A fish to spend the rest of your life recounting to endless enthralled family members !! "Did I ever tell you about the time I went tiger fishing in Zambia...?" Foreign fishing jaunts require serious planning, a certain amount of financial outlay, lots of fishing luck, and of course, the main thing, access to the best possible guides working the best possible waters at optimum times of the year. Get all this right and you are now putting yourself within a nervous twitch of the fly line at a lifetime kind of fish and experience. Tiger fish on the fly is more than a reality, and I would guess that not many fish try to hurt a fly as badly as the Zambezi's top piscatorial predator. Africa offers a world of fly fishing opportunities, and what really makes this whole thing so special for me is that I have gone and stumbled upon an absolute world-class guiding operation.

The half hour before dawn seems to start a similar way all over Africa in these types of dedicated fishing circles. Stumbling out of bed to be met by the first tendrils of another perfect day, making one's way to the eating area to stoke up on coffee and porridge, garbled greetings to fellow beings and bleary eyed guides, the first rush of adrenaline as plans are made for the day ahead, and then that magical command to go fishing.

Tiger fishing on the Zambezi around the Caprivi Strip area tends to be done from a boat, and this is for various good reasons : many of the banks are fairly inaccessible and impossible to stand on (often simply a mass of reeds), but most importantly is the danger of crocodiles and other such peaceful loving animals ? A boat also gives fast access to masses of water; in fact the sheer volume of tributaries around here is quite staggering. Predators lurk everywhere it seems, both beneath and above the water. So much water and so much fishing to do; why is there never enough time ?

I can not think of many better things than being witness to an African sunrise, especially over the Zambezi during their winter.

As the sun begins to rise above the reeds, so the surprising chill of the early morning starts to lift and this beautiful golden light begins to bathe both river and fishermen in a comforting blanket. It is often first light that signifies a lot of movement from the tiger fish. Small fish scatter for cover as those fearsome jaws go into working mode and now feeding tiger fish are a serious proposition for keen fly fishermen. Whilst the fly has been accounting for large numbers of fish for a few years now, personally I had no idea just how large a tiger fish it is possible to catch on a carefully tied imitation. To see just how hard a big tiger careers into a fly is something a fisherman must try to experience. Most fly fishing for tigers in this area is done with very simple set-ups. 9 weight rods, fast sinking lines, a short mono leader to the all essential wire biting trace (look at the fish's jaws to see why you need wire),and a selection of flies. Travel light and leave those masses of rod tubes at home, but of course make sure that you have enough flies to cover the trashing that a tiger dishes out to your finest creations. The beauty of the operation that I fished with is that you are dealing with incredibly proficient South African based guides directly, cutting out all middlemen and instead corresponding with the guys at the coalface. The fact that they are some of the finest people you could hope to meet is the icing on the cake.

I was surprised by how close to the river banks we fished, but in retrospect it actually makes perfect sense : the winter floodwater washing down from Angola finds its way onto the vast floodplains surrounding the Caprivi Strip. This water then trickles down over these plains, into the Zambezi, bringing with it a mass of fresh nutrients for the small fish to feed on. What feeds on the small fish ? The very fish we are chasing. Often a gathering of birds harvesting small fish at the water's edge signals areas of "new" water trickling into the Zambezi. Many times you will find the tigers working the currents near these places.

The aim is to get your fly out into these eddies and cross-currents, as close to the bottom as possible and then retrieve at what often is a very slow rate, letting the heavy fly dance seductively in the fast moving waters. All sizes of tiger fish will nail a fly, from tiny little bars of perfect teeth and silver to the real monsters that sometimes pop up and snap you back into a rude reality. Stripping into a big tiger is like peeping into Africa's dark interior and being woken with a horrible shock; nothing can help prepare you for the sheer ferocity with which they hurl themselves at your fly. It is perfectly normal to strike for the first time in blind panic and forget to work that hook hard enough into the bony jaws. But are we not fast learners ?

I personally witnessed tiger fish to 12 lbs landed on the fly, with any number of "smaller" fish being taken as well; bear in mind that I fished and photographed on one boat only, and as such did not get to see other anglers' fish. Rest assured that once a tiger goes over the 5 lb mark, you are into serious fish territory, and they are going to make you work hard to land them. The real heartbreak of the trip was seeing a fish well over 15 lbs (genuine, not a fisherman's tale) throwing a seemingly perfect hook hold right at the side of the boat. I saw photos of tigers to 16 lbs landed on the fly the week before we arrived, and surely somebody soon is going to break the 20 lb barrier : the fish are there. Numerous times I was witness to obviously very big fish ripping into flies and throwing them before we saw the culprits. But when that hook holds, it really is something else.

From what I saw and heard, most tiger fish smash into the fly and then turn to run fast, and as the fisherman works to set the hook, so they often jump clean out of the water in a spray of warm Zambezi water. My guides really emphasised the need to keep a very tight line to the fish and try to avoid keeping the rod high up in the air as much as possible. When they fought fish they often put the rod in the water and made rapid changes of direction with the rod to throw the quarry off balance and help prevent fast, destructive runs. But we who are new to this spend a lot of time seeing lots of line whistle through the rod rings.

From what I saw and heard, most tiger fish smash into the fly and then turn to run fast, and as the fisherman works to set the hook, so they often jump clean out of the water in a spray of warm Zambezi water. My guides really emphasised the need to keep a very tight line to the fish and try to avoid keeping the rod high up in the air as much as possible. When they fought fish they often put the rod in the water and made rapid changes of direction with the rod to throw the quarry off balance and help prevent fast, destructive runs. But we who are new to this spend a lot of time seeing lots of line whistle through the rod rings.

The sight of a decent tiger fish being held gently in the hands is the kind of memory that only Africa can provide, and as you turn the flank of the fish to catch the sunlight, everything suddenly lights up. The shocking red of the tail takes on a vividness that offsets the whiteness of the massively oversized array of dentistry, and as the fish is slipped back into the dark depths of the Zambezi, so you can give yourself a slap on the back for landing one of the world's great fly fishing quarries.

Did you realise how easy and cost effective it really is to get to this part of the world ? Easy overnight flights, no jet-lag, stacks of fish, wonderfully friendly and welcoming people, in short, the whole of Africa simply demands more time from adventurous and forward thinking fly fisherman. You will not be disappointed; why on earth do you think I spend endless hours looking for excuses to go and "work" over there ?

To go fishing for tiger fish (and other African/Indian Ocean based species on the fly) :

I went with a South Africa based company called FlyCastaway : they choose the most exciting species in southern Africa and the Indian Oceans to fly fish for. Then they select the finest destinations where these fish inhabit and also the best times of the year. Once all the logistics are in place (personnel, accommodation, transfers etc.), they take their clients there. They guide for species such as tiger fish, large and smallmouth yellowfish, bonefish, huge Giant Trevally, dog-tooth tuna etc..

Look at : www.flycastaway.com Contact the guys on : info@flycastaway.com