The wind seems to have finally settled into the north-east, blowing strongly some nights, and the mornings are overcast with the sun coming out later in the day, while the fishing in the Rips is reverting to the normal pattern for this time in the season with billfish around, though more sail than marlin.
Last Monday saw Black Widow with angler Batian Craig, tagging three striped marlin and five sail to show the way – when one considers that 28 boats in two days in the recent competition a week earlier only caught this total of marlin, it shows how important the wind and weather conditions are in game fishing!
The same day Tarka had five sail, White Mischief, Clueless, Alleycat and Unreel all had three sail, and several other boats doubles and singles so the bay at Watamu full of red sailfish flags.
The next day, Tuesday, was a better marlin day with Alleycat leading with two stripeys and two sail, and Simba with a black marlin, estimated at 120kgs, and a stripey. B’s Nest also tagged a black marlin of 80kgs and a sail, Tarka had a stripey and a sail, while Tega had six sailfish, and on the Wednesday, Blue Eyes had a good day with Geoff Bell on the rods tagging a stripey and two sail – so it looks as though the run of billfish is fairly solid now, and this should continue for the next few weeks, given good weather. Interesting that some black marlin are being seen and caught around the Mountains and Canyon areas as boats troll through here en route back to harbour.
The Malindi boats have mostly moved to Watamu moorings now, given the rough state of Malindi harbour in these strong north winds, and it is also closer to and more convenient for fishing the Rips, while avoiding a long run home into the waves. Earlier, just before the New Year, Johnny Onslow fishing in Eclare had a small blue marlin, while Angus Paul, skipper of Neptune fished on New Year’s day, the first time for many years, with Albert Alberts from South Africa and his two sons catching two sailfish, but the following day they found a striped marlin. Con Jooste is an avid fly fisherman, and is continuing to catch sailfish on fly on Snark, and will no doubt be looking for marlin as well.- good luck to him in this difficult chase!
