Despite an optimistic start, with several local boats and Stewart Campbell’s Chunda catching some marlin in late May and throughout June, the fish disappeared almost totally on the eve of the tournament and not much has happened since. This is marlin fishing, and everyone who is still here knows it. It just happens to be…

I was eventually seduced by one of those luscious brochures put out by Angler’s World Holidays, the Chesterfield specialists in this sort of thing. Their Swedish operator Top Ten Angling had some wonderful places on offer, so I settled down to choose a venue.That’s where the problems started, because they all sounded amazing; too good…

Three hours later, and an education in flying and navigation procedure, we landed at Vilanculos. A bustling little harbour town, fast trying to recover from a lengthy civil war.Passing through, one sees the worn down splendour of old Portuguese colonialism. The architecture, desperately trying to heal itself and help recreate the paradise this place once…

Some hints and tips – My worst scenario was a German who turned up in Madiera in the middle of the marlin season with a Silstar two-piece boat-rod and a Penn Longbeach loaded with 30lb dacron. He was adamant that he was going to catch his first marlin on ‘sporting tackle’. Unhappily, the first marlin…

Using lines and tackle that had evolved from processes in manufacturing during the war effort, they caught enormous numbers of bluefish, stripers, speckled and grey trout, redfish and bonitos from the shore on plugs, bait and polished metal jigs, wading thigh-deep amongst flocks of screeching terns and seagulls. The very foundation of the great US…

For many British boat anglers, there is no greater thrill than to go afloat on their own boats. To be master of your own destiny, to decide when and where to fish and to enjoy the sense of satisfaction and solitude that comes from being out on the ocean on a small vessel is, for…

Without doubt the number 1 question is – What tackle and flies do you recommend for catching pike? Answer : I would recommend a Greys Esox or Sage RPLi 9 foot 3 piece for a 9 weight. Both rods can be hidden in the car from thieves and taken on board an aircraft as hand…

Tim Bailey runs and organises ‘The African Angler’ and it is through Tim’s enterprise that most sport fishing anglers find themselves in the searing heat of southern Egypt. It must be emphasised from the very outset that the term safari is precisely what a fishing trip to Lake Nasser is. The environment is rugged, though…

‘WHOAA !!’ shouted Jeff at the top of the ladder beside me and I whipped around from peering into the fishfinder. ‘LONG CORNER !!’ and he was gone down into the cockpit. I saw the fish clearly then, bill out of the water, the fish acting like a sailfish at a teaser. The fish faded…

As I write, I am surrounded by 2000 or so fishing books, plus many others on wildlife and travel. Fishing titles going back to the 1700’s on big game fishing, coarse, sea, trout and salmon angling. Some are ‘How to do it’ titles, others author tales of travel, adventure and the fighting big fish from…