Gabon 2018

With my first trip to the magical Sette Cama in 2016 ending with a 5 - 0 score in favor of the tarpon, a return trip was always on the cards. Dates are set for Feb 2018 and I've just done a quick inventory of lures, terminals etc to check what I need to buy...over here I have to import from the US, which can take a while, so I have to prepare well in advance.

The light stuff for the lagoon, plus a couple of heavier bucktails...

*Updated...check page 5

Larger lures for hungrier mouths

*Updated, check page 5

Of course that's not the final cut...Britt 145 is missing (very important), need to add two or three more Halco Max and might cut down some of the sticks.

Gotta stock up on BKK Lone Diablo inlines and this time, after getting my backside handed to me by tarpon, I'm going to play dirty and stick Owner ST76 trebles on those Orion's in the hope of finally putting a poon on dry land. Not very green, I know, but if you've ever tangled with a 100lb+ tarpon off the beach you will know that inline singles and tarpon don't mix.

Thoughts, criticism and input welcome

Epic, so jealous... Who are you doing the trip through? What is your line/rod/reel/terminal setup, seeing as the score is 5-0...? What are you doing different?

I also don't see my favourite lure there, but each to their own..Enjoy yourself mate, have a safe one and hope that you land many silver kings and much more!

Hi EUGENE PITY YOU GOING IN FEB I WILL BE THERE AGAIN IN JANUARY SO YOU COULD HAVE LEFT HALF OF THOSE BEHIND FOR ME TO USE REGARDSMIKE

Fantastic Eugene... Greeeeeen with envy. I think my bucket list is longer than the average person's lifespan, but Sette is very high up on that list. Man I hope you come home victorious. Keep us posted on your prep.

Cheers guys, looking forward to the trip and will keep this thread updated.

MikeA - leave a poon or two untouched for me mate

DocHH - so what's your favorite lure? You can't make a statement like that and then leave us hanging ha ha! Personally, I don't really have a favorite lure, I have many favorite lures....that's only a fraction of my collection, last year I took about 3 times as many, but I learnt a few things about Sette Cama, so this time I'm taking what I know will work well. Always keen to add to the collection though :spite

LimpopoKing - I've been fortunate enough to cross a couple of destinations off my list and I'll tell you what, if there's one place you absolutely have to visit it's Sette Cama. I cannot describe the wonder of the place. Ever since I got back I've been talking about it constantly, so much so that it was an easy decision for my wife to say "just go" when I mentioned the dates - just to get me to shut up about it hahaha! Seriously, you have to go.

To answer the setup question...firstly I'm going with Tourette Fishing, the best charter by miles, truly an awesome bunch of guys.

Set-up wise I'm making changes mainly on the terminal end. My main set-up for the big girls will be a Black Hole Nano 106 paired with a Stella 18000 and 80lb Gosen casting braid. Last year I used a Stella 14000 and I quickly discovered the extra line capacity and drag on the 18000 would have been helpful.

Terminal wise I'm stepping up from 170lb to 200lb mono leader (Fisherman) and the most important difference is I'll change from barbless inline single hooks to barbed trebles for the tarpon. I jumped 5 and had the hooks thrown 5 times, the trebles will give me much better hook coverage and hopefully a much improved chance to hit the spot when it counts.

Another important change is the lure selection: I learnt on my last trip that the current can be very strong and working a lure effectively at very slow speed the way the poon likes it in heavy current proved very difficult indeed. This time I'm taking along the Orion Bigfoot and, crucially, Crazy Dog - lures developed for exactly that application (especially the Crazy Dog). So I'll be able to keep the lure in the strike zone much longer while still getting it to swim well enough to interest the fish.

That's pretty much the deal. For the other species I'm not making many changes, the TackleHouse Britt is absolutely devastating on Cubera Snapper, Threadfin, Kob and even Tarpon when conditions are right, so that's an important lure to have. Next in line is the Halco Max, followed by Orion Plug for when the tide is at its strongest. With those 3 lures and a couple of poppers you're in for a good time in Gabon....except for those damned tarpon.

I won't give it away entirely, but a here are a few clues My most successful lure is sold under Wayne Stanley's label , made by others but may or may not be of the same "mould" but they all work, weighs 1.5 and 2 oz generally, what you do with them and where you throw them is what counts..The design hasn't changed in a long, long time and is a south african take on a classic. But I'll leave it for people to figure out. haha

good luck bud.. look forward to the report ::tight:

Wishing you all the best Eugene! It looks like you will be sorted for gear, and hopefully Lady Luck smiles on you.
It must take the patience of Job to have to plan so far ahead. It would do my head in!

Hi Again .Your last comment on the 3 lures is perfect.
i see that you have some of the older type Goostix .Lat trip Guy gave me a new model 4oz sinking in Burnt copper colour..One morning off the point on the north bank i was with two other chaps and they where using the Britt and i tested the new Goostix..Score ..7 throws six threadfin..other chaps 2 threadfin.Cheers ..mike

Maybe a bullet spoon and 1 or 2 of the the new c-gar Halcos ? You taking a lighter setup as well for the lagoon ?

looks like an epic trip being planned! Good luck Eugene. A note on the hooks (and I have never fished for tarpon), but for tigerfishing most people throw out trebles in favour of single barbed hooks because trebles get thrown so easily. Similar thing with the hard mouth springer that loves jumping. Is it not better to stick with singles but keep them barbed?

