An African Adventure to Cape Cross, Namibia

09/09/2022

looking at fishing spots in namibia to fish

When one arrives on the famous Skeleton Coast of Namibia, with the vast open desert stretched out in front of you, it is hard to believe that there is such abundant life. It all seems like nothing, but there is something going on somewhere, that you can be certain of.

Namibia is well known for the diverse landscape and contrasts that is hard to explain. You have no option, but to witness this in person.

What makes this place even more special is the rich and abundant ocean life Namibia is well known for. In fact, this is arguably one of the premier shore angling destinations in the world. A place where most anglers will have the opportunity to catch some amazing fish and make memories for life. Every angler you talk to about Namibia has the same positive outlook of Namibia and you can hear the excitement in their voice when they share their stories. For some, it is a lifelong dream to fish in Namibia.

Our adventure started off the way any adventure should. Well, planned and ready for whatever comes along our way. We flew out of Cape Town into Walvis Bay, where we were picked up by our transport. Once we loaded everything, we headed in a Northern direction towards Cape Cross, about 1hour 45 mins away from the airport.

We arrived around 16:30pm at this unique, remote destination and settled in. The next morning, we woke up early and headed North towards where we heard the fish where showing. The conditions were a bit more challenging with some big swell and lots of grass in the water, however we still managed to get a few fish. With a day was mostly filled with Spotted Gully Sharks, St Josephs, and a few small Kabeljou, not exactly what we were looking for.

The next day we went even further North. We fished an area they refer to as Skuinsrif, situated next to the Skeleton Coast fence. We managed to get some better fish and after a long day, we headed back home. Truth be told, I knew that we have not hit the Jackpot yet and something inside me said tomorrow is the day. I recall saying to the chaps, tomorrow we will get good fish.

And so it was, the next day we decided to go for an afternoon session and try a spot closer to home, named “Doep se gat”. We managed to find a good hole, but the swell was up, however, I just had that feeling. Within the first 10 minutes I got my first pull, and I knew it was game on. From there on, we caught fish after fish. All good size Kabeljou.

We fished well after sunset and had the time of our lives. I recall this young man getting frustrated that the adults were getting big fish, so I decided the next pull I have I will give him the rod on a good size fish. I felt like a kid watching him nearly getting pulled into the water several times. This young man was on with a fish of a lifetime and handled it like a champion. I don’t know who enjoyed it more, me, his dad or Nicolas himself. Over the next few days, we did well and got some stunning Kabeljou in good numbers. Exactly why we came to Namibia.

Enough about how much fun we had, here is some details on what worked for us and how to get there. Please keep in mind, we mostly targeted Kabeljou throughout the trip.

Majority of our fish were caught using pilchards and a double hook trace with a float above the last hook. We cut two thin cutlets and put them on with both hooks, ensuring they are “proud”. Tip – The stomach holds a lot of flavour, so be sure to include that when you bait up.

For paddle tailing you need to get just behind the 1^st breaker. You will be surprised how many fish swim closer than you think. Pink, white and orange works well, not that I am dismissing the effectiveness of other colours.

Along with reading the water for holes, gutters, banks and other factors, water colour and temperature is critical. The warmer patches with nice colour tended to deliver better results as in most cases anywhere you fish.

If you are keen to learn more about the topics briefly discussed, please get in touch with us.

In terms of tackle, we used the following setups:

Rods

14,6Ft Assassin Evo 6-8oz
14,6ft Excalibur 7oz (Local custom Rods made in Namibia)

Reels

Daiwa BG 6500-8000
Shimano Saragossa 10 000-18 000

Braid

Nothing else but Winch Grinder Casting Braid both the 40lb and 50lb paired with a 120lb leader.

Trace Line

T-Line Pro the Titanium range. We mostly used 0.60mm for the hook line. We used a slightly lighter sinker line with grapnel sinkers.

Hooks

We started off with 4.0 and had to go a few sizes bigger after missing fish and losing a few fish in the shore. Our hook up and landing ratio increased immediately the moment we went a little bit bigger. 5.0 and 6.0 size circle hooks made the difference for us. You might even want to keep a few bigger hooks in your tackle bag just in case you come across the larger specimen.

Getting there

Cape Cross is far out, but well worth it. You can gain access to Namibia through any border post via road or air. Driving covers some serious distance, and you would need to factor this is. You do not want to go for less than 7days fishing, so it will be wise to add a few days for traveling by road.

Air travel can be done through two Airlines, both very reliable and fantastic to fly with, Fly Namibia and Airlink has direct flights to both Windhoek and Walvis Bay. More exclusive private planes can also be arranged from Cape Town straight to Cape Cross. Transport can also be arranged to and from the airport if the private landing strip at Cape Cross is not an option.

Once you reach the Namibian coast, you need to aim towards Henties Bay. You can either stay in Henties Bay and drive North every day or go a bit further to the more exclusive Cape Cross. I refer to this destination as exclusive because a fraction of the “1% errs” of the world will have the pleasure of visiting this destination. Here you have two options in terms of accommodation. The lodge itself that also happens to offer camping facilities or the exclusive access we happen to have to some amazing private residences.

I cannot wait to go again on our next adventure the end of February 2022 and March to hopefully catch those trophy fish. We will report back on that adventure for sure.

If you want to visit Cape Cross, we offer packages specifically designed for this exclusive destination. We are very flexible and have a holistic offering. From assisting with planning to setting up the most exclusive adventure. You give your needs, and we try match them, so do not hesitate to get in touch and enquire.