By Scotty Kyle

Kenya is an East African country situated on the Indian Ocean south of Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan, east of Uganda and north of Tanzania. To many people it typifies the Africa of myth and legend in that it is famous for its natural reserves with wide open areas teeming with massive herds of wildlife. It is in most ways a dream African destination, promoted as such by many great writers up to Ernest Hemingway.

General Facts about Kenya

For centuries the Kenyan coast was important in regional trade, including the slave trade, and became an important part of the Portuguese trade network. After that, it became part of the British empire until independence in 1963. Now Kenya is a cosmopolitan country, which is considered one of the most stable in Africa, with excellent trade and commercial links to may places of the world. 

In area, Kenya is approximately 224 000 square miles, placing it between Texas and California in size, but the population of 47.6 million exceeds either of these states. In profile, from east to west, there are coastal lowlands along the Indian Ocean that climb to high mountains, which are bisected by the African Rift Valley. From there the land sinks again to Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. The population consists of several African groups, with the Kikuyu being the largest, and is mostly Christian (86%) and Muslim (12%). 

The most important part of the Kenyan economy is agriculture, especially growth of tea and coffee, but tourism is also essential. Game reserves and the animal viewing they provide (Kenya banned big-game hunting for foreigners since the 1970s) lays a foundation of a robust tourist industry. The basic infrastructure in the country is functional and, due to the large number of foreign guests, visitors are generally well catered for and looked after.

Freshwater Fishing in Kenya

Kenya shares access to Lake Victoria, one of the largest lakes in the world, and have some significant rivers and even cold mountain streams. All these bodies of water offer fishing opportunities that range beyond exotic and unexpected. 

Trout Fishing

While Kenya sits astride the equator and for the most part enjoys hot climate, Mount Kenya is so high that it has a permanent snow cap, and some of the rivers flowing down its flanks are cool enough for trout. Among the settlers from the United Kingdom that arrived in the XIX and XX century there were several fishing enthusiasts who, at enormous effort and expense, introduced both brown and rainbow trout. 

Trout fishing in Kenya is centred around the Aberdare mountains and Mount Kenya and is mostly inside National Parks and well away from good road infrastructure. In Kenya, trout fishing is by fly only and a regional license is essential. Due to license requirements and remoteness, such a trip needs to be organized in advance. 

The rivers that contain trout are high altitude and small and the fish often very small, requiring ultra-light tackle. The lakes, however, often contain larger fish and more “normal” trout equipment can suffice to enjoy excellent trout fishing in unique African settings.

Fishing in Lake Victoria

Along the western border of Kenya you find Lake Victoria. Its fisheries have been important to the local people for centuries. In past decades fishing effort increased, catches declined, and the authorities tried to improve matters by introducing new species, including the Nile perch which can attain sizes of up to 400 lbs (181,4kg), and is the largest freshwater fish in Africa.

As in some other countries, good intentions do not always result in good outcomes. Although the tilapias bred and spread rapidly, they began to displace local species. The Nile perch spread progressively clockwise round the lake from the initial introduction site. Lake Victoria can now boast of impressive Nile perch catches, as well as a wide variety of “bream-type” fish that can be excellent fun and good sport on light tackle. 

However, the Kenyan coast of Lake Victoria is either remote or heavily populated and thus overfished, so better opportunities could perhaps be found in the neighbouring Uganda, which has several operators specialising in targeting huge Nile perch. 

Fishing for Indigenous Species of Kenya

In the rivers in the Matthews mountains, situated north of Mount Kenya, there are yellowfish, various breams and some tiger fish that can give excellent sport for the fly or spinning angler. This fishery is still developing as indigenous species were ignored by trout anglers for many years but now their true value as wily and beautiful opponents is becoming ever more appreciated.

Lake Turkana, in the north of Kenya, provides exciting fishing for a wide variety of fish species of many shapes, sizes and colours. It used to be a lake full of diverse indigenous species until Nile perch were introduced a couple of decades ago and now some species have apparently gone extinct. On the other hand, however, there are now some very large Nile perch able to be caught by sport and other anglers. Some local or national operators can organise, and undertake, fishing trips here and details can be obtained from them. 

