AFC#22 Sidinda Island Lodge Zambezi

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Sidinda Island Lodge - Zambezi River

Sidinda Island Lodge is one of my favorite places on the Zambezi, and one I have been fortunate to visit on several occasions - sometimes featuring the lodge in these pages, and at others to simply escape the madding crowds. It is indeed a place which feeds the soul.

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By Ant Williams

Located about 100km from the towering gorges of Victoria Falls in the west, this part of the river is unique and largely untouched. The water is fast - surging at seven plus kilometers per hour as it squeezes through ancient rock gorges, reaching 100 feet deep in places. Great monoliths - presumably from pre-historic rock slides - dot the river bed, here and there jutting through the surface to create miniature islands and points, many of which are fish-holding honey-holes. A landscape so different to most of the Zambezi, boiling white rapids tug and twitch the boat as one speeds along, while in some places impassable rock barriers prevent passage completely. The fish here are strong and give a fight you will not soon forget.

May usually sees the water level peak, as flood waters from further up‑stream make their way into Kariba. At this time, it is possible to boat 30‑40km up‑stream, compared to only about 10km during low water when the rapids are not easily navigated - usually the best fishing time. Between high and low water, the river can vary an average of five metres, though I suspect during this trip, it was lower than even 5m from maximum.

The Main lodge featuring central bar/dining/lounge area brings guests together at the end of the day for sundowners and dinner, or a night cap around the pit fire.

My visit in October 2015 was timed to take best advantage of their best fishing period - September through to November - before the onset of the rains, though with the current dry spell which has settled over southern Africa, I am sure the fishing is still on now. Indeed, the river was low, the lowest I have seen it here, and even for our seasoned guide one or two rocky surprises were seen in the river.

Arriving just before sunset (we had driven from Cawston Ranch close to Bulawayo), our guide Brian Ellement had the boat ready with rods and tackle, and a welcome sundowner to celebrate the coming of dusk. Boating a short distance up-stream he set a drift while tossing a couple of hand-fulls of dried kapenta to float seductively on the surface - a trick I learned here two decades before. Since my introduction to fishing with top-waters for tiger a couple of years ago, I had been itching to get back here as I felt certain this section would be most productive. There is just so much structure to cast at, and in places one can reach both banks from the middle of the river. I was not to be disappointed, as within a couple of casts I had a decent tiger on, and dropped several more. For a half hour or so, the action was hectic, but finally thwarted by the failing light we conceded day’s end, cracked a cooling beverage and as the Milky Way began painting the sky, drifted sedately back down stream toward the lodge.

Sidinda is owned by Imvelo Safaris, and was built in 1993. Set amongst the natural woodland on raised platforms, each of the four thatched lodges have bathroom‑en‑suite with shower, hand‑basin, flush toilet and hot and cold running water. Designed for eight guests (two per lodge), the panoramic views from each lodge are breathtaking and waking in the morning to look out over the river is all the inspiration one needs. One can virtually see the fish waiting, as the river sweeps past the complex, turning almost 90 degrees before heading east past the Matetsi and Gwaai rivers, Msuna island, Little Kariba and Devil's Gorge toward Kariba. You just know that at the right time of year, those big mamma tiger will be running this section to spawn.

I wrote of one of my previous trips “Like something out of the movie ‘A River Runs Through it’, the bright sun highlighted the gently swirling mist inches above the water. Millions of tiny, usually invisible insects, highlighted by the intense light, drifted almost in slow motion before the gentle breeze ‑ a mesmerizing scene hard to ignore.” We again witnessed this, as millions of Mayfly-type insects hatched from the water’s surface and while a good many fell to feeding fish slurping them off the surface, still more took to the air in droves - a humbling sight of nature at work in this endless cycle.

