31 May 2007

Tricks Of The Trade - Belly Flap Teaser

It’s another beautiful day out fishing for Pacific sailfish along the Great Astrolabe barrier reef. You were off at dawn and now your two pink squid daisy chain teasers are skipping along in the wake, your party of anglers waiting patiently around the cockpit with their pitch baits ready for the first sailfish attack.

Suddenly a bill pokes out of the sea, right behind the left hand daisy chain and a sailfish has a couple of half hearted swipes at the teaser tail. Deckie Joe swings into action and starts to work the teaser back to the boat as the first angler pitches a bait and skips it back to the billfish…….But something is wrong…….The sail doesn’t light up and charge after the teaser. It takes one last swipe with its bill and slides away, disappearing off to the left.

It’s the New Moon and the sails are doing what they always do here around the New Moon…..Being finicky !

Here is a simple trick that we sometimes use to get them fired up and in the mood to eat:

Teaser Tail Belly Flap

Bring in the teasers and set a spread of small bullets, feathers and bibbed minnows. Head for the nearest skipjack or Yellowfin tuna.

Once you have one, cut a couple of belly flaps in a stretched diamond or ‘kite’ shape.

Take a bait needle and some waxed thread or cotton and stitch the flap in a criss-cross pattern from one end to the other. This is to hold the flap together in one piece and to stop it from tearing apart too easily.

Take the last squid or lure on your daisy chain and tie the thicker end of the belly flap to the end of your teaser line with a bit of waxed thread. Slide the lure down over the belly flap so that the belly flap is contained within the skirt. Its ok if a little bit of the thin end of the belly flap protrudes from the end of the skirt. We usually use a strip of tuna belly but Queenfish or Dolphinfish also work well. All these species have fairly tough skin that will hold up well to being trolled. Other baitfish also work but tend to break up after a short while.

When the next sailfish mouths the end of the daisy chain and gets a taste, they will almost always light up, charge the teaser and eat anything pitched back at them.

Works like a charm here in Fiji.

We had a really great time!!!

Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 11:09 PM
Subject: Hello from Shaz and Graz

BULA from Oz !!!
Hi Guys!
Shaz wrote a little note thanking all the staff and I really wanted to send in an email as well.
We had a really great time!!!
Diving: was always enjoyable and the highlight for me had to be Manta reef!! But Cabbage Patch was pretty good too. Joe and I bonded on a different level. Most of the time we were ribbing /stirring each other which made for lots of laughs. I still can't figure out why nobody would sing along with me in the dive shop.....(perhaps Johnny Cash's biggest hit - "burning ring of fire" just didn't make it to Fiji) Morning tea's between dives were a special time when we got to exchange stories...... or just bomb dive Joe when he wasn't looking. Tay had the unenviable task of trying to snatch a snack from the lunch box whenever Joe was distracted by the conversation.

A big thankyou to Adrian for giving me such a good rate on my dives!! Cheers mate! I'll send a couple of a manta pics when I finish editing them. Don't worry I won't send a big file.

Food: Portions were consistently LARGE, variety was good and the kitchen did their very best to accomodate special requests

Service: Attentive with a sense of humour - Maggie always had a humourous quip to help describe the meal/dish.

Accomodation: Our bure had by far the best view!!! I had to take a pic of our view EVERY morning. The climb up the path was worth every step!

Laundry: Rosie did a great job washing/drying clothes in conditions that were not always "sunny".
A highlight for Sharon was meeting such a diverse mix of people from such different backgrounds. All with their own story/outlook on life.

Christina,Larse and Tristan & Veetis may were our favourites. But Neil, the computer geek that spoke like Clint Eastwood. A self confessed Air-Pig, really surprised other divers by almost doubling his air consumption! Stefan and Sandra were an adventerous young couple so far from home.

Tim and Wendy were lots of fun to dive with especially as they were serious about underwater photography. Phil the IT dude whom did not arise until 11am also was good company at the dinner table.
Sunny or rainy, hot or cool the place was really special! By the end of our stay we were both quite sad to be leaving. We both agree that it's the people that can make a place even more special and testimony to that fact was the fact that we both left with heavy hearts having made lots of friends while we were at Matava Resort.
Please say BULA to everyone for us !!!

...and tell Joe I said he's a shockin' boat driver too... (just kiddin)
Cheers!
Vinaka!
Graham and Sharon.
sbobberm@bigpond.net.au
gcrossma@bigpond.net.au

We had a really great time!!!

Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 11:09 PM
Subject: Hello from Shaz and Graz

BULA from Oz !!!
Hi Guys!
Shaz wrote a little note thanking all the staff and I really wanted to send in an email as well.
We had a really great time!!!
Diving: was always enjoyable and the highlight for me had to be Manta reef!! But Cabbage Patch was pretty good too. Joe and I bonded on a different level. Most of the time we were ribbing /stirring each other which made for lots of laughs. I still can't figure out why nobody would sing along with me in the dive shop.....(perhaps Johnny Cash's biggest hit - "burning ring of fire" just didn't make it to Fiji) Morning tea's between dives were a special time when we got to exchange stories...... or just bomb dive Joe when he wasn't looking. Tay had the unenviable task of trying to snatch a snack from the lunch box whenever Joe was distracted by the conversation.

A big thankyou to Adrian for giving me such a good rate on my dives!! Cheers mate! I'll send a couple of a manta pics when I finish editing them. Don't worry I won't send a big file.

Food: Portions were consistently LARGE, variety was good and the kitchen did their very best to accomodate special requests

Service: Attentive with a sense of humour - Maggie always had a humourous quip to help describe the meal/dish.

Accomodation: Our bure had by far the best view!!! I had to take a pic of our view EVERY morning. The climb up the path was worth every step!

Laundry: Rosie did a great job washing/drying clothes in conditions that were not always "sunny".
A highlight for Sharon was meeting such a diverse mix of people from such different backgrounds. All with their own story/outlook on life.

Christina,Larse and Tristan & Veetis may were our favourites. But Neil, the computer geek that spoke like Clint Eastwood. A self confessed Air-Pig, really surprised other divers by almost doubling his air consumption! Stefan and Sandra were an adventerous young couple so far from home.

Tim and Wendy were lots of fun to dive with especially as they were serious about underwater photography. Phil the IT dude whom did not arise until 11am also was good company at the dinner table.
Sunny or rainy, hot or cool the place was really special! By the end of our stay we were both quite sad to be leaving. We both agree that it's the people that can make a place even more special and testimony to that fact was the fact that we both left with heavy hearts having made lots of friends while we were at Matava Resort.
Please say BULA to everyone for us !!!

...and tell Joe I said he's a shockin' boat driver too... (just kiddin)
Cheers!
Vinaka!
Graham and Sharon.
sbobberm@bigpond.net.au
gcrossma@bigpond.net.au

25 May 2007

Mexico’s New Shark and Ray Fishing Regulations Threaten Billfish & Other Ocean Resources

Despite strong opposition from The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and scores of partners in Mexico, Mexican officials approved Regulation NOM -029 (Shark Norma). This regulation, promoted as a way to stop the over-exploitation of sharks and rays, was rejected by Mexico’s last two Presidents, but strongly supported by commercial fishing interests in Ensenada, Sinaloa, Sonora, Mexican Fisheries (CONAPESCA) and some Mexican and United States Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

The people of Baja California Sur, TBF and other NGOs believe that NOM-029 is a deeply flawed regulation, which will have devastating overfishing consequences for billfish, sharks and rays even though a finning prohibition is included for sharks and rays. Healthy and abundant ocean resources are very important to the eco-tourism based economy in the Cabo and adjacent region, thus heightening the conservation ethic among many individuals and businesses working with TBF. At the same time commercial longline fishing interests have long lobbied for the regulations liberalized permitting requirements, opening the flood gates to thousands of vessels. Hidden potential threats to further reduce marine resources in and around Baja California Sur are throughout the approved regulation.

TBF, along with other groups, will fight to rescind these bad rules. TBF President Ellen Peel stated: “ We are working with our friends in Mexico to look for legal ammunition against the Norma-29, we are looking towards federal legislation to overrule this threat to ocean resources and we are continuing to network with conservation-minded Mexican friends ands supporters to overturn this foolish set of regulations.” Good conservation pays, irresponsible management is short sighted and causes everyone to lose.

If you fish in waters off Cabo and the Sea of Cortez or you support responsible management in those waters, let your voice be heard. Send your comments to


Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, Presidente de Mexico, felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx

Cesar Nava, Secretario Particular, cesar.nava.vazquez@presidencia.gob.mx

Alberto Cardenas, Secretario Sagarpa, alberto.cardenas@sagarpa.gob.mx

Ramon Corral, Comisionado Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca, rcorrala@conapesca.sagarpa.gob.mx

Saniago Creel Miranda, Coordinador del GPPAN, santiago.creel@pan.senado.gob.mx

Manlio Fabio Vbeltrones, Coordinador del PRI, beltrones@senado.gob.mx

Arturo Escobar, Senador PVEM, aescobar@senado.gob.mx

Luis Coppola Joffroy, Senador PAN, luis.coppola@pan.senado.gob.mx

Jorge Alfonso Ituurbide Gurerra, Tecnico Secretaria Partiular Presidencia, aiturbide@presidencia.gob.mx

Click here for the full story and contact information.