Saltwater Fishing in Kenya

In terms of fishing, Kenya has a lot to offer and is able to cater to diverse tastes, as well as accommodating a wide variety of pockets and purses. Nearshore fishing in Kenya is not so good as it could be, as the local people are passionate and efficient fishers who greatly reduced most of the predators and fish of any great size from the shallows. 

To find good fishing it is necessary to go offshore and day-trips are by far the most popular way to do this. Overnight trips are often available and allow anglers to be on the water in the evening and early mornings when action is often best.

Some of the best fishing locations in Kenya include Watamu, where there are several good operators of long-standing, offering day or overnight trips, for deep-sea angling. Mombasa also offers several options for deep-sea fishing and, in the south, Diani is another town offering fishing charters, renowned for providing anglers with wonderful fishing memories. 

Lamu Archipelago

Kenya’s northern shores, adjacent to Somalia, have little to offer and is close to an unstable country. However, the offshore Lamu Archipelago offers much to the zealous, and well resourced, sport angler. There are no cars on the islands, only donkeys for internal transport, and visitors must fly into this truly magnificent setting. 

Lamu is one of the few places on the Kenyan coastline where inshore fishing can be truly exciting and productive. Massive giant trevally can rise from the deep to smash into shoals of bait fish in the shallows and hooking into one of these behemoths can be the fishing experience of a lifetime. This destination is not for the faint-hearted, or thin walleted, but can provide absolute top-class sport fishing experiences. 

Saltwater Fish of Kenya and How to Catch Them

Offshore fishing in Kenyan waters offers almost all the well-known tropical marine species including black, blue and striped marlin, sailfish, giant trevally, amberjack, dorado, yellow-fin tuna and wahoo. 

This diversity of fish adds excitement to deep-sea fishing here, as the angler often has little idea what he has hooked till well after the initial hook-up. There is also bottom and reef fishing available in many areas targeting the numerous species of grouper, trevallys and other game fish.

In terms of methods, the most popular is trolling using a diversity of lures, plugs, spoons, plastics or natural bait. If good fish are known to be around or feeding on the surface on baitfish, then spinning or fly fishing can be extremely exciting. Not much can compare with hooking into a large fast-moving tuna, wahoo or GT, as the first run usually strips off your line at incredible speeds. 

Most outfitters are able to supply suitable, robust and appropriate fishing equipment thus saving the client having to work out exactly what tackle is needed plus the hassle of travelling with it.

In Conclusion.

Ernest Hemingway hardly did any fishing in Kenya: his playgrounds were centered on the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean off Cuba and Florida. If he only tried it, however, he might have written about it as eloquently as he did about hunting in Kenya. Especially now that the country developed a robust, diverse, substantial and exciting marine sport fishing industry operating from its 300 mile-long coastline.  

Kenya has some spectacular and unique fishing for enthusiasts, generalists and specialists. It also has many other attractions, such as spectacular big, and small, game viewing and so might appeal to angler’s families who are not completely focussed on fish. The fishing options, particularly the marine components, are well organised with many diverse operators to suit almost any preferences and most purses.  

As a popular “big five” game viewing country, Kenya has been dealing with large numbers of overseas visitors for decades and, generally, the infrastructure and services are well able to effectively, and reasonably efficiently, process sport anglers. The people are mostly friendly and helpful, and the scenery can be delightful and impressive. All in all, Kenya must rank high in the list of international destinations of any enlightened and serious sport angler. 

Main image credit: Sybarite Sporting

Next in “Fishing in Africa”

Fishing in Mauritius: What you need to know

By Scotty Kyle

If your ideas of paradise include warm, crystal-clear waters, where you can put your skills to test against some of the biggest, most elusive, hard-fighting and striking-looking fish, on the background of stunning vistas and long sandy beaches with drooping palm trees, with excellent food and accommodation, surrounded by colourfully clothed, diverse, friendly people – then Mauritius must be on your bucket list. CONTINUE READING

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Fishing in Zambia: What you need to know

By Scotty Kyle

Zambia is a large, landlocked central southern African country with two massive rivers, three large lakes, and over 15 million hectares (57 915 square miles) of wetlands. Hundreds of thousands Zambians rely on fishing for their livelihoods, income and food. What about sport fishing? The answer is simple and most of it can be summed up in one word: tigerfish! CONTINUE READING