Everything days

I really wanted to eat fish. Maybe that sounds a little harsh, but it was true. I wanted to eat fish.

So what does any self respecting angler do? Go fishing of course. After all, buying fish is out of the question. Although I must say that with the current price of fuel, $2.50 per liter, it is probably cheaper to buy fish than take the boat out and catch fish.

Never mind, it's only money and besides I love fishing.

With the boat loaded we head out around 7:30 am.

Included onboard is Brendan, videographer and jigging mad.

John, business partner and always ready for a fish.

Rosie, partner in everything and always ready to show us how to fish.

And of course myself.

A little chop but otherwise a magnificent morning.

We come out of the river mouth like a race horse out of the gate.

A short trip across the channel and within 30 minutes our lines are in the water.

Rapala Lucanus jigs, River2Sea Octo jigs, Soft plastics, and a 3.5 ounce metal jig were the lure of the day.

Brendan's first fish on the boat was sent back to the deep as bait by Rosie. It took about 30 seconds before the bait was smashed. Whatever it was it had teeth and was really fast. It was probably a Spanish mackerel, but we never saw it before it cut three layers of 50lb leader. Note to self, bring steel leaders when fishing live bait.

Next up was an awesome surprise, I was using a little knife jig on a 30lb set-up, when out of nowhere, SLAM! I am hooked up and this thing is tearing off like a bat out of hell. After a good fight and a trip around the boat I manage to bring a nice GT onboard.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

Not long afterwards Brendan hooks up to a Rainbow Runner.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

A few more mixed species are caught within the hour nothing really picture worthy.

Then things slow down for a while and of course that means it is time to have some fun.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

Damn, why am I not catching any fish? The hooks are sharp.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

Now it is Johns turn to put one on deck. A nice little grouper.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

I then proceeded to land a Blue trevally on a knife jig.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

John now has the hang of this soft plastic jigging thing as is evident by his smile.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

I am only going to briefly touch on the subject of Brendan breaking his brand new jigging rod. I think the image of him pouting says it all.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

This was definitely one of those everything days. We caught 22 fish with maybe 10 or 12 species. We had sun, rain, wind and everything in between. Including a rainbow.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

We ended the day with fish in the ice chest and smiles on our faces.

From John, Brendan, Rosie and Callan

Until next time.

Tight lines

VoliVoli

It has been forever since my last post, my apologies. Unfortunately I get caught up in work and when my one day off comes around I don't want to do anything. Enough whining and feeling sorry for myself.

My mother came for a visit and we had planned to take a mini vacation with her. We booked a few days at a resort called VoliVoli. It is located on the other side of the island near a town called Rakiraki. It is about a four hour drive from us. One way is a sealed road and the main artery for that side of the island. The other way is the road less traveled and not yet completed. I guess we shall follow the road less traveled.

From volivoli trip

Unfortunately it had rained earlier, which made it a bit slippery.

From volivoli trip

The scenery was beautiful.

From volivoli trip

Lots of really lovely villages and scary bridges.

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

Boys skipping school

From volivoli trip

The road less traveled.

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

Future fisherman

From volivoli trip

Watching the cows eat.

From volivoli trip

Finally the dry side of the island and the sugar cane fields

From volivoli trip

Sugar cane

From volivoli trip

More sugar cane

From volivoli trip

We are getting close now, I see the sign.

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

The sea, the sea

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

From volivoli trip

We are almost there.

From volivoli trip

Finally VoliVoli

From volivoli trip

We arrive there in the afternoon and are met in the parking lot by Nick, one of the owners of the resort and our fishing guru guide. We unpack and have a look around. The layout is beautiful and our rooms are number one. After a few drink we make our plan to go fishing the next morning.

Up at the crack of dawn and all ready to go. A bit windy but nothing we cannot handle.

This first day is going to prove to be a learning experience. After a bit of casting the bite finally starts. Rosie lands the first fish of course, but it did not come in easy.

As we would learn, these fishing grounds are littered with hazards. Bommies, small sunken reefs and very smart fish were the recipe for our demise.

From volivoli trip

We proceeded to hook and lose several fish along with a few lures. Now that may seem ok for many, but for us, well we do not usually lose lures, especially on 50lb braid.

This day would prove very trying for us. We lost four fish and three lures.

Nick Darling, one of the owners of the resort and our guide for this trip, with a nice GT.

From volivoli trip

A well deserved beer after the ass whipping we got.

From volivoli trip

A new day and the weather is a bit iffy but spirits are high.

