Upper Zambezi Tiger Fishing - Lumbe Pools Camp

Tiger Fishing on the Upper Zambezi

Experience the famous Barotse tigerfish on our section of the Upper Zambezi

A 5 night tigerfishing experience on the Zambezi River

At Lumbe Pools we offer a different and unique approach to tigerfishing by using specialist drift boats AND our motor boats. This region of the Zambezi River offers remote, private water with numerous islands, rapids and deep channels to fish. The attraction to our stretch of the Upper Zambezi river is the fact that we are almost the only commercial operator here – you are unlikely to see another boat on the river here. We also have an incredible variety of fishing water available – rapids, gorge water, slow and wide pieces etc.

AVAILABLE DATES

April – Early Jan

DURATION

5,6 or 7 nights

LOCATION

Western Zambia

group size

Max 10 people

TRIP OVERVIEW

A Typical Day on Zambezi

Each day will follow a similar routine, with aprrocimately 3 hours spent on the river in the morning and again in the afternoon. See a breakdown of your day below:

6.30am – 11.00am

Early morning coffee around the fire followed by few hours fishing on the river.
10.30am – 14.30

Return to camp for brunch. Relax in camp, do some snorkeling, visit the Falls.
14.30 pm

Afternoon high tea and then depart for afternoon session on the river.
17.30/18.00 pm

Return to Lumbe for a shower and drinks around the fire followed by dinner.

Lumbe Pools Camp

Your accommodation on the Zambezi River

There are 5 open air chalets at Lumbe Pool Camp. Each chalet can acocmmodate 2 people in either double or twin beds. The lodge is solar powered we provide bedside lamps and charging points and donkey boilers provide your chalets with hot water.

Scroll left or right see photos from the season ->

What to fish with, when?

Keep this mind priot to your visit…

Drift Bait
Live Bait
Fly
Topwater
Lures
Spoons
Afri-jigs

Conditions when used? Fishing with tiger fillets or dead bait fish is generally reserved for when the water is dirty and high. The deeper and more heavy currents in Sioma can also be fished with bait.

Time of the year? Generally in March, April and occasionally December. However, always worth a try when fishing goes slow and fish get difficult. The results always seem better in deeper, fast moving water.

Conditions when used? Clearer warmer water

Time of the year? Our location outside of a floodplain makes securing live bait in decent and consistent quantity difficult BUT can be excellent in the warmer months of September, October and November when the water is low and clear.

Conditions when used? All year with various degrees of success.

Time of the year? In the early part of the year when the water is high and dirty, bright flies that push a lot of water will often produce fish IF your casting is accurate and into structure. During the early winter months and the cooler months when the water is dropping and clearing, fish will take bright, natural flies in quick moving water below and around the rapids. From September onwards, fly fishing needs to concentrate in deeper water with sparse, natural patterns with drop offs, sandbars and eddies below rapids being the first places to work. There is also the potential to target the Upper Zambezi yellowfish using the same tactics and flies that smallmouth yellows respond to on the Vaal and Orange.

Conditions when used? All year with various degrees of success.

Time of the year? Poppers seem to create too much splash and noise but walkers and slider type lures in the early hours of the morning and late evenings are always worth a throw. Bites go down significantly once there is direct sunlight on the water. Hook up rates are very low.

Conditions when used? Usually used once the water is dropping and getting cleaner.

Time of the year? Spinning and casting lures is our most popular means of fishing from about mid-May onwards. Distance from the boat both with trolling and spinning will improve bite rates and so braid can be extremely useful in setting the hook from a long way off. Bigger, brighter lures in the deeper water have always brought out the biggest fish.

Conditions when used? Usually used once the water is dropping and getting cleaner.

Time of the year? Copper spoons are the most effective means of bringing out fish but tend to be more successful in the fast moving waters or fished on or near rock structure.

Conditions when used? Usually used once the water is dropping and getting cleaner.

Time of the year? A relatively new weapon to the arsenal and not in good supply at the camp BUT already has proved effective in the deep, still pools and bays around Sioma.

Travel logistics

How to get to Lumbe?

Option 1: Fly to Kasane or Livingstone

Arrival in Kasane

Arrival at Kasane or Liv Airport
Collection + Transfer

Our preferred transfer company will meet you and drive you to the Lumbe Pools Parking bay (opposite Lumbe).
Arrival at the camp

3. Staff management will meet you and transfer you by boat across the river to Lumbe.

*Travel time from Kasane: 2 hrs & from Liv: 4hrs*

Option 2: Fly via Private Charter

Choose the airstrip

Chat to us about which airstrip to use.
Collection + Transfer

Upon arrival at the airstrip. you will be collected by our team and driven to the Lumbe Pools Parking bay
Arrival at the camp

Once at the Parking bay, you will be transferred by boat across the river to camp.