For this fishing tour we have two destinations to go fish goliath tiger fish. Our fishing tour will start in the capital of the Central African Republic: Bangui. From there we will embark our journey in a comfortable boat, we’ll bring tents and camping gear and for the next week you’ll be with our professional team in the extreme south of the Central African Republic on the Oubangi River. It’s there where we will camp for the coming days, looking for large African predator fish and the real prize: the Goliath Tiger Fish. We’ll then return to the capital Bangui and will then take the plane to Congo-Brazzaville. After a day in the capital where you’ll get to know the local team, we will go to the town of Oyo. Once in Oyo we’ll go down the Alima River all the way to the Congo River where you’ll spend the next days fishing. There are big catfish, eel, lungfish and also plenty of tigerfish.

Note that this trip is in very remote areas and they’re truly adventurous expeditions. We will be mostly camping or staying in very simple accommodation in villages where we will eat simple local meals, mostly with fresh fish. There will be no electricity or hot running water and you will often have to deal with hardships such as mosquitoes and muds, so please adjust your expectations accordingly. You will go to two regions where very few foreigners (or even locals) have ever been to and you’ll get an exclusive insight into the everyday life of the villagers, learn about their ways and be able to enjoy the beauty of the African jungle, marshlands and the mighty Congo River and Ubangi River. 

The giant tigerfish Hydrocynus goliath is a very widespread species without major threats across central Africa, essentially throughout the Congo River watershed and the great African rift lakes (especially in Lake Tanganyika) and a few rivers like the Ubangi. 

The goliath tiger fish, Hydrocynus goliath, is a freshwater pelagic species that inhabits lakes and large rivers. The size and weight of this predator makes it incompatible to keep it in an aquarium! With 1.33 m in length and a record 50 kg for a male, the goliath tigerfish is not at all adapted to life in captivity. This gigantic fish is a predator with 32 sharp teeth (up to 3cm long for the emerged part of the jaw!), but which falls prey to sport fishing. Belonging to the same family as the red piranha, we can compare the two species with fairly similar lifestyles. Strong muscles drive his tail, allowing for great speed through the water! Its scales are among the best, strongest, of any bony fish.

Tigerfish usually spend their time in strong currents. As they tend to live in very murky water, they have a well-developed lateral line to aid in locating and then catching prey.

Larger specimens seem to live solitary, while juveniles are found together in small groups. According to the natives and the local indigenous population, it is the only fish that is not afraid of crocodiles!

The African tigerfish is uniquely carnivorous and its carnivorous behavior places it as an equivalent to the South American red piranha. In the wild, its diet is based on large fish with which it shares its habitat, in particular the Congo elephant fish and small mammals which inadvertently enter the river. But almost exclusively piscivorous, Hydrocynus goliath scavenges prey fish by striking at high speed. This speed allows them to use their teeth to tear off pieces of flesh if the prey is very large. However, we note that the food preference is for prey that can be swallowed whole. When hunting, this fish uses the calmer eddies of the rapids, ambushing and using its keen eyesight and hearing to detect prey.

In Africa, the tiger fish is the main predator of the catfish, of which it manages to regulate certain populations.

Itinerary:

Day 1: First day on the river, starting from Bangui

We’ll leave from Bangui in the morning and will arrive at the site before noon. We’ll set up camp and install ourselves. In the afternoon we can already go fishing.

Day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: Fishing on the Ubangi River

These days we’ll do nothing but fishing, fishing, fishing. We’ll have simple local meals and will grill fish as much as we can.

Day 7: Back to Bangui and flight to Brazzaville

We’ll bring you to Bangui and you’ll have a connecting flight to Brazzaville. In case PCR-testing is still around (let’s hope not), we’ll need an extra day to get the results. You’ll be staying at a midrange hotel.

Day 8: Brazzaville

Buffer day in Brazzaville and the ideal moment to do some shopping. Staying at a midrange hotel.

Day 9: Oyo

We’ll take the early morning coach to the town of Oyo, where we will stay for one night. Our boat-team will already be there waiting for us.

Day 10 to 16: Fishing on the Alima and Congo River

We will slowly descend the Alima River all the way to the village of Mossaka where you will be spending the coming days on the Congo River. We will try to fish goliath tigerfish, but also larger game fish.

Day 17: Back to Oyo

Today is our last day on the Alima River, we’ll gradually go back to Oyo and will stay there for the night.

Day 18: Oyo – Brazzaville

We’ll take the coach back from Oyo to Brazzaville, where we’ll bring you to your hotel. End of tour. Make sure to have at least one buffer day or more in case of any hold ups so you don’t miss your plane. We are not responsible for you missing your plane due to bad planning!

We have a new well-maintained boat and have two 140-HP engines and an excellent captain in Bangui. Our local fishing guide has a lot of experience fishing goliath tigerfish in the Central African Republic, although locals also do it often by net. So we can set out a net while line fishing as a back up.

We typically go for seven days south of Bangui to our secret fishing spot where we will camp and eat simple local food. We will be with a crew of 3 people and then recruit one or two locals as well to help.

In Congo-Brazzaville we will use dug-out canoes with an engine and we will work with the local fishermen from the zone of Mossaka with whom we have been working for many years now. We can also use nets next to line fishing as a back up and love exchanging techniques.

For this tour we ask you to bring your own fishing gear and as much back up material as possible!

Includes:
– Accommodation in Bangui and Brazzaville as per itinerary
– All meals while camping
– Boat with captain and crew – Fishing guides

Doesn’t include:
– Fishing gear
– International flights
– Meals and drinks in Bangui and Brazzaville
– Visa