From volivoli trip

We have a new game plan. Today it is 80lb all the way with tight drags and heavy tackle. A repeat we will not have.

From volivoli trip

Rosie again starts the day out with a nice Red Bass.

From volivoli trip

Followed by a good GT. Amazing that for the size of the fish they pull really hard and fight really dirty.

From volivoli trip

Yours truly waiting for my turn.

From volivoli trip

A scad mackerel. Good for bait.

From volivoli trip

After a grueling five hours of nonstop casting I finally hook up to a GT. Not the biggest but well worth it.

From volivoli trip

Now the bite has turned on and almost every bommie is holding bait and GT's.

Rosie with a nice one.

From volivoli trip

I have upped the ante with this one.

From volivoli trip

A few more were caught and unfortunately the sun was setting and we had a ways to travel back to the resort. We have finally worked out the formula and it is looking good for our third day of fishing.

From volivoli trip

We wake to a beauty of a day.

From volivoli trip

View from our villa.

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Surveying the area.

From volivoli trip

Unfortunately our third day fishing would not eventuate. An emergency came up and we had to leave on a moments notice. I would like to thank Nick and his family who own and operate VoliVoli Beach Resort. They have done a wonderful job of creating a unique and friendly place to visit. The food was great and the their company was most enjoyable.

We have to get back there and finish what we started and plans are already underway to do just that.

Tight Lines

VoliVoli Beach Resort

http://www.volivoli.com/

Volivoli Road
P.O. Box 417
Rakiraki
Fiji Islands

Email: info@volivoli.com
Resort: +679 669 4511
Fax: +679 669 4611

US contacts

Andy and Lynn Siebert
Scubaworld Sacramento Inc.
5114 Madison Avenue
Sacramento CA 95841

Email: dive@volivoliresort.com
Phone: 916/955-2038
Skype: lynn.siebert
Fax: 916/338-0277

Better late than never for Nick's second trip

Ok, so I am a little late on this post. Ok, a lot late, but hey, I've been busy. Yeah that's it, busy. Doing what I'm not sure but it sounds good. Actually sometimes there just isn't enough hours in the day and sometimes I am just plain lazy/tired by the time I get home. Oh yeah and my mother came over to Fiji and we took a little fishing vacation, but that's the next post.

So any ways here we go, our last trip out with our good friend Nick from Marine Graphics Ink.

It was a beauty of a day, a little breeze and a little swell. We headed out to some new reefs that we sighted many moons ago. These particular reefs looked extremely fishy but if there is any wind or a big swell fishing them would be next to impossible as they are wide open to the SouthEast, the general direction of both win and swell.

We head out with visions of grandeur and bait breath.

It does not take long before the first fish is in the boat.

A Red Bass for Nick and excitement starts to build for a cracker day fishing.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

Not to long to wait and Rosie brings one in also.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

Now with everyone all excited and fired up you know what the inevitable is, the fish shut down.

All quiet.

Not even a look.

Soon the rhythm of casting takes over and it is time to put in the hard yards. I am not sure how long we went with out a bite but it was a while. As both warriors were starting to feel the weight of the big lures and the strain of keeping ones balance on a rocking boat.

Finally Nick gets another Red Bass to the boat.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

Has the spell been broken?

Not just yet. It takes a bit more work and then Nick land a small Emperor.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

At this point there is still excitement and high anticipation for our target fish.

Remember, these little fish are nice and all, but what we are after is in another class altogether. We are hunting Giant Trevally, pound for pound they are arguably the hardest fighting fish in the sea. And we have yet to catch one.

Back to casting.

Soon a little Bluefin Trevally is at hand.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

Now at this point Nick has been using the same popper the whole time. It is a red and white Williamson Jet 07. And I might add he has gotten a little cocky with this particular color as it has been working quite well for him.

That is until he casts it onto the reef and it gets stuck.

Bye Bye popper.

Now he has to change poppers and readjust his popping style, as each popper works differently. Does this slow him down? Noooooooo he then goes on to hook a nice GT right on a group of bommies. The fight is on and as I move the boat into position Nick puts the hurt on the fish. This one is a better fish and it is fighting for it's life.

That is the beauty of GT's, they never give up until they hit the surface. They fight with every once of their strength. Alas freedom would only come once it's picture was taken with Nick.

From fishing with Nick 2 2011

We fished on after this, but it was a case of lock jaw and nothing else was landed.

I still think these are fishy grounds but need to work them a bit more.

Tight lines