Tony Buzolich
11-03-2016, 09:26 AM
The wind was blowing hard from the west and the water was stirred up making visibility tough for spotting fish as we waded from flat to flat. We stumbled on several more spooking them before we could get a good cast in. One big bone shoots past the tip of my rod that easily goes 12-14lbs. Few and far between, but they were all big like I'd never seen before. There were no small schools of bones, just big singles and doubles.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/026a_zpsdbfy49yy.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/026a_zpsdbfy49yy.jpg.html)
We stop at a small coral island ( a motu) called One Foot Island for lunch. While eating our sandwiches we see large dark shapes coming up to the back of our boat from deeper water in the channel. GT's! Huge giant trevallys looking for hand outs from the tour boats. I'm going nuts wanting to go cast to one but Butch says “no” as these are local pets and almost tame.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/058a_zpsyomaxvqz.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/058a_zpsyomaxvqz.jpg.html)
I'm still going crazy watching these things and ask Butch were we can possibly find some to cast too? He says he's not interested in trevally and wants to stick with bonefish. After lunch we move to several more flats. The wind still blowing from the west makes conditions less than favorable. So much for our first day on the water.
Aside from the wind conditions, this has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Everything you could ever fantasize about the South Pacific is right here. Post card perfect, warm saltwater flats and lagoons the color of a Bombay Gin bottle in neon turquoise. God, what a beautiful place.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/015a_zpsamethj72.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/015a_zpsamethj72.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/013a_zpsmnqitrvg.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/013a_zpsmnqitrvg.jpg.html)
The following morning Butch arrives again at breakfast and says were going to try something different today. We'll spend the morning on the same flats but after lunch we'll move to the other side of the island. The wind is still blowing even harder from the west and maybe we'll find some better water. The flats here in the lagoon are really getting stirred up.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/007a_zpss6tlauwd.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/007a_zpss6tlauwd.jpg.html)
Our host Allan, picks us up in his van and takes on a short tour of the island. Taking us to the top of the highest point on Aitutaki we can see the entire lagoon and barrier reef surrounding the island. We get to the harbor at Arutanga and meet up with Butch again. This part of the day is ALL walking and the flats he wants to fish are a half mile from shore. With the wind still blowing hard I decide to fish a couple of deep water slots for trevally while Butch and Jim continue their hike another quarter mile to a small flat. Jim gets one grab but comes undone. An awful hike for nothing.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/015a_zpshz5msrxz.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/015a_zpshz5msrxz.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/038a_zpskvxedwpq.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/038a_zpskvxedwpq.jpg.html)
Back at the Boat Shed we ask Allen for another guide and we'd sure like to go after some GT's. Not a problem as he has several local guides he uses. He makes a few calls and we're set for the next couple of days. The following morning Butch shows up again, says he's sorry about how the wind has been and we'll see if we can find a trevally too. He also says we'll have another guide the next day. Good.
So off we go again, hitting several of the same flats again, but the wind has changed from the west to the south/east and the water has cleared some.. Now poling in deeper water I finally get a good shot and connect with MY first Aitutaki bone.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/034a_zps85pfo1xq.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/034a_zps85pfo1xq.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/046a_zpserwny0b3.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/046a_zpserwny0b3.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/048a_zpsdvnnnqfg.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/048a_zpsdvnnnqfg.jpg.html)
Now go to Part 3, below
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/026a_zpsdbfy49yy.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/026a_zpsdbfy49yy.jpg.html)
We stop at a small coral island ( a motu) called One Foot Island for lunch. While eating our sandwiches we see large dark shapes coming up to the back of our boat from deeper water in the channel. GT's! Huge giant trevallys looking for hand outs from the tour boats. I'm going nuts wanting to go cast to one but Butch says “no” as these are local pets and almost tame.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/058a_zpsyomaxvqz.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/058a_zpsyomaxvqz.jpg.html)
I'm still going crazy watching these things and ask Butch were we can possibly find some to cast too? He says he's not interested in trevally and wants to stick with bonefish. After lunch we move to several more flats. The wind still blowing from the west makes conditions less than favorable. So much for our first day on the water.
Aside from the wind conditions, this has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Everything you could ever fantasize about the South Pacific is right here. Post card perfect, warm saltwater flats and lagoons the color of a Bombay Gin bottle in neon turquoise. God, what a beautiful place.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/015a_zpsamethj72.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/015a_zpsamethj72.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/013a_zpsmnqitrvg.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/013a_zpsmnqitrvg.jpg.html)
The following morning Butch arrives again at breakfast and says were going to try something different today. We'll spend the morning on the same flats but after lunch we'll move to the other side of the island. The wind is still blowing even harder from the west and maybe we'll find some better water. The flats here in the lagoon are really getting stirred up.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/007a_zpss6tlauwd.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/007a_zpss6tlauwd.jpg.html)
Our host Allan, picks us up in his van and takes on a short tour of the island. Taking us to the top of the highest point on Aitutaki we can see the entire lagoon and barrier reef surrounding the island. We get to the harbor at Arutanga and meet up with Butch again. This part of the day is ALL walking and the flats he wants to fish are a half mile from shore. With the wind still blowing hard I decide to fish a couple of deep water slots for trevally while Butch and Jim continue their hike another quarter mile to a small flat. Jim gets one grab but comes undone. An awful hike for nothing.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/015a_zpshz5msrxz.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/015a_zpshz5msrxz.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/038a_zpskvxedwpq.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/038a_zpskvxedwpq.jpg.html)
Back at the Boat Shed we ask Allen for another guide and we'd sure like to go after some GT's. Not a problem as he has several local guides he uses. He makes a few calls and we're set for the next couple of days. The following morning Butch shows up again, says he's sorry about how the wind has been and we'll see if we can find a trevally too. He also says we'll have another guide the next day. Good.
So off we go again, hitting several of the same flats again, but the wind has changed from the west to the south/east and the water has cleared some.. Now poling in deeper water I finally get a good shot and connect with MY first Aitutaki bone.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/034a_zps85pfo1xq.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/034a_zps85pfo1xq.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/046a_zpserwny0b3.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/046a_zpserwny0b3.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/048a_zpsdvnnnqfg.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/048a_zpsdvnnnqfg.jpg.html)
Now go to Part 3, below