The Fish of the Saloum Delta - Africa Strike

Africa Strike – The Fish

CUBERA (Carpe Rouge) I.G.F.A. record · 60 kg
Here it is commonly called “red carp”, because its shape, especially when it is of considerable size, recalls the stocky body of the carp. From 1 to 60 kilos, it is very similar to our dentex, both in appearance and in habits. The biggest specimens are caught by bottom fishing with large live baits, while smaller ones also by trolling with artificial lures. Its defence is of incredible power, so much so that the biggest ones are very hard to pull out even with a 0.60 line! In the Saloum Delta, a few dozen minutes by boat from Africa Strike, there is a special area called the “Grande Fosse”, where the biggest cubera in the world come to breed, and it is right here that the I.G.F.A. record for this fish was caught, a full 60 kg!

BARRACUDA
From 2 to 35 kilos or more. They are the most common catch when trolling with artificial lures of 18 or 21 centimetres, but they are also caught well by spinning and vertical jigging. Normally the smaller ones stay in the channels and among the mangroves, the bigger ones in the open sea, off the endless beaches. It is a fast predator and its initial run is powerful and very nervous.
Once in the boat you must beware of the sharp teeth.

KING THREADFIN (Capitaine)
From 2 to 20 kilos. It is something of a legendary fish for those who come fishing in these parts. Hooking a capitaine of about ten kilos is an unequalled thrill, and it can strip 50 metres or more of line in a single run, but the best begins when it is under the boat! It shares hunting grounds with the golden-mouth croakers and has long filaments under its pectoral fins which it uses to probe the rocky bottom. It is caught mostly by bottom fishing with small live fish, shrimps or large sardine fillets as bait, but it can also take a Rapala.

CROAKERS (Boccadoro and Otolithes)
From 1 to 20 kilos or more. All croakers are beautiful and very well-known fish about which there is little to add. Here they are caught on the bottom with live sardine, with prawns or other small live baits. They prefer the channels on the edges of the Delta, the quietest and least frequented ones, near the open sea.
Although always present, they are more abundant in the wet season (from July to September), and are also caught well by surf casting.

JACKS – AFRICAN POMPANO Senegal record · 9 kg
From 2 to 20 kilos. They are caught mainly by trolling with large artificial lures (as for barracuda), but also by spinning, casting by sight at surface feeding frenzies. Their power is proverbial and, if you fish light, they can empty the reel without your understanding what happened. The African Pompano is a jack, much more common than the previous ones here in the Saloum Delta, and is among the most entertaining fights, because in speed it is second to none, and its flattened shape makes it an even tougher opponent. At Africa Strike the absolute Senegal record for African Pompano was caught: 9 kg!

GUITARFISH
From 5 to 100 kilos. The fight with one of these fish can last for hours, and there is no guarantee of bringing it to shore or into the boat! To succeed, the fight must be conducted with determination, at the limit of the line’s breaking strain. It exploits its particular shape by positioning itself with the current, making the fight even more exhausting. It is caught exclusively by bottom fishing, both from the boat and by surf casting, baiting with large live or dead baits. It shares hunting grounds with the cubera and the rays.

And also groupers (very common and excellent for dinner!), rays, seabreams, parrotfish, because at Africa Strike there are really a lot of fish!