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Destination: Okavango River, Botswana.
Season: September to December.
Duration: Minimum 3 nights.
Group Size: 4 pax 2 guides
– 6 pax 3 guides
Accommodation: Xaro Safari Lodge.
An exclusive 8 tent lodge located in the Shakawe
region in the Western Pan Handle of the Okavango
Delta, on the main Okavango channel. From the
lodge we have the opportunity to fish the Okavango
River as well as the numerous pristine lagoons
situated close by.
Xaro Lodge has 8 luxury spacious en suite meru
tents sleeping 2 guests each. The tents have
been specially designed with glass doors in
the front of the tent. Each "tent"
is on leadwood decks and all have views of the
Okavango River.
The Okavango River
The Okavango River spills into the North Western
corner of Botswana, after a long journey through
the Caprivi Strip of Namibia and the catchments
area within Angola. Although the river travels
for many hundreds of kilometres before entering
Botswana, the truly remarkable happens when the
rising waters reach the flood plains of the Okavango
delta – the only inland Delta on our planet.
With a marginal elevation difference between Shakawe,
in the north of the pan handle, and Maun, some
400km away, the flooding water creates a seemingly
endless area of lagoons, winding river, oxbow
lakes, floodplains and papyrus. The area is vast
and at its largest covers a staggering 16 000
square kilometres. Considering the perfect nursery
these flood water provide for juvenile and small
species fish, one can hardly comprehend the volume
of potential tigerfish fodder that survive in
this temporary asylum. At its lowest, the area
drops to 9 000 square kilometres. It is the poor
misplaced Pisces from that difference of 7 000
square kilometres that make the Okavango River
an incredible place to be when the mounting baitfish
are finally flushed out into the main channels,
where the tigerfish lie in wait.
The Fishing
Each year between September and November the
waters receding off the vast Okavango flood
plains force recently spawned bait fish from
the security of the vegetation rich plains into
the dog eat dog world of the main Okavango River.
The healthy population of catfish in the Okavango
River zone in on these helpless bait fish and
form massive feeding frenzies, at times thousands
of fish, thrashing in the river margins as fleeing
bait fish scatter along the surface. These frenzies
are commonly referred to as “catfish runs”
and are often termed the freshwater equivalent
of the wildebeest migration. Witnessing the
catfish run is reason enough to get to the Okavango
River over these dates. It is however the tiger
fishing that draws avid sport fisherman from
around the globe to the Okavango River each
year. Tiger fish, arguable the finest fighting
freshwater game fish around, feed with abandon
around the catfish run, providing some of the
finest fly and art lure fishing available. The
Tourette Fishing team have over 18 years of
combined experience on these waters and will
guide you competently and professionally over
the annual catfish run.
Apart from the tiger fish, species aficionados
can target catfish, Nembwe, thin faced large
mouth and a host of other bream species.
Angling (species and methods): Tiger
fish, numerous bream spp. (incl. nembwe), catfish
and pike. Fly fishing and artificial lures are
the most productive. Your professional guides
will tie flies daily. Comprehensive tackle lists
are supplied on booking or request.
Pick up and drop off point:
Maun or Shakawe
Other activities: Sundowner
cruises and nature walks, overnight fly camping
(which we suggest is best to follow the catfish
run for a couple of nights). The world renowned
Moremi Game Reserve and Tsodilo Hills are close
by and definitely worth visiting. This camp
is an ornithologist’s, or any bird watcher’s,
paradise. There are great opportunities to view
rare birds such us the Pels Fishing Owl, White
Backed Night Heron and African Skimmers amongst
many.
The Mobile Approach (optional):
Tourette Fishing has pioneered the mobile approach
to fishing the catfish run. Using Xaro Lodge as
our base we offer our clients the opportunity
to follow the runs and camp comfortably wild on
the numerous islands scattered along the Okavango
River.
A typical stay involves clients spending one
or two nights camping wild on deserted islands
close to productive runs. In doing this, we
are able to put clients into good runs, away
from the “crowds” that can sometimes
gather around the runs closer to larger commercial
camps. Depending on group preferences and location
of productive runs, more or fewer nights can
be spent fly camping.
Our aluminium boats have been modified to carry
comfortable fly camping equipment with out hampering
guests while fishing. All fly-camping is supervised
by registered Botswana guides thus adding to
the overall “wilderness experience”
offered to guests choosing this unique and productive
method of fishing the catfish run.
For more information on this trip please contact
us. For a customised quote and itinerary
for this or any other African location, please
email keith@tourettefishing.com |
