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Fishing Maxixe Mozambique
On the southeastern coast of the African Subcontinent lies the beautiful Mozambique. With spectacular beaches and offshore islands that can bewitch people, this is one of the most promising African countries in terms of tourism and water-bound activities.
Maxixe, the city that we are talking about here is gracefully placed on the eastern coast of Mozambique in the Inhambane province. It has very cheerful weather and though it is less populated the city has shops, petrol stations, and restaurants to suffice the needs of the people traveling to the city.
Traveling from the road to Inhambane from Maputo takes an entire day, but the roads are well-maintained. You can use the air services operated by Pelican Air Services and LAM (Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique) to reach the town of Inhambane from Johannesburg, Kruger International, or from Maputo. Now, if you want to be more adventurous, you can take one of the ferries or dhows from Inhambane to Maxixe than taking the road as the route. But be aware that they do not follow deadlines or specific timings.
Since the city has direct access to the Mozambique channel on the Indian Ocean, it is an awesome place to indulge in some deep-sea fishing action.
Weather
Since Maxixe is located to the south of Mozambique and is closer to the ocean it has a subtropical climate. All through the year, the temperatures do not rise beyond 28 degrees Celsius and this makes for balmy weather during the summers.
The rainy season sees some cyclones and heavy rains along the coast however, the Inhambane province lies outside the path of these destructive cyclones. The remoteness of Inhambane from the rest of Mozambique has allowed it to preserve a lot of its culture and historical traditions without any modern influences. The best time to travel to this coastal city of Mozambique without having to encounter heavy rains and cyclones is during the period between May and November. This is the time when both the rate of rainfall and the atmospheric temperatures are the lowest. Except for the occasional scorching temperatures in January the period between November is also considered to travel to Maxixe.
It is also advised to avoid traveling during the rainy season that extends from February to April, this is because the rains cause flooding of the roads in southern Mozambique. The holiday season in Mozambique is very crowded with visitors from everyone and so make sure to make your reservations and bookings in advance.
Fishing in Maxixe
Maxixe is one of the only cities that touches the entire Mozambique coastline. One of the world’s last and major dhow staging posts is here in Maxixe, the Maxixe jetty. This city is hence a great spot to kick start the adventurous journey of the dynamic African subcontinent.
Fishing is undeniably one of the best recreational activities to take part in when in Mozambique. The sea is abundant with marine life that on a single day you can catch over eight different species of game fish, what more can a fishing enthusiast ask for?
The warm waters ranging in temperatures from 22 to 28 degrees Celsius follow a current that flows from north to south. These aspects make way for rich nutrients to flow into these waters that in turn bring bait fish which are then followed by predatory fish. This is why Maxixe is a good location for sportfishing lovers to pursue and land fish of their liking.
Some of the top targeted fish in the surrounding areas are Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna, King Mackerel (popularly known as Cuta), Trevally, Dorado, Wahoo, Amberjack, Queenfish, Barracuda, and many more.
The best time to go fishing off the coasts of Maxixe is during the summers, from November to June. But the winter months of June to September is the best time to fish for Sailfish and Queenfish as their numbers remain constant throughout this period.
Top 5 fish
Sailfish fishing in Maxixe
One of the most celebrated species in the sportfishing realm, the Sailfish is definitely on the top of this list. The sight of the glistening bill and sail in the water is an overwhelming feeling that one has to experience to realize. The speed, evasiveness, and magnificence of the Sailfish make it worthy of hours of pursuing and angling. These fish can move at speeds of 100 kph making it the fastest fish ever recorded.
The Sailfish grows quickly and reaches lengths of 1.5 m in just a period of a year. The largest Sailfish ever recorded was however under 3m in length and weighed 64 kg.
Fishing season of Sailfish in Maxixe
The winter months spanning from June to September are the best time to fish for Sailfish off the coasts of Maxixe. Professional charter captains operating out of these coasts know the exact locations where these legendary fish can be found and so it is highly advised to hire an experienced angler before you set forth on your quest of landing the Sailfish.
Sailfish Fishing Techniques in Maxixe
Sailfish are usually caught on light tackle as these fish tire easily. The Sailfish swim in small schools or alone on or near the surface waters. The most common fishing methods that are used to catch Sailfish include trolling with baits such as strip baits, live baits, plastic lures, spoons, and whole mullets and ballyhoos.
Some anglers use mullets along with artificial baits that are visually more attractive. This method helps in tricking the Sailfish that were attracted by the scent of the mullet to go after the artificial lures.
