The Kiritimati Experience

[ONTHECHEW]

One more cast, the ocean is boiling, the ocean currents are pushing against a head land, nervous water every where with bait fish getting pushed to the surface. Hundreds of sea birds diving fighting for their chance at the action, the surface erupts firstly a single golden barrel breaching the waters surface, then all chaos breaks loose, explosions of colour as the golden flanks of 20-40kg Yellow Fin Tuna effortlessly break the surface and explode in to the air. Two weeks of casting, but in a flash only one thing matters, one more cast.

This is what keeps me returning the the wonderful experience of fishing the Kiritimati (Christmas Island), I have been fortunate enough to have experienced this island on three separate occasions now, yet it continues to surprise and amaze.

Kiritimati Atoll, also called Christmas Atoll, a coral island in the Northern Line Islands, part of Kiribati, in the west-central Pacific Ocean. It is the largest island of purely coral formation in the world, having a circumference of about 160 km. Kiritimati was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1975. Population approximately 8000. The most important detail I have left out is that it is a great fishing location.

This trip consisted of nine guys over a two week period, with four of them being Kiritimati virgins. Not everyone knew each other before the trip, but with a eight hour layover in fiji on the way over, this changed pretty quickly. With our bags booked through to joining flight, we are not allowed to leave the airport, and if anyone has every been to the Nadi airport there is only one place to spend it...

After spending eight hours in Fiji, spending far more then we all should have on refreshments, then a four hour flight to the promised land we where finally there. The airport is very basic, with one shed for inbound and one shed for outbound, yet this still confused some :whistle:

Pete, one of the virgins, may have been a little dusty after our Fiji excursion, some how managed to go missing when we got off the plane. In a normal airport this may be possible but this place only has two sheds. After about 30 minutes of doing our best impersonations of "waiting for a mate", we sent some one of the officials into the other shed to ask if there was any Pete there, no, maybe he got on another truck? Did he get on the plane? One more check of the other shed, there he was unconscious in the back corner. At least we had something over him for the rest of the week.

Finally our gear was loaded and we where on our way.

Pictures don't do it justice, a view that awaits us on arrival to Ikari House our fishing lodge positioned right on the waters edge of the lagoon.

A four hour time difference, eight hours spent at a bar and two flights did not put a dampener the urgency everyone had on unpacking their gear and rigging up for our first day of fishing. Only the lucky draw of if all your rods arrived in one piece could put a negative twist on the day. Only Pete drew the short straw, but this did not stop him or anyone else for setting up their gear and heading off for our first day of what was hoping to be epic.

Due to great positioning the lodge is only a few minutes walk from the cove the boats are moored. Three boats are available for use, two fibre glass boats, and an original wooden out rigger.

I will add to this report in the next couple of days with the different fishing experiences that we had across the island, Flats fishing, Lagoon shallow water fishing, Plastics fishing, Jigging, Ocean side land based fishing and Offshore Popping.

There is also heaps of go pro footage to go through, so will put that up once edited.

Will just put up a few odd pictures from around the island.

Andrew

[Damien2Rad]

Definitely on my Christmas wish list...

[Do$tylz]

There's not even a picture of a fish yet and i'm already impressed. Nice photography and good commentary to go with it. Cant wait for the next installment.

[Angus]

Awesome man also very much looking forward to it!

Angus

[ONTHECHEW]

FISHING THE FLATS

This style of fishing is what the Island of Kiritimati is world renown for, the main target of the flats is the elusive bone fish. These are one of the premier targets for fly fishermen, but for most of us on the trip was great fun on our light plastics combos.

The flats area of the island would be easily the size of Moreton Bay, made up of a intricate maze of sand banks and coral bommies(as seen in first picture of report), which some how the guides pass through with ease and no aid of modern devices such as gps.

This area ranges from casting into deeper channels for GTs, shallower coral cover banks targeting the frustrating elusive trigger fish, through to the shallow to almost exposed banks for the bonefish. With stronger then normal winds for this trip, made this style of fishing very difficult.

