fishing christmas island

[Ken Gargett]

a few years ago, spent a week on christmas island with some mates and some others in a group. brilliant time. have meant to post some stuff for ages but thought that i should at least get around to some photos.

the island is best known for bonefish and GT's - giant trevally. got some decent ones (bones, that is), though i do remember losing one of about ten pounds. very very grumpy. rod went about forty metres. much bad language. overall, got about a dozen different species, including a GT that i suspect had been born about four minutes before i caught it. actually devoted a couple of days to chasing GT's only, with a 12 weight (and two days of non-stop casting of a 12 gives your shoulder a whole new level of pain). got hit three times. the first was on a coral ledge and the fish, probably 40 to 50 lbs came up and hit the fly a few feet from my feet. like some prehistoric monster emerging from the sea. such a shock i fell over. another smaller one hit and missed later, and then when fishing by myself on a sand bar next to a small channel, got hit by a monster. could have easily gone 100 to 150 lbs. dragged me ten metres along the beach then gone. in reality, chances of landing a fish like that there are slim. also saw another when fishing a shallow reef. this thing was over the reef, hoovering up anything it could. it looked like a small silver hippo - i reckon about 130 lbs. it was about 40 metres away into a very strong wind and i only had the 8 weight for bones with me so no chance. just as well. it would have stripped the 8 in about 4 seconds.

the arrival. not the most modern of airports.

a beautiful place to fish.

a mate with a good bone.

ready for the fray.

yellow snapper from an inland lagoon.

this is english - the top guide on the island and a terrific bloke. the best eyes i have ever seen in a guide. amazing. he could see bones in ink. we'd look at the water in places and it was jet black and yet english is spotting the bones.truly amazing.

he also has a sense of humour. after two days chasing GT's, he brought that for a photo. i actually saw english place a fly in the mouth of a GT. he had been using a little burley and this 40 lb'er came up. none of us could get it to take the fly - i think it was sick - and eventually it was taking burley from english's hand. it was one of the most extraordinary things i've ever seen. not sure i would have seen it as the most sporting way to catch a fish but it is all catch and release, though this fish was so sick, i doubt it survived very long.

a blue-eyed trevally. plenty around and a good fight on fly.

the kids are great fun.

and anyone wondering why the airport has had no aircon for four years - the wasps built a big nest on the aircon unit and no one is game to try and fix it.

[CanuckSARTech]

LOL about the wasps.

Overall, that all seems very very cool. Looks like a very serene and fulfilling place to fish.

Thanks for sharing, Ken. Really appreciate seeing these cool little spots.

Cheers.

[brazoseagle]

Fantastic Ken!

[Miami101]

Nice trip I have to get my fly skill up and hit the Keys....I love the photos keep them coming.