Joe's Victoria Falls Fishing Safaris
  The Best Time to Fish the Zambezi River
  As with all fishing, success is often dependent on seasons and fishing methods. We divide the Zambezi into three sections to give more insight as to when and where to fish.   Zambezi-river-button.jpg (48 KB)  
       
  Zambezi River Info:    
  The best time to fish the Zambezi River
As with all fishing, success is often dependent on seasons and fishing methods. We divide the Zambezi into three sections to give more insight as to when and where to fish.
   
   
  Upper-zambezi.jpg (113 KB)  
   
 

Fishing in Victoria Falls.
This section of the river can be successfully fished throughout the year but you willhave to change tactitcs to suit the conditions

There is a simple formula; if the fish can see (i.e. water clarity) then it can chase your fly, lure and bait. Clear water on the upper Zambezi is common from late May until December, this massive window of fishing opportunity has its peak from May-October for fly and lure fishermen. 
During the height of the rainy season bait fishing for tiger become the norm as the waters of the Zambezi River  become wide and dirty, the fish resort mainly to smell to seek out your offerings. 

Drifting
Fishing is mainly done from small boats that drift down the river allowing anglers to cover many parts of the river that are known to hold big fish. Occasionally the boats tie-up on sandbanks for lunch followed by some bank fishing in the afternoon.

 
  Times Of The Year
Upper Zambezi tiger fish can be caught throughout the year. Certain fishing methods work better than others at different times of the year.

Shackletons Tiger Lodge have devised this simple to use chart to indicate the best time to fish for Tigers on the upper Zambezi and what method to use:
 
     
 
Fishing Method: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Trolling 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB)
Drift Baiting 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB)
Spinning 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB)
Fly Fishing 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 2-Good.png (2 KB) 1-Medium.png (2 KB)
 
Fishing method1-Medium.png (2 KB)ratings: 3-Excellent.png (2 KB) Excellent 2-Good.png (2 KB) Very Good 1-Medium.png (2 KB) Medium