Egypt - Fishing Seasons
Season A – from February to end of July
From approximately mid March through to the end of July the Nile perch can be found in shallow water. This is because Tilapia, the Nile perch’s principal prey, are spawning and then after spawning the huge population of Tilapia fry are growing up; all this takes place in water between 10 to 20 feet.
This is a good time of the year for shore fishing and fly-fishing. Trolling provides good sport using shallower lures. There are still a lot of big Nile Perch around but they tend to be less concentrated in one area than during Season B
Season B – from mid October until end of January
The lake is at its highest level and the Nile perch are found in deeper water. From observation we feel the bigger Nile perch are feeding up to get ready for spawning which takes place sometime in January / February. Year after year we capture bigger fish during this season and almost all these fish are caught trolling over underwater promontories and sunken islands. The winter months are not the best time for shore fishing. Also, fly-fishing is difficult because it is harder to get down to the fish lying in deeper water.
If you want to capture the big fish then Season B is your best bet. Season A will provide you with more action but the average size of the fish captured tends to be smaller. When referring to smaller Nile perch we mean fish between 15lb & 50lb, the bigger Nile perch can grow to 200lb +
We are often asked, ‘What can I expect to catch on a safari?’ Fishing being fishing, who knows for sure? Most anglers can expect to capture at least one Nile perch of 50lb plus. Beyond that, anything’s possible – perhaps even another world record? We do not like to promise Nile perch of 100 pounds plus - they are there and they are often caught - we have broken the last 3 (IGFA approved) Nile perch all tackle world records with fish of over 200 pounds
Q: Is there a spawning season that we want to avoid, if so when is it ? A: Mid January to end February approximately
Q: Is there a cyclone season or a time of year that we would want to avoid due to adverse weather conditions? A: Lake Nasser being in the middle of the Sahara desert has a dry desert climate
Q: We are interested in the catfish and tiger fish fishing as well (although Perch are the priority) is there a better time for this? A: Not really Catfish, Tiger and the Nile perch are predators of more or less the same prey.
As the worlds largest man-made lake, Lake Nasser is approximately 310 miles in length (1550 square miles) and, in places, can reach a depth of 600 feet.The lake was created in the 1960s when the world famous High Dam was built. Together with the old Aswan Dam (built by the British between 1898 and 1902) it provides irrigation and electricity for the whole of Egypt. It is named for Gamal Abdel Nasser, president of Egypt from 1956-1970. The southern third of the lake is in Sudan and is called Lake Nubia. The lake is 312 miles (480 meters) long and covers an area of 2026 square miles (5,248 km2). It has a maximum depth of 426.5 ft (130 m) but its mean depth is 82.6 ft (25.2 m). The Egyptian portion is 202 miles (324 km) long and has a shoreline of 4,875 miles (7,844 km). Part of the area Lake Nasser covers today was once the site of the temples of Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II around 1200 B.C. The temple was moved but other sites of historical significance was submerged. Thirty-two species of fish, as well as Nile River crocodiles, are found in the lake. 80,000 tons of fish a year are caught. The shoreline is a variety of desert landscapes, hilly and rugged, or flat and sandy with clean freshwater beaches.
The lake is remote and thinly populated by peasant fishermen, the local residents are Bedouin camel and sheep herdsmen who are occasionally seen grazing their flocks on the sparse vegetation at the edge of the lake.
There are an impressive variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles. More than 100 species of birds have been recorded: Wild duck, Egyptian geese, pelicans, herons, egrets and various species of hawks, kites, falcons and eagles will be among the birds seen. In most areas there are crocodile and monitor lizards, other types of wildlife include Dorcas gazelle, jackals, desert fox, and various smaller desert mammals.
Lake Nasser is a place where a small group of anglers have literally hundreds of square miles to themselves.
Lake Nasser has arguably the best freshwater fishing in the world for both Nile perch and Tiger Fish. There are also several species of catfish; the legendary giant Vundu being the biggest. Two species of Tilapia also inhabit the lake and give a good account of themselves on a fly rod. All told there are some thirty two species of fish in the lake.
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