Tweet
Hey guys, I have had the opportunity to travel to some pretty exotic locations to fish and I wanted to share the experience with others. I am considering putting together a trip to the Bijagos Archipelago in West Africa where a good friend of mine is a guide. The more people that can come on the trip the cheaper it will be. The goal is to get at least 4 other anglers to get the trip down to about $1000 for a week of fishing including meals and lodging. The lodge has 7 boats and has a maximum capacity of 21 anglers so the more the merrier!
So some questions I'm sure you guys have;
What can I catch?
Truly an amazing amount of species. Below are some of the most sought after.
NOTE! The IFGFA world record tarpon was also caught here at 130kg (286lbs) - From shore!
What type of fishing is available?
The types of fishing you can do here is extremely varied. Most will be from a boat but surf/shore fishing opportunities exist as well. It is probably easier to pick out the things you likely WILL NOT be doing.
You can pretty much count on everything else!
Do I have to bring my own gear?
Nope! The location will have gear rentals (with the exception of fly fishing equipment) but it is always recommended to bring your own gear.
What type of gear should I bring?
This is a personal choice. But I am going to bring 3-4 rods and reels. One 7ft spinning rod with a 5000 series reel, a 8ft spinning rod with at 6500 series reel, a 150-200g jigging setup, and a surf rod that can throw 3-4oz.
For lures? This is much more difficult. Pretty much everything from 3/4oz micro jigs to swim baits to poppers. For the big Cubera snapper in the estuaries white is the most popular color. This really deserves its own thread so I will start one if there is enough interest.
Bijagos?! Never heard of it! Where is it?!
Bijagos is an Archipelago located of the coast of Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. It consists of 88 islands within about 80 square kilometers. Almost all is fishable with numerous wrecks, reefs, and drop-offs.
WEST AFRICA?! Ebola! Malaria! AIDs! Angry men with guns! Is it safe?!
Yes…Mostly. Petty crime is fairly common but there are no coups on the horizon or any other drastic security situation.
There are currently no State Department warnings against visiting Guinea-Bissau. The security and health situation is similar to that of Nicaragua or Costa Rica. I can answer in much more detail if anyone has questions but only the person traveling can determine what is safe for them.
What about passports, visas, immunizations, and malaria?
Visa's are necessary for US passport holders (anyone else will have to check). The visa cost is $75 and can be done online through their e-visa system. I can help you with the process if you'd like.
There is only one immunization that is necessary for entry into Guinea-Bissau; Yellow Fever. This can be done at any travel clinic and even some pharmacies. The price varies but it can be free under a health insurance plan or up to $150. Once you get the shot it should be written in a Yellow International Vaccination Booklet. This can be provided by the location where the shot is received.
Malaria is a risk as it is in most tropical locations. Taking anti-malarial meds are recommended but not required. Most people will need to talk to their doctor to figure out which type is best for them.
Hrmm, $1000 isn't bad for a week of fishing but how much is everything else?
Great question! Meals and lodging are included so this leaves flights, visas, passports, immunizations, insurance, and incidentals like souvenirs. This is highly dependent on personal choices.
One of the better flights we found from DC is about $1250 with a stop in Casablanca. The layover in Casablanca is lengthy and would allow for some exploration out of the airport. There are other comparable routes (with shorter layovers) through Europe as well. If by some miracle we had at least 10 people on the same flights we could get a discount.
Visa - $75 (More info in the question above)
New US passports were $150 when I last checked and $110 for renewals. Make sure you have at least 7 months validity at the date you leave the US.
Insurance depends on what you need/want. If you are worried about getting home if you become seriously ill or injured, there are a number of companies that provide medical evacuation insurance that specialize in remote areas; Global Rescue, Intl. SOS, and Ripcord (I work for these guys so I'm a little biased). These all run anywhere from $50 to $600.
For travel insurance, to insure against unforeseen trip cancellation and lost/broken rods, Travelguard is hard to beat. But there are many more. Travel insurance can be free if you book on a particular credit card or run up to over $1000 depending on the options you want.
My wife/girlfriend/kid isnt an angler. How much for them?
This is great if you are thinking about bringing them! The cost for them will be substantially cheaper but I don't know by how much. If someone is interested in this let me know and I will find out.
Do I have to share a room with someone I don't know?
Possibly but we will try to get people to bunk where they are comfortable.
Will there be any downtime to explore or do other tours?
Fishing is not mandatory! You can have as little or as much downtime as you want. The mainland is a 3.5hr boat ride away so if you have something you want to do something there you should plan accordingly. There are other tours on the archipelago like snorkeling and cultural experiences but its a very small area. If people are interested I can find out and make a list of all the options.
Is there a tentative schedule?
Yes. We are looking at the second half of February. It would take approximately 48hrs to get there plus 7 days of fishing plus 48 hours to get home. We are trying to get some feedback on what dates make the most sense as well as the maximum time people can take off. The other option is a 48hrs of travel on each end and 5 days of fishing. This option means most people would only have to take off 5 days from work.
Can I stay for longer or shorter periods?
You can! It will just have to be organized beforehand. I really do not recommend less than 4-days in country though.
I am very interested! How do I get in on this?
Reply below and/or send me a PM!
