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Pomene Reserve Mozambique Wild, Remote & Intimate

Gangsters of the Flats: Popper & Jig Fishing, Pomene Reserve, Mozambique

Pomene Reserve stretches along Mozambique’s untouched coastline, a destination famed for Giant Trevally and saltwater fishing at its rawest. The reefs, rocky points, and estuaries are alive with predators. Trevally smash surface poppers and stickbaits in explosive packs, each strike a test of skill and stamina. Queenfish, King Mackerel, Snapper, and Jacks add variety, while jigs dropped to deeper ledges are met with crushing hits. Whether casting from estuary banks or working offshore drifts, every day brings new water and new encounters.

The program is limited to just four rods per week across two boats, ensuring exclusivity and low fishing pressure. Guiding comes from a small, passionate team with decades of family experience in these waters, their legacy shaping every session. All tackle, lures, and bait are provided, letting anglers focus purely on the fishing.

Accommodation is in a solar-powered beachfront lodge just 150 metres from the sea. Each spacious chalet has a private veranda with sweeping ocean views, en-suite facilities with hot showers, and comfortable beds dressed with crisp linen to guarantee rest after long days on the water. The central dining area is open and breezy, designed for relaxed evenings with fellow anglers. Meals are freshly prepared by the resident chef, combining the day’s catch with Mozambican flavours, tropical fruits, and hearty side dishes. Cold drinks and fine South African wines are included, and the setting sun over the Indian Ocean provides the backdrop.

Pomene Reserve is for anglers who like power, challenge, and wild coastline, balanced by warm hospitality and genuine comfort. Secure your holiday in Mozambique and experience one of the most exhilarating saltwater destinations in the world.

FISHING Seasons

The season runs from April to October.

Giant Trevally

Season: April to October
Peak: August to October
Weight: 20lb to 100lb
Average Weight: 30lb

Bluefin Trevally

Season: April to October
Peak: August to October
Weight: 10lb to 25lb
Average Weight: 15lb

Golden Trevally

Season: April to October
Peak: August to October
Weight: 5lb to 15lb
Average Weight: 10lb

Bigeye Trevally

Season: April to October
Peak: August to October
Weight: 5lb to 15lb
Average Weight: 10lb

King Mackerel

Season: All Year
Peak: April to August
Weight: 10lb to 70lb
Average Weight: 20lb

Sailfish

Season: March to November
Peak: March to June
Weight: 50lb to 100lb
Average Weight: 70lb

Queenfish

Season: April to August
Peak: July to August
Weight: 5lb to 15lb
Average Weight: 10lb

Package Details

Tour code MOZ002

Included

  • All international flights
  • All transfers
  • 6 fishing days
  • Professional English speaking guide
  • All accommodation as per itinerary
  • All meals at the lodge
  • All drinks at the lodge
  • Snacks & drinks on the boat
  • Fishing tackle

Excluded

  • Personal holiday insurance
  • Personal items
  • Tips for guides & all camp staff

Optional extras

  • Flight upgrades
  • Additional nights at the lodge
  • Additional fishing days

Itinerary

Tailor-made Holidays

The below itinerary is flexible should you require additional fishing days or additional free days to explore; we can tailor this itinerary to suit you personally. Feel free to talk to our travel consultants who can explain all options available.

Day 1:

Depart Any international Airport (See Details)

Arrive Doha Depart Doha

Day 2:

Arrive Johannesburg Depart Johannesburg

Arrive Vilanculos (Mozambique)

Once you have arrived, you will make your way through passport control and follow the baggage collections’ signs. Once you have collected your bags, a representative will be waiting to drive you the scenic drive to the lodge.

Once you have arrived at your accommodation, you will be given time to settle in and unpack. The fishing guide will then come round and make sure you are ready for your next days fishing.

