Big Game Fishing - Catch Blue Marlin, Barracuda, Swordfish & Shark off the coast of Kenya

Tega Fantasy Slam 2009

On the morning of the 16th March 2009 I arrived at Hemingways Watamu with my wife Jennette, and my client Barry Milburn from the UK, who was celebrating his birthday in Kenya. We all got into a small dinghy and headed out to my boat “Tega”.

My crew Sunday and Taboo were already on board preparing rods, reels and bait. We had decided to fish the North Kenya Banks (NKB) and then go on to Lamu.

Accompanying us on our journey was Robert and his wife Pam on their boat “Clueless”. We both slipped our mooring lines and headed north towards NKB.

The first day of fishing was quire uneventful, producing only a few Tuna and Dorado. We decided to spend the night on the boat, anchoring in the lee of Ziwayu, a small volcanic island, and hoping the NKB would produce some better fishing tomorrow.

After a very windswept night, we awoke around 6am, and after a quick cuppa and preparing Tega for another days fishing, we pulled anchors and left Ziwayu at 6.45am.

After cruising for an hour, we slowed to trolling speed and put lines out.

Robert radioed me saying “I’m heading for waypoint 60 to fish the drop off”. I decided to cut across the shallow waters of the NKB.

With birds working the patches of bait fish, which were mostly skip jack tuna, I worked around this area, and after a short time we got a knock-down on the centre rigger.

A Striped Marlin jumped 80 metres behind us, the rod was passed to Barry, who on stand-up fought the fish for twenty minutes.

We managed a quick photo and the Stripey was then released. This was Barry’s first ever Marlin, estimated weight 55kg, and only 9.10am....CONTINUED >>