When the sun is out visibility is amazing but still takes a trained eye to see one of the amazing fish. The water is so clear and the the sand so white, the reflection of the water is so bright, this makes it very difficult to see the bonies. This is where the guides give you the winning edge, some times you feel like a fool when they are spoting fish literally metres away.

Once actually connected to one of these fish it is clear what all the fuss is about, they look like a big whiting but have the motor of a tuna. It is not uncommon to hook a fish metres from you, then all of a sudden you have lost 70m of line with rooster tail closely behind as the fish cuts through as little as a foot of water. Plastics combos in the 2-4kg range where perfect for this, using 10lb leader and 1/16th jig heads. Most important trick is once hooked keeping your rod tip high, to minimise the chance of getting rubbed off on any one of hundreds of pieces of sharp coral that the fish will speed past in its bid for freedom.

[Angus]

Hahaha glad Duncan had fun with that Areal Pro sample! That would have been crazy on a boney! Cannot wait to read this in installments!

[nabs]

The pics of those flats are amazing! Wow!

[ONTHECHEW]

FISHING THE LAGOON

This was a new style of fishing we had not done much of in previous trips and was a real highlight. With the wind blowing this form of fishing was still a viable option, but was in no way relaxing option, it was far from it.

Fishing the lagoon was drifting in waters only a couple of metres deep and sandy bottom, but where all the action happened was casting on top of the coral reefs. These reefs where only about 1 metre deep and made up of all sorts of sharp objects that where not very leader friendly. To worsen the odds even more for the angler, the hot spots on each reef was clumps of coral that came up from the reef another foot or so and this is where the ambush would occur.

The most effective way of fishing this area was punching out a cast, over the top of one of these coral clumps, twitching your lure back over the top and hope for the best. Every cast you are thinking how much do I really want this lure and what lure and I am going to tie on next. It is crazy that the odds are stacked so highly against the angler, considering the preferred combos where a heavy plastics rod, with 60lb leader and a 100-150mm stick baits.

Variety of species consisted of a couple of different types of sweetlip, GT's, Bluefin trevally, trigger fish and amazingly annoying trout. Even using such heavy gear in such shallow water a 30cm model of one of these trout will do you in a second and have you back in their hole, the only way of getting your lure back in the boat was drifting over their hole with a open bail arm and wait for the little suckers to think they are free then rip them out of their trap.

Even with the variety of fish swimming around the true trophy fish was the sweetlip, these fish are amazing sporting fish in such tight structure. The power of their oversized tail gave the angler very limited odds of success, with locked drag and only seconds to turn their head was your only option. These fish accounted for numerous lost lures each day per angler. Duncan who would probably benefit most from this excursion :whistle: some how fluked one of these brutes on his 2-4kg combo.

If only I can find something similar to this in our own bay, very addictive even with the high tackle loss.

[Hfisho77]

Amazing location! Those shallow reefs look insane. Is the rest of this report ever coming?

[Jewy]

It will come. Theres a few thousand photos to go through plus writing the report. Andrew writes the best reports. Looking foward to the next installments

[Manni79]

Some great photos Andrew, looking forward to seeing the rest

[ONTHECHEW]

Amazing location! Those shallow reefs look insane. Is the rest of this report ever coming?

Sorry mate,

For those of us that are old enough to work , my first week back from holidays I have done 70 hours at work, sleep has been high on my priority list.

Will get to it ASAP

Andrew

[ONTHECHEW]

LAND BASED OCEAN SIDE

This style of fishing was one that I had enjoyed most on previous trips, but with the stronger winds then normal heading straight into the ocean side that was prime for this style of action. We where limited to only a couple of days, so wish we could have done more.

Two types of fishing can be done at this location but are both tide dependent. At high tide the water comes up to knee height over a shallow reef that runs out about 50m, past this the reefs drop off to some gnarly country and the swell breaks on this reef edge making it not fishable at high tide.