Overnight accommodation: Pomene Lodge (Single rooms) F/B

Days 3 to 5: Fishing Days

Over the next six days, you’ll be fishing the famous Pomene Reserve, a haven for all manner of hard-fighting bluewater species, including Giant Trevally, Bluefin, Golden and Big Eye Trevally, King Mackerel, Queenfish and Sailfish, to mention just a few.

It’s possible to fish with an array of poppers, lures and jigs, live baits and dead bait. The fishing is ultra varied and will see you wet a line from the beach and boat.

Overnight accommodation: Pomene Lodge (Single rooms) F/B

Days 6 to 8: Fishing Days

A typical day usually starts with an early wake-up call, followed by coffee, tea and rusks to fuel you for the adventure ahead. After that, you’ll take a peaceful walk down to the boat, which will be prepped and ready for the day.

The first stop is usually at a nearby reef to collect bait before heading off to the main fishing grounds, which is just a short steam.

More breakfast and lunch are provided onboard and packed in a picnic basket, along with drinks to refresh you throughout the day.

After an action-packed day on the water, you’ll usually return to the lodge around 3.00pm. Once back, you can unwind with drinks and snacks around the fire while chef Arturro prepares a delicious dinner. After a long, rewarding day, you can retire to your room to rest and dream about the next day’s fishing.

Overnight accommodation: Pomene Lodge (Single rooms) F/B

Day 9:

Once you have packed your bags, you will then be transferred to the airport to start your journey home.

Depart Vilanculos (Mozambique)

Arrive
 Johannesburg Depart Johannesburg

Day 10:

Arrive Doha Depart Doha

Arrive Home

Dates, Prices & Availability

Prices are shown per person and are based on single rooms and two anglers per boat and per guide, unless otherwise specified. All prices are accurate at the time of publication but may vary slightly depending on factors such as travel dates, booking time, airline pricing, or fuel surcharges set by the operators.
Flights are always priced at the most competitive rates available at the time of enquiry to ensure you receive the best possible value when booking.
Proudly an ATOL bonded company, our trips are complete packages, including all flights, transfers, accommodation, and fantastic fishing and shooting experiences.

Travel Available Between These Dates Days Price Availability
01/04/2026 30/10/2026 10 £3,304 Enquire
01/04/2027 30/10/2027 10 £3,518 Enquire

If your preferred week or travel dates do not appear in the calendar above, please get in touch. Many lodges release availability in stages, and some dates depend on tides, seasons, guide schedules, or short-notice changes. By speaking with us directly, you will receive the most up to date availability and clear guidance on securing the strongest options before popular weeks fill.
Enquire now and we will check live availability for the dates you are considering.

Book with confidence

Our ATOL protection, means you have financial security on your booking.

All our destinations are thoroughly researched by our team of experts.

We have worked hard to be able to provide you with the best prices possible.

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We offer complete holiday packages, making booking a holiday simple.

Accommodation

Being in such a wild and remote location, the accommodation is basic but includes everything you need for a comfortable stay. It’s located between two bodies of water, just a short 150m walk away from the sea. Rods are limited to just four per trip, keeping angling pressure to a minimum and maintaining the unspoilt feel. The lodge features: 

Double Bedrooms:
Two en suite (one is an outside cottage)
One double (not en suite)

Additional Room:
One room with two singles

Bathrooms:
Three showers and toilets

There is a spacious indoor lounge, dining and kitchen area, and outdoor lapa and braai area, which provides shade and shelter and can be used for outdoor cooking and entertainment. The lodge has solar-powered electricity but also has a backup generator.

All meals are cooked at the lodge by the in-house chef and are traditional local dishes, emphasising fresh fish and table fare from the ocean. Soft drinks are all included, and so are alcoholic beverages, within reason. 

