Kapenta fishing
About Kapenta
Kapenta is a tiny, sardine-like freshwater fish that swarms in vast open-water shoals in lakes like Kariba and Tanganyika. It is a plankton feeder caught commercially at night with lights and dip nets rather than rod and line, and underpins a major regional fishery. For anglers its main value is as forage that draws bigger predators like tigerfish to feed.
Typical size: Tiny, typically 5 to 9 cm. Record (approx.): approx. 17 cm (varies by region).
Season, time and habitat
Darker cell = more active that month. Based on the species' usual yearly rhythm.
Common questions
When is the best time to catch Kapenta?
Kapenta fishing is usually best around Jan-Dec. The best windows in the day are usually dusk, night.
Where can you catch Kapenta?
Kapenta is most often found in lake. Napp shows the nearest waters and the live odds on the bite right now.