Kenya Fishing ----Have you caught Blue Marlin lately?

The past few days have been so successful and positive that I am once again convinced that all the most interesting and unpredictable things in life happen impromptu. So this time, my evening passed calmly and routinely, I walked along the coast until I came across Kenyan fishermen unloading their catch. I became curious to see what the sea gave them today?!

The catch was quite good, there were a lot of fish, lobsters, octopus and king prawns in the baskets. The fishermen were happy, today they will not only earn good money, but their families will have a tasty and satisfying dinner.

I am not a professional fisherman, rather an amateur, but I must admit that the process of fishing arouses the most lively interest in me, and I will never miss an opportunity to go fishing if such an opportunity suddenly presents itself. Of course, to a greater extent, I am driven by sporting interest, which fisherman does not dream of hunting blue or striped marlin, trevally, swordfish or even a tiger shark.

And, despite the fact that there is a ban on catching many rare species of fish in Kenya, nothing prevents you from enjoying the very process of catching and landing these deep monsters, so that you can then record your victories and release them back into the sea.

I asked fishermen about fishing opportunities in Malindi, and they described this process so colorfully that the excitement flared up in me more and more. They assured me that they could take me fishing with them if I paid them enough so that they would not have to worry about their catch.
In this case, they will select the necessary gear for me, and we will devote the entire day exclusively to sport fishing, during which we will hunt for a large predator! What can I say, it was a fair offer, and of course I agreed! Saying goodbye, we agreed to go to sea in the morning, with the first rays of the rising sun.

At night I could not sleep, and in the morning, moving to the meeting place, I was worried like a boy. Although this is not the first deep-sea fishing in my life, it is still the first in Malindi, and in a team of unfamiliar black guys who spend almost more time in the sea than on land.

But my worries were in vain. What was waiting for me was a fairly decent modern boat, about 10-12 meters in length, equipped with a tolling boat with three rods and all the necessary equipment, as well as a “dark” team of 3 people, two of whom I already considered my new friends. We set sail from the shore, moving further and further into the sea; at a minimum, we needed to sail deeper, further, beyond the second barrier reef.

While we were sailing, the Kenyans instructed me in detail on how to use the tackle, I examined the rods, tried the reels, made sure that the line would withstand a sufficient breaking load, learned a lot about fishing methods and bait, and, as it seemed to me, by the time we arrived at the place was fully prepared to cope with any challenge.
Each bait was mounted in such a way that it moved flawlessly in the water, maintaining the required distance relative to the other bait, which served as a small tuna.

Time passed, we waited about 40 minutes for the first bite, and then it happened, unwinding the fishing line, the bait went to the side, the reel’s clutch crackled, I grabbed the rod and was led, the fish was very strong and out of habit, I couldn’t fish it out myself, she broke down and left, and I looked into the depths, puzzled, realizing that this one was clearly not coming back))

To tell the truth, I was not at all upset, it only spurred and incited my hunting ardor. I was waiting for further developments! The first one I caught was a 25-30 kilo sailfish, I dragged it for about 10 minutes, it jumped and wriggled, but I managed to hold it and drag it into the boat.

I was jubilant! The black team laughed good-naturedly, I am funny copying my emotions, well, let it be, this is just the beginning! About an hour passed, small dorado were biting, and the guys left a few fish for dinner. And I kept waiting, and here it is, a handsome striped marlin! This time they helped me, we fought together, and he led me deeper and to the side, not wanting to get out of the water. Time flew by, adrenaline was pumping, we didn’t give up, and neither did he!

The fishing lasted more than half an hour, believe me, it was an indescribably exciting and beautiful sight, finally, he began to get tired, jumping out of the water, dancing his wondrous dance on his tail. We won, a large striped marlin, weighing about 90 kilograms, lay on the bottom of our boat, seemingly resigned to its fate. But we just took a photo, tagged him and released him back into the sea, wishing him a safe journey!

Upon my return, my new friends invited me to dinner at a fishing village, and I gratefully accepted their offer. On the way, I stopped at a store where I bought several bottles of good local Naivasha grape wine; such an event should be celebrated! Dinner was, in Kenyan style, simple and satisfying: charcoal-grilled fish, mataa - a traditional thick paste made from peas, boiled potatoes and corn, sukuma - stewed greens, similar in appearance to spinach, hot white flatbreads, and of course, wine.

It seemed that most of the village had gathered to listen to my adventures, describing my first awkward attempts, the fishermen became more and more interested, and the story became more and more funnier, acquiring more and more details. Well, let it be, it was funny to me, and I nodded my head cheerfully, saying, yes, yes, that’s exactly how it was!

We parted ways late in the evening, and I returned home full and happy. My day was wonderful, I made new friends, and had an unforgettable fishing experience in Kenya.

The wine flowed inside with a pleasant warmth, warming my body and soul, and falling asleep, half asleep, I saw a large striped marlin, which from the depths of the sea, warmly waved its beautiful tail at me, in gratitude for the unexpected rescue!