Sportquest Exclusive

Mozambique is a country in South East Africa, famed for its fantastic saltwater fishing opportunities for adventurous travelling rods. Possessing the third longest coastline in the Indian Ocean, which spans over 2,700 kilometres, it offers a vast array of opportunities for anglers fishing from both boat and shore. Our new exciting bluewater destination is found in the incredible Pomene National Reserve in the district of Massinga, in the Province of Inhambane. This isolated reserve spills out over 200 square kilometres of mangrove ecosystems and marine habitats, providing a refuge for water birds, small mammals and nesting turtles above the water whilst below it is home to trophy-sized Giant and Bluefin Trevally, Queenfish, King Mackerel and a host of different Snappers and Jacks.

Limited to just four anglers per week, this wild and remote destination is one of the most secluded and beautiful spots in Pomene, offering an intimate and extraordinary experience in a pristine setting, allowing guests to wet a line, offshore, inshore, from the beach and estuary. If you love your popper, jig and big game fishing and have a true sense of adventure without needing a luxury lodge, then this trip will tick all the right boxes.

Fishing The Pomene National Reserve In Mozambique

The Pomene Reserve holds a special place in the hearts of our partners and friends in Mozambique and is a part of their history. The lodge owner’s grandfather was a passionate fisherman and medical doctor with an adventurous spirit and was the first Westerner to visit the area in 1954. He spent his mornings fishing and afternoons providing medical assistance to the local community. Over the years, the local chief, wishing to show his gratitude, offered the grandfather a small piece of land – which turned out to be 10 hectares, in one of the most remote and beautiful spots in Pomene.

This land has been with the same family for over eighty years, and the new lodge owner has followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, opening doors to anglers from around the globe looking to explore the extraordinary fishing on offer. The operation is small and intimate, with the owner working as the host and fishing guide, with a small support team of dedicated individuals who wish to offer some of the best fishing in the region alongside the best customer service.

To learn more about the popper and jig fishing on offer in Mozambique, visit our YouTube channel.

Giant Trevally In Mozambique

Our lodge in the Pomene Reserve is self-proclaimed as the Giant Trevally capital of Mozambique, offering some unrivalled sport from both the boat and shore. Most commonly found in shallow coastal waters, including coral and rocky reefs, lagoons, channels and tidal flats, the fish maraud in packs, hammering anything in their path. It’s easy to see why they’re known as the ‘Gangsters Of The Flats’.

A true apex predator, they are acute hunters, feeding on a diet of crustaceans, cephalopods, molluscs and a range of baitfish; it’s also known to employ several novel hunting strategies, including shadowing monk seals to pick off escaping prey, as well as using sharks to ambush prey. Amazingly, footage released in 2017 on Blue Planet II revealed a group of fish hunting birds, specifically targeting fledgelings still learning to fly and adults unfortunate enough to pass low enough, allowing the fish to pounce on them.

Hooking your first GT is an electrifying experience; they can destroy tackle and ego, leaving all in their wake. They’re incredibly fast, mighty powerful and grow to enormous proportions. Across the globe, fish over 180lbs have been recorded, and fish over 100lbs are not uncommon. Once considered impossible to land on fly fishing tackle, they are becoming one of the top target species for saltwater fly fishing anglers.

Popper & Jig Fishing

The fishing in Mozambique in the Pomene Reserve is based on two different vessels – a 21ft Super Cat centre console for offshore fishing and a 15ft Quintrex aluminium boat for estuary fishing. Fishing from the beaches is also possible when conditions and tides allow.

The most popular and effective way to catch the Giant Trevally is to fish with an array of poppers, and stickbaits fished on the water’s surface. Anything with lots of erratic movement and a decent ‘pop’ will attract the attention of the GTs and draw them up through the water column to investigate. Jig fishing and bait fishing (live or dead) are also popular techniques, especially for other species like King and Queen Mackerel. One of the popular things about fishing in the Pomene Reserve is that the methods which work and the array of species on offer are vast.

