South Pacific - Anaa / Tahiti ?

[Tony Buzolich]

I love warm saltwater. It started in Kona Hawaii and progressed ever since.
I've been to the Keys numerous times, then Christmas Is. (Kiritimati) several times, then Baja, and the South Pacific at Roratonga and Aitutaki.

The South Pacific has been my favorite. Giant trevally (GT's), bonefish galore, and all kinds of everything else. They all eat flies.

Now, I'm looking for someplace new, that's not too remote and is still affordable. The Seychelles are just too expensive for an old retired guy. I looked at the islands around Fiji with little success. But then I happened on to Anaa. An atoll just off Tahiti that seemed to have a lot to offer.

Have any of you guys ever been there or somewhere similar? The Brando, off Tahiti, is also too high-end.
Tony

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Andros Island, in the Bahamas, is famous for large Bonefish.

There are lots of Stripers on the East Coast of Canada.

Australia has some good fishing. You have to catch a Barramundi.

[madsteelhead]

Last year I did a deep dive looking for places to fish for GTs and Dogtooth in the south pacific. I didn't find anything reasonable or reliable in Tahiti or Bora Bora. The Cook Islands look promising but getting there looked to be a pain in the ass going through New Zealand. That may have changed recently though.
I found a nice operation in Fiji off Kandavu Island…on Ono Island called Oneta Lodge. They’re primarily a dive resort but they offer GT fishing as well. Short ride to the GT reefs and the fishing was amazing. Largest GT I landed was 75lbs. I didn’t flyfish but I asked if they work with fly anglers. They do but rarely do they have fly fishermen visiting the lodge. But they said they’ll tease up the GTs with hookless plugs. The GTs were very cooperative. The head guide, Sim, has been fishing these southern Fiji Islands his entire life.
If you want to get an idea what the Gt fishing looks like in this area, here’s my Youtube video from my trip last year.

https://youtu.be/ymFdRRJh8Rw?si=mToBGGKYob-cS0BD

I have a few more fishing videos from my Fiji trip on my youtube page including a dogtooth tuna, BF trevally, wahoo and an accidental 330LB black marlin

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjS..._as=subscriber

[Tony Buzolich]

Mad,

That looks like a great trip and a really nice resort. I just finished watching your YOUTUBE videos and that is some great fishing for sure.

I was really hoping for some place more like Aitutaki (Cook Is.) or Christmas Is. where you can get out and wade the flats. I like getting in the water. Last time at Aitutaki Jim May and I both jumped off the boat and swam with a bunch of GT's that were following a dive boat. Huge fish that were used to being fed hamburgers and fried chicken from the dive / party boat.

Thanks for the videos and info,
Tony