There was a brilliant article years ago in Stywe Lyne of a group of South Africans that traveled to Gabon to catch tarpon, they caught fish close to 200lb, they were using SL50's and nylon plugs in those days. It just looks like one of the ultimate fishing trips.

Pylstert wrote:

Is it not better to stick with singles but keep them barbed?

Click to expand...

My sentiments too... And yes, I've only ever dreamed of Tarpon so no experience, but I also have to admit to a dislike of trebles that borders on phobia.

You seem to have the bases pretty much covered.

Two points that I would look at.

We did tests years ago at 100m with Kendall round hooks and trying to strike them into a boogie board. 9/0 was the biggest that we could get the barb to penetrate. Different application but theory remains. The heavier gauge hooks are much more difficult to get beyond the barb and tarpon have a notoriously hard mouth so this becomes very valid.

The second is a thought. The old plugs all used to be where the hook was free and the plug actually ran up and down some heavier mono. This effectively meant that there was no way a fish could use the weight of the lure to throw it. This may be thought. If you could get someone to make a popper on this basis - It may work. Slightly out of the box but there is merit in investigating. Chat the boys at Goosestix or even tacklewhore on the forum to see if they think that this could work.

I think that your choice of rod is very good as the Nano rod will absorb a lot of the headshakes and still allow you to keep tension on the fish. A twisted leader may also be a thought to give you a little more stretch in the setup which would make it much more forgiving.

Good luck

Kind regards
Anton

Thanks for all the input gents, valuable experience and knowledge being shared here and definitely appreciated. In answer to some of the questions and comments:

I love Goosestix Mike, I had great success on them in Gabon and other places too. Problem is I won't be in SA before the trip and getting lures to Nigeria is futile. The only reason I can bring gear in from the US is because I have a logistics contact that can clear customs and secure the items. That little goose in the first photo (the green striped one) carries scuff marks from a run-in with a poon...

Regarding hooks...all valid opinions and I share the dislike for trebles. It's a case of desperation. I tried everything I could think of on the last visit, but there was just no landing one of those fish. The closest anyone in the group came was when one angler hooked a very solid fish that got sharked by a monstrous zambi just as the fish was tiring - and that was on barbed trebles. Hence I figured I'll give it a go. I'm taking a range of hooks, trebles and singles, both barbed and barbless, so I've got 7 days to hopefully make it work.

In terms of lures, I have a couple of bullet spoons in case longer throws are required, so that base is covered. I'm probably going to get a couple of OTI Popsticks, which I prefer to the Halco C-gar, not exactly the same design, but a personal preference anyway. I'll also throw in a couple of IMA Big Stik's just for good measure.

I'm taking my trusty Black Hole Magic Eye 753S for the lagoon, pairing it with the awesome Stella 6000 I bought from LK, thanks again mate and I'll take a back-up heavy and light set-up in case something goes awry. I'll also add the ultra light set-up and throw some tiny jigs and poppers for the little grunters and elops that hunt en masse in front of the lodge at night; not everyone's cup of tea but I love the ultralight game.

Haakies, that thought of a sliding plug is a good one. I've been thinking about that for a long while, but unfortunately there's nothing like it available, apart from the Aubrey Da Gama sliding plugs, which sadly don't work for tarpon. I've spoken to loads of guys in the know and the advice remains the same: get your lure in the zone, strike hard, bow to the silver king and hope Nepptune smiles on you. It's the last part that hasn't happened for me yet I'm afraid.

I've been obsessed (a bit of an understatement actually) with landing a tarpon for more than 20 years now, although last year was the first time I actually got to fish for one. Getting those strikes has just made the burning desire to hold one burn even hotter. I really hope next year it's going to happen.

Also been thinking about Anton's recommendation and my brain has started to work overtime on building poppers on the principle of the popper sliding on it's leader. By a long way, my hookups have been on the belly hook. This presents quite a challenge. But I do love a challenge. I hope to report back on this. _seal1_

Good luck with the trip mate , those fish have been on my bucket list for too long . One day i will get to target them.

Nice collection of lures , Looks like you have every thing covered .

After my resent trip to Exmouth , the fishing was really tough this trip and loosing 2 trophy fish in three throws to failures with single hooks has seriously made me think twice about staying with singles .
I am all for catch and release and have 99% of the time only used singles for as long as i can remember .
When i am fishing my local waters i don't mind loosing the odd fish here and there to singles as i have put no effort in going down the road for a quick spin session ,but when you have been planning an away trip for ages thrown big $'s on flights , accommodation , tackle etc. fish hard for days to get a hit and then the fish comes off .... :X:X:X my heart sinks and my blood boils .
IMO. you not fishing for little fish with soft mouths that are going to get torn apart , but big slabs of silver gold with hard bony mouths .
Stick those big trebles on and set that those hooks hard , once you have that "monkey" off your back and you manage to get a few awesome picks to hang on the wall maybe then change back to singles .
I think in general most fish hooked with singles or trebles survive and heal up , obviously if its gill hooked it's a different story , but that can happen with any hook even circles . I have re caught plenty of fish over the years that have a few battle scars that have healed even fish that have been bitten by other fish / sharks that have heeled well . Sure they got a scar , but they survived to tell the tale .