Join TBF or renew your membership today! Please visit our website at www.billfish.org.

21 May 2007

Big-Game Fishing Headquarters: A History of the IGFA

This stirring historical account chronicles the evolution of big-game fishing and the legendary International Game Fish Association (IGFA), which was founded in 1939 and continues to be the leading authority on sport fishing, as well as the future of the sport. Hundreds of previously unpublished photos illustrate the hotspots visited by early big-game anglers and the types of tackle they used while a basic history of angling is provided for the recreational angler. Biographies of key IGFA personnel—such as Bill Carpenter and Elwood Harry—and their contributions to the group are examined as is the organization’s role during World War II. No other fishing association has been as influential in the sector of the sporting world as the IGFA and their rules and records continue to set the standard around the world.

About the Author

Mike Rivkin is a veteran offshore angler and a member of Catalina Island's venerable Tuna Club. He lives in La Jolla, California.




16 May 2007

Matava Fishing Report – April 2007



For the waters around Kadavu Island- Fiji Islands

Charter Operator – Matava Resort Gamefishing

Boat Names – Bite Me (Offshore) and Offensive Tackle (Inshore)

Average Water Temp – 29.0

Average Sea State – Calm / mild chop

Average Winds – 5-10kts

Water Clarity – Variable inshore, good offshore


Offshore

The blue marlin fishing has gone quiet as the surface water temp finally spiked up to 29 degrees during a long calm sunny spell. Quite normal for March / April though I am happy to say that the water is already cooling and is now back down to 28 degrees and falling. Sometimes the water temp in April can go as high as 31 degrees which means a late start to the winter wahoo and sailfish season but this year, like last, the South Pacific is experiencing a La Nina event and the first wahoo and sailfish have started to show.

Though not here in big numbers yet, it’s a good sign for the approaching season.

The Yellowfin are still around with lots of fish around 30lbs close in to the barrier reef. They are being a bit sneaky and coming right into the lagoons feeding on the inside lagoon slopes. Tricky to find them as they are not balling bait on the surface but very rewarding when you do hook up on inshore light tackle.


Inshore

The Narrow Barred (Spanish) Mackerel are getting more active because of the cooling water with the average size now increasing to about 30lbs. If you find a patch of schooling juveniles there is normally a big guy or two lurking nearby.

On the deepwater jigging and bait fishing side, still lots of action there. This type of fishing is good all year round and unaffected by seasons.

There are quite a few large Great Barracuda around at the moment, particularly in the inner lagoons.

The popper casting for Trevally has been average but will heat up big time in June/July. Divers recently reported seeing a school of huge Bluefin Trevally near one of our dive sites. They were cruising the shallows on top of the reef and were reported to average about 20lbs. That makes them all potential World Records.

Summary:

Water – Spiked up to 29 degrees but is now 28 degrees and falling.

Pacific Blue Marlin – Gone quiet as they feed deeper in cooler water and roam farther South

Sailfish – First few starting to congregate along the barrier reef

Wahoo - First few now congregating on barrier reef points

Yellowfin Tuna - Here in good numbers but often not surface feeding.

Mackerel – Plenty of small ones inshore, the bigger guys just starting to bite.

Mahi Mahi – Yes, lots to 20lbs about 3 miles offshore.

15 May 2007

Sailfish – Treat’em Right and they will live to fight another day



The Billfish Foundation (TBF) has done a lot to promote billfish conservation and has been instrumental in shifting past catch-and-kill practises to Tag & Release in most parts of the world. We fully support TBF and Tag & release all billfish from our game boats, the only exceptions being a fish that is clearly a National or World record.

TBF have noticed an increasing tendency nowadays for some anglers to lift a billfish (particularly sailfish) out of the water to photograph the angler with his catch.

If you choose to Tag & Release, there are four very good reasons not to lift your billfish out of the water:

1. To state the obvious – Fish can’t breathe out of the water and a billfish brought to the transom will almost certainly be, at the very least, ‘out of breath’. If you lift the fish out of the water, you are starving the fish of oxygen just when it needs it most. Imagine running up a flight of stairs and then trying to hold your breath when you get to the top.

