Christmas island ------- Queenfish ?

[Tony Buzolich]

Whenever we think of Christmas Island, bonefish seem to immediately pop to mind, and GT's come in a quick second. And I love them along with GT's even more so. They're both fast and the GT can't be topped for being strong. But sometimes something comes along unexpectedly that really surprises you.

A couple of months back Jim and I were at Christmas Island again, and like usual bonefish and GT's were at the top of our thoughts. We had been fishing various flats for several days taking numerous fish of both kinds. One morning we split up for a while and Jim chased bones while my guide took me to a point where there was some deeper water with a fast moving currant. "Use your 12 wt." he says. I know he thinks there might be some GT's here and sure enough my first cast gets hooked up. Yahoo! Game on and I bring a small GT to hand. Another cast or two and another hook up again to a small GT. Then a small Bluefin gets hooked up and the guide see's other fish chasing the hooked fish. Shark! A black tip reef shark came in and tries to eat the hooked fish. As I play the Bluefin in quickly in quickly, the guide hands me my other rod and says to cast again. The bite had really turned on and I immediately hook another small GT. Great fun on an 8 wt. Letting your guide finish landing one while you hook another is the only way to get two at a time.



After a quick pic or two I make another cast in the fast water and get a quick grab. This one is different though,,,, it goes airborne and screams line from the reel. Taking line and jumping at the same time I don't know what I have on ? "Queenfish!" the guide shouts. Cool, a Queenfish ! " I thought they only had these in Australia" I say.





And another new fish for me comes to hand. What was most fun was not knowing what was going to come next. Maybe not the most unusual fish taken there but it was certainly a fun surprise.

Aside from Australia, has anyone here taken a Queenfish before ?
Tony

[Ted S]

Tony,
I caught a queenfish on Christmas Island about 5 years ago. I was fishing a large sandy shallow flat and thought I cast to a bonefish about 60 feet away. I knew it wasn't a bonefish when it jumped immediately after it took the fly. It was a queenfish, about the same size as the one in your pictures. It fought almost as well as a bonefish of the same size, but the jump was something special.
Ted

[Darian]

Tony,.... I caught one on the X-mas Island flats while Bonefishing. Not quite As big as the one yours but lots of fun. Jay M and a couple of others found a bunch of them off Pancake flat and caught a few, also. Certainly a great fly rod fish....

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Like Darian mentioned, I caught a number of queenies off pancake and a few around Paris. They definitely aren't as big as the queen's in AU. My largest queen in AU was 26lbs. Look and fight just like a dorado. My Aussie fishing partner, Lydia also had a number of big queen's.
Anyone interested in going at the end of October, I have 3 spots left. Call FlyWater Travel and speak with Dylan.
Can't wait to go back

[Tony Buzolich]

Jay,

??? "end of October" ? Where are you referring to? CI or AU. If you are talking about CI, who is on the list or should I talk with Dylan?
Tony

[Baja Fly Fisher]

End of October, Christmas Island. The following people are on the list, Renee Seely, Darian Calhoun both from Sac. Edwin Low and Bill Lum. Not sure if you fished with any of them in Baja. Give Dylan a call if you're interested? I want to target some yellow fin and try and get a wahoo on a fly, by teasing up and casting. I had a few chances at a wahoo in Baja, but wasn't ready. They were just cruising by the panga about 12' and only 3' down. I'm working on putting a rig together for my October baja trip and will take it to CI with me. I hoping to get a yellow fin or wahoo for some sashimi, cut thick, not the paper thin stuff.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

There are dozens of different exotic fish to catch on Christmas Island.

Pacific Bonefish and several different species of Trevally are the most talked about and photographed.

Others are Golden or Tailing Trevally.

Queenfish

Milkfish

Some go offshore for Wahoo, Yellowfish tuna, baracuda, etc.


I think Christmas Island should be on everyone's Bucket List.