FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Paulanderson
Rank: King George Whiting
Rank: King George Whiting
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:18 pm
Has liked: 50 times
Likes received: 131 times

FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Paulanderson » Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:35 pm

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.
IMG_2390 a.jpg
IMG_2415 a.jpg
Dawn at the Lake, my Boma (room), and waiting to go fishing.
IMG_2544 a.jpg
IMG_2728 a.jpg
IMG_2749 a.jpg
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!
IMG_2980 a.jpg
IMG_3021 a.jpg
IMG_3043 a.jpg
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.
IMG_3243 a.jpg
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.
Attachments
IMG_3384 a.jpg

Paulanderson
Rank: King George Whiting
Rank: King George Whiting
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:18 pm
Has liked: 50 times
Likes received: 131 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Paulanderson » Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:51 pm

Am sure Barra Mick will think this is a Barra - they are almost identical and fight the same way.

Lightningx
Bluefin
Bluefin
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:21 pm
Has liked: 72 times
Likes received: 976 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Lightningx » Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:34 pm

Great report and pics! :thumbsup:

Paulanderson
Rank: King George Whiting
Rank: King George Whiting
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:18 pm
Has liked: 50 times
Likes received: 131 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Paulanderson » Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:01 pm

Part of a crater.
IMG_3332 a.jpg
A small Nile croc on the rocks
IMG_3141 a.jpg
My workmates at the resort.
IMG_3393 a.jpg

Eug1
Rank: Garfish
Rank: Garfish
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 9:59 am
Location: Brunswick West

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Eug1 » Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:40 pm

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!

smile0784
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:16 pm
Has liked: 39 times
Likes received: 356 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by smile0784 » Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:03 am

Amazing trip
Once in a life time opportunity
Awsome photos

barra mick
Rank: Kingfish
Rank: Kingfish
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:42 pm
Has liked: 26 times
Likes received: 58 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by barra mick » Thu Jan 25, 2018 8:27 am

Paulanderson wrote:Am sure Barra Mick will think this is a Barra - they are almost identical and fight the same way.
Looks like a barra.

Absolutly fantastic trip you had there.....awsome pics with the story.

Makes fishing in port phillip bay very boring.

Cheers bm

piscateur
Rank: Flathead
Rank: Flathead
Joined: Wed May 04, 2011 11:19 am
Has liked: 63 times
Likes received: 40 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by piscateur » Thu Jan 25, 2018 3:14 pm

What an awesome report, love hearing about places I didn't even know existed. Thanks for sharing

User avatar
Boonanza
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 9:31 pm
Location: Gone Fishing
Has liked: 270 times
Likes received: 222 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by Boonanza » Thu Jan 25, 2018 4:12 pm

Great report mate :thumbsup:
A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether to say it.

User avatar
davek
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 7:59 am
Location: nagambie
Has liked: 268 times
Likes received: 211 times

Re: FISHING IN LAKE TURKANA

Post by davek » Thu Jan 25, 2018 4:57 pm

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

Post Reply

Return to “The Rest of the World”