2. Fish have a protective coat of slime on their bodies that helps them fight infection and parasites. In hauling out a large fish and handling (even with gloves), you will inevitably damage or remove some of this coating.

3. The billfish’s skeleton is designed to support the fish in water – not in air. If you haul a sailfish over the transom and try to hold it up, you are probably causing internal damage which may later kill the fish.

4. A thrashing billfish in the cockpit? Are you nuts? It’s just going to injure itself and maybe you too! If the fish is so exhausted that it can’t kick, lifting it out of the water and starving it of oxygen is likely to be the last straw.

We have, in the past removed a couple of sailfish from the water for photographs. We don’t do it any more. Nowadays, we photograph all billfish in the water after the fish has been tagged and the hook removed. Photos are a wonderful reminder of past memories for our guests and even more so to see their catch gently swimming behind the boat before release. We recommend you consider following the advice of The Billfish Foundation not to remove your catch from the water.

The whole point of Tag & Release is to gather scientific information for future conservation purposes and to release the fish unharmed. If you haul a billfish out of the water, you are damaging and possibly killing the very thing you are trying to conserve and protect.

Not much sense in that is there?

14 May 2007

Lure Test - YahooWahoo

About a year ago, Matava Resort Gamefishing was asked by Palm Fishing & Outdoors Australia to test and comment on a whole range of new skirted lures and bibbed minnows manufactured by Lurestreet in China. Palm Fishing was interested in stocking the best lures from the range and needed some field testing.

This of course gave my deckie Joeli and I the perfect excuse to jump in the inshore fishing boat on a quiet day with a fist full of new lures to have some fun….Sort of busman’s holiday you might say.

Over several months, we tried out everything from GT poppers to blue water skirted lures and a few of the lures impressed us sufficiently that they are now firmly part of our Gamefishing vessels available onboard lure rolls.

YahooWahoo

This blue water skirted lure was first run at the onset of our winter wahoo season when large packs of wahoo gather along the Great Astrolabe barrier reef. The lure is a sliced face heavy resin head with pearl inserts and a fairly large leader hole. It came to us from the factory with what looked like a rather mediocre quality 7 inch skirt but these are now being upgraded buy the manufacturer. Actually, it’s a marketing / cosmetic thing. Its common knowledge that half of all lures in tackle shops are designed to catch anglers not fish! We found the original test skirts worked rather well on the wahoo and we run these lures as they come until it needs replacing.

The test lures had brass tube inserts for the leader which can chafe mono however the manufacturer is changing this to a softer plastic lining.

The weight of the head makes this a higher speed lure and one that copes well with rough weather. At low speeds (4-6kts) it sits quietly and you are wasting your time for anything but tuna. Rig it on wire however and up the speed past 6kts and this lure comes alive in a big way. The narrow diameter wire through the large bore leader hole allows the head to shake violently causing the lure to duck, dive and headshake a huge erratic bubble trail. It’s a total wahoo magnet and during the wahoo season, we don’t leave home without it.

Position: Long Rigger

Rigging: Two hook 8/0 60 degree Semi-stiff rig.

Leader: At least 4 feet of 124lb Stainless Steel 49 strand wire

Best Colour: Green over Red as supplied or Lumo green

Tips:

Make sure your leader is significantly smaller than the lure leader tube bore. If you suspend the lure by holding the leader, the head should be able to wobble about. Consider using a short piece of plastic tubing to protect the head where the leader exits the front end. The action can be so violent that the head will eventually chip with no protection.

Run this lure as far back as you can and watch the wahoo come porpoising in from 50 yards away.

Maker – Lurestreet

Distributor – Palm Fishing Australia www.palmfishing.com.au

11 May 2007

Adrian on saltfishing.about.com

Things to Know Before You Go Charter Fishing

Things to Know Before You Go Charter Fishing
From Ron Brooks,
Your Guide to Saltwater Fishing.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Captain Adrian Watt in Fiji Gives us Some Tips on Planning a Charter Fishing Trip

Captain Adrian Watt was born on the island of Cyprus and graduated to his first rod & reel at the age of five. Having fished around the world from the Arabian Gulf to the North Sea and English Channel, he finally settled for the tropical waters of the South Pacific around the island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Director of Matava Resort Gamefishing, he skippers 'Bite Me', the resort's 31ft DeepVee Gamefishing vessel and thoroughly enjoys exploring the light and heavy tackle fishing around the island and Great Astrolabe Barrier Reef. An IGFA Certified Captain, he advocates tag & release and is a keen supporter of the IGFA and the Billfish Foundation.

