Cook Islands - Aitutaki Trip.

[dynaflow]

Hi Darian...in short,yes mate.The Aitutaki fish are fewer but bigger and a different species to C.I...generally the patterns are the same though(C.I.Specials,Gotchas,Clousers) but your hooks need to be bigger and with more weight,as apart from some inshore wading in the lagoon,you'll be fishing deeper water out of a skiff.Silver Gamakatsu SL11-3H in #6 and #4 should get the job done and no lighter dumbbell eyes than 5/32.I like Harelines double pupil fluoro Brass eyes in 4mm.(Small) and 4.8mm.(Med.).Note Hareline uses a different sizing to the regular.The big Bonefish like rubber legs too,especially on Gotchas.Check out a mates site for the flies that will do the job.."Untamed Tackle"(Darren Asquith)...and I'd definitely take some Of George's Wabnitz Worms!
Cheers

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hi Darian...in short,yes mate.The Aitutaki fish are fewer but bigger and a different species to C.I...generally the patterns are the same though(C.I.Specials,Gotchas,Clousers) but your hooks need to be bigger and with more weight,as apart from some inshore wading in the lagoon,you'll be fishing deeper water out of a skiff.Silver Gamakatsu SL11-3H in #6 and #4 should get the job done and no lighter dumbbell eyes than 5/32.I like Harelines double pupil fluoro Brass eyes in 4mm.(Small) and 4.8mm.(Med.).Note Hareline uses a different sizing to the regular.The big Bonefish like rubber legs too,especially on Gotchas.Check out a mates site for the flies that will do the job.."Untamed Tackle"(Darren Asquith)...and I'd definitely take some Of George's Wabnitz Worms!
Cheers

This is very good and important advise......


This would not be the best "first flats trip" unless you are an extremely competent fly fishing.

This would be a great trip for a person who has done quit a bit of salt water fly fishing.

Most larger Bonefish are found in a little deeper water so a longer, heavier leader is good.

A larger heavier fly is needed to attract them and also get to the bottom.

Maybe considering a 9 eight rod would be in order.

I would take some #8 and #9 outfits for Bonefish.

For wading for Trevally most like a light weight #10 outfit.

Out of a skiff you might use something bigger like an 11 or 12.


I would go to Christmas Island for your first flats trip.

[dynaflow]

Thanks Bill,especially about bringing your A game to Aitutaki as you won't get those multiple shots at fish like you're occasionally able to have on C.I....my best Aitutaki fish were in metre deep water.An Intermediate line might be handy though as there's a place in the middle of the lagoon they call the Milk where you can dredge for big fish...for what it's worth.Personally the only fly caught fish is one that's sight cast.

[Darian]

Peter,.... Thanks for the tip about Untamed Flies. It's an interesting site:

https://www.untamedfliesandtackle.co...aki-flies.html

Lots of good fly patterns shown for Aitutaki. The link is to the flies section of the website but there's so much more available. Thanks again....

[Darian]

One of the flies that I've read about for CXI is the George Bush fly. I finally saw it on Untamed Flies & Tackle website. It's a brightly colored, yellow crystal flash/tail/wing fly. Easy to tie. Made me wonder what a fly named for Donald Trump might look like....

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Darian,

I tied one for CI called Hanging Balls. Very sparse and short. Made with a Gamakatsu black hook, lead eyes or bead chain and a few wraps of orange bow string.

[Darian]

OK,.... One last question. Why tie Bonefish flies on a hook that has a black finish?? One of the comments made by Itu in the video was that if the Bonefish saw a hook point uncovered, they would not bite. Yet, he ties on a flashy, stainless hook....(???) It seems to me that a black hook will show thru tying materials, also, but not flash in sunlight.

[mems]

Hey Darian, you should try one of my Oama flies.
http://www.rainysflies.com/saltwater/dons-oama-fly

I would get size 02. That is what big bones and trevally love to eat. You should also tie up some big borski sliders. They eat lizzard fish as well. My favorite big bone fly is a mantis shrimp, or a small crab. They also eat baby sea cucumbers, that is why curly tails work. Good luck, should be a good trip, Don.

[dynaflow]

Hi Darian,I'll answer your questions one at a time,but first some history and a story about the George Bush fly.It wasn't named for the former U.S.President but after a long-time American C.I.fisherman by the same name.....sadly now deceased.George had a prosthetic leg,and one time they were chasing GT's down the back country and the Guides had set George up on a white plastic chair on that little sand spit on the other side of Huff Dam.He soon hooked a nice fish which promptly pulled him into the water....when the Guides finished pissing themselves laughing at George's misfortune they fetched him out spluttering and wringing wet.This sparse fly is tied on small hooks like the black #6 and #8 SL45 (now called the "Panfish" hook) and I prefer to use this fly sparingly,like the "middle of the day" Gold fly.It's a go-to when the fish are fussy,like the Wabnitz Worm.Many years ago I took both Green and Black SL45's to the island and caught fish on them,despite the Guides' turning their noses up at the new colours.As for hook colour,I prefer Silver, and in fact only use Black for the George Bush and the odd Trigger Fish fly.Hi Baja Fly Fisher...I like that "Hanging Balls" fly mate...lol.A bloke I know once tied and caught Bonefish on what he called the "the Naked Charlie"...it was a bare hook with Gold dumbbell eyes (yes,that's all).Hi Mems,yes the big Bonefish like a Clouser alright,and they're favoured by long-term C.I.Guides like English,Teanaaki and Moana (RIP the last two gentlemen).I tie mine on #2 SL12S.Another C.I.pattern worth trying on the same size hook is the "90 percenter" weighted with either 5/32 or 3/16 Black Brass dumbbell eyes.Fish this pattern statically,that is you cast it ahead of a big fish and leave it sit.It's heavily dressed light tan Finn Racoon wing provides enough natural movement to attract Mr.Bigbone...perhaps a short twitch if you ascertain he hasn't seen it...again like the Wabnitz worm really.Good luck.