Tigerfish are a main species, and here they grow undisturbed, reaching weights of almost 22+ pounds. Chessa, nkupe, bottlenose, Cornish jack and vundu also occur. Though time did not allow on this trip, previously we had caught Manyame Labeo or Hunyani Salmon (Labeo altivelis), affectionately known as the pink lady, right outside our lodge from the beach on the edge of the sweeping river. Setting up with deck chairs, and throwing small hooks baited with dough-type baits, it is one of the most relaxing ways to spend a morning before the serious business of river fishing - and the ladies fight hard. Here too, the small Sidinda river enters the Zambezi and while shallow and relatively weeded, the bream sometimes hang out here, often spurred by a little water flowing in the Sidinda estuary. Mozzies of three and four pounds are possible when conditions are just right, and about five kilometers down stream, the Matetsi river mouth offers another excellent bream site.

The stilted lodges, comfortably furnished with bathroom‑en‑suite, overlook the Zambezi as it sweeps by.

The many rocky islands and stretches of unobstructed sheet-rock shoreline lend themselves to fly casting, and clients are often deposited on commanding rock edges to cast. Given the depth and speed of the river here, a fast sinking line is better using large red/blue/silver attractor-type flies. We fished several of these drifts with the surface lures, and had some exciting action with fish hitting the lures mere millimeters from steep rock faces, quite unbelievable considering the speed of the water there.

While Brian and I both had some significant action with our surface lures, an unseasonable cold front descended and slowed the action late on the second day - even forcing an extra blanket on the bed that night. We swapped to spinners dressed with a small fillets which we cast through some of the tamer rapids. The dried kapenta trick I had first learned from Brian’s father Mark Ellement 20 years ago still worked, and throwing handfuls into the swirling back eddies along the river bank met with loud slurping and splashing almost immediately. Casting a spinner to these rises resulted in some fish, though they remained relatively shy and non-committal. A last resort was anchoring on the river, and feeding a small fillet-baited hook out into the current. This too worked for the now shy and reclusive fish and we picked up one or two.

A particular highlight for me, was meeting and fishing with Brian Ellement, as his father Mark had built the lodge back in ‘93, and lived there during its early years. Mark and wife Karen hosted me during my original ‘97 visit and he was one of the most knowledgeable and passionate fisherman I had encountered. Sadly Mark passed away a few years ago, but Brian is a chip off the old block and has the passion. Although kept away during his schooling years, he grew up at Sidinda and fished before he could walk, even spending school holidays there through his youth. Today, in his twenties, his knowledge of every nook and cranny of that river is phenomenal - not only the terrain - but all the fish hidey-holes and drifts. A consummate guide, he is a great asset at Sidinda and has a hand-selected team of guides very knowledgeable on the river. Serious fishermen will want for nothing if guided by Brian and his team.

Right: A missed strike! As is usual, we actually hooked only about 10% of tiger on top-waters... but what fun.

Left: A bass motor is a definite asset when drifting and casting lures or flies.

Right: Fast and productive water not easily accessed from anywhere else on the river. The rocky river bank with its jutting points make for ideal fly-casting conditions.

A short walk from the lodge up the Sidinda river is very picturesque with an inviting rock pool at the end of it to cool down.

The camp does offer a special camp-hire rate to run on an exclusive basis, and is particularly appealing to families. International guests can take advantage of the all-inclusive option, which includes accommodation, all meals, limited local drinks, use of boats with guides and other services. Boats at the lodge range from 10-18ft fibreglass craft with casting decks suitable for fishing. Regional and local guests can take advantage of a self-catering option and can even bring their own boats, although the lodge will hire their craft on a daily rate plus fuel/oils and guide. Due to some of the treacherous river sections, the management will not allow boating unless life jackets are worn.

Although accommodation is suited to eight people, the lodges will easily sleep up to twelve, using stretchers and own bedding ‑ (perhaps for children). Self cater groups will have some staff available to them (a general hand and cleaners), and bedding while food, drink, fuel and boats must be supplied by guests. With prior notice (and advance payment), Sidinda will bring in supplies on request.

Sidinda is indeed a special place, and offers the discerning angler a different perspective of the mighty Zambezi. It is a species rich environment too, so if the tiger are not playing, there is much else to hunt and add to ones ‘personal firsts’ list from giant vundu to Cornish jack and even yellow fish.