Here are his tips for his boat - but they apply to literally every charter boat you may hire."

Info on Gamefishing on Squidoo

Info on Gamefishing on Squidoo

"Information on the great sport of game fishing. Including salt water fishing, fly fishing, game fishing, sport fishing and popping.

This is one place to find a good selection of info on all fishing incluiding salt water fishing, fly fishing, game fishing, sport fishing and popping."

http://www.squidoo.com/gamefishing/

Angling for Adventure? Set Your Hooks into a Game Fishing Vacation | Frommers.com

Angling for Adventure? Set Your Hooks into a Game Fishing Vacation | Frommers.com:

"Angling for Adventure? Set Your Hooks into a Game Fishing Vacation
By Charis Atlas Heelan
October 18, 2005"

The Matava Resort (tel. 679-333 -6222; www.matava.com) on the Coral Coast of Fiji operates a 17-foot British built Warrior fishing boat for exclusive charter to guests of the resort. The Great Astrolabe reef and nearby continental shelf drop off offer superb reef and blue water game fishing. Anglers can expect to catch wahoo, walu, barracuda, trevally, mahi mahi, dogtooth and yellowfin tuna as well as marlin (black, blue and striped) and sailfish. The resort operates a policy of "Catch and Release" on all billfish and other game fish not destined for the dinner plate. Packed lunches and drinks are supplied for longer trips. Prices start at $30 per person per hour (for a maximum of three people) for light tackle fishing, and $60 for big game fishing (with a maximum of two people). Prices are for the charter of the boat and fuel is charged at cost. Overnight charters are also available or additional charge. Accommodation starts as low as $35 per room per night staying is a waterfront traditional bure.

Adrian's Ezine Articles

Adrian's Ezine Articles:


10 May 2007

NMFS Re-Opens Comment Period on Exempted Fishing Permits

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has re-opened the comment period on a request for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) in the East Florida Coast and Charleston Bump closed zones. The extended comment period closed on April 25, 2007, but has been re-opened until 5 p.m. on June 20, 2007.

If approved, this exemption would allow 13 longline vessels to fish an area now closed to longlining in federal waters 40 miles north of Fort Pierce (~ 280 N. Latitude) and east of the axis of the Gulf Stream, continuing northward and east to the 100 fathom contour and the northern boundary of the Charleston Bump closed area.

TBF opposes the issuance of such an EFP as the intent of the permit is not scientific or experimental but is solely to allow longlines to fish in the closed area. The area closures to this gear were implemented to reduce the bycatch and mortality of juvenile swordfish, white and blue marlin and sailfish and they have succeeded at that goal. The NMFS recently allowed multi-hook buoy gear into these areas and there has yet to be an evaluation of the impacts and extent of commercial catch this gear will afford the industry. The closures have achieved the bycatch reduction goals and have created a dynamic and economically strong recreational swordfish fishery in an area previously devastated by commercial overfishing.

Click here to read the comments submitted by The Billfish Foundation.

You may submit comments to:

Email: SF1.030107C@NOAA.gov. Include the following in the subject line: “I.D. 030107C”

Mail: Please mark the outside of the envelope: “Comments on an EFP Application”

Michael Clark

Highly Migratory Species Division [F/SF1]

NMFS

1315 East-West Highway

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Fax: 301-713-1917

Join TBF or renew your membership today! Don't forget you can shop online for your tagging equipment and TBF apparel! Please visit our website at www.billfish.org.

Anglers/teams preparing for IGFA Offshore World Championship


Anglers on teams from more than 30 countries on six continents are preparing for the most prestigious bluewater catch-and-release fishing tournament in the world, the eighth annual IGFA Offshore World Championship, May 20 – 25.

A record 68 teams, the single largest contingent of international teams ever to compete in a fishing competition will converge on-the-water for four days off the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja peninsula at Cabo San Lucas one of the world’s most prolific billfish regions. The teams qualified by winning one of 132 IGFA sanctioned tournaments held in 40 countries worldwide during 2006.

“The skill levels of the anglers and teams who are competing as well as the diversity of countries increases each year,” said IGFA OWC Tournament Director Mike Myatt.

There will be 48 teams representing tournaments in the countries and territories of Angola (4), Australia (3), the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda (2), Brazil (2), Canada (2), Costa Rica (2), Ecuador, England, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy (4), Jamaica, Kenya (2), Kingdom of Tonga, Mexico (5), New Zealand, Panama, Portugal, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Senegal, Spain (3), Sultanate of Oman, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Vanuatu and Venezuela.

