While the kusi, the north-east monsoon wind, has yet to blow, it did look as if the wind, which had been easterly, might be about to switch north, but instead, it swung back to the south-east for a few days, which seemed to slow down the sailfish bite to an extent where many boats were returning without a single flag! What causes the fish to turn so sluggish no one knows, as they are there, and can be seen finning around on the surface but reluctant to come up behind the baits.

However, marlin are different, and while some boats in the sailfish waters churned the seas in vain, on the Banks off Watamu live baiting for marlin had proved the way to go, with Tarka releasing two blacks on successive days and a shark as well one day, while Alleycat released a nice fish estimated around 130 kgs. On Tega, Barry Elliott also released a black marlin of about 80 kgs caught on a live bonito   , having had a sail and a couple of wahoo a few days earlier, and Albatross also tagged a marlin making five marlin in three days for this area.

Hemingways are hosting the WildFly tournament, with six teams from South Africa fishing only for sailfish on fly tackle. WildFly run a popular fishing series on Mnet TV, and organise this annual tournament for those who are avid fly casters - the sport has it's own rules, where fish are raised on unhooked teasers and the the boat has to be taken out of gear before the angler can cast at the fish - very exciting, but far harder to hook fish this way! The first two days have been slow, so let's hope the wind swings to improve the fishing before the tournament end.

Earlier the Nomads club from South Africa had six teams for four days out from Malindi and the first day they scored 21 sailfish, with Tarka and Snark top-scoring with five but on subsequent days the fishing slowed, although all the anglers caught a sail making it a successful competition with Neptune the top scoring boat with twelve sail.

Regulars Phil and Nick Matthias from UK on Snowgoose had fished a long empty day when on the run home, a black marlin grabbed a bait on 15 kg line and started jumping all over the ocean. After a good fight of over an hour, the 100 kg fish was duly released at boat side and a blank day suddenly became a successful one!

Tina tried the Banks and caught a huge sailfish, estimated at 45 kgs as well as three wahoo, three tuna and a kingfish, while small boat Malachite had good days with giant trevally on light lines, scoring seven one day and three the next as well as barracuda, wahoo and a grouper - proving small fish can be just as much fun on very light tackle.

At Mtwapa, the annual Eye Go Fishing tournament on Sunday 21st November will be fished to raise money for a very good cause, the Kwale Eye Centre where so much good work is done to help those with eye problems. This is a fun competition always enjoyed by all, with the draw and auction the previous evening at La Marina restaurant a popular event - come and support it.