For more information contact them on (+263-9) 232331, email reservations@imvelosafarilodges.com or visit their website at www.sidinda.com.

Left: A happy junior angler

Right: Vundu on the beach

Left: A great Sidinda hen fish just before release

Right: Boys with pink ladies

Two 20lb Vundu

Barometric Pressure and Fish

By Ant Williams

During my visit to Sidinda Island Lodge, our first evening’s sortie onto the river produced a flurry of activity. As the sun dipped behind the imposing hills, and the sky flushed its reds and mauves, the fish seemed to be bullying each other out of the way to have a go at our surface lures. The action was fast and furious. Early the next morning, the fish seemed a little less enthusiastic, and by late afternoon as we were boating from spot to spot, a chill in the air heralded a change in weather.

The unseasonable chill (for October) had us throwing extra blankets on the bed that night, and by the next morning the river had all but gone dead. As a pilot I had once learned something of weather and changing atmospheric pressures to predict weather conditions when flying, and while driving home, I pondered the changing weather and its effect on fish - the famous “fronts” anglers blame for all manner of fishing woes. Whether excuse or not though, one cannot deny the consequence of atmospheric pressure on angling. But why?

Pressure, whether in the air or in the water, is expressed by scientists as units of “atmosphere.” One atmosphere is defined as the pressure caused by the weight of all the overlying air at sea level - or 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). Atmospheric pressure is often called barometric pressure because it can be measured by the height of the mercury column in a barometer. So, barometric pressure is the measure of the weight of the atmosphere above us, and a barometer is used to measure that air pressure. The earliest barometer consisted of a glass vacuum tube inserted into a container of mercury which was exposed to the pressure of the air. Increased air pressure would force the mercury up the tube in a height proportional to the pressure. The height was measured in inches (inHg) or in millibars (1 inch = 33.864 millibars). Although new types of barometers are now used, these measures are still in place. In general, 30 inHg or 1016 millibars is considered to be normal air pressure. In normal weather, 30.5 is considered extreme high, and 28.5 is considered extreme low. The measures are taken at sea level, and a higher elevation has less atmosphere above it, so a correction factor against the normal measure is needed depending on altitude.

Changes in barometric pressure tends to indicate freakish weather. In general, low‑pressure systems bring unstable conditions, often with precipitation and clouds. A rising barometer means high‑pressure is approaching, the harbinger of stable and clear skies.

How much do fish respond to these day‑to‑day fluctuations? Consider that a strong high pressure is about 30.70 inches. A powerful low, such as during a hurricane, can reach down to 28 inches or less. The difference between these two extremes (2.7 inches of barometric pressure) is equal to about .09 atmospheres. The barometric pressure difference from a simple passing cold front is only about .06 atmospheres.

The rate of a falling barometer also tells us how fast a low‑pressure storm is approaching. A slow‑moving storm would have a dip of about .02 to .03 inches of barometric pressure per hour while a fast‑moving storm will drop the barometer about 0.05 to 0.06 inches per hour. Some commentators believe this slow pressure change does not turn the bite on or off. While it is one of the ingredients in the overall weather process, temperature, cloud cover, wind direction and speed, and humidity can also affect fishing conditions. More importantly, the rate and amount of change in barometric pressure is insignificant compared to what’s going on below the surface.

The principal theory, is that the effect of changing pressure on the swim bladders of fish makes them uncomfortable or dis‑oriented. In this theory, the fish will move to feel well, or they feel bloated or full. With a lowering barometer, it is believed these fish move into deep water seeking higher water pressure and ride out the low pressure around structures. The theory suggests that just prior to change from a high to a low, fish will bite like crazy until the low hits and then stop. There are some anglers however, who do not subsscribe to this theory. They believe that as water is some 900 times more dense than air, and generates significantly more pressure than air, something like a three foot wave passing over the fish will produce a variation of pressure more significant than can be expected from a dramatic change in atmospheric pressure, and the wave effect is happening every few seconds. This belief suggests that the actual air pressure has little to do with the fish’s desire to feed, but more accurately it seems likely that the weather conditions created by changes in barometric pressure, such as clouds, rain and wind, have more effect on fishing than the barometric pressure alone. So barometric change is a good indicator of fishing change, but it's not necessarily because of the pressure change by itself, as much as what other weather conditions are likely to occur because of the pressure change.