Many of the teams will be represented by anglers from a number of additional countries such as Holland, Singapore, the Canary Islands and Ireland.

From the United States 17 are registered.

Three past Rolex/IGFA championship teams are also registered including defending back-to-back 2005 and 2006 winners Tom Schramm of Roselle, Ill., fellow Chicago-land teammate Scott Segal, Libertyville, Ill., and RayRosher, Miami, Florida.

Each day the teams will fish on a different boat, all guided by local Cabo captains, for marlin, sailfish and other billfish species. The top team will win engraved watches along with trophies and merchandise. Awards are presented through to the third place finishing team.

Partners and sponsors for the IGFA Offshore World Championship are Secretaria de Turismo de Baja California Sur, Costa Del Mar, Hotel Finisterra, Momoi, Guy Harvey, Inc., Mold Craft Products, Picante Sport Fishing and Yacht Sales, Cabo Yachts, Outdoor Channel, K D & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Shimano, Hook & Tackle, Murray Products, AFTCO Bluewater, Bodo Muche, IWS Scales, King Sailfish Mounts, Stidd Systems, Corona and Modelo S.A. de C.V. Mexico, Trans Cabo Group, API Dock, Daiichi, Minerva’s Baja Tackle, Pisces Fleet Sportfishing and UltraJewels.

Updated information and a listing of the registered teams can be found on the IGFA web site at www.igfa.org under the fishing tab on the home page by clicking on “tournaments.”

Questions regarding sign-up of qualifying tournaments for the 2008 IGFA OWC should be directed to Ms. Lesley Arico at 954-924-4222 or via e-mail at LArico@igfa.org.

8 May 2007

Salt Water Fishing Tactics: Learn from the Experts at Salt Water Magazine

f you have been out on a charter fishing trip or just watched fisherman on the pier and have asked yourself, "What in the heck are they doing?" this book is for you. This book answers the most basic questions on saltwater fishing tactics. After reading this book and understanding its content, you will cover about 80% of what you need to know. The other 20% is just plain experience.

This is a GREAT book for your kids who just discovered that fishing bug. Not a bad Father's Day gift for the greenhorn either.



6 May 2007

Tips On….Wahoo and Narrow Barred (Spanish) Mackerel– Saltwater Trolling baits and bait/lure combinations


Deckie Joe displays a wahoo’s unusual ability to hinge both its upper and lower jaws

For us here on Kadavu Island, May to October is wahoo & sailfish season. Packs of wahoo congregate along the Great Astrolabe Barrier Reef and year round, we find Spanish mackerel. The average size of wahoo here is about 50lbs with a really good fish weighing in at 90 to 100lbs. The mackerel are common to20lbs but can reach 70lbs.

The trick here is to first find the wahoo packs by trolling a spread of lures. The wahoo packs are usually on one side of a reef point or the other, depending on the current direction. Normally the up-current side on the drop-off where the depth is about 250ft. Once a pack is found, we then usually switch to 2 outfits on light tackle, rigged with garfish (Ballyhoo). We troll one skip bait and one swimming bait. This prevents the expensive problem of getting mauled by a pack, having 5 rods go off with associated chaos on deck and loosing almost everything you have in the water. (I learnt this the hard way !)

Once you have several fish hooked up and screaming around on the surface, the whole back will attack and bite anything moving – including lines and snap swivels. A shotgun lure with all that belly of line in the water will be bitten off almost immediately.

Wahoo and Mackerel have razor sharp teeth so it is essential that you use wire trace on all lures and baits. We generally use at least 4 feet of 125lb 49 strand stainless steel wire. All snap swivels or other connections are blackened. Trolling speed is usually around 5kts with these bait rigs. The swimming bait is run in the long corner position and the skip bait is run from the opposite side rigger. That extra height allows you to skip the bait well back and out from the prop wash in clear water.

The wahoo normally come steaming in just under the surface but the mackerel usually attack from below. It’s common to see mackerel fly clean out of the water with the bait in their mouth.


Wahoo / Mackerel Lure / Bait Rig

Garfish (ballyhoo) on a two hook pin rig with a small pink skirt on the nose

What you need:

125lb 49 strand (7x7) wire

Stiff single strand wire

8/0 Mustad 7766 Duratin hooks

Bait spring or rubber band or waxed thread

#2 Figure 8 black brass crimps

Crimping tool

Small red/pink skirt or heavy bullet head lure

The Pin Rig

Making The Rig

Cut off a 1 inch piece of stiff single strand wire.