I am on the fence. What is the next step for me?
Ask any questions you may have below. Keep in mind, this is just to gauge interest. If there is enough interest then I will put together another post with schedule options, prices, flight options, etc.
So some questions I'm sure you guys have;
What can I catch?
Truly an amazing amount of species. Below are some of the most sought after.
NOTE! The IFGFA world record tarpon was also caught here at 130kg (286lbs) - From shore!
What type of fishing is available?
The types of fishing you can do here is extremely varied. Most will be from a boat but surf/shore fishing opportunities exist as well. It is probably easier to pick out the things you likely WILL NOT be doing.
- Deep Jigging more than 75ft
- Huge poppers (5oz+) with PE8-12 rods
- Ultralight
You can pretty much count on everything else!
Do I have to bring my own gear?
Nope! The location will have gear rentals (with the exception of fly fishing equipment) but it is always recommended to bring your own gear.
What type of gear should I bring?
This is a personal choice. But I am going to bring 3-4 rods and reels. One 7ft spinning rod with a 5000 series reel, a 8ft spinning rod with at 6500 series reel, a 150-200g jigging setup, and a surf rod that can throw 3-4oz.
For lures? This is much more difficult. Pretty much everything from 3/4oz micro jigs to swim baits to poppers. For the big Cubera snapper in the estuaries white is the most popular color. This really deserves its own thread so I will start one if there is enough interest.
Bijagos?! Never heard of it! Where is it?!
Bijagos is an Archipelago located of the coast of Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. It consists of 88 islands within about 80 square kilometers. Almost all is fishable with numerous wrecks, reefs, and drop-offs.
WEST AFRICA?! Ebola! Malaria! AIDs! Angry men with guns! Is it safe?!
Yes…Mostly. Petty crime is fairly common but there are no coups on the horizon or any other drastic security situation.
There are currently no State Department warnings against visiting Guinea-Bissau. The security and health situation is similar to that of Nicaragua or Costa Rica. I can answer in much more detail if anyone has questions but only the person traveling can determine what is safe for them.
What about passports, visas, immunizations, and malaria?
Visa's are necessary for US passport holders (anyone else will have to check). The visa cost is $75 and can be done online through their e-visa system. I can help you with the process if you'd like.
There is only one immunization that is necessary for entry into Guinea-Bissau; Yellow Fever. This can be done at any travel clinic and even some pharmacies. The price varies but it can be free under a health insurance plan or up to $150. Once you get the shot it should be written in a Yellow International Vaccination Booklet. This can be provided by the location where the shot is received.
Malaria is a risk as it is in most tropical locations. Taking anti-malarial meds are recommended but not required. Most people will need to talk to their doctor to figure out which type is best for them.
Hrmm, $1000 isn't bad for a week of fishing but how much is everything else?
Great question! Meals and lodging are included so this leaves flights, visas, passports, immunizations, insurance, and incidentals like souvenirs. This is highly dependent on personal choices.
One of the better flights we found from DC is about $1250 with a stop in Casablanca. The layover in Casablanca is lengthy and would allow for some exploration out of the airport. There are other comparable routes (with shorter layovers) through Europe as well. If by some miracle we had at least 10 people on the same flights we could get a discount.
Visa - $75 (More info in the question above)
New US passports were $150 when I last checked and $110 for renewals. Make sure you have at least 7 months validity at the date you leave the US.
Insurance depends on what you need/want. If you are worried about getting home if you become seriously ill or injured, there are a number of companies that provide medical evacuation insurance that specialize in remote areas; Global Rescue, Intl. SOS, and Ripcord (I work for these guys so I'm a little biased). These all run anywhere from $50 to $600.
For travel insurance, to insure against unforeseen trip cancellation and lost/broken rods, Travelguard is hard to beat. But there are many more. Travel insurance can be free if you book on a particular credit card or run up to over $1000 depending on the options you want.
My wife/girlfriend/kid isnt an angler. How much for them?
This is great if you are thinking about bringing them! The cost for them will be substantially cheaper but I don't know by how much. If someone is interested in this let me know and I will find out.
Do I have to share a room with someone I don't know?
Possibly but we will try to get people to bunk where they are comfortable.
Will there be any downtime to explore or do other tours?
Fishing is not mandatory! You can have as little or as much downtime as you want. The mainland is a 3.5hr boat ride away so if you have something you want to do something there you should plan accordingly. There are other tours on the archipelago like snorkeling and cultural experiences but its a very small area. If people are interested I can find out and make a list of all the options.
Is there a tentative schedule?
Yes. We are looking at the second half of February. It would take approximately 48hrs to get there plus 7 days of fishing plus 48 hours to get home. We are trying to get some feedback on what dates make the most sense as well as the maximum time people can take off. The other option is a 48hrs of travel on each end and 5 days of fishing. This option means most people would only have to take off 5 days from work.
Can I stay for longer or shorter periods?
You can! It will just have to be organized beforehand. I really do not recommend less than 4-days in country though.
I am very interested! How do I get in on this?
Reply below and/or send me a PM!
I am on the fence. What is the next step for me?
Ask any questions you may have below. Keep in mind, this is just to gauge interest. If there is enough interest then I will put together another post with schedule options, prices, flight options, etc.
Comment