Predator Fishing Stay Casamance
Casamance · Senegal · Predator Fishing
Predator Fishing Stay in Casamance
Seven nights, six outings chasing threadfin, jack and red snapper in the mangrove. Guide Patrick Tourneur, 26 years in the field.
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By Patrick Tourneur, fishing guide for 26 years · updated September 5, 2026
The Stay
What Is the Predator Fishing Stay?
The techniques are similar; the fight is not. If you usually fish for pike or zander — in France, Ireland, the Netherlands — the casting, trolling or live-baiting you already practise carry over here, with nothing new to learn on the technique side. But the fight put up by a threadfin, a jack or a red snapper has nothing in common with a freshwater predator's: it's a contest on a completely different scale. The tackle isn't much heavier, only stiffer, which sharpens the quality of the fight even further.
The predator fishing stay is also your chance to target the biggest fish in Casamance. Plenty of techniques await you, against tropical predators of fearsome vivacity. You'll come face to face with the jack, the threadfin (Polydactylus quadrifilis) and the red snapper — three fighters that will give you a real run for your money.
7 Nights, 6 Outings
Full board and airport transfers included, the base of the predator fishing stay.
Tackle Provided
Rods, reels and sinkers cast on site; only consumables (hooks, lures) are at your own expense.
26-Year Guide
Patrick Tourneur oversees every outing, from picking the spot to picking the technique.
Fishing Techniques
Which Techniques for This Predator Fishing Stay
The predator fishing stay combines several techniques, chosen according to the species targeted, the spot and how the fish are behaving on the day.
- First, trolling, along the mangrove roots and around the river mouth, for barracuda and the other predators.
- Then, bottom fishing, over the deep holes or in the natural channels fish use to move around.
- Live bait, the go-to technique for a big threadfin or a fine barracuda.
- Also drift fishing, with soft or hard lures, Madai or Tenya rigs.
- Finally, casting — poppers on the surface, drachko rigs or soft lures down deep — the most versatile technique, given how many species are present.
The Species
The Predators of the Casamance Mangrove
You can see it on the catches anglers bring back to the jetty: the threadfin is one of the biggest predators in the region. Guitarfish, jack, red snapper and barracuda round out the picture. Fish of 15 kilos or more are therefore not unusual, in a mangrove that shelters a great many species.
The Threadfin
The threadfin (Polydactylus quadrifilis) is the biggest predator targeted on this stay, and often the catch that justifies the trip on its own. It's mostly caught on live bait, anchored over deep holes or working the tidal current, but also on soft lures vertical jigging over the right spots. A good-sized threadfin calls for solid tackle and plenty of line in reserve: its first few metres of fight leave no room for error.
The Jack
The jack is one of the hardest-fighting fish in the mangrove. It patrols along the sandbanks hunting small mullet and tilapia, with crab and shrimp rounding out its diet. Its feeding frenzies churn up heavy surface foam, which lets you spot it on sight and cast a popper or stickbait right under its nose. In short, expect a straight-up attack: the jack doesn't do things by halves.
The Red Snapper
Red snapper are ferocious fighters, with an impressive power-to-weight ratio. They're arguably the reigning champions, in direct competition with the famous jack. These two highly strung predators give anglers some fantastic fights.
The Guitarfish
To catch a guitarfish, your best chance is along the region's beaches. There are also deep-water spots in the mangrove holding enormous, incredibly powerful fish — a guitarfish is a tough one to land surf casting. Try instead beyond 15 metres of depth. To put your tackle, or your fitness, to the test, head for the Fosse au Monstre.
And Also
The Senegal Weakfish
The Senegal weakfish (Pseudotolithus senegalensis) haunts the murky waters of the river mouth and the mangrove fringes, hunting small fish and shrimp. Drop shotting proves deadly here, with a small soft lure rather than a big one. It also takes live bait, often late in the rising tide.
