Snoek Derby 2009

A jewel in the calendar of Namibia, the 2009 Snoek Derby was a roaring occasion. On the 23rd May several little boats took to the water and headed out to sea in an attempt to hunt and kill as many fish as they could. Crew members ranged from experienced fishermen to complete novices, from the old to the young and from Afrikaans to Ovambo, but every fisherman had one aim and one aim alone; to catch Snoek.

Snoek has been caught off the coast of Namibia since 1924 and estimates suggest that Namibia has produced at least 5500 tons of Snoek annually for the past 60 years. However, Snoek fishing is mainly a recreational activity and only small amounts of the fish are exported to other countries.

A Dummies Guide To Catching Snoek

1. First off, be prepared:  Snoek fishing is unique in that both recreational and commercial fishing is done completely manually using a handline or reel so make sure you have a heavy duty line with large hooks and spinners. Bait is also important and experts recommend using pilchards or pike to tempt any bites.

2. Next, choose your location carefully: if you see a large group of boats clustered together chances are there are fish about so follow the crowd. Snoek tend to feed in schools at a certain depth so once the first fish has been caught work out how many fathoms deep it was and set your line to that.

3. Finally, catch the fish: Cast out your baited line to the depth that you have estimated the fish to be. Then cast another lead line that has the spinner attached to it. Let the line sink deeper than your baited line and then jerkily begin pulling it in and letting it out again. The idea is that the lead line will attract the Snoek and guide them to your baited line which they will then bite, allowing you to haul in your catch!