Please click here to see Ngombe Lodge Tiger Fishing Package - coming soon

Please click here to see Kabula Lodge Tiger Fishing Package

About Tiger Fishing

African Safari Guru offers the ultimate Tiger Fishing Safaris for fisherman enthusiasts to experience the almighty king of freshwater fish - the Tiger (hydrocynus vittatus - translates literally as the striped water dog), whose speed and strength will test any keen fisherman's skills in its own back garden.

Enjoy the most beautiful, fine-looking and breathe taking panoramic views this country has to offer on the Komati River, South of Kruger National Park. It is the southernmost boundary of the infamous Tiger Fishing population (Hyrocynus Vittatus) due to our hot summer temperatures and moderate winter climate.

Alternatively you can experience Tiger Fishing on the Zambezi which offers a variety of species such as tiger-fish, yellow-fish, bream, nembwe and vundu. Ngombe is the only camp on the eastern bank of the Zambezi River. Our guides will assist you with all the necessary know-how to make that catch and have the time of your life in doing so.

Here, the Zambezi River is untouched by civilisation and criss-crossed only by mokoro (dugout canoe), hippo and crocodile for company. The occasional motor-boat with an adventurous fisherman in search for a big tiger-fish is rarely seen on the river.

The Kaale rapids a short distance up the river, which provides a fantastic venue for the keen fly-fisherman, where there is little disturbance by other river traffic which allows you to hunt all day for tiger fish or yellow-fish. A late afternoon on the river, searching for that elusive fish, while watching the setting of the sun, is an experience of its own.

Tiger Fishing Season:

• Tigers are fresh water predatory fish preferring warm clear waters, aiding their hunting and feeding instincts. The ideal times to hunt this fresh water game fish would be most of our summer months.

• Firstly September through to November is their spawning months, and like many other fish species, they tend to spawn in swift flowing waters up stream. Best time for Fishing the Upper Zambezi River.

• They are expectant to breed when temperatures go over 20 degrees and this coincides with our rains. This is an ideal time to try and tackle the bigger spawning females on their way up to their breeding sanctuaries.

• December to February is when the weather is at its hottest, and although fishing is still excellent, fishing days consists of short sessions being early morning and late afternoon. In Zambia, upper Zambezi River the water are still rising but still fishable.

• From March to May tiger fish are generally high in calories up for the winter months and also a good time of the year to seek them out.

• June to August also produces fish although it all depends on the climate, as a drop in temperature can put them off the bite for a couple of days.

Fly Tackle:

• Most fishing anglers wanting to engage in the tiger fishing on fly would have to combine pretty much the same as salt water rigging.

• The rod, reel, line leaders (steel trace) and flies are ideally suited for the tiger fish.

• Some smaller flies are also necessary especially when fishing for the more active smaller tiger fish that will quite readily take a bigger fly but trying to set the hook is a bit more difficult.

Important tips when fishing for tiger fish:

• When to strike - free spooling is the most common tactic, but there are takes when you have to strike right away, set the hook once and allow the fish to have some drag. If the fish is swimming away and stripping off your line, put some pressure on to keep the hook set and only re-strike when the fish has turned.

• Keep the rod tips down – Make sure while fighting the tiger fish your rod tip points in a downward direction because the tiger fish gives you about 3 seconds before his first jump when he will take advantage of the slack in your line, so automatically drop the tip.