With its 34 miles of river reconnected, the Pawcatuck hopes to restore its past fish migrations. Rhode Island’s Pawcatuck River is free-flowing for the first time in 250 years because of an eight-year-long effort to restore the river to its long-ago self.Â
The Nature Conservancy headlined this project by effectively working with various agencies and passionate local citizens to remove or retrofit three major dams on the river, reconnecting 34 miles of free-flowing river for migrating fish species. The project should directly benefit American Shad, River Herring, sea-run trout, and many other migratory fish species, as their historic spawning routes are now restored. Scott Comings, the associate state director for the Nature Conservancy’s Rhode Island program, said this about the project: “This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects. How often do you have a chance to connect a river for the first time in 250 years? It is a new chapter in the history of the Pawcatuck, and the support for that has been amazing.â€
Will Poston is a member of the Flylords content team. Be sure to check him out on Instagram @will_poston!
Photo courtesy of Kyle Shaeffer, a guide, and photographer out of Maine. If you’re in the area be sure to book a trip with him via his Instagram @soulflyoutfitters or his website here!
Flylords: Could you tell us a little about yourself?
Ale: I’m a sports and outdoor lover from Trieste, a beautiful city by the sea in northeast Italy, right on the border with Slovenia. Since I was a kid, my parents supported me in sports and outdoor activities. I focused on playing baseball, yes you read that right, an Italian that played baseball for over 12 years, and not soccer.
Slowly I started to get into snowboarding, and after a few years of practice, I became one of the top riders in my country and decided to make boarding my lifestyle. I am still chasing that dream as a professional athlete and as Italian National Snowboarding Team Coach.
I have many passions besides snowboarding and fly fishing, like downhill biking, motorcycling, surfing, and photography, well and traveling, of course. Living by the sea I started fishing with my grandpa and parents since I was a young child. My parents always took me hiking in the Alps during summertime, and I was always fascinated by those crystal blue alpine lakes and wild rivers. Around 7 I started fishing on freshwater too.
Flylords: What was your first experience with fly-fishing? Is there a certain moment or fish that got you hooked with fly-fishing?
Ale: Around 14, I heard about this technique, fly fishing, that was the most natural, challenging and awesome way of fishing. Done, got my first fly rod.
I took some time away from my fly rod until about six or seven years ago when the passion got so strong that I spent most of my free time by the river, learning the different ways to catch fish on the fly.
Flylords: How did you start snowboarding? What made you fall in love with it?
Ale: I always liked skateboarding and surfing. So, when snowboarding started showing up in the European snowsports scene, I decided to give it a try, and never looked back.
Once I started was boarding on the weekends or during school breaks to the Alps with my friends. One Easter, it happened that the ski resort I was at was hosting a halfpipe World Cup. Damn seeing those guys flying over me was so dope, I decided I wanted to do the same. I put all my free time and focus on riding as much as I could considering that I was living by the sea and still going to school. Two years later, I was one of the best riders in Italy and that season I won or took runner-up in all the main competitions in Italy.
Do you see any parallels between fly-fishing and snowboarding?
Ale: Haha, you know that question is one of the most common I get. I know plenty of fellow snowboarders who are passionate about the 2 sports. I think for them and myself we share a passion for the outdoors and the mountains, so the two sports are natural choices for us.
Flylords: How do you manage your time between coaching snowboarding and finding time to fish?
Ale: In Europe, the fly fishing season closes for winter, depending on areas but usually between the end of September and end of November most of the rivers close. Then rivers start to open back up between February and the beginning of April.
So the busiest time coaching the national team is during winter when fishing is closed. And once the late season competitions are over, the fishing season is in full swing, so finding time on the water is relatively simple.
Photo Courtesy of Roby Bragotto @robybragotto on Instagram
Anyway, during February, March, and April living around the Alps, I always have my fly fishing stuff with me so during my time off I can go out by the river to chase trout and grayling.
Favorite fish to catch?
It’s definitely the marble trout, that’s definitely my favorite, this trout that can reach 1.20 meters (approx. 4 feet) and reach about 20kg (approx. 44 lbs). It’s not that easy to catch and isn’t as popular as other trout species (at least in Italy). But when you land one you can truly see the beauty of this species.
Flylords: What is it like fly fishing in Italy? Ale: In Italy, we have many passionate fly anglers. A few years ago my friend Luca Filippini and I decided to create a community, Hatch Fly Fishing Crew, to spread fly fishing around with beautiful pics, fresh videos, and cool style. In Italy, fly fishing was seen by the younger generations as a thing that older men do, with more classic style and as something more “elite.â€
Taking examples from Scandinavians or North Americans, we wanted to give this impulse of freshness to push the younger generation to try and get fascinated with this amazing outdoor lifestyle that we all love. As fly anglers, we consider it more of a lifestyle and a passion for nature, the outdoors, the challenges the fish present, and respect for the fish and the environment they call home.
Flylords: Favorite spot that you have been too? Why? Ale: I like to fish in Italy a lot, we have some awesome waters here and amazing fish. I enjoyed a lot the trip I did in Norway to visit the guys at Loop Tackle headquarters. They went up north with the camper to the Rena River Camp. I thought to myself that I should take some time to visit more of Scandinavia. I really enjoy the Viking countries!
Flylords: Favorite Musician/Band? Ale: Nirvana is one of my favorite bands, as well as Smashing Pumpkins. I like a lot of music in general, rock, electro and house music as well. It all depends on my mood and what I’m going to do.
