Where can you find the best exotic fishing spots? If you would like to go saltwater lure fishing you'll have plenty of choices in South Africa, which has over 2500kms of coastline to explore. You can stay on shore, just standing waist deep in some of the most beautiful beaches in the country; or hire a boat, head out into the big blue and get yourself some bigger catches.
Some of the best coastal stretches to fish on can be found along the Garden Route. The fish you can expect to land in this area include Kob, Spotted Grunter, Shad, Steenbras, Musselcracker and in the summer you might even find Bronze Whaler Sharks and Spotted Ragged Tooth Sharks. There are a few other species found in this area as well.
Further east of the Garden Route you will come to the Wild Coast. This is a stretch of about 300kms with some of the most beautifully rugged coastline. There are some excellent spots from where you can go fishing from the coast or you can always hire a boat in such places as East London. The fish species you can find in these warm waters include black and striped marlin, yellowfin and skipjack tuna, kawakawa, king mackerel, queenfish, kingfish, dorado and wahoo.
Another option is to stay at a fishing lodge and take advantage of the local knowledge to get the most out of your fishing vacation. If you are in the Cape Town area then you might find these fishing lodges useful. The Alluvia Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, where you can go fly fishing for Rainbow Trout; the Tides River Lodge in Malgas, you can go fishing on the River Breede; and the Bo La Motte Wine Farm near Franschhoek, which features a dam filled with trout.
If you're in the Johannesburg area, then you could try some of these fishing lodges. The Budmarsh Private Lodge in Magaliesburg, where you can go trout fishing on the Magaliesburg River; the Kloofzicht Lodge in Muldersdrift, which overlooks 6 fishing dams; and the Wildways Bush Camp near Rust De Winter, where you can go fly fishing for Bass.
If you're in the Durban area, then these fishing lodges might be of interest. The Amazian Mountain River Lodge in the Underberg, where you can try catching wild rainbow or brown trout on the 3.5km of pristine river frontage; the Shayamoya Tiger Fishing & Game Lodge in Pongola, which is home to the only Tiger Fishing lake (Pongolapoort Lake) in all of South Africa; and the Antbear Guest House near Giants Castle-Drakensberg, where they can teach you all about the lifecycle of the trout that you can fish here.
Africa's dazzling natural beauty has lured millions of people across the globe to its shores and captured the hearts of everyone that has visited. It is home to thousands of animal species but due to to habitat destruction and poaching, Africa's wildlife is gradually becoming extinct.
Scientists believe that the figures regarding endangered animals will increase dramatically in the next twenty years. This means that the next generation and those to follow, will not be fortunate enough to see critically endangered animals like the tiger and the black rhino in the flesh, because these animal species are dying out rapidly.
Your best option is shooting with a 35mm SLR (single lens reflex) camera with interchangeable lenses. You'll want to pack a 25-70mm lens for landscapes, 70-210mm or higher for wildlife photography. If you use film, an auto winding function is a must as it will allow you to capture a burst of shots quickly without having to wind the film on. If you use digital, be sure to stock up memory cards and spare batteries. There's nothing worse than your perfect shot appearing at dusk and having a full card or dead battery.
If you've decided an African fishing trip is for you, you're joining a tradition of intrepid travelers who have decided they want it all. On an African wildlife fishing trip you can get up close with the world's most exotic creatures, marvel at stunning natural vistas and landscapes, and just breathe in the beauty and mystery of the world's oldest civilizations.
When on safari, you need to be ecologically and socially responsible. Remember this is not an artificial theme park set up for your pleasure - it's the habitat of millions of animals and home for millions of people. You need to treat the whole safari experience with the respect it deserves. One way to ensure this is to arrange your travel with a company that takes its responsibilities to the area, the animals, and the people, very seriously.
So make sure you've packed your fishing gear, rods, reels lures of all different shapes and sizes and don't forget your camera. Fishing in exotic places is not for the faint of heart, but is most definitely very satisfying.
