Christmas Island - Kiribati . . .Just Incredible! PART II

[Tony Buzolich]

Getting on in the week we really needed to hook one of those giant-size Giant Trevally that we’d heard so much about. Our guides told us the best way was with chum, and even then these big fish have become wise and are hard to hook.

The first order of the day then was to collect the chum ,,,,,,,, milkfish. The GT’s favorite food of choice. This required some time and team work stretching and dragging a net through shallow parts of the flat. In pouring rain, Jim and I jumped in to lend a hand. The most fun I’ve ever had getting wet and slimed at the same time.







Moving the outrigger to small reef surrounded by deep water our guides begin cutting and tossing the chum. Immediately we are surrounded by fish of all kinds including some very large bonefish that have become conditioned to being fed.



Our guides and host tell us to take off our 60# leader and change to 100# test as anything else won’t come close to stopping these fish as they take off over the sharp coral.

On my first cast I break my new TFO BVK 12 wt. on a back-cast. Large fly with lots of torque and SNAP goes the tip of the rod.

Kindly our host Rob Ramsey lends me his rod and off I go for another try. Moments later I get my first grab from a big GT. A hundred yards of line and backing speed off with the drag a full max, then nothing. It had come off. Try again.

The fish are wising up and the tide is slowing and the guides say to put on a piece of milkfish. Who am I to argue? And Jim and I both succumb to ,,,,, bait. Uugh.

But it works and Jim hooks up first with a nice GT of about 20 lbs.





I’m next with a bigger fish in the 60#-80# range. Screaming drag this thing takes off easily peeling 300 plus yards of backing before even beginning slow. Maxing out the drag on an Abel BG-4 hardly phases it. To make matters worse, my borrowed rod is left handed ,,,,,, opposite what I’m used too. I try winding but feel spastic. I turn the rod up side down and begin winding with my right hand, and it works. I start to get him coming a little at a time. Then he runs again like no tomorrow. Back and forth we go before I feel the line drag in the coral. A couple more short tugs and it cuts through. Gone big fish number two. Uugh, again.

Not to be defeated, I take my reel off my newly broken rod and put it on Rob’s ruined line rod. Start over, and it’s right hand wind.

Next hook-up doesn’t take too long but thing one is bright silver and goes airborne. What the heck? Several guys yell “ barracuda ?” but are unsure. Several jumps later I get the largest Ladyfish in anyone has ever seen. Normally just a couple of pounds this is three times the size of a regular Ladyfish. Not a GT but I’m happy. Jim’s happy, and we had a fun day.



A couple more days of chasing bones on the flats, other smaller Trevallys, and always on the look out for those big GT’s. It’s about time to come home.









Our final evening at the lodge is luau party time and farewell to some of nicest people on earth I’ve ever met. To honor our group they roast a pig for us with more platters of sashimi and even more lobster.





In the morning we board our FIJI Airways flight home and say goodbye to one incredible adventure no one who flyfishes should ever miss. I’ll be back. Soon.
Tony

[mems]

Hey Tony, great report. Glad you guys had fun. How were the new rooms? I hope the screens kept the mosquitoes out. Looks like you had Michael as a guide. Those GT's are tough, glad Jim got a couple of them to hand. Those big ones will haunt you for a while. Biita does a great job. Congrats to Jim on the ono, they are so fast, and good eating. I can't wait to get back there in April, Don.

[Tony Buzolich]

That nice ocean breeze kept almost all the mosquitos at bay and Jim sleeps with the A/C on all night to so they weren't a problem. The rest of the lodges were mostly flooded in swamp like areas with no drainage because of the heavy rain. Even the road south toward the Korean Wreck was closed because of flooding. Didn't slow us down at all as we used a third outrigger for travel.

I'm thinking too, how soon can I do it again. Great place, Tony

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Everyone needs to put Christmas Island on their "Bucket List"......

In the 30+ years it has been a sport fishing destination I don't know anyone who has a bad trip......



I was very lucky to be able to go there 13 times with groups through the shop.

I was there during a drought cycle where the island dried out, even catching fire and the land crabs came into the lodge looking for something to eat.

Other times were had a wet cycle where the islands roads were all flooded.

.

[Darian]

Great report and what a trip!! Really like the photo's. I'll be going in March and can't wait to get down there. I'm looking forward to trying to catch all kinds of fish down there.

Tony, I notice you didn't wear a buff or long trousers. Did you get sunburned at all??? I'm wondering whether to worry much about sun damage....??

[Tony Buzolich]

Darian,

I brought two buffs with me and never used them. I gave them to the guides, Mike and Michael. I find them un necessary and just make me sweat a bit more. I prefer more air movement around my face and neck. Some people with fair skin should use all the protection they can along with plenty of sun screen.

As for shorts, same response. I brought two pair of long pants and never put them on except on the plane ride there. Fortunately, my Mediterranean heritage has left me more sun tolerant skin. I did used a good sun screen every day on my face, legs, and the back of my hands. That did help immensely.

I'm not downplaying the sun though. My cap and shirts were all SPF50.

One day out on Paris flats we lost our wind for a couple of hours and it got downright hot. It felt good to get a little air under my cap and shirt. But most days it was broken sky with clouds and rain and sun changing every few hours. It was never cold even in the rain but you definitely carried rain jacket with you every day.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Damn, I'm pumped up. How fast can Mar 22nd come, not soon enough. I could make this a yearly thing or bi yearly. If you stop and check out the expense, it's a little cheaper than those big lodges in the Bahama's but not as top notched. I guess it's a toss up.
Since I like to stock permit on the flats, looks like I'll be going back to Turneffe Flats Lodge next year. My calendar in the later part of this year is booked with trips back to Baja in October and maybe a trip to NZ in the early part of Dec or maybe Jan. for some "king fish". I'm checking into AirB&B's on Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island which is north of Auckland.
Anyone one to go to New Zealand. This is not a hosted trip, kinda like an exploratory trip, then hosted trips in the future.

Thanks Tony for the great report, now I'll be dreaming about CI until March 22nd.

Jay

[Tony Buzolich]

Jay,

Anything I can help answer for you just PM mail me. I'm glad to help.
Tony

[Jim May]

Aloha Don,
We fished with 5 guides Michael, Mike, T.J. ,Biita and Matt all were great some of the best guides I have fished with! The hole trip was great .Took care of some of my bucket list, ono on a fly I tied and a GT other than the rain nothing to complain about. I hope to get back some day and get that big GT. I hope you all have great time on your upcoming trip!
Jim May

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Do you think 500 flies will be enough. I might have to leave some at home to make the 50lb weight limit.
Can you carry on two items and the checked bag. What's there opinion about bringing in food, like snacks, jerky
nuts, etc. Anything like Mexico.