A travel report by Mathias Fuhrmann:
Madagascar, the magical place in the Indian Ocean, is a dream destination for many adventurers and anglers. GTs in particular are the number one target fish, but numerous other tropical fish species can also be expected. A colourful group of 4 Swedes, 5 Austrians, 3 Germans, one Swiss and one Australian took part. The trip was arranged by Travel2Fish.
The journey via Addis Ababa was very straightforward, apart from minor disruptions caused by the Lufthansa strikes. When we disembarked at Nosy Be Airport, we already got a small taste of the tropical temperatures with quite high humidity. The minibus journey to the guest house gave us a first impression of the country and the people. After checking in, we first went to cool off in the pool.
The next morning we set off with our mate Tobi and Roland from Sweden in the first-class boats (10 m long with 300 hp SUZUKI). We had plenty of space on board and we warmed up to our crew Jo and Toly straight away. Two really nice guides who know what they are doing, read your every wish from your lips/eyes and always ensure a good atmosphere on board. We have grown together as a team in a very short time.
In terms of fishing, a mix of popper fishing, light tackle fishing with small stickbaits and jigging with various methods awaited us. The guides were always on the lookout for schools of baitfish and positioned the boat within casting distance. Popper fishing with medium-sized poppers was particularly successful, luring the fish up from a depth of 15-25 metres.
We had some spectacular attacks from big GTs (Giant Trevally), which unfortunately didn’t all stick. I was lucky enough to land two large specimens in the 35-45 kg class. Of course, the joy was great.
Everyone on board caught GTs in good average sizes almost every day. We also caught bluefin trevallies in good numbers. Things got really hectic when we encountered hunting yellowfin tuna, some of which we were able to land. One of them was served as sashimi for lunch. When jigging, a colourful range of groupers, snappers, travallys, king mackerels, barracudas and sharks were baited. There was no stopping a large fish, presumably a dogtooth tuna. This was lost after a short time due to a broken line.
The Swedish team caught a huge sailfish while jigging (!!).
The absolute highlight, however, was the fantastically located RADAMA ISLANDS RESORT on the island of Nosy Antanimora in the Radama archipelago. We spent the night in cosily furnished bungalows. In the main house, the princely meals of the upscale cuisine were served. You could relax from the day in the pool. With a bit of luck, you can watch turtles hatching on Turtle Beach. To round things off, there were also lizards, chameleons and lots of tropical animals to see. The starry sky was also enchanting. Every evening, the crew took care of the lures and rods, rinsed them with fresh water, checked knots and leaders and replaced them immediately if necessary. At the lodge, we were well looked after with cool drinks, beer and everything our hearts desired. We really lacked nothing.
What Travel2Fish has to offer is really great value for money. If you are looking for a destination that combines versatile fishing opportunities with a focus on GTs and the luxury of an exclusive lodge, RADAMA ISLANDS RESORT is the right place for you. The next tour is already being planned.
The other boats also experienced varied fishing this week. The following gallery provides a small insight.
As Mathias has already indicated, the next dates are already being planned. Places on our escorted group tours are in high demand, especially among individual participants, and we only have a limited number of places available. Find out more on our offers page and look under the heading “Upcoming Trips”.
We are also happy to plan individual trips for small groups. Just get in touch with us. We look forward to seeing you.
See you soon!