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The Gabon Weakfish
The Gabon weakfish (Pseudotolithus typus) is the larger of the two weakfish found in Casamance, targeted on deeper spots than its Senegal cousin. As with the Senegal weakfish, drop shotting with a small soft lure gives excellent results — no need for a big lure on this species.
Book Your Fishing StayThe Barracuda
Barracuda are caught trolling along the mangrove roots and around the river mouth, or on surface lures when they're chasing schools of mullet. Their razor-sharp teeth call for a wire trace or heavy fluorocarbon leader.
Book Your Fishing StayOrganisation
How Your Stay Unfolds
Overview
Our predator fishing stays target the biggest, hardest-fighting fish in the region. For that reason, we vary the techniques — lures, live bait, trolling, bottom fishing — according to the day and the shoals we come across.
Arrival and Transfers
Transfers are provided from Banjul, Ziguinchor or Cap Skirring airports, included in the package — except for a surcharge for Cap Skirring.
A Typical Day
First, an early start for the jetty and fishing in the mangrove, guided by the fish's behaviour on the day. Then a midday picnic and return to the hotel around 4pm.
What's Included
Rates for Your Predator Fishing Stay
Seven nights full board and six predator fishing outings form the base package. The rate varies with the number of anglers and the dates. That's why we put together a tailor-made quote for every request.
Included in Your Fishing Stay
- 7 nights full board
- 6 predator fishing outings
- Round-trip airport-hotel transfers
- Some of the fishing tackle (rods, reels and sinkers)
Not Included in Your Fishing Stay
- Drinks
- Tips
- Laundry
- Consumable fishing tackle (hooks, swivels, lures, etc.)
Your Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About the Predator Fishing Stay
I usually fish for pike or zander — why try threadfin fishing in Casamance?
Because the techniques carry over directly — casting, trolling, live-baiting — but the fight changes scale completely. The threadfin, the jack and the red snapper have no freshwater equivalent in terms of power. The tackle stays close to what you already know, just stiffer, which sharpens the quality of the fight even further.
Which fish can you catch on a predator fishing stay in Casamance?
Threadfin, jack, red snapper, guitarfish, barracuda and the two weakfish species (Senegal and Gabon) are the main species targeted. Fish of 15 kilos or more are far from unusual.
What's the best technique for catching a threadfin?
Live-bait fishing remains the safe bet for a big threadfin. Drift fishing with soft lures and vertical jigging also give excellent results, depending on the spot and the tide.
How long does the predator fishing stay last?
The standard is 7 nights full board with 6 predator fishing outings. The programme can also be built tailor-made, on request.
Is fishing tackle provided?
Some of the tackle — rods, reels, sinkers cast on site — is provided. Consumables (hooks, swivels, lures), however, are at the angler's own expense.
Where are anglers picked up on arrival?
Transfers are provided from Banjul, Ziguinchor or Cap Skirring airports and included in the package, except for a surcharge for Cap Skirring.
Can this stay be combined with birdwatching?
Yes. Casamance and neighbouring Gambia together offer 200 to 250 observable bird species. Several anglers extend their stay with a birdwatching add-on, or bring a non-fishing companion along on the outings.
Customer Reviews
What Our Angling Guests Say
Rated 4.5 / 5 from 56 verified reviews — profile available directly on TripAdvisor, reviews not filtered or selected by us.
Vertical Fishing with Shads (excerpt) Philippe H. — TripAdvisor review, April 2026 (translated from French)
“Keen on vertical fishing with Shads, we have memorable outings here. The king of the place for us remains the threadfin and its legendary fight, but the area is also full of barracuda, red and black snapper, guitarfish and parrotfish — and if luck is on our side, fine chases of jack.”
Seaside06920482394 — TripAdvisor review, May 2026 (translated from French)
“Beautiful week of fishing in the Casamance mangrove. Thanks to Patrick and Albert, I was very lucky that time and caught so many magnificent fish.”
Booking
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