Experienced anglers here have devised different techniques to ensure a hook up and finally land a Sailfish. Get in touch with the best captains to enjoy a great fishing experience.
Giant Trevally fishing in Maxixe
Sportfishing anglers relate the name Giant Trevally to brutal power. These fish are die hard fighters and they have fascinated anglers all over the world. All the different species of Trevally have high stamina and they can fight for long hours. This aspect makes them one of the toughest fish to land. The excitement and the hard work involved in Trevally fishing has made it very popular among sportfishing anglers.
In Maxixe you will get to fish for four different species of Trevally including the titan of the lot, the Giant Trevally. Though it may sound a little funny, some anglers refer the trevally as the ninja warriors of the sea. This is because they approach the bait very cunningly and stealthily. And once they get a shot at the bait they can take off in a flash to any of the nearest underwater structures.
Trevally Fishing Season in Maxime
On the eastern coast of Africa, the Trevally are found all through the year. The summer months from November to June are considered the best months for fishing owing to the heavy rains in the winter.
Trevally Fishing Technique in Maxixe
The Trevally prefer to feed in the night and the adult fish prefer to stay near rocky areas under the water and near the shores. Some of the most successful methods that are used to catch Trevally include trolling with lures and baits, drifting, surf fishing, and still fishing with live, dead or cut baits. Some of the best baits and lures that can be used to lure the Trevally are mullet, squid, anchovy, herring, plastic jigs, feathers, spoons, and the like.
Kingfish fishing in Maxixe
The Kingfish is a fierce and strong fish and has all the qualities of a good sportfish. These fish are highly prized sportfish as they are adamant fighters and fast swimmers, their fierce looks add to the thrill.
The King Mackerel also known as Couta has very sharp teeth that can tear through light lines and hence heavy tackle should be used when catching them.
An adult Kingfish can reach weights of 40 kg and can grow to lengths of 1.8 m.
Kingfish Fishing Season in Maxixe
The Kingfish are also found along the African coast during the summer months ranging from November to April.
Kingfish Fishing Technique
Kingfish can be caught either by trolling or by drifting. Trolling or drift fishing on the surface or in the deep waters can yield you a good Kingfish catch. Casting is also adopted by some anglers once they spot the fish on the surface. Baits like mullets, herring, shrimp, feathers, skirt strip baits are used to lure in the Kingfish.
Tuna fishing in Maxixe
One of the most sought-after fish by deep-sea fishermen is the Tuna. The Bluefin and the Yellowfin are the forerunners of this family. Both the Yellowfin and Bluefin are strong and can grow to large sizes. These are the two qualities that make them highly prized in the sportfishing world. The Yellowfin is distinguished from the Bluefin by the long dorsal and anal fin with a bright yellow color at the tip of these fins.
These giants of the Tuna family are perhaps among the elite few that have immense strength and stamina. They do not tire easily and they will make sure that all the muscles on your body are worn out by the time you land the fish.
The Bluefin can grow as big as to weigh a whooping 650 kg and above whereas the Yellowfin comes close to 200 kg and above.
Tuna Fishing Season in Maxixe
To catch one of these water giants, you will have to make your trip to Maxixe during one of the summer months between November and April. The experienced anglers of charter boats will help you locate the best spots from where you can land your dream fish.
Tuna Fishing Techniques in Maxixe
The most popular fishing technique used to land a Tuna has always been trolling with a heavy tackle. Since these fish grow big and weigh a lot heavy tackle is needed to successfully reel them into the boat. Live or dead baits such as mackerel, squid, mullet, and artificial lures and spoons.
Wahoo fishing in Maxixe
The Wahoo is rightly referred to as the ‘torpedo fish’. They have a slender torpedo-shaped body and are capable of reaching speeds as fast as 80 kph. Catching such a fish that is equally combative and strong is a big thrill to sportfishing lovers. The blistering run that the Wahoo makes once it gets the bait can reel out miles of line in a matter of few seconds.
The Wahoo can grow to weigh over 80 kg and measure up to 2.5 m in length. The quality of their flesh, their aggressive fighting nature, and the size to which it can grow are some of the foremost characteristics that have got it on this list of the top sportfish in Maxixe.
Wahoo Fishing Season in Maxixe
Since the Wahoo prefers to be in warm waters and hence they are found throughout the waters off of Maxixe during the months spanning from November to June which are considered to be the summer months in this region.
Wahoo Fishing Technique
Trolling with rigged and whole baits is by far the most popular Wahoo fishing method. Live baiting and kite fishing are the two methods that are used to reel in a Wahoo. Artificial and rigged baits both work well with the Wahoo.