With morning high tides first target was the mighty bone fish, with bye catch of sweetlip, trevally and trigger fish. Fishing these waters are very difficult but the prize is worth it, trying to spot the feeding bonefish amongst the multi coloured coral and white water makes it a challenge. Passing cloud cover is your worst enemy making it very difficult to see any fish at all.

When you see a green backed torpedo heading towards your casting range and having to allow for 20knots of wind, whilst casting a 1/12th jig head, the pressure is on but once there is a hook up this pressure is not released. These speedsters of the shallows have the speed to burn weaving and dodging any obstacles, only chance of landing these fish is by rod as high as you can, light drag and hold on. For such light gear its such a rush, photos don't do them justice of their size and width across the shoulders, little green torpedoes would be the best way to describe them.

Even with the wind doing its worst to make it difficult we all had a great morning, after lunch with the tide now falling the decision was made to chase the big boys on the reef edge. This was something I really wanted the boys to have a go at as no one else had done it before. Hooking up to a dirty fighting fish in a boat is one thing but doing it land based is a totally different story. Brutal for the angler, hilarious for anyone watching.

Seeing the boys hooked up to these fish for the first time is something I wont forget quickly, no matter how much finesse or styles the boys thought they had all went out the window once hooked up. Gt's especially don't have the option of swimming down, so there only way out is away from you or along the reef edge. As it is your footing is not very stable with very uneven ground, with this you are running heavy drag to try and get the fish up and over the reef edge as quickly as possible.

To add to the comedy of errors when watching these battles, mid fight it is not uncommon to be standing in white water with no visibility of what you are standing on, one minute you could be standing in knee deep water and with one step in the wrong place you could be up to your neck in water. Once again hilarious for the bystanders but chaotic for the angler.

All the boys landed some good fish considering our limited time at it, but some battles will never be beaten for style and finesse....

[sweresy]

love the colour variations in those reef GT's.... great pics and heaven on earth location... jealous

[Angus]

Amazing mate.

Love those Blue Fin trevs...

[billp]

All up, what does a trip like this cost if you don't mind me asking?

I would love to do either this trip, or a week long trip out to the outer edge of the Barrier Reef.

[crazywalrus]

wow Andrew - What an Epic trip and I reckon there may be some more to come

[ONTHECHEW]

All up, what does a trip like this cost if you don't mind me asking?

I would love to do either this trip, or a week long trip out to the outer edge of the Barrier Reef.

It works out pretty cheap compared to most aussie destinations considering the distance you fly. It costs about $2300 for one week (9 days, 7 days fishing) plus flights which is about $1100 depend on going rate. This is the first time I have gone for two weeks (16 days, 14days fishing) cost about $5300 including flights. Compared to other ventures works out pretty good value for money.

Andrew

[ONTHECHEW]

PLAN B: OFFSHORE PLASTICS

With at least a steady 20 knot wind every day this was one style of fishing that always produced. Not ideal conditions for plasticing but with a heavier jig head keeping tension on the line was not to much of an issue. Fishing in less then 20m of water offshore was suicide, everything over there has sharp teeth and all have the ambition of burying you quicker then you can shut your bail arm.

Usually fishing offshore plastics 20-30lb is sufficient leader even for landing GT's locally, but in such gnarly ground with so many very determined bottom dwellers 50 or 60lb was a leveller in evening up your chances of landing these brutes. So many varieties of fish where landed on plastics even with a few surprises.

Plastics fishing really went off when we could stop seeing the bottom, which we think was about 30 metres. It was awesome the variety you could catch, never knowing what you have hooked.

Job fish, GT's up to 30kg, Red bass, Bluefin Trevally, Coronation Trout, Papuan Trevally, Yellow Fin Tuna, assorted other cods, trout and other reefies.

Kurt pulled up the biggest Rainbow Runner I have seen.