Take about 4 feet of the multi strand wire and crimp a hook to the end. Before you crimp, insert the small piece of single strand wire into the crimp pointing away from the hook. You may have to use a larger size crimp to accommodate the extra wire. Bend the end of the small wire so that with the hook pointing down, the wire points up at 90 degrees to the main wire leader.

Cut off a second piece of multi strand wire appropriate to the size of bait you have, crimp another hook on one end and crimp the other end to the loop holding the first hook.

Slide a bait spring onto the main line together with a small pink / red skirt and crimp a small loop at the end of your leader snap swivel.

Baiting The Rig

Cut the beak off the garfish. Take the leading hook, insert the point between the body and one gill plate and down inside the fish as far as you can. Bring the point out through the belly of the fish.

Take the pin wire and push it up through the bottom jaw and straight through the top jaw.

Slide the bait spring down and rotate it so that it catches the exposed part of the pin and snugs down onto the beak of the bait.

Firmly attach the trailing hook to the bait with a rubber band or waxed thread.

Slide the skirt down over the beak to cover the bait spring and provide a flash of colour to the bait.


Helpful Tips:

Try to get the leading hook coming out of the bait as centrally as possible and make sure the pin is central.

If either are off-centre, the bait will want to spin when trolled.

For skip baits, ensure the bait is skipping along with the exposed trailing hook and wire on the upper side, not the lower side the target fish see.

Prepare your rigs ashore then bait up when you are out there. It’s a lot easier.

If you are freezing fresh garfish for later, sprinkle them with salt. They keep much better.

Variations on a theme:

To make a swimming bait rig, we replace the little pink skirt with a heavy bullet head lure or a McWhog (available from Welsystackle http://www.wellsystackle.com/shop/ ) and flat-line the mainline from the rod tip using a #16 rubber band around the reel handle. On a strike, the rubber band snaps. Simple and effective but not suitable for ultra light tackle.

You don’t have to use the second trailing hook however most of the razor gang attack prey by taking the back end first then come around to finish off the rest of the sinking bait. Without that trailing hook you will miss a lot of hook-ups.

Instead of a bait spring, you can use an elastic band. Loop it over the pin, round the beak several times till its tight then put the end back over the pin. Alternatively you can use waxed thread. (Dental floss works just fine)

You can insert a hollow needle through the fish, feed a wire through and attach a hook to one end and crimp the other to the eye of the leading hook. This ‘buries’ the wire to the trailing hook inside the fish. Better presentation but a more fiddly job. We find the wire showing does not seem to put the fish off here.

We secure the trailing hook with a rubber band however you can conceal it by burying it in the belly of the fish. but occasionally this interferes with hook-ups.

Trolling Tips

Mackerel are often not hooked in the mouth but just nicked under the chin or the side of the head. We therefore fight mackerel on relatively light drag settings. If you try to bully a mackerel to the boat, there is a good chance you will pull the hooks and loose the fish. (This is especially important if you are trolling bibbed minnows with treble hooks)

Mackerel up to 20lbs usually school so if you find one, there are usually more in the same area. The larger fish are solitary.

Mackerel make excellent sashimi.

Wahoo come in at high speed and leave the scene at even higher speed. Start with a light drag setting (no more than ¼ line strength). If you try to stop a wahoo on its first run by upping the drag, you will bust it off. Wait for the end of the run, then ease the drag up a little and start working the fish in. If the fish makes another run – back off the drag again. Bear in mind that at the high speeds these fish can reach, line drag through the water can be significant and a sudden burst of speed from a wahoo can bust you off if your drag setting is over 1/3 line strength. When you are fighting a wahoo , you should be actively working the drag – especially on light tackle.

If you run a shotgun lure, make the wire trace extra long. When the shotgun hooks-up, you will have a lot of line in the water and it will get bitten by other fish.

Most wahoo fight near the surface. If your wahoo goes deep – it’s a big one.

Other Sources of information:

Special Review on Wahoo by Dr Julian Pepperell Feb/Mar 2007 issue.

In Depth look at the Narrow Barred Mackerel in the Dec/Jan 2007 issue www.bluewatermag.com.au

If you have any questions, drop me a line at Matava@connect.com.fj

2 May 2007

Tips On Fiji Blue Water Offshore Pattern (The offshore ‘I don’t care spread’)

The Fiji islands enjoy a whole variety of sport fish species from reef dwelling coral trout to oceanic blue marlin. Whilst we usually target particular species aboard our game fishing vessel Bite Me, we sometimes take resort guests out simply to catch dinner and have fun doing so.

