Fishing in Sierra Leone

The largest fishing grounds for shrimp in West Africa - along with tuna, snapper, mackeral, lobster and crab mean that Sierra Leone fishing can make a considerable contribution to the economy. Most of the fishing done is artisanal.

For the fishing enthusiast, Sierra Leone offers a good playground. You can see the sea from almost any point in Freetown which gives you a sense of the opportunities.

Recreational fishing is mostly done during the weekends with boats available from the aqua sports club.

Work is now complete on the refurbishment of the fishing camp at Bonthe on the Sherbro Islands in Sierra Leone.

Bonthe is a remote, attractive, old town on a large island off southern Sierra Leone. In colonial times it used to be a major trading centre for piassava and other agricultural products.

The camp has easy access to the estuaries of the Sherbro and Kittam rivers, home of 12 currently listed IGFA world record catches of tarpon.

The Tarpon season there is from January to May. Record fish have been caught with live bait in the estuary, but there is also the possibility of fly fishing in the tarpon breeding grounds. Other fishing (trolling for barracuda, grouper, jack, etc) is available all the year round. Very little fishing has taken place in the estuary during the past decade. There are also excellent opportunities for bird watching and beautiful beaches, on which to relax.