Highlight of the trip, especially for plastics was Kurt landed a great sail fish on his plastics combo, landed on 30lb leader. This was a target fish that Kurt and I wanted to land on stick baits, but this is just as good and a great effort on light gear.

[benno573]

that's an awesome effort on plastics gear... :woohoo:

love the colours on the trout...

[lanks]

Awesome photos and report , really appreciate the time put in to this and one of the best mid air sail fish pics ive seen.

[Bri The Pom]

Great report and great photo's well done. Oh and great fish.

[Do$tylz]

far out. Looks like a fishing dream that you've just lived out.

I love the range of gear used throughout the trip. Ultralight rods up to the heavy GT popping gear. Just my kind of fishing trip although I would have struggled to pack gear to cover all of those bases sufficiently.

How did you guys get past that?

[Jords]

That Rainbow Runner would have been gun on the chew!

Awesome trip mate, words can't express my jealousy!

[ONTHECHEW]

far out. Looks like a fishing dream that you've just lived out.

I love the range of gear used throughout the trip. Ultralight rods up to the heavy GT popping gear. Just my kind of fishing trip although I would have struggled to pack gear to cover all of those bases sufficiently.

How did you guys get past that?

We struggle Henry, we pretty much all blow the excess baggage limits. Better safe then sorry is pretty much the theory I work on. There are no means of buying tackle over there if you run out, so the more you have the better. Some gear is worth its weight in gold by the end of the trip, but everyone pretty much shares it around if anyone is short.

Andrew

[benno573]

just wondering if there were any further installments of this trip to look forward to? I need something to do at work... :blush:

[ONTHECHEW]

Tracking an invisible line unaided by any electrical devices, the driver heads us in the direction of the jigging grounds. Skimming from point to point not waisting any time in the bays, heading straight to spot x. Anticipation is high, after the day before getting out gunned by some beasts of the depths, 4 anglers ready to try and even the score. Saltigas, Stellas, Catalinas, weapons of choice, now loaded with even heavier leader to even the odds.

Finally it was time, gimble at the ready, gloves on, time to unleash the game leveller 170lb leader, watching the jig flutter into the depths. Counting down the line colours 100m, line goes slack, bail arm over, jig, jig, jig. Weight on the end of the line, not huge but close to the bottom. Set the hook and start lifting the unknown advisory to the surface, taking it easy, confident, then all of a sudden the beast awakes. Bent over the gunnel trying to keep your footing, no chance of lifting or turning its head on its blistering run, a battle that was thought to be won is now having the odds stacked highly to the advisory. Every metre of line that is lost, every blistering run, closer and closer to the inevitable, BANG, GAME OVER. With a few expletives to follow, then the questioning begins, how, why, what was that. DOGTOOTH TUNA, over a few days more where lost then landed.

I feel very fortunate to again be on a trip that dogtooth tuna have been caught, the reason for this is as per my report from last year, dogtooth had never been caught before on the island, and hadn't since my last trip. Hopefully I am a lucky charm, many have tried but so far we are the only ones to succeed. In saying that I have landed a Dogtooth before but not at Kirritibati island, happy to see others land them but would love to land one my self over there.

Jigging was a bit quieter then the previous trip, which it was a fish a drop, but this was made up with quality. This trip we concentrated on jigging deeper waters then last trip so this may have made the difference, mainly jigging between 80-120m. Once again a great variety of fish, not knowing what you have hooked each drop, and also waiting for that small hit it to "wake up" made this style of fishing all about anticipation.

[ellicat]

Another great day !

What on Earth is that bucket-mouthed fish in the 2nd pic ?

[Manni79]

Awesome stuff!! I wanna go on this trip after all these reports

[Jewy]

Thanks Andrew for a cracker report. Every time I read it it brings back some awesome memories. Definately heading back there.

[Hfisho77]

Another great day !

What on Earth is that bucket-mouthed fish in the 2nd pic ?

Pretty sure it's a rosy jobfish.

Thanks for the new installments, how cool are dogtooth!