Giant Trevally are waiting for you at Christmas Island.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

Christmas Island should be on everyone bucket list.......

[Tony Buzolich]

I have to agree with you about GT's being right at the top of my list. Striped Bass are number #1 locally, but GT's have to be my newest favorite fish.

As for Christmas Is. these videos make it look like every fish there is a GIANT. GT's can be small too. They all have to be an egg at some point and then grow up. So when you're fishing bonefish and a small jack grabs your fly, you may in fact have caught a "GT".

Now, the videos show the full adult GT's and that's the real game trophy size we'd all like to hook. But they don't come easy or often, even on Christmas Is..

GT's are the largest member of the "Jack" family and are spread world wide, and getting a jack anywhere is always a good fight.

Love'um, Tony

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We catch Jack Crevalle year round here in Florida.

[ifsteve]

Christmas Island needs to stop chumming across the board. Please do your homework (it's a great place to go) and do not support lodges that will chum GTs.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

They chum in the salt water almost every where I have been in the past 35 years.



I my 13 trips to Christmas Island we never did chum for anything but it was all years ago.

While we walked the vast flats of Christmas Island our guide would carry a 10 weight for us.

If we ran into any GT feeding we would try to get up to them quickly and make a shot.

Most of the big ones would get away by cutting us off in the coral.



Not sure if I would have any issues with chumming if it is "catch and release" fly fishing?



**Yes, without chumming or trolling not many big Trevally would be taken on a fly.

[dynaflow]

Christmas Island needs to stop chumming across the board. Please do your homework (it's a great place to go) and do not support lodges that will chum GTs.

Agree 100% and there are a couple of Lodges that are serial offenders.Every one knows who they are and they do it because many of the "Sports" offer good financial incentive to catch a GT by any means. Make no mistake, once fish know they'll be regularly fed Milkfish bits they will not take a Fly...I call this Aquarium Fishing and that Englishman in the video (sponsored by Hardy) is chumming those fish and then simply putting the Fly in their face.This is an abhorrent practice and he has been roundly condemned for that footage ever since he posted it some time back. The reality is entirely different as most flats caught GT's on Kiritimati are between 10 and 20lbs. and while you'll see (and be lucky to get a shot at) a big boy the captures are few and far between, trust me. Best times are a rising Spring tide in the morning and late afternoon and are location specific.

Read the following summary of Kiritimati fishing by the man who knew it better than anyone and who was a friend to so many. RIP Moana Kofe...better still, print it and staple it to your bedhead to read every night before retiring. Even after fifteen fortnightly trips I still refer to its wisdom. Thanks Flywater travel.

https://www.flywatertravel.com/christmasislandtides

[Tony Buzolich]

This really is a good bit of advice that should be memorized by anyone going there. Even the guides that are still alive there would be glad to talk with you once they know who wrote it and where you got your information.

Christmas Is. is one of the largest atolls in the world and would be tough to do it on your own. I wish I had a picture of that map painted on the wall of the Village's dinner room. It's got all the local names of the most popular flats. Does anyone have directions to a flat called " Submarine" ? Apparently, GT's feed there during high tide and get trapped as the tide drops low.

Hmmm ? Guess it's time to go explore and find out Tony

[JohnR]

We catch Jack Crevalle year round here in Florida.

Where is your place in FL Bill? Just got back from the Keys and already planning another trip in May.

John

[JasonB]

Where is your place in FL Bill? Just got back from the Keys and already planning another trip in May.

John

Hey John, we were just wondering the other day how your trip went. Reading between the lines it must have been pretty fun to book a second trip so quick.

[JohnR]

Jason, my first trip the the Keys was humbling, but also some of my most memorable fishing ever. I was casting well for the most part, but would get way too excited seeing big tarpon and permit and then would put waaaaay too much on the cast (hello huge loop)... that simply has never happened to me with trout! Still, managed to boat my first tarpon (just a wee one, about 20 inches), had a couple larger permit chase my fly (but not eat it), and had a couple much larger tarpon on for a few seconds then spit it out. Plus an assorted sundry of reef fish while trying for bonefish on the flats... no bones, but lots of snapper and small jacks that fight like the devil. Don't get me started on how my casting went with a weighted fly with a breeze coming from my strong side... that is a skill I need to practice. January and December are apparently the "bad months" in the keys, but I saw lots of tarpon, permit, and bones. Convinced myself right quick I need to go back when the fishing is "good". Unfinished business and all that!

John