Namibia: The skeleton coast

Just imagine standing on a clean and sandy beach with the surf pounding in, looking for ...the fish was 10ft long, weighed 300lbs and at the time I wanted to be that angler so badly... miles in each direction and seeing just a lone angler and guide among the seals, pelicans, flamingo’s and other wading birds, when something catches your attention in the water close in. Is that a sharks fin ? Yes it is, and suddenly the anglers rod hoops over and something starts tearing hundreds of yards of line from his screaming reel, while he is struggling to stop himself being dragged into the ocean by the unseen shark on the end of his line. After an hour and a half he has the fish close enough to haul from the surf and drag up the beach. It was me on the beach and this is what I saw, that made me go back to the skeleton coast to fish for these mighty predators and I was certainly not disappointed. This fish was 10ft long, weighed 300lbs and at the time I wanted to be that angler so badly I just had to go back and do it for myself !!

The Skeleton coast, is world famously known as the ships graveyard of the south west African coast. There are numerous rusting wrecks of ships that have fallen foul of the treacherous weather and fog banks of this harsh and unforgiving coastline, and this is where we fish off the beach for the extremely powerful bronze whaler sharks. These fish are regularly caught to over 300lbs but can grow far bigger than this. A fish of this size can take you over 2 hours to land and leave you a mile further along the beach from where you first hooked it and fish of even half this size can provide you with an hours back breaking hard work to land !

Tackle used is 15ft one piece lamaglass rods, coupled to Daiwa SLO5H 50 multiplier reels and 40lb red ice monofilament line. Rigs are very simple link ledgers and bait is mackerel or shovel nosed ray gills. My own best day here included 6 fish to 300lbs !

Each morning, after a cooked breakfast we are collected by our guide and driven firstly along the coast rod (which incidentally is made of sun dried salt !) to check out the surf and sea conditions before the decision is made on where to fish.

Upon setting up the guide gets all the rods baited up and cast in (you can do this yourself but it is very tricky casting these heavy unbalanced rods so better to let the guide do first to show you how) and we then stand, holding the rods waiting for the first take. When this happens you are in for the time of your life, and if you have never had a fish try to pull your arms out of their sockets then be prepared for some pain !!

If this type of fishing and this trip is of interest to you and you would like more specific detail about future dates and prices, please either contact us via or Enquiry Page or contact the shop by telephone or even drop in, if you are local, where will provide full details and a cup of coffee too!

Like to talk to someone about this trip? You can telephone the shop Monday to Saturday on 01553 773409

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