The Goliath Tigerfish: The Monster of the Congo River

Welcome to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the setting of your upcoming fishing adventure. Congo is one of the greenest countries in Africa and home to deep jungle, marshland, mighty rivers and an abundance of wildlife such as elephants, chimpanzees, gorillas and much more. It is one of the wildest and most impenetrable places on the continent and home to the mighty Congo River, which takes us through the forest among hidden villages with forgotten tribes and mythical animals such as the okapi and the bonobo. It is also home to one of the most feared and sought-after game fish in the world: the goliath tigerfish, called Mbenga in the local language.

Some of the local fishermen see the goliath tigerfish as an evil spirit as it has been known to attack people. With its ugly mouth full of sharp teeth it definitely gives a scare when you coincidentally cross it!

There are several places in Congo-Kinshasa (DRC) where you can find the tigerfish, but the most sought after ones are the ones in the mighty Congo River as they’re the biggest and meanest of them all. They can easily get to 1.5 m long and weigh 50 kg. There are even recorded cases of tigers up to 70 kg. Just to give you an idea, most of the tigerfish in the waters outside of the DRC are 10 kg on average. Don’t be mistaken, these monsters don’t joke around and won’t let them be caught easily, so be prepared! 

We ask you to bring your proper gear as good fishing material is hard to find in the DRC. 

Our fishing tour starts  from Kinshasa from where we’ll pick you up by boat and bring you to our secret location to our fishing lodge on the Congo River. This is where explorers such as Stanley went to discover the heart of darkness. You’ll have an impressive view on the river and already a great introduction to the country. 

Civilisation will disappear quickly though and soon you’ll be passing by small villages and greeted by fishermen in dug out canoes. You’ll be accompanied by our local crew who will make sure you’ll have an unforgettable adventure. During your trip you’ll be staying in a nice, clean bungalow with electricity (solar power) and hot running water. This is quite exceptional given the location and we’re proud to be the only tour company offering tigerfish fishing in style in the whole country.