Travel

Fish the Beaches and Lagoons of Gabon

Wicked-big game fish and astonishing wildlife await in "Africa's Eden"

By Mark Murray - Tourette Fishing

Updated: September 9, 2015

For a fishing outfitter like Tourette Fishing, offering remote destinations like Gabon as worthy of a visit by anglers from afar involves far more than just repackaging destinations already well-known and logistically easy. But Tourette Fishing is not the average outfitter; these guys do the hard lifting to uncover new fisheries and destinations that require a huge amount of effort to set up to a point where they can be shared with the rest of the world. Gabon is one of the destinations that they have been working on for many years, and one that has finally come of age in terms of logistics and accessibility. The boys at Tourette Fishing are excited to begin sharing this amazing place with the rest of the world. Gabon has long been known for some incredible fishing, though logistics in the past weren’t up to the level needed to ensure smooth fishing in this remote part of West Africa. Tourette Fishing offers accessible fishing, easy logistics, and a camp like a second home in this wildest stretch of the African coastline. Besides the fishing, wildlife is all about, and anglers may see elephants, forest buffalo and, for those who really look, gorillas, chimpanzees and even leopards. To explore the idea of booking a trip of a lifetime to fish Gabon, visit Tourette Fishing.

AFRICAN THREADFIN

A solid 55- to 60-pound giant African threadfin. These fish lurk in the river mouth and shallow surf where they hunt ghost crabs and small baitfish. This fish was taken on a spoon worked slowly on the bottom just before sunset. Although this specimen is a great catch, threadfin do get even bigger. There first run is always the same. Hard and fast. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

WHERE IS GABON?

The fishing camp is located adjacent to Gabon’s Loango National Park. Courtesy of Google Maps

TARPON IN THE SURF

Rob Scott hooked into a good-sized tarpon. This fished was hooked on a bucktail jig while fishing for giant African threadfin. They often come into the river mouth area during first and last light where they obliterate baitfish. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

AFRICA’S WILDEST COAST

The rain forest in Gabon is the second largest forest in the world after the Amazon. Among a whole list of animals one can encounter, there are lowland gorilla, chimpanzee, forest buffalo & red river hogs; forest elephants are a daily encounter. This stretch of coastline is the wildest stretch left on the African continent Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

SAVAGE IN THE SURF

Cubera snapper are one of the dirtiest-fighting fish you’ll hook on the Gabonese coast. Their fight is dogged and they do not tire easily. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

LONG, LEAN & MEAN

The Guinean barracuda grows to more than 100 pounds, and regular catches are made each year in the estuary. They can be targeted in specific areas but most of the time they are caught while fishing for juvenile snapper and jacks. Often while fishing the estuary, light tackle is used, so a barracuda of 35 to 40 pounds can put on a spectacular show. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

QUIET MOMENT

The fishing in Gabon really comes alive at sunrise and sunset. Some days you can literally predict the minute the ocean will turn alive with predatory fish smashing baitfish. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

MIXED BAG OF BRUISERS

Double-up trevally is an almost daily occurrence in Gabon, and often a cubera snapper or two will crash the party. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

GABON “SEATROUT”

Head Guide in Gabon, Mark Murray with a nicely sized Senegalese kob also known by the locals as an Otolithe. These large croakers — similar to seatrout and white seabass in the United States — are magnificent fish and will give you a good run for your money once hooked. They show a preference for bucktail jigs and paddle-tail plastics worked slowly around shallow sandbars in the surf. When these fish come in, they can be as thick as fleas Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

CHEAP GEAR NEED NOT APPLY

Only high-quality spinning gear will be up to the task in Gabon. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

POPPERS AWAY

A guest casts a stickbait during sunset to some feeding tarpon. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

TARPON CITY

Tarpon like this 180-pounder are a regular occurrence on the Gabon coast, here. West Africa, and in particular Gabon, are home to some of the biggest tarpon in the world — for anglers prepared with sufficient tackle and skills. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

LURES TAKE A GABON LICKING

“Sufficient tackle” for big tarpon includes lures; West African tarpon will put your tackle to the ultimate test. These lures were obliterated by some monster fish. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR JACK TODAY?

Nothing fights harder than a jack crevalle, particularly when they grow the size of this bruiser, which commonly patrol along the beaches. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing

ESTUARY ACTION

In addition to the spectacular surf fishing, the estuary and mangroves here produces some really exceptional fish as well. Fishing with fly or light spinning gear, you can have endless fun chasing some juvenile cubera, barracuda, giant African threadfin and Senegalese jacks like this one. Courtesy of Tourette Fishing