Photo courtesy of Sean Viljoen. All Rights Reserved.
The Angolan coastline is around 1,600km long and the temperatures vary drastically depending on the time of year and location on the coast. The Benguela current has a major effect on the sea temperatures and its seasonal movement up and down the coastline alters the species of fish available. It is responsible for the abundance of forage fish, like sardines and horse mackerel, that ultimately feed the billfish we are after. Although Luanda is located just 9º South of the Equator sea temperatures in winter are remarkably cool when compared to 9ºS on the East Coast of Africa. A similar phenomenon is seen on the West coast of South America where the water is a lot cooler at the same latitude compared to the East coast and warmer water reaches much further south on the eastern sides of both continents. In mid winter (July-August) the sea temperature off Luanda drops to around 18.5ºC (65ºF), but in mid summer (March-April) it will be up to around 30ºC (86ºF).
The interaction between the warm tropical current sweeping down from the Gulf of Guinea and the cold Benguela current flowing North up the coast, is what creates the ideal conditions for abundant baitfish. These in turn attract the apex predators that migrate to feed on them. Angola is the southern boundary for Atlantic Sailfish and Blue Marlin, as they can't go further South, due to the cold water temperatures that create a natural barrier. Blue Marlin are known to take on long migrations and only big Marlin are able to withstand the cooler temperatures at the beginning and end of the fishing season. In winter big blues are seen and caught even in temperatures of 18.5ºC /65ºF. Every spring (September) the first narrow tongue of warm water starts to push Southwards down the coastline. This brings the Blue Marlin and as the water is still cool these are ALL big fish. This water from the North continues to warm (see SST chart below showing the tongue of warm water) and the first Sailfish appear in early October off Luanda and reach Lobito in November. The water colour early in the season, can be green and murky, but because of the quantity of bait the Blue Marlin are there. Blue water normally appears off Luanda in October, but green water still holds billfish. The Congo river plume can often bring dirty water conditions to Luanda in January-March but we are operating out of Lobito at this time so this is not normally an issue.
The interaction between the warm tropical current sweeping down from the Gulf of Guinea and the cold Benguela current flowing North up the coast, is what creates the ideal conditions for abundant baitfish. These in turn attract the apex predators that migrate to feed on them. Angola is the southern boundary for Atlantic Sailfish and Blue Marlin, as they can't go further South, due to the cold water temperatures that create a natural barrier. Blue Marlin are known to take on long migrations and only big Marlin are able to withstand the cooler temperatures at the beginning and end of the fishing season. In winter big blues are seen and caught even in temperatures of 18.5ºC /65ºF. Every spring (September) the first narrow tongue of warm water starts to push Southwards down the coastline. This brings the Blue Marlin and as the water is still cool these are ALL big fish. This water from the North continues to warm (see SST chart below showing the tongue of warm water) and the first Sailfish appear in early October off Luanda and reach Lobito in November. The water colour early in the season, can be green and murky, but because of the quantity of bait the Blue Marlin are there. Blue water normally appears off Luanda in October, but green water still holds billfish. The Congo river plume can often bring dirty water conditions to Luanda in January-March but we are operating out of Lobito at this time so this is not normally an issue.
