For many years the waters around the small islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago off the coast of central Mozambique have been a magnet for flyfishers from southern Africa.

I first visited Benguerra, one of the islands, two years ago shortly after it was declared a National Park. My most recent trip was from the 15th to the 25th June 2004. The local WWF Park wardens do a serious job of protecting this wonderful asset. In 2002, on sighting a gill net we took three wardens to the spot where, after an almighty tug of war with the net, the offending dhow capsized, sank and the culprits were arrested.

In June 2004, on dates carefully chosen to fall each side of the full moon when fish are feeding most actively, I went with Mark Yelland owner of The Fly Shop in Johannesburg who suggested the idea last year. Mark was captain of the South African Flyfishing Team and with Andrew Parsons from Benguerra Lodge, who is probably southern Africa’s best saltwater fly fisherman, as our guide, I was in a very knowledgeable company.

Fishing in Mozambique is carefully monitored and all fishing is strictly catch and release. Andrew has also been tagging selected species like GTs and the narrow barred spanish mackerel (called cuda or king mackerel locally) for the last five years.

Over ten days fishing from Andrew’s twin hulled Vidal Cat we released everything from big eye trevally (largest was 7kg), goldens (Mark’s largest was 21lb), plenty of bludgers and king mackerel (up to 112cm), a few springer, a kawa kawa (mack tuna), queen mackerel, enough jobfish to start a canning factory and numerous “bottom dwellers” like blood snapper, swallow-tailed rock cod, Mati Hari and others. Much joy too when we landed a good sized bonefish in 20 metres of water. Mark scored some nice barracuda and one glorious dorado. Lost were what Andrew confidently called “big ignobilis” and a couple of yellowfin tuna that were feeding with the bonito. Somehow we never connected to any large green spot or yellow spot trevally lurking under the smaller ones schooling on the surface, nor see any milkfish or sailfish which are found in these waters.

I fished a 12wt rod and a 500 grain Rio Depth Charge shooting head, Mark mainly 14wt with 700 grain head—he’s a big strong lad—to overcome the strong currents and to get down deep to structure. We lost lines after fish took us down into coral and spares are a must.

I also used my favourite rod, a very stiff Abel 8wt with a DI-7 line but it took longer to release the fish. One bludger took me 25 minutes on the 8wt and was only just snatched from the jaws of a large hammerhead. On reflection, had we used DI-7 as running line we may have overcome the current better.

Flies were six inch chartreuse clousers with a darker back tied on 2/0 and 3/0 hooks. Even when “treadbare” after slashing attacks from toothy critters, I still caught fish on the hook plus barrel eyes and a few shiny wisps. Leaders were four feet of 18lb mono with 4 inches of straight wire attached with a nine or ten turn Albright knot and haywired to the fly. We used this set up for almost everything, changing to a smaller three inch chartreuse clouser with no wire on occasions,

Alan Croll,  Isle of Man

Bonefish taken in 20m of water

Bigeye are just one of the numerous trevally species thet abound.

  King Mackerel are in abundance

Huge queenfish will test your tackle