Zambezi Traveller
Fishing the 50th!
zambezi kariba & middle-zam
Travellers Friend
21
By Mana Meadows
method for catching tiger was spinning or trawling a spinner fillet combination or just using a fillet.
W
ith many KITFT veterans making a special effort to return to Kariba this year to fish the tournament’s 50th, the Zambezi Traveller asked Ant Hill, captain of 1969’s winning team Kutsaga Angling Club, to share some memories from the tournament’s earlier years. Ant first fished KITFT in 1968 and on about 25 occasions since then. In 1972 he won the prize for the most fish caught (using 2kg line and very light tackle) and in the mid 70’s won the tournament in three consecutive years with the Ultra Light team.
The Kutsaga Angling Club was the angling section of the Tobacco Research Board. It consisted of Pete Munday, John Roberts, Mike Sherman - all from the T.R.B - and myself, a farm manager next door to Kutsaga. We decided to be very different and use small sardine type fish called Microlestes lateralis as our bait. We spent months going out to the Hunyani river near the Skyline Motel to catch these fish with a net. We packed them very carefully in plastic bags, like sardines in a tin, so that we could thaw them easily when needed. We spent a lot of time making wire traces that would be suitable for this bait.
“In 1969 we were all very keen and worked extremely hard on a plan that we hoped would win the tournament for us. In those days there were no kapenta in Lake Kariba and the recognised
A few trips to Kariba were done to test our plan and we
1969’s winning KITFT team, representing Kutsaga Angling Club (now Nkwazi Fishing Club): From L to R: Tony (Ant) Hill, Team captain; the late Mike Sherman; Ralph Coombes (boat captain); Pete (Pedro) Munday. Not present in the photo was team member John Roberts and boat captain Michael Joyce.
knew we were on the right track. Almost every tree we tied up to and dropping a small fish to the bottom, produced a bite from a tiger. Our plan bore fruit on the first day of the tournament when we landed 49 tiger (before the day of the 20 fish limit) This put us so far ahead nobody else came close. The
largest fish was one of 6kgs caught by Peter Munday. Needless to say our plan became common knowledge and other teams became more competitive.” Since the 70’s, Ant has only fished sporadically as time and opportunity have allowed. He is fishing this year’s tournament because
it is special, “being the 50th anniversary of a tournament that has always been close to my heart”. He says that the tournament has changed a lot over the years, becoming more professional with teams receiving large sponsorship and expected to do well for their sponsors. “I don’t disapprove of this and find
the tournament is still very friendly and most enjoyable, fishing being in my blood.” Ant will fish for Nkwazi Angling Club this year which is what Kutsaga Angling Club became. “We may not win the tournament but we will fish hard and have a good time,” says Ant.
ANTI POACHING UPDATES
PHOTO: NICHOLAS MILNE
Buffalo make the Bumi airstrip their home
Buffalo on the airstrip at Bumi
By Nicholas Milne
A
herd of roughly 60 buffalo have made the airstrip their home, acting as an impromptu welcoming party for arriving guests! The anti-poaching scouts came across the herd early this week and reported that an adolescent cow had somehow lost her right horn and as a result had a large gaping wound in her head where the horn had once been. Quite how this happened is a mystery but she seems to be recovering well and we will keep an eye on her. The lake level has dropped substantially and as a result many of the animals have returned to the floodplains.
The Bumi Hills Anti Poaching Unit has been invited to be part of the 50th annual Kariba International Tiger Fishing Tournament in October. BHAPU will have representatives based at a stand near the weigh-bay at the NAUZ Charara site from 24 October for the duration of the tournament. They will also assist with marshalling duties out on the lake during the tournament to ensure that all anglers abide by the rules. BHAPU, along with the other conservation initiatives around the lake play a huge part in preserving fish stocks in Lake Kariba and hopefully these efforts will be recognised by the anglers at KITFT 2011!
www.wildzambezi.com
Contact/Reservation Cell: +263-773 263 670/1 Cell: +263-712 412 555/712 417 358 Tel: +263-4-494751 Email: harland@bsatt.com/ Email:rayfin@bsatt.com Skype: loraine.finaughty Skype:raymond.finaughty
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe
Arrange an all inclusive tailor-made fishing experience of a life-time with your own personal guide 2 Luxury self-catering lodges situated on the shores of Lake Kariba Boat hire available Incredible Fishing Game viewing Bird watching
CONNECTING YOU TO ZIMBABWE’S FI NEST
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe
Spend less time getting there, and more time on the water Getting to Lake Kariba, the Great Zambezi River and other renowned fishing locations around Zimbabwe has never been easier. Solenta Aviation, based at Harare International Airport, now offer Shuttle, Scheduled and Charter Services across Zimbabwe and regionally for Charter.
Tel: +263 4 788 324/5
Email: bookings@solenta.com
www.solenta.co.zw