Memories from Fly Fishing Gabon 2016

by | Apr 5, 2016 | Uncategorized | 6 comments

blog-March-27-2016-1-threadfin-on-the-fly“Mission Accomplished” is probably the shortest and sweetest way to describe this fly fishing exploratory trip to Gabon.  I traveled 18,000 miles round trip for six days of fishing with hopes to catch the giant African threadfin off the beach on the fly.  I got it done, but damn I was lucky.  This was a big one and our only off the beach out of six excellent fly fishers.

 

There’s two things I repeatedly say on this blog:

 

Keep your fly in the water & Miracles do happen in fishing

 

blog-March-27-2016-2-giant-african-threadfinWe packed it up on Thursday morning the 24th and I rolled back into Victor Saturday night the 26th.  That’s heading east so you’re looking at about 50 hours.  All I can say is this was a truly extraordinary trip with some outstanding catches, at least six new species for the list and best of all I spent time with old friends I don’t see and fish with enough and made some new ones.

 

blog-March-27-2016-2-tourette-fishingAs always, I cannot thank Mark Murray enough for his great hosting and guiding and the rest of the crew at Tourette Fishing – Fight it in Africa for getting me to Gabon.  If you want to up the ante for your next fly fishing trip be sure to check out their website and feel free to Contact me.

 

Here are a few more pictures from the trip. . . .

blog-March-27-2016-3-flyfishing-gabonDay 1 – the thrill of arrival – John Travis photo

blog-March-27-2016-4-mark-murray-fishing-guide

Mark Murray – Fishing guide extraordinaire!

blog-March-27-2016-5-gabon-crocodile

Sette Cama Camp photo

Fly fishing in Africa can come at a price. . . . Nile crocodile

Mark Murray photo

Mark Murray photo

Mike LaSota with a longfin jack (Caranx fisheri)

blog-March-27-2016-8-flyfishing-gabonMy headlamp survived after the threadfin episode

blog-March-27-2016-9-fly-fishing-GabonEndless casting in hopes for a giant African threadfin (Polydactylus quadrifilis)

blog-March-27-2016-10-jeff-currier-flyfishing-gabonLongfin Jacks are the bullies of Gabon

blog-March-27-2016-11-jeff-currier-mike-lasota-flyfishing-gabonOccasionally we humans reverse that!

blog-March-27-2016-12-john-travis-photoForest Elephant – another incredible John Travis photo

Mark Murray photo

Mark Murray photo

Arno Van Dernest with a monster tarpon off the beach!

blog-March-27-2016-14-conrad-botes-gabonConrad Botes casting in the estuary

blog-March-27-2016-15-gabon-fishingFly tying material thief caught red pawed

blog-March-27-2016-16-jeff-currier-GabonGabon – home of the longfin jack

blog-march-27-2016-17-coming-back“We need to do this trip again next year”

Sette Cama Camp photo

Sette Cama Camp photo

Flyfishing in Africa comes at a price in many ways – the dangerous hippo!

blog-March-27-2016-18-longfin-jack-crevalleShear power – longfin jack crevalle

blog-March-27-2016-19-mike-lasotaShort visit with friend Mike LaSota because when not fishing he was always sleeping

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

African cubera snapper (Lutjanus agennes) – the reason I ate Advil all the way home!

blog-March-27-2016-21-jeff-currier-in-gabonWhat a way to end my hectic winter schedule

Garth Wellman photo

Garth Wellman photo

Until next time

Trips like this would not be possible without the best in tackle and friends.  In addition to Tourette Fishing I’d like to thank Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, Yeti, Winston Fly Rods, Costa Sunglasses, Scientific Anglers, Simms, Galvan Reels, Hatch Reels, Bauer Reels and Kate’s Real Foods.

&

Where’s my beer sponsor?

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

6 Comments

  1. Coop

    AWESOME buddy thanks for sharing the trip….almost like being there!!!

  2. Jeff

    Thanks Mark! I hope everyone enjoyed the stories and photos. It was a pretty dang cool adventure!

  3. Bill

    Can,hardly wait till your next trip.
    No matter where it takes you
    Bill
    Central Ohio Fly Fisherman

  4. Jeff

    The next one will be a little closer to home. . . . . but I can hardly wait either! Thanks for reading Bill!

  5. Dave

    Great report…again. Quitting Jack Dennis has worked out pretty well for you!
    Funny how Jack’s still don’t have the cache of other fish that do not fight as hard, just because they don’t taste good and will aggressively attack a fly/lure.

  6. Howie

    Another great story Jeff. Way to score. I always thought I wanted to hit Christmas Islands, now I am not sure.

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Contact Jeff

I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

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