Fly fishing for Giant Trevally on Christmas Island - vidoe

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeknPHKXlEk

My good buddy Dr Ken Susman from Fort Bragg, CA sent me this video.

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Some years ago I was out with Cary Marcus, Sage Rod Rep, on Christmas island.

Wading with a 10 weight rod he landed a 79 pound GT.

[dynaflow]

Sorry Bill,this particular video has been out for some years now and I'm calling BS on it.The fish are chummed as there's no other way GT's would mill around.They're waiting for a feed...then there's the fifteen foot leisurely cast Fly and casual strip.Don't think for one minute that this is indicative of GT fishing on Kiritimati as it's nothing like what is portrayed here.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It looked like a promotional film that was all set up to me too.

Chumming is usually illegal in the fresh water but it is legal in the salt water.


I fished there 13 times back in the day starting in 1986 and you only got a few shots at Big GTs every day

and mostly they broke you off on the coral. It is still one of my top 10 picks for great wade fishing.

[Tony Buzolich]

I have to agree with dynaflow about the chumming. There are several scenes with multiple fish busting right in front of the guy fighting another fish. This video was obviously set up to be produced for show. Opening scene shows a tripod standing in the water and I'm sure there's a camera crew filming out of sight.

Yes, I wish it were that easy. But those GT's don't come that easy on their own. On one of my first trips to CI we netted a bunch of small milkfish and then went to a little pan-cake flat and used some of the milkfish for chum. As soon as the chum hit the water there were fish everywhere coming right to our feet, even large bonefish were coming in and eating. Those fish had been conditioned to being fed.

Now, having said all of that, What's wrong with using a little chum? Ethical fly fishing ? Don't we all use live bait as chum when we go to Baja? Every boat down there does.
Tony

[WLREDBAND]

I agree with the other posts. It's a chumming scene due to all the GT's milling around. And that video is not a realistic portrayal of GT fishing on CI, it's actually very difficult with very few fish caught (or even seen!). I've been fishing CI since 1990, and I can count on one hand the shots I've gotten at GT's over 20 pounds. That's a lot of fishing days without even getting a shot at a big GT! And none of those stayed around longer for more than a single cast. The good news is, the only outfit that regularly practiced chumming for GT's, is no longer in business. Most of the other lodges on CI will NOT take their anglers chumming on the flats for GT's, but will do so offshore.

[dynaflow]

I don't wish to berate the point,but for the record all Lodges on C.I.ban chumming for all fish in the lagoon,but unfortunately there's been two serial offenders over some years...Shark Place (Crystal Beach) and the Captain Cook.If you are in the lagoon and you see this practice,don't have any reservations about approaching the offenders and giving them your 20c.as it's only a short time following chumming that fish will simply mill around waiting for a feed and won't take a Fly.
P.S.Tony,I understand teasing and switching in the blue water for Sailfish etc.but don't agree with using bait.In my book chumming isn't fly fishing.Salt water fly fishing is primarily seeing,stalking,catching and releasing a fish using a Fly.
Even more credit if you do this on a Fly you've tied yourself.
Cheers

[Carl Blackledge]

I don't wish to berate the point,but for the record all Lodges on C.I.ban chumming for all fish in the lagoon,but unfortunately there's been two serial offenders over some years...Shark Place (Crystal Beach) and the Captain Cook.If you are in the lagoon and you see this practice,don't have any reservations about approaching the offenders and giving them your 20c.as it's only a short time following chumming that fish will simply mill around waiting for a feed and won't take a Fly.
P.S.Tony,I understand teasing and switching in the blue water for Sailfish etc.but don't agree with using bait.In my book chumming isn't fly fishing.Salt water fly fishing is primarily seeing,stalking,catching and releasing a fish using a Fly.
Even more credit if you do this on a Fly you've tied yourself.
Cheers

Dynaflow,

I am sure glad you said something...This same film was called BS about 5-6 years ago. One of the first clues was the little fly and the feeding frenzy right in front of him- total BS

Carl Blackledge