Fishing in Ethiopia presents a unique opportunity to fish in places with very few visitors have been. Whilst this can result in catching trophy fish with wonderful surroundings, several challenges exist which often dictate how, where and when you can go fishing.
Table of Contents
Is the fishing good in Ethiopia?
Yes. Fishing in Ethiopia means you have a chance to catch a variety of freshwater fish including: monster Nile Perch, big Catfish, ferocious Tigerfish, several endemic Bard and many other species (even Rainbow Trout) – in a very undocumented place. You are a true explorer when you fish in Ethiopia!
There is nothing quite like fishing in Ethiopia both because there are a number of undiscovered and pristine aquatic fisheries to discover and also because of the unique set of challenges that one must conquer to catch that special fish.
Fishing is not a popular sport in Ethiopia and there is only a very small handful of recreational fishermen who use conventional rod and reel and flyfishing tackle to target big or unique fish species. This is great because the fish receive very little pressure from recreational fishermen and have not seen lures or been targeted with more modern and conventional methods making them easier to catch when you find them.
Although there are not many recreational fishermen in Ethiopia, there is a large contingency of commercial and subsistence fishermen who mainly use gill nets and floating bottles attached to a rope and live or dead bait to catch fish. A study reported that 15,389 tonnes were caught in 2001, only 30% of an estimated potential of 51,481 tonnes. This goes to show that there are a lot more fish out there despite the commercial fishing market and efforts. That being said, there are certain bodies of water (specifically lakes and river stretches nearby large communities) where the effect of the unsustainable netting of fish is resulting in over fishing. Therefore to improve the chances of catching trophy fish, the best bet is to fish in spots away from big settlements of people
Yes, while there is still so much to discover, what we know is that fishing IS good in Ethiopia especially for the adventurous angler not scared to go places very few people have ever been.
Read more about fishing in Ethiopia here: Everything you need to know about fishing in Ethiopia
What are the challenges of fishing in Ethiopia?
One must consider at least these 5 factors when understanding the challenges of fishing in Ethiopia:
- Internal conflict in Ethiopia
- Wildlife
- Weather
- Reaching certain spots
- Fishing tackle
To ensure your safety whilst fishing in Ethiopia, these factors contribute to dictate whether we can fish in certain spots at certain times. It is also very important to be mindful about some of these challenges when you are physically fishing in Ethiopia to further ensure your safety.
Internal conflict in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a large country with a rich and diverse history made up of many different ethnic groups and peoples who don’t always see eye-to-eye. As a result, there are several areas of Ethiopia which may be unsafe to travel to due to ongoing conflict or flare ups.
There are many embassies and humanitarian organisations based in Addis Ababa who release regular travel advisories based on the current situation. We will generally not travel to areas in Ethiopia which are deemed unsafe by these travel advisories meaning we can’t always fish where we want to. Luckily there are many great fishing spots all around Ethiopia to choose from and a few areas which have generally proved free from conflict or travel advisories.
Wildlife
Fishing in Ethiopia will inevitably bring you in close contact with some of the its beautiful wildlife some of which are dangerous animals and others which impact your fishing.
Hippos
Hippos are dangerous animals both when you are on land or in a boat and they need to be respected. The vast majority of areas where you can fish in Ethiopia are also the home or territory of hippos. Fishing Ethiopia guides are very experienced with hippo-wise safety but they are unpredictable animals that need to be respected by guides and visitors alike.
Crocodiles
Crocs are ambush predators and also frequent the water we like to fish in Ethiopia and are known to actively hunt people in some waters. One always needs to be on full alert and not step too close to the murky water’s edge when fishing to ensure their safety.
Fish Eagles
Whilst fish eagles don’t generally pose a direct threat to your safety, the challenge they bring to the table has to do with their keen hunting ability. Casting topwater lures is impossible when a fish eagle is around unless you want to risk hooking into it as it inevitably attacks your lure when you least expect it. They are also known to grab live baits which makes it’s way towards the surface of the water meaning you need to make efforts to keep your live bait deeper.
Weather
Weather poses a challenge wherever you go fishing and Ethiopia is no different. Wind can cause waves to form on lake and rain can make camping a wet affair. This is all par for the course for real fishermen and extreme weather is not common in Ethiopia.
Reaching certain spots
As you know, fishing is best done in areas not frequented by many people nor fishermen. Ethiopia is full of places like this but for often for good reason. Reaching certain of the most remote spots can include hours of driving, getting stuck, making detours and even cutting our own path through bushes for the car to pass through.
Fishing tackle
There are no tackle shops in Ethiopia because the demand for fishing equipment is simply not high enough. This means that all fishing equipment must be brought into the country by fishermen themselves. Acquiring new tackle can sometimes take a long time and that means when we break a rod or lose a few of our favourite lures, it could be a while before we can replace them. It is advised to bring your own tackle when fishing in Ethiopia. That being said the guides at Fishing Ethiopia have all the tackle you need and can certainly cater for fishermen who don’t have their own tackle with them.
Conclusion
We have described several of the unique challenges anglers must face when taking on its river monsters. Aside from certain areas suffering from overfishing, there are many healthy fisheries (mostly completely undocumented) with many large fish waiting to be caught. The fishing is very good and it is challenging where the most adventurous anglers who get rewarded the most.
