Longtime blog readers know that we’re fans of Nerijus Rupciauskas and Vaidas Uselis, a. k. a. Black Fly Eyes, who have created some of the best cinematic fly-fishing films of recent years. Their latest is no exception, and it features an amazing fishery in northwestern Cameroon, far from civilization and mostly untouched by roads and fences. Watch out for those hippos, though!
Here’s how guide Helmut Zanderer described the region and the experience:
The Faro River and its surrounding area form an intact ecosystem, and we are helping to keep it that way. Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is one of the most important fly fishing targets in Africa, but habitat destruction and all forms of overfishing have severely affected the distribution and density of Nile perch populations. One of the largest freshwater fish on earth, it reaches a size of up to 2 meters and weighs up to 440 pounds. There is always the chance of a real monster: the biggest perch sighted in the Faro river weighed about 220 pounds.
Fishing in Cameroon is about adventure and encounters with great fish in a special place, not about the sheer quantity of easy-to-catch fish. Perch fishing takes place almost exclusively from just before sunset until around 10 p.m. Fly-fishing at night has its own charm. Not everyone likes it at first, but you can learn it quickly. And being under the stars, immersed in the sounds of the African wilderness, is a truly extraordinary experience.
During the day there are tiger fish, a very feisty fish that can weigh up to 17 pounds. Another demanding species is the Niger barbe, and there are also other cyprinids (e.g. Labeos), tetras, and numerous species of catfish.
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