But for the most part, anglers believe that fish, like most animals have very good senses about the weather and are sensitive to passing fronts and pressure changes. It is believed that the weather ahead of cold fronts will lead to favorable fishing conditions due to lower pressure. Because fish are so good at sensing changes in pressure, they will often increase their activity in the days before a cold front moves in, creating good conditions for catching. It is possible, that during the visit to Sidinda we hit this feeding spree just as the front was moving in.

After the front passes and for a few days after, conditions are likely to remain poor. The high pressure that follows behind cold fronts contributes to lethargic fish that won't move as far or as near the surface. Fish are less likely to come up and feed as frequently during high pressure as they will when the pressure is lower.

Warm fronts also indicate ideal fishing conditions. Lower pressure and weaker winds will bring fish closer to the surface and liven them up for swimming longer distances. Rain can affect how well the fish will be biting as well. A storm brings clouds and wave‑creating wind, reducing sunlight penetration encouraging active fish to move to shallower water. Some fish will rise in the water column - seen on the sonar screen as fish moving up off the bottom.

Fishing during a light rain hides your approach and makes casting lines more discreet. Insects are also more likely to be out flying near the surface of the water during or immediately following a light rain, which will bring fish closer to the surface and make them more susceptible to being caught. Flying ants on Kariba are a good example.

Once the storm is over though, the picture is likely to change as barometric pressure starts to rise again. High pressure generally brings clear, blue skies, and light penetration is often intense for the next several days. Fish feel the increased pressure and become less active, moving tighter to cover or deeper, where the sun isn't so bright. Their mood is lethargic and you will often observe them following a bait, only to stop short of striking. These are times when being able to impart extra action to a lure, or changing to a more finesse bait or lure will yield results. It is not all just about the weather.

So, high pressure results in the fish moving to shallower water, and low pressure results in fish moving to deeper water.

Those who place great store in barometric pressure believe that when the pressure is between about 29.90 and 30.90 and the pressure is rapidly falling, it is time to hit the water. They will carry a hand-held barometer and keep an eye on the pressure in real‑time, seeing exactly when the pressure starts moving in a favorable direction.

The unseasonably clear and cool October skies over Sidinda which heralded an approaching high pressure system.

A winter’s morning bass fishing - cold but stable and productive conditions.

The following quick reference table attempts to summarize the barometric pressure, and observations on fish activity and fishing techniques based on research from other experts. Remember though the longer a period of high feeding activity, the more likely the fish are to stop feeding, while the longer the period of inactivity, the more likely the fish are to start feeding. Hit it just right, and you may well have one of those days which will become the fondest of fond fishing memories. Time it wrong, and your next conversation will begin with “A front moved in...”.

High Pressure (30.50 +) = Clear Skies = Fishing Medium to Slow = Fish slowly in deeper water or near cover.

Medium Pressure (29.70 – 30.40) = Fair Weather = Normal Fishing = Test lures, baits, and techniques to see what works.

Low Pressure (29.60 ‑) = Cloudy/Rainy Weather = Fishing Slows = Fish slowly in deeper water or near cover.

Rising Pressure = Improving Weather = Fish Slightly Active = Fish slowly in deeper water or near cover.

Stable Pressure = Fair Weather = Normal Fishing = Best time to test lures, baits, and techniques to see what works.

Falling Pressure = Degrading Weather = Best Fishing = The fish will attack anything you throw at them. (well, pretty much)

One of the many portable barometers designed with the angler in mind

A simple representation of a barometer and its workings.