Ghana...?

[Asylum]

This is no joke, anyone have any real world experience down there? Something has come up so I am starting my homework right now and have even gone so far as to contact a few people I know working for the State Department.

Aside from avoiding (read, banging) the monkeys or indulging in the nightlife, what other concerns should I have?

Appreciate any help you might be able to provide.

[Squidnation]

My neighbor was an exchange student there for a year. She got Maleria and couldn't come home until it was cleared. Other then that I can only say I spoke to Clay Hensley about it a few times. He did mention that a drill ship show up every few years and sets up camp for a while. Fishing gets to epic levels when this ship arrives.

[Asylum]

Well it just so happens...

Malaria sounds fun. Can't be much more dangerous than where I am rite now. Maybe?

[triniswordfish]

is a drill ship/rig setting up over there?
i know a bunch are leaving trinidad at the moment to head off to africa.... maybe i should find out where......

[tom@marlinstar]

This is no joke, anyone have any real world experience down there? Something has come up so I am starting my homework right now and have even gone so far as to contact a few people I know working for the State Department.

Aside from avoiding (read, banging) the monkeys or indulging in the nightlife, what other concerns should I have?

Appreciate any help you might be able to provide.

Alex,

Ghana's glory days are gone for one simple reason....there is no more bait in the water. I fished with a couple of the boys this year who were there in it's high seasons and even though the fishing was going richter, the amount of shots/pills and dodging every kind of demonic virus made it a tough place to embrace. I have heard the line " the fishing was great but the **** you endure is not..and I'll never go back" has been repeated all too often.(referencing when Ghana was on fire)

But...you're young...hit it up if the fishing has recovered. My sources say no and there aren't too many side activities to pass the time that will make up for it.

[Morning Wood Sportfishing]

check out rigzone.com

I am in the energy business and this website is a wealth of knowledge, especially if you're looking for what rigs are where. There is a good amount of drilling off the west coast of Africa, with some monster tuna and marlin frequenting those rigs just like here off Louisiana.

[Patudo]

I've never fished Ghana but have spoken to a number of folks that fished/fishes there including one who still fishes on the Hooker.

One of the more interesting bits to me was some info written up by Johan Zietsman - unfortunately his site is no longer online, I wish I'd known it would go down as I'd have saved it. Basically JZ says that during the very best fishing in Ghana there was actually very little bait - articles from that time period speculate that the lack of bait and small game fish could represent a spawning ground where marlin eggs and larvae could be safely spawned - and when masses of bait showed up four or five years later the entire fishery changed. The average size fish (blue marlin) and the hookup ratio both decreased and they started seeing other gamefish like sails and big tunas. As of the last few years it seems the area that the Hooker is based has not been so productive but Ghana has a fair amount of coastline. A friend of mine did find some earlier this year fishing further to the west but he was trolling out of a local canoe and wasn't able to land one. The neighbouring Ivory Coast has had a pretty consistent blue marlin fishery for many years, throwing up some big fish - it produced a 1000 pound fish earlier this year. You guys have so many excellent marlin fisheries in your hemisphere that it'd take fishing of truly epic proportions for US billfish anglers to travel all the way to places like West Africa. I've been invited to visit a couple of times but don't wish to go, Cape Verde is as much of Africa as I want to experience. But there are definitely some interesting places to go have a look if you're planning to work in Ghana.

[captbron]

I am working on a Drillship that just arrived in Ghana about 2 weeks ago. There are some really big yellowfin's swimming around already and lots of bait. We are working in a field that is about 80 miles from the Ghana/ Ivory Coast border and there are 3 other rigs within 10 miles of us. Problem is due to local fisherman using drift nets which go unattended and eventually end up in thrusters, drilling equipment etc there are several boats patrolling the area to keep fisherman away. As far as Ghana goes the people are very friendly, they want tourism and like Americans. Malaria pills are a must if you stay any length of time.