Vundu : Monster Catfish “Vundu” for the unfortunate angler that has a hook up with one of these brutes rest assured will be entertained in a battle of a life time, reaching a size of over two hundred pounds (90kg) these steam trains will have the angler busy for hours.
What is a Vundu you might ask?
The Vundu is part of the catfish family.
Where do you find a Vundu?
Lake Kariba and the Middle Zambezi.
Bait used
Anglers’ bait preferences include ox livers, hearts, frogs, kidneys, meat and fish that have been cut down the belly and turned inside out.
Follow these steps to catch and fight the Vundu:
Step 1: Find a decent sized bay to dock your houseboat
Step 2: Wait fir sunset, then kill a Platanna (plattie)
Step 3: Hook the plattie up (through the mouth and shoulder)
Step 4: Cast out as far a you can – into open waters
Step 5: Put rod into rod-holder
Step 6: Throw left over foods into water – let the scents attract fish
Step 7: Drink lots of beer, eat more food
Step 8: Fall asleep – sleep at a close proximity to the rods
Step 9: Wake up at 4am when the line is running furiously
Step 10: Strike like your life depends on it
Step 11: Reel in / fight your catch
Step 12: Enjoy the sensation of exhilaration and adrenalin whilst fighting your catch
Step 13: Get the Vundu onto the boat – grip by mouth or use a hook
Step 14: Weight the fish and get pictures taken
Step 15: Enjoy the moment of having caught the underwater giant of lake Kariba
It took me close to half an hour to reel this beast in. The 34kg Vundu was too heavy for me too lift after the fight, and thanks to Mike helping me lift it, we got this picture taken…
Step 16: Eat your catch; it will be the best fish you have ever devoured
Thats a great photo story !!!! Love the soundtrack!
Best photovid ever!!! awesome! unbelievable catch! please post the vundu\catfish recipe!
I’ll get the recipe for you asap! Darn, that fish tasted good!
Wow. 15 kgs. What a beast!
you could not even hold you catch yourself!!! that is not acceptable. You’re going to get out of that office of yours a bit and work on that upper body strength!!!
hehehe, hello Lorelei, good to hear from you again!
Point taken, must get my bodybuilding physique back again
Then I can catch even bigger Vundu!
Amazing! Lucky you!!
The sunset picture are really beautiful, the light and colors are awesome!
I thought fighting a 5kg northern pike was bad. This must have been pretty interesting to say the least. Wow.
Mac – the last Vundu I caught (34kg) was the most unbelievable fight/catch I have ever had!!!!
[...] With its fish-like head and snake-like body the massive 34kg “Vundu” lay motionless, gasping for air, belly to the stars. Unable to raise the “fish”, with his now weak and wobbly arms, Gregor stood next to “PissedAlways” who, with difficulty, had raised the beast off the deck for him. Finally, with his imagination running rampant, the traveler, Gregor, and the creature, which stared eerily, back into his wide eyes, shared one last moment. Shortly after this, the serpent-like fish was gently submerged back into the glossy water and with one final grunt and shimmer of his smooth fleshy skin, the majestic beast was once again lost to the murky depths of great Kariba. [...]
[...] War against the Vundu [...]
Shameful seeing wonderful fish like this being killed! Vundu numbers are on the decline, everyone who fishes for them please practice catch and release!
Dudes!! Just for you information, you ate the world record vundu, for all tackle!! On the 26th of December 2000 , a Mr Rob Konschel caught a fish weighing in at 32.5kg’s!! Don’t you feel like fools!? Google the IGFA for more info and records.
By the by, I tend to agree with Jason…..release the endemic fighters.
If you got to eat your catch, and personally I kinda like the taste of fresh water fish, kill the bass, trout and carp!
David – you’ll be happy to hear that we did not eat that exact Vundu. I let it go to to roam the depths of Kariba lake because I knew it was a special fish! The pics of me munching the fish is from a previous, much smaller catch!