Hi, I'm new on this forum, and I frequently check the speyclave-board, and it is a great source of information...
While I'm going to travel to Ghana - West-Africa in January, I just cannot go without my rods, for sure. :roll:
I heard some infos about the Lake- and river- Volta, which holds tigerfish, tilapia and nile-perch. The Volta estuary seems to have barracuda and perch in it.
I already started tying streamers, and Co...but It would be great to have some additional infos about the region. The coastline is also interesting, but I am absolutely "green" in SW fishing.
I am planning to bring a shooting head setup with my T&T DH1212, a #9, and an #8 rod with intermediate, and sinking lines.
Sounds exciting! I haven't any direct African SWFF experience but have some suggestions anyway:
- stripping basket might help, we use them regularly here to hold the running line out of harms way when wading or when obstacles are underfoot; they increase the distance you can shoot line while reducing the time needed to clear loops
- backing should be minimum 30# dacron or 50# gelspun and carefully attached both to the arbor but more importantly to the fly line; large SW species can easily spool you and any imperfections will result in a lost line. Maybe a spare line or two would be a good idea
- check into the presentations you will be making, most likely a tropical coating / floating or ghost tip will be the ticket for large streamers, short stout heads push bigger flies better.
Ghana, of course, is a world-caliber offshore fishing destination. Check out http://www.ghanabluesdotcom/ (and fer cryin out loud, people, I'm trying to help a guy out, not 'promote' a Ghana charter). Big game boats are not too fly friendly, but they might steer you to some flyrod action if you email tem. Clay can get a bit tought to tlk to if you're not after a 'grander', but I'm sure he'll point you in the right direction you if he can.
You need to find a guide or outfitter, if only for your personal safety. I can't emphasize this too strongly.Donot set off cross country with $1000+ of fancy fly gear hanging all over you.
I haven't fished Ghana, but if Ethiopia, Kenya, RSA, Namibia and Congo are any guide, you will find waters very murky (overgrazing erosion is a uge problem) and decent numjbers of freshwater fish in most bodies of water. Tilapia are a lot like our crappie, but a mongo Nike perch can be a heartstopper. Fis for them same way you would for a peacock bass - very bright flies that move a lot of water.
Biggest one we ever got ate a 3' hooked catfish in one gulp.
Talk to Clay and see if he's aware of any 'small game' opportunities in the area.
Juro you definitely made me worry about my line-coatings... :roll:
I hope I can still order - just in case - some tropi-line.
In Thailand I used a simple Airflo - multi tip line, and it was ok.
I am thinking about a SC sinking tarpon (fast intermediate), a wet tip express tropicore, a wet tip clear (im.), or a quad-tipSW... all variations are for my DH1212...
...for now I was using a Vision Ace DH-shooting head system - but calibred for OH casts. It worked fine in Mongolia, and on my winter- huchen- (an European taimen...)fishing, but who knows...better be prepared.
I am constantly checking the sites about FF in Africa, and I hope I could try some beach - casting...err...fishing, too
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