is definitely advisable to take a tour with one of the quality fishing companies around.

Drifting slowly down with the current and casting into the swirling eddies often yields great fish.

The really large tiger fish generally hang out in the deep water so drifting with a chicken or a fish fillet is possibly the best way to catch one of these monsters.

Fishing from the bank in the Zambezi National Park can be very rewarding if you can find the right spot for both spinning and fly fishing. Sometimes giving you that extra mobility to search out fishes in exact spots especially during the very dry season when you can creep up on the shallow waters or jump onto the rocks and cast into the fast flowing current.

"Fish come and go, but it's the memory of the Afternoons on the stream that endure."

Targeting Tiger fish on fly is definitely one of the most challenging and exciting experiences any angler can have. Heart stopping strikes are always followed by fantastic acrobatic aerial displays, as the tigers dance across the waters surface trying to throw your fly from their bony mouth (often successfully).

These tremendous fighters swim against the current all day long and are extremely fit, their fight is unsurpassed by any other fish so catching them on normal tackle is exciting in itself but to catch one on a fly rod is beyond belief.
 

When to catch it

Tigers Fish and Nembwe are targeted all year round, but are particularly prolific from late May through to December.

The rains generally start around the end of November, with the rain comes muddy water and lots of debris as well as food. As the water levels rise through January many species of fish move into the floodplains to feed and breed.
In May the water levels reach their peak and then start to subside through the next few months until they are again at their lowest in November. It is as these water levels start to recede that one can have some truly excellent fishing on the Zambezi.

The bait fish, normally around June, have to leave the security of the floodplains and make their way back to the main channel, these “bait balls” are followed by the predators, and this is when a lot of action takes place and there is excellent fishing to be had with both lure and fly.

As the water levels continue to drop, the temperatures start to increase and the water becomes crystal clear from August through to November superb fishing of all species is to be had.

"The two best times to go fishing are when it's raining and when it is not !" Fisherman saying

What to Look out for

The Zambezi is real Africa so there is no getting away from the fact that Hippos and Crocodiles live in these waters in profusion. Experienced guides however know exactly how to avoid these animals and let them be, so that both man and animal can enjoy this magical place. So don’t let these dangers stop you from going rather make sure you go only with someone who knows what they are doing.

If you are fishing on the Zambezi from the bank don’t stand on the river bank next to a deep water channel for long periods of time, keep moving every few minutes. But in all honesty your biggest enemy here is the sun, the cool air blowing off the water lulls you into believing you are not getting burnt. So ensure that you have a wide brimmed hat, suntan cream and even long sleeved shirts.

Mosquitoes won’t worry you during the day, but at dusk they come out in full force so if you are going to be on the water at that time make sure you have some mosquito repellent with you.
The water in this section of the Zambezi above Victoria Falls is very pure and is fine to drink.

Who to go with

There are a couple fishing companies operating in Victoria Falls, and we have been with all of them. In my view fishing is definitely a case of "local knowledge". Stewart Shaw was born in Victoria Falls and has lived there all his life. He knows the river intimately and if anyone can catch fish he can, he knows all the best spots in that section of the river.

He is definitely the man to take you out in my opinion. Not only is he the most knowledgeable but he also does not rip the prices and is the most reasonably priced fishing operation we know of. He provides boats and equipment. You can expect to pay around US$180 per boat ( 2 fishermen only) for half a day and US$245 per boat full day.

Price includes:-

National park fees - US$10 per person

 

A good fishing trip, like a well cooked meal or a well lived life, always ends a little too soon.

 

or email us at info@victoriafallsguide.net for more information

 

Activity Price List 2010

 

Do You Have A Great Story, Tips or Advice About Fishing on the Zambezi?

Please Share it with us, we would Love to hear it!

Enter Your Title

Tell Us Your Story, Tips or Advice! [ ? ]

Close Help Entering your story is easy to do. Just type!... Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story. TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help Do you have a picture to add? Great! Click the button and find it on your computer. Then select it.

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

Click here to see the rest of the form and complete your submission.

Stories, Tips and Advice From Other Fishermen

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

The legendary Tigerfish  Not rated yet
The Tigerfish (Hydrocynus forskalii) need no introduction with this species being the southernmost and second largest with the current angling record of ...

8.5kg Tiger caught in the Zambezi at "Tiger valley"  Not rated yet
Hi , Last week we stayed at Kalizo lodge, about 40 kilos downstream from Katima Molilo, and I caught this lovely 8.5kg Tiger . It was caught at a section ...

Can't find what you are looking for? Use Google Search to search this site for any term you are looking for..

Custom Search

 

The Vic Falls Bush Telegraph our Free Monthly Newsletter Each month there's loads of information about conservation and wildlife, a destination update, specials offers and discount packages, traveller tips and stories, book reviews, African folktales, environmental reports, bush recipes, best photo competitions and tons more.... "Your newsletter keeps me informed about new and old and is the best I've seen in a long while - informative, not commercial, just plain perfect!"  I.Skliros This Month we are also giving away a Free Screensaver to Every New Subscriber. Read More Email Name Then Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you The Vic Falls Bush Telegraph.

 

Return from Fishing on the Zambezi to our Victoria falls home page