LAKE NASSER


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Lake Nasser
The Best Time for Fishing
Climate
Map

Desert Lake

Desert Lake sunrise

In the 1960's a dam was built on the Nile at Aswan, the resulting Lake Nasser has flooded over 6,200 square kilometers of the Nile Valley, creating one of the largest man made lakes in Africa. The fish population of the original river was presented with a huge lake to live in and have thrived in their new habitat, especially the Tilapia and their predators, Nile perch, Tiger fish and the big catfish.

Lake Nasser has the best Nile perch fishing in the world, when your lure is in the water you literally don't know if the next fish is going to be 10lb or over 200lb. Nile perch are the main target species but the lake also abounds with the hard fighting Tiger fish and the big Vundu catfish.

Dawn, migrating pelicans and other species of birds

Aside from terrific angling, the lake is a lovely place to visit. It's a magical wilderness of stunning desert scenery, bordered by the clean water of the lake, which is dotted with rocky islands; there is an atmosphere of tranquility, vastness and adventure; a wilderness where anglers literally have hundreds of square miles to themselves.
The shoreline is a variety of desert landscapes, hilly and rugged, or flat and sandy with clean freshwater beaches. The weather is nearly always sunny and bright, in five years we have never needed to take shelter from any rain!
The lake is remote and thinly populated by peasant fishermen; the local residents are Bedouin camel and sheep herdsmen who are occasionally seen grazing their flocks on the sparse vegetation at the edge of the lake.
There are an impressive variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles. More than 100 species of birds have been recorded: Wild duck, Egyptian geese, pelicans, herons, egrets and various species of hawks, kites, falcons and eagles will be among the birds seen.
In most areas there are crocodile and monitor lizards, other types of wildlife include Dorcas gazelle, jackals, desert fox, and various smaller desert mammals.

Best Time for Fishing?

The desert lake experience

Broadly speaking the year is divided into two seasons winter and summer (northern hemisphere).

Season A – from February to end of July
From approximately mid March through to the end of July the Nile perch are found in shallow water. This is because the Tilapia, the Nile perch’s principal prey, are spawning and then after spawning the huge population of Tilapia fry are growing up; all this takes place in water between 10 to 20 feet. This is the best time of the year for shore fishing and fly-fishing. Trolling provides good sport using shallower lures. There are still a lot of big Nile Perch around but they tend to be less concentrated than during Season B.
August and September are very hot on Lake Nasser

Season B – from mid October until end of January
The lake is at its highest level and the Nile perch are found in deeper water. We feel that the bigger Nile perch are feeding up and then coming together to get ready for spawning which takes place sometime in January / February. Year after year we capture bigger fish during this season and almost all these fish are caught trolling over underwater promontories and sunken islands. The winter months are not the best time for shore fishing. Also, fly-fishing is difficult because it is harder to get down to the fish lying in deeper water.
If you want to capture the big fish then Season B is your best bet. Season A will provide you with more action and fun but the average size of the fish captured tends to be smaller. When referring to smaller Nile perch we are talking about fish between 15 and 30lb while the bigger Nile perch can grow to 200lb + . Please take into consideration that the months of April & May – October & November are very high season and are often booked up well in advance.

CLIMATE

Many Desert Fox have become tame from us feeding them


The area enjoys a dry desert climate that is neither humid nor oppressive, which makes a big difference to comfort levels.
The area is always dry; there might be a very light rain during the winter months but it is extremely rare. I remember asking one of our guides who is 28 years old how often he had experienced normal rain in his life and his reply was twice!
In summer the wind is not a major problem, it is comparatively rare for it to be strong for more than a few hours. The winter months from December to the end of February are more prone to wind.


OCTOBER TO MAY

From mid October to April the evenings can be cold and at night temperatures might drop to 8c, remember to bring warm clothes and a warm sleeping bag. The day temperatures from April to June are similar to warm summer in Europe.

JUNE TO SEPTEMBER

Monitor Lizards can grow to six feet longThe weather is dry and hot. In the middle of the day temperatures average about 30c but can reach 35c+. The hottest months are August and September when the temperature can reach 40c+. On the lake the temperature is always a few degrees lower due to the cooling effect of the large body of water.

SUN

Do not underestimate the strength of the desert sun. Always wear sun protection and a hat and drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquid (except in the evening?). If you begin to feel weak or just not quite right, come out of the sun, drink something sweet and rest until you feel normal again. The best cure is to drink as much as you can, start with a re-hydration sachet drink and then go for a swim. If your urine is darker than normal then you are not drinking enough water.

Average maximum air Temperature in Centigrade:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
262729333538403937363329

Mean air Temperature in Centigrade:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
171822273233333331292318

Water Temperature surface Centigrade in Lake Nasser:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
171820262728282826252320

MAP

Map of Lake Nasser





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