One of the popular things about this destination is that all tackle and bait is included in the price. However, if you’d like more information about the equipment that is used and the best way to fish, we have some blogs you may find helpful:

Successful Popper Fishing Techniques
Tips & Advice on GT Popper Fishing
Recommended Giant Trevally Lures For Surface Fishing

Alternative destinations

Solo Fishing Adventures Andaman Islands

Exclusive to Sportquest Holidays, our Solo Traveller weeks to the Andaman Islands offer single anglers the chance to join like-minded adventurers on a no-surcharge, fully guided saltwater experience, where GTs explode on poppers and Dogtooth Tuna tear through jigs in some of the wildest waters on earth. You'll explore legendary reefs during hand-picked peak weeks, for a memorable popper and jigging adventure.

Solo Anigua Beach House Colombia

This exclusive Sportquest Holidays Solo Traveller week invites single anglers to experience Colombia’s Pacific coast in style, no supplements, no surcharges, just world-class bluewater action shared with like-minded guests in a spectacular beachfront setting. From Marlin and Tuna offshore to Tarpon and Roosterfish inshore, Anigua Beach House delivers thrilling fishing by day and luxury by night.

Nubian Flats Sudan

Nubian Flats is home to some of the best saltwater fly fishing available with miles of untouched and unspoilt areas to explore. Previously these waters were inaccessible until now. With our partners, we can now offer two liveaboard fly fishing operations, one in the north and a longer trip in the deep south giving you access to some of the most virginal saltwater fly fishing around.

Hosted Christmas Island Lodge Fly Fishing

Our famous hosted trips to Christmas island have become legendary; they offer you the best saltwater fly fishing along with world-class popper jig fishing. Combine this with light offshore trolling provides one of the most diverse fisheries in the world. A fishing adventure that should not miss at any cost.

Fly Fishing For Roosters Mexico

El Bahia de Los Suenos, also commonly referred to as the ‘Bay of Dreams’, offers travelling rods mile upon mile of open and accessible coastline, as well as some of the richest offshore waters found anywhere in the world. Here, the Roosterfish is king, and the area is probably the number one destination for both numbers and the large average size of fish.

FAQ

Pomene Reserve lies on Mozambique’s wild southeast coast, in the province of Inhambane. Surrounded by mangroves, lagoons and the Indian Ocean, it’s one of Africa’s most untouched and biodiverse coastal regions, a truly remote bluewater frontier.
The area is renowned for Giant Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Queenfish, King Mackerel, Snappers, and Jacks, with occasional Sailfish offshore. It’s one of the best destinations in Mozambique for anglers seeking variety and raw, hard-hitting action.
The prime fishing season runs April to October, when conditions are calm and water clarity is best. August to October offers peak chances for trophy GTs and Bluefin Trevally.
Anglers can popper and jig from the boat, cast from the beach, or fish the estuary. The mix of reef, surf and bluewater environments means every day feels different, with explosive surface strikes and deep jig battles.
Giant Trevally over 100lb are not uncommon, while Bluefin Trevally reach up to 25lb, and King Mackerel up to 70lb. Even the smaller reef species like Golden Trevally and Queenfish deliver fierce fights and endless variety.
Two boats operate from the lodge — a 21ft Super Cat centre console for offshore waters and a 15ft Quintrex aluminium boat for the estuary. Each vessel is perfectly suited to its environment, keeping anglers close to the action.
The lodge is intimate and comfortable, with just four anglers per week. Rooms are simple but well-kept, featuring double or twin beds, shared communal spaces including an open-air braai area and indoor lounge.
All meals are freshly prepared by the in-house chef, focusing on local flavours and seafood straight from the ocean. Drinks are included, and evenings are spent around the fire swapping stories while the team prepares another outstanding meal.
It’s Sportquest-exclusive, ultra-remote, and deeply personal — hosted by the family who’ve fished this coast for generations. With only four rods per week, it feels like a private expedition.
Perfect for anglers who love wild, adventurous fishing over luxury lodges. It’s about connection with nature, world-class GT action, and authentic Mozambique hospitality in one of the most spectacular coastal settings on earth.
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