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"The trout do not rise in the cemetery, so you better do your fishing while you are still able." - Sparse Grey Hackle

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The Fishing Report

The Archive: Rio Azul, Imbabala Safari Lodge, Chile, New Zealand, Lake Tanganyika, Bassas da India, Des Roches Island, Farquar aboard the MV Illusions, Barotse Tiger Camp, Chawalo, Neptune Warrior - Trident Tested, Ngwezi Houseboat - Okavango,

Imbabala Safari Lodge

IMBABALA SAFARI LODGE - ZIMBABWE

Landing at Vic Falls Airport brought back a flood of good memories from previous visits to this wonderful country.

I have traveled in Zimbabwe repeatedly over the past decade and each time came away with the feeling that the people here were special, however the political situation had become progressively more dire and I was uncertain of what to expect….

Knowing Dave Glynn and his partner Ross Kennedy, who have worked tirelessly to keep both their hotel, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, and indeed the town itself, in the running as a viable tourist destination, Wildfly were keen to help with some awareness when their company recently took over the management and operations of Imbabala Safari Lodge on the upper Zambezi.

We arrived on time after a pleasant flight on BA Comair from JHB, and were greeted with welcoming smiles from everyone, the customs officials right down to the porters. What a change from the often surly attitude we encounter in some African countries. A Wild Horizons air conditioned mini bus was waiting to whisk us off to Imbabala, an easy 1 hour transfer on a good tar road, the only delay being a small ellie crossing in leisurely fashion.

The approach to the Lodge is on a winding road through riverine bush which we shared with a number of Elephant and Buffalo heading down to drink from the river and numerous colourful birds flitting from place to place. Imbabala has been fully renovated and refurbished and lies in the shade of magnificent old trees, surrounded by lush green lawns. A sparkling swimming pool adds to the comforts on offer. A large airy thatched bar and dining area overlooks the mighty Zambezi and each comfortable en suite chalet has similar views. Mark being a birdwatcher was in his element in this oasis.

We were greeted with long drinks and cool face cloths by smiling staff and were immediately introduced to the fishing guides who would be our companions for the week.
It would have been possible to fit in a siesta and get a full afternoons fishing in ( left JHB at 10.00 and arrived at Imbabala at 13.15 ), however, with a fairly stiff breeze coming off the water we decided to get our tackle sorted out and film Mark giving first time fly fisher, Rastus, a clinic on the lawn. This turned out to be more entertaining anyway.

We had carefully chosen what should have been a prime week ( mid July ) to target Nembwe, but the weather gods were conspiring, with a constant cold stiff breeze testing us as anglers both above and below the water surface. The wily Nembwe had chosen this week to hibernate and even Marks deadly accurate casting couldn’t raise them from their frustrating slumber.

This beautiful stretch of Zambezi, between Kazangula and the Katombora Islands seems to be so much quieter from a boat traffic perspective than its nearby neighbors in the Chobe and Impalila area, so the lack of fish could in no way be attributed to rod pressure. If one was looking for excuses, that is.

Left to hunt our old and respected adversary, the Tiger, we continued to work every nook and cranny, channel and weed bed within striking distance. There were brief moments of joy when a small tug at the fly reminded one that there was life in this unyielding water, but these were interspersed with long hours of fruitless casting. Fast retrieve, slow, figure of eight, double haul, dead drift, you name it, we tried it. Although we had taken 5-6 weight rigs, with the wind gusting hard on the water, we had no option but to use the 9 weight equipment with fast sinking lines. We tried Clousers of various size and colour, mostly with some flash, but given the lack of action, every pattern in the box was given some swim time. I even tried one of the monster crab patterns we had used in Chile for trout to no avail. A few small Tigers somehow managed to impale themselves on a passing hook, but until day 4 (of 5 ) we simply weren’t in the game.

Then on the morning of day four Peter Ratsey caught a 12 pounder out of no where. Battling a bit with the heavier Clousers, he changed to a slightly smaller black and white option and on his first Tiger trip on fly, he landed this beaut. It wasn’t easy to see the smile through his fluffy white beard, but it was there alright. Pete promptly retired from any further vigorous casting and settled close to the cold box.

Rastus Reen meanwhile, had a Tiger up his sleeve. His first 3 days were spent swearing at the line, the fly, the rod, the boat, us, the wind and a number of other inanimate objects, never once considering or acknowledging that he may not have mastered the complex art of throwing heavy flies into a strong wind instantaneously and with near divine perfection. In this complicated manner, he had learned to fling the fly in various directions almost the full length of the boat. In fact quite often it was in the boat.
One of his finer casts whipped furiously at a weed bed a full 12 feet away, landed with the aplomb of a well shot goose, and against all odds was instantly smashed by another 12 pounder. Ras has fished rock and surf for many years and instinct took over providing him with a well deserved double digit fish and the bragging rights he took maximum advantage of..

Other than these few bright moments and a handful of small fish which kept us out on the water, the fishing that week was slow, the wind unfriendly and the water cold. Our very knowledgeable guides Stuart and Lionel have fished this stretch of water for decades and were as confused as we were as to where the fish had gone…..and that’s not a fishing story, this stretch of river has it all, rapids, reeds, sand banks, you name it, it simply must produce fish. The really big Nembwe on the wall at the lodge bear testimony to that, and that’s as close as we came to one, but those two big Tigers we did land proves they are there and waiting.

Zimbabwe is great. The people at Imbabala are working within real logistical difficulties, however at no point did this fact ever affect us as valued guests. The food is good, the cooler always packed, top class accommodation, friendly attentive staff and above all great fishing guides. Add to this the bargain prices on offer in Zim by comparison to its neighboring countries, as well as its easy access from JHB and this is a really good fly fishing option.

I will be going back….Viva Zimbabwe.