There's a New Fish in Town - Christmas Island 2019 Part Two

[Tony Buzolich]

Next day we go offshore and head north looking for birds. Sure enough, birds everywhere, piles of them, along with busting yellowfins.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260145_zpsgt02bmo7.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260145_zpsgt02bmo7.jpg.html)

We brought fly rods but were told to put them way, these are too big for light rods. Wham! Off go the rods and we've got a double yellowfin hook up.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260121_zpsgr4pmoqe.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260121_zpsgr4pmoqe.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260119_zpsjbautl42.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260119_zpsjbautl42.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260122_zpshtmg5dfr.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260122_zpshtmg5dfr.jpg.html)

Rounding the point we head east toward Bay of Wrecks and spot more birds. Another rod goes off and I've got a nice wahoo.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260136_zpsyuufvdsg.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260136_zpsyuufvdsg.jpg.html)

More birds everywhere, more yellowfin breaking the surface. Hook up again and again, Even a triple once.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260146_zpsn2sycx5p.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260146_zpsn2sycx5p.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260113_zpseufxmhod.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260113_zpseufxmhod.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260142_zpsanhfyvcm.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260142_zpsanhfyvcm.jpg.html)

My rod goes off again but this time it's heavier and takes lots of line before slowing. Big tuna? Wahoo? Soon enough we see color 30' down,,,,,, a shark! Geez, on a trolling Rapala plug. The guides are all happy and quickly subdue the bronze-whaler (I think?) with ropes and gaffs. “ Good eating here” they say.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260128_zpsh8djolls.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260128_zpsh8djolls.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260127_zps2rllzmtj.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4260127_zps2rllzmtj.jpg.html)

This year the bones seemed bigger than ever. Maybe it was the moon or maybe the locals aren't eating as many as they used to. In either case the last couple of days were fantastic right close to the lodge. My guide for the last two days was Tootene'. Again fantatic eye-sight. Perfect instructions, and we caught fish. Lots of fish in the 4-6lb range. And I got several personal best at 8lbs. And one at 10lbs plus.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/IMG_0447_zpsyykspinx.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/IMG_0447_zpsyykspinx.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/IMG_0457_zpsyzahahyx.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/IMG_0457_zpsyzahahyx.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4290188_zps6pfsdl4r.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4290188_zps6pfsdl4r.jpg.html)

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4290191_zpst3jtiu61.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202019/P4290191_zpst3jtiu61.jpg.html)

So if you want to try something new head to the Villages and ask about taking a Milkfish. Don't even think about using anything less than a 12 wt.for them. Jim even used his 14 wt and it wasn't over gunned them.

For the bones, they're there all the time, but on or near a full moon they come in to spawn and seem much larger and heavier than usual.

And for the GT's, you just have to put in your time and stay away broken ledges and bloody knees.

Tony

[Carl Blackledge]

Tony,

Glad you had a wonderful time.

I have about 6 weeks left befour I go on my one Month fishing trip to Loreto

Most all the guys in my group go to Xmas island once a year, they say it's 50% cheaper in Loreto, example is I spend around 5 k for a full month of living like a king, eating the best food in the world and catching Dorado-Sailfish-Marlin and Rooster's. I do understand that each guy has his own special place and I am glad you get'em at yours :) Carl Blackledge

[mems]

Aloha Tony, sorry to hear about the mishap at Huffdam, guess you didn't get your 100lber. Congrats on the milkies. Aren't they fun, it is like three fights in one, first areal, then they sound deep and finally a real shit show at the boat. Those tuna would have been good fun on a 12wt. I got a bunch on pink poppers in the bird piles. Glad the bones are getting bigger. Jim looks happy with those big bones. Great report, thanks, Don

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Christmas Island is on my top ten list of great places to go.

Don't think you will do as well as Tony and his guys on big fish.

You will catch lots of wonderful Bonefish on shallow, hard white flats.


Thanks again Tony for your 5 star post and photos.

.

[Tony Buzolich]

Don,
On one of your last posts you mentioned about swimming with a bronze whaler. I can't truly identify my shark as a bronze whaler but it was very brown in color and not at all gray like a reef shark. I think it only had four gill slits too.
Tony

[Tony Buzolich]

Don,
On one of your last posts you mentioned about swimming with a bronze whaler. I can't truly identify my shark as a bronze whaler but it was very brown in color and not at all gray like a reef shark. I think it only had four gill slits too.
Tony

[Tony Buzolich]

Bill,
Thank you for the compliments. I enjoy telling good stories but I really con NOT have done it without my wife's help. Getting the right pictures to fit the story and cropping and editing is a real skill.
Tony

[JasonB]

Tony, that looks like one heck of a great trip! Quite impressive catch too, both quantity and quality. Great posts. Sure helped fuel the anticipation of our upcoming venture into the salt; 11 days and counting fast.
Cheers,
JB

[Carl Blackledge]

Jason,

Where you going?

CB

[JasonB]

First trip to Baja Carl. Can hardly wait!
JB

[Carl Blackledge]

Jason,

Be well prepared for the UN-expected fight Saltwater fish have..you will be hooked for life. Good luck and make sure you write a report:)

Carl Blackledge

[JasonB]

Indeed! Didn’t mean to derail this thread though. Just sharing that Tony’s post and pictures just upped my anticipation for our big adventure greatly. Definitely looked like an amazing trip, lots of cool fish, and big ones too. Thanks again for sharing Tony.
Cheers,
JB

[mems]

I heard they caught a milkie down in La Paz on fly while eating their burrito lunch and throwing tortillas in the water for chum. Hopefully Jay will confirm this story, Mems.

[Tony Buzolich]

It actually happened a few years ago with one of the guys in my group I brought down while working with Jay. I can't remember his name but he was the owner of several Mc Donalds restaurants in and around Phoenix. He actually caught the milkfish with a clouser while fishing deep for skipjacks or toro.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Baja-July2009095upload-1.jpg (https://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Baja-July2009095upload-1.jpg.html)

We'd often see schools of them skimming the surface in the mornings when the sea was flat just south of Isla Cerralvo.

:) Chumming with tortillas ? :)
Tony