In the last two days the wind has started to blow more from the east, and the sea remains very calm. The annual change in the monsoon is due and the wind, called kusi locally, swings into the south and starts to blow much harder. The rains are also due after a long dry period. This wind change is the signal for the billfish to move on, but as yet this has not happened as the fishing has been good in the Watamu/Malindi and Lamu areas.
Early in the week, sailfish were plentiful off Malindi with White bear leading the pack with ten fish released in a day, from about twice that number of strikes. Clueless had five sail, Tarka two and Simba scored a single sail, caught on fly tackle, from a couple of chances – it is never easy catching these fish on fly, so all kudos to those that try! The previous day, B’s Nest had tagged four sail while Tarka released three.
There was also action in the Rips, far out in the deep water, where Alleycat released a blue marlin, having raised three others without a successful hookup. Diligaf, a small private boat also released a nice blue marlin estimated at 180kgs, a good effort in such a small craft.
Good catches of sail continued at Malindi, Seahorse releasing six in a day, while Clueless and Ocean Lures both scored four and Tarka three. In the Rips Alleycat found a big blue marlin estimated at 180kgs or more, and Pintail, another small private boat with owner Russell Brumby, also tagged a nice blue marlin.
Simba, on an overnight trip to the Rips, finished up with a grand slam, two broadbill swordfish, a striped marlin and two sail, to compensate for lost sleep, while Diligaf then had a fantastic day, two blue and a striped marlin for skipper Mark Jury, holidaying from UK.
Unreel went for a long two night trip to the North Kenya Banks with anglers Jim Robertson, Roy Bealey and skipper Rob Hellier, where they released a big blue marlin, and two striped marlin, while another very big blue marlin and several other good fish were lost.
At Diana, Shuwari tagged a striped marlin on a half day trip but not many trips have been made recently in that area,
