Soft plastics with a bit of popper thrown in

Some times one just needs to try new things in order to break out of a mold.

Rosie and I have been popper fishing for quite awhile now. As you know we love it and do alright in the fish category. The problem is, a lot of the better eating fish are found a little deeper in the water column. Therefore one must try a new style of fishing to get down were the tasty fish live.

So the plan is set to do a bit of deep water soft plastic jigging. Now I have read heaps, watched loads of videos and talked to everyone I know who does this type of fishing. I did not want to fail at this.

We head out of the break water to a flat sea with high hopes and new ideas.

From Soft plastic jigging

The first few spots and drifts produce nothing. We do however encounter a pod of spinner dolphins mucking around. Unfortunately for you all we are we too engrossed in fishing to shoot any photos of them.

We then move to an area that has a lot of small reefs in the 20 to 30mt range.

Jackpot!

Right away we find the fish and I work out the technique for catching them.

From Soft plastic jigging

A close up of this beautiful fish.

From Soft plastic jigging

Now that I have figured this out the fish start to come in with every drop of the jig.

From Soft plastic jigging

From Soft plastic jigging

Now Charlie is getting in on the action.

From Soft plastic jigging

And then Rosie hooks up.

From Soft plastic jigging

Now young cousin Marky has figured it out and he starts to catch fish.

From Soft plastic jigging

From Soft plastic jigging

From Soft plastic jigging

We continue to catch these cods and trouts for awhile. Then Rosie gets bored with all this jigging and she starts popping.

Tossing around her popper on 30lb gear while surrounded by coral reefs that just beg to break you off.

Of course she is going to hook up. And it is going to be a big fish that takes every trick we know to extract it from the depths.

From Soft plastic jigging

Once we have settled down after Rosies GT the wind starts to really kick. It is getting rough but we fish on.

Of course Rosie is still throwing a popper with her 30lb gear and wouldn't you know it she hooks up to a really big fish this time.

I jump behind the wheel and the chase/fight is on. At first she thought it was foul hooked by the way the fish was fighting, but it turns out it was just a big GT. After a prolonged battle due to fish size and weather conditions we finally boat a big, fat and pregnant GT. We move quickly to minimize out of water time and snap a few pictures. Then with great fanfare she swims away strong.

From Soft plastic jigging

It has now become so rough that we are having trouble standing in the boat without hanging on. That is the sure sign to head for home.

Ice chest full of great eating fish and Rosie with sore arms.

A success by any measure.

Tight lines

Finally got my fishing mojo back

I have been in a fishing slump lately. I have been going out regularly but no really catching anything.

We planned to go to Rukua village on Beqa to do a sevusevu and if we had time then a little fishing after.

The Tui Rukua was a very nice chief and we drank lots of grog and talked plenty. We spent about 3 hours with him and when we left we were thoroughly grog doped. No matter we had time for a fish so off we went to try a few new spots.

The wind was howling at a good 20-25 knts so we had to stay inside the reef.

Almost immediately upon fishing Rosie was on to a massive cod. It gave a good accounting of itself but soon succumbed to the 50lb braid. As she decided to have a break I took up her rod and had a few casts.

After about 15 minutes of drifting along and inshore reef we came upon a nice sunken coral head all by itself. I fired several casts at it when suddenly the water exploded and a giant hole opened up where my lure was. My line went tight instantly and the scream of the drag was unmistakable. I was onto a nice GT, finally. It was a good fight that the GT never gave up even at the end. After a few pictures the GT was in the water never looking back.

This was the first GT in the boat and I am hoping the end of my fishing slump.

Five more fish were landed during the session by others on the boat but I was one happy skipper.

Doing my sevusevu to the chief of Rukua village

Tui Rukua and myself

One big cod

One big mouth

In the heat of battle

Finally a GT Tight lines

Dream Fish Come True

Got out of bed this morning and it was still dark and definitely cold. None of that matters though as we are going fishing. Loaded the boat with the gear and off we go. Today we are fishing the rising tide in the morning, reason being is by the time the tide falls the wind has kicked up to at least 30 knots and then it is impossible to fish.
We are hardly away from shore and Rosie hooks up to a nice Long Tom using an neon green 2m diver about 10cm long. These fish can fight like Jet Li. A full set of aerobatics followed by a screaming surface run that has your line throwing a rooster tail as it slices the water. All of those moves are then repeated several times before ol’ Tom is boat side. Now it is time to net Tom and wouldn’t you know, he won’t hold still. He is a writhing, slithering, snake like fish with a mouth full of needle sharp spikes called teeth. Oh, did I say he was angry, well pissed off is more like it. After several attempts with the net ol’ Tom is in the boat getting his picture taken. Not a bad start.
With all of the Long Tom excitement done it’s time to settle in and do some fishing. Another 30 minutes goes by and I finally hook up to a good size Trevally. I was using a little brow and green shallow diver about 7 cm long and it runs to about 1m. That’s all I needed to get me going. Soon I have a little potato cod in the boat and this is followed by another Long Tom of equal size to the first one. I am now into my fishing groove and getting ready to turn up the heat. Out of no where comes this massive explosion. We get a quick glimpse of dark grey almost brown goliath attacking Rosie’s 12cm ChugBug surface popper. We both call it for a shark due to the strike and coloring. Now first a little background on this lure and this particular location. First this lure has a tendency to attract sharks. And of course it’s one of Rosie’s favorite. Almost every time it comes out the ChugBug seem to call a shark or two not to mention how many shiny new ones have been taken by the shark and worn like bling. Now the location is almost as notorious for sharks as the lure is. So we both call it a shark.
Luck would have it that Rosie just happens to be using the larger spinning reel with 30lb braid and a 7 ½ foot graphite rod. The first run is a scorcher and she loses maybe 150m of line. Now the fight takes a twist, if it was a shark then the line would have broken by now. The second run is just as hard and long as the first run. The fish is now on the bottom and moving with the current and wind. Believe it or not the third run is quite impressive also. The runs are not as long now but the fish is pulling the boat. We finally get in front of it and turn the tables. The fish is planing and Rosie is gaining line.
Not to long more and we have color and the beast shows it’s face. A massive GT, one of those you read about in far way exotic places. A fish that when you see it for the first time your mouth hangs open and your eyes bulge out a little so you can see more of it. A real beauty of a fish. Net won’t work I use two hands and a big lift into the boat. A few quick photos and then it’s back in the water. It took some swimming to revive it. It was a long hard fight and as it swam away to fight another day, Rosie and I did a high five.


Tight lines and screaming drags