Its general fishing (Otherwise known as “I don’t care what I catch just as long as its big and tasty”) so we cover all our bases and target a variety of different species.

Offshore, we run 15kg (30lb) Penn International 30Ts on Penn Millennium rods with a 9ft double connected to a short leader. In the winter time, (May – September) most lures are rigged on a wire trace because of the wahoo packs that congregate along the barrier reef. The sample spread below should give you an idea of how we fish the outer barrier reef slopes and offshore blue water for anything and everything found out there.

Sample “I don’t care” spread from our Offshore DeepV big game boat ‘Bite Me


SHORT CORNER

1. Halco Laser Pro 190 Crazy Deep – Silver (mullet), Target – Mackerel, Barracuda Tuna, GTs

2. Wellsys Talai (Medium) – Purple, Target – Wahoo, Sailfish

LONG CORNER

1. Lurestreet Raptor or Classic – Green / Gold or Red / White, Target – Wahoo, Mackerel, Barracuda, Tuna

2. Halco Laser Pro 190 minnow – Redhead, Target – Wahoo, Mackerel, Barracuda, Tuna

SHORT RIGGER

1. Wellsys Turbojet - Blue Silver / Green Gold (Evil), Target – Wahoo, Mackerel, Sailfish, Mahi mahi

LONG RIGGER

1. Lurestreet Yahoowahoo – Lumo Green or Blue/White, Target – Wahoo, Sailfish, Mahi mahi

SHOTGUN

1. Wellsys Micro Bullet – Red black / Pink, Target – Tuna

2. Pakula Sprocket – Lumo Green, Target – Wahoo, Sailfish

Species Variety:

Mackerel – Narrow Barred (Spanish) Mackerel, Shark Mackerel, Double lined Mackerel

Tuna Yellowfin Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Mackerel Tuna (Kawakawa), Bigeye Tuna, Albacore.

Barracuda – Great Barracuda, Chevron Barracuda, Bigeye Barracuda

Where we get our Offshore lures :

www.welsystackle.com

www.palmfishing.com.au

1 May 2007

Saltwater Gamefishing: Offshore and Onshore

Saltwater Gamefishing examines all aspects of world saltwater gamefishing both onshore and offshore. Whether you are fishing for giant billfish in deep water oceans or from rocky headlands or angling for lighter gamefish in rivers and estuaries, Saltwater Gamefishing will provide you with all the necessary details of where to find them, how to fish for them and the equipment you will need. All the main species of gamefish are identified, with illustrations and maps showing world distribution.

Saltwater Gamefishing also includes information on how to rig bait, troll lures, take a leader, and handle a gaff. It provides advice on suitable rods, reels and tackle, and when and how to use it. There is also vital information on selecting an appropriate boat and dealing with charter boat crews. In addition, the rules of competitive fishing are outlined, as is their importance in world records.

Saltwater Gamefishing emphasizes the need for conservation of fish stocks and for the first time provides information on how to capture, tag and release billfish, tuna and other gamefish. Correct techniques for wiring and gaffing fish to allow for successful resuscitation of the released fish are described.

Lavishly illustrated with over 120 full color and 100 black and white photographs, Saltwater Gamefishing also includes more than 200 diagrams and illustrations to help identify species and explain technical information.





About the Author

Peter Goadby ranks among the world's leading big game anglers. A successful competitor, Peter has held world records and is renowned not only for his big game expertise but his ability to pass on his knowledge to other enthusiastic anglers. He has fished extensively in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States and has competed successfully against many of the world's best anglers in international tournaments in Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Nova Scotia and Australia. He has been appointed to overseas tournament boards, has acted as chief judge of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament since 1970 and is an honorary member of many national fishing associations including Japan, France, Belgium and New Zealand. He is also a representative of the International Game Fish Association.

Peter Goadby is a conservationist and, with his close associate John O'Brien, is acknowledged as an initiator of, and a driving force behind, the successful trend to tag and release in Australia, Hawaii and other areas of the Pacific. In 1990 the International Game Fish Association recognized his contribution with a Conservation Award.

Peter Goadby has written extensively for fishing magazines, in particular Angler's Digest and Fishing News, and for the International Game Fish Association Annual since 1953. He is also the author of three outstanding books, the best known being Big Fish and Blue Water, now in its fifth edition.