As we bid farewell to another fantastic group, we enthusiastically welcomed a fresh variety of guests into camp. The Carey family from Kenya and a group of four longstanding clients from France were among our new arrivals. Additionally, we were delighted to welcome our resident ‘Steve Irwin,’ Mr. Ewan Kyle, who was eager to guide the Gabonese waters of Sette Cama.
The Carey Gang, comprising Steve and Antonia along with their boys Tristan, Finn, and Rafe, had a keen interest in catching various animals and fish during their trip. This interest aligned perfectly with Ewan’s arrival. Shortly after reaching the camp, the boys, fueled by their enthusiasm, caught a Grass snake in the area behind the cabins. Elops and Mooneys off the jetty, along with snakes and butterflies around camp, were fair game! The boys’ enthusiasm proved valuable as we prepared rods and gear for the first evening session at the mouth.
Antonia kickstarted the action with some good-sized snapper on soft plastics. After landing two sizable snappers, she hooked into a seriously impressive fish, indicating a Cubera Snapper. Antonia fought the fish like a champ, and within half an hour, we safely landed a remarkable specimen. The evening continued with good snapper catches along the bank, and as the current slacked and the tide pushed, Threadfin made their appearance. Two substantial Threadfin were caught by Allain and Jean-Luc from the French crew. As the night progressed, the guides kept a close eye on the channel for signs of Tarpon. A massive splash and shouts from Steve signaled the hooking of a large Tarpon. Despite some challenges, including a thrown hook, the first night proved spectacular for our clients.
Favorable tides in the first few mornings allowed us to focus on the lower lagoon for Jacks and Snapper. The French foursome opted for surf fishing around the mouth, resulting in good catches of Longfin Jacks, Threadfin, and Snapper. Wildlife sightings in the lagoon included Elephants, Snappers, and Jacks around the mangroves. A short excursion up the small river revealed juvenile Tarpon, Giant Kingfishers, and a forest cobra swimming in the water. Eco-tourism outings, including crocodile outings and a forest walk, added to the diverse experiences for our guests.
As the week progressed, some misfortune befell the tarpon fishing. However, a stretch of interesting formation on the South beach caught our attention, holding Tarpon on the correct tide. Dennis’s persistence paid off on Sunday night as he landed the first tarpon of the week in this promising spot.
The Carey team’s willingness to fish for any species brought excitement to the guides. Bull Sharks became the target, with Finn landing a good-sized one. The next day, Antonia, Tristan, and Rafe all hooked into Sharks, with Rafe’s battle against a large shark providing a thrilling spectacle. Despite the initial setback, Rafe successfully landed a nice Bull shark on the inside of the point on the following day.
The remainder of the week brought interesting fishing, including success with micro jigs in the upper lagoon and continued activity with Jacks, Snapper, and Threadfin in the mouth. It was another good week on the West-African Coast.
Cheers from the Gabon Team.
CONTACT US
If you’d like to know more about the fish, fishing, and accommodation at Sette Cama in Gabon, you can contact our destination manager Paul Stevens on 01603 407 596 or email at paul@sportquestholidays.com, who would love to speak to you.