Dream Trip? Ale: As you know in Italy we don’t have salmon so I definitely want to take a trip to Canada or Alaska to chase Atlantic salmon in their purest habitat.
I would also like to get down to New Zealand and Australia too, but when the season is good there, I’m in the middle of snowboard season in Italy, so that will have to wait.
Flylords: Whats next? Ale: Definitely, push my athletes in the Italian snowboard team, and right now fishing during most of my free time until the end of the winter season. Then fly fish as much as I can!
Ale Benussi is a professional snowboarder and coach of the Italian National Snowboard Team. He is one of the founders of HatchFlyFishingCrew and can always be found pursuing a new adventure! Check him out on Instagram @alessandro_benussi!
Questions by Flylords team member Craig Cullen. Check him out on Instagram @cwcullen!
All fishing pictures courtesy of HatchFlyFishingCrew and Loop Tackle. You can check out the HatchFlyFishingCrew Instagram here, and the Loop Tackle Instagram here.
I’ve grown up a stone’s throw away from a world class tributary to Lake Ontario, one of the many great lakes surrounding the Northern United States. I’ve spent my summers, winters and falls finding myself waist deep in its waters, attempting to fool the smartest of fish to make a meal out of the flies I throw at them. I’ve always enjoyed the beauty of the many apple orchards that border its waters, but as I found in recent years, this beauty comes at a price.
Whilst fishing on a cold February day this year, I encountered something that would alter my thoughts on development and agriculture for years to come. It was an ordinary day, swinging for a surprisingly early (or some would say late) run of lake run brown trout. I threw my line 45 degrees downriver, and a few seconds into my drift, fish on. As I brought the fish closer to shore, I called for my fishing partner Frank for some help with the net. He landed my fish swiftly (As any good net man should) and stood there staring at the fish with a peculiar look on his face. It wasn’t until I saw the fish when I could fully understand his baffled state.
The brown trout had three eyes, something out of the Simpsons. This strange discovery left me with too many questions, so I turned to an expert for advice. I contacted Dr. Ethan Hall, a 10 year veteran on animal mutations who studied at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in upstate New York. He had just as many questions as I did, but it clicked to him when I informed him about the neighboring orchards and farms. He explained how he would have to get back to me, but the desire for answers was excruciating.
A few days later he dropped me a line, and told me about a pesticide Glyphosate, and how it can cause cancer in rats, and sometimes abnormalities in organ formation and structure. This information for reason made me mad, How can we allow some corporations to be deliberately spraying crops with harmful chemicals, just so they turn a profit better? Not only does this apply to agriculture, but a plethora of real-world problem relating to industry and the greed of wanting more out of everything. The ongoing issue of the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska is one to be noted because the mining companies are dumping tons of pollutants (copper being one of the most noted ones) into pristine rivers. The copper causes mortality in Salmon, rainbow trout and char’s food, which causes a chain reaction of mortality in the food chain. Not only this, it can throw off a fish’s scent, which it uses to navigate to its home spawning waters. Change is needed. It’s understandable it will not happen overnight, But perhaps if we gradually increase awareness, both to our local and federal government, over time we can make a difference for our generations to come.
Nick Boehme a.k.a. @trout_row is a fly angler and guide in Upstate New York, specializing in salmon, lake run brown trout and steelhead! Be sure to hit that follow button on his page!
Last week I had a chance to spend some time in Charleston with the Fly Fishing Film Tour. With a few down days after the show, I had to hit up one of my favorite creators in the industry, a guy by the name of Jeremy Clark @Jerms1977. I have been following Jerms for a while on Instagram, and he has some incredible images, along with just a good vibe on his page. After fishing with him for a day and listening to some of his stories, I knew he would make a great Faces of Fly Fishing feature! Enjoy the interview.
Flylords: Who is @Jerms1977?
Jerms: Just a dude who loves to flyfish loves to capture moments on camera and loves being a dad.
Flylords: Tell me about the first time you picked up a fly rod, do you think this moment changed your life?
Jerms: Fresh out of ten years in the Marine Corps, my wife and I moved to Charleston to start new lives and new jobs. I was reading up on how you could target redfish on big flood tides as they fed in the spartina grass and wanted to try it, so I took an old trusty spinning rod and a Johnson spoon, walked out in the marsh, and promptly hooked a tailer. I didn’t land that particular fish, but I did go straight home and start researching fly rods. I don’t know why, but suddenly I wasn’t satisfied with chasing them with any other method. Since then I’ve learned that the flyfishing community is relatively small, and I’ve met some of my best friends through connections in this sport. A few years ago my wife and I decided to adopt a child, and it was the people I’d met through the flyfishing community that reached out and generously gave of their time and talents to make our fundraising a success… we wouldn’t have our son Zealand right now if it weren’t for that.
Flylords: As a Charleston local, tell me a little about this fishery. I know you travel around the world, but what makes the low country such a special place?
Jerms: Charleston, and the Lowcountry, in general, is truly a gem. Incredible people, even better food, history, it’s got it all. But the one thing that I would miss the most about this place if I ever had to leave would be the salt marsh and its inhabitants. There is something decidedly simple about traveling through our waterways on the way to a redfish flat. I love that you can have the latest micro-skiff and all the best gear, or just simply pull to the side of the road with an old pair of sneakers, an 8wt, and an extra fly in your pocket and go catch a tailing red.
Flylords: Tell us a little bit about your travels in New Zealand.
Jerms: New Zealand is incredible, from the people who live there to the incredible landscapes and, of course, the trout! I work in Antarctica for a few months each year and travel through New Zealand to get there so I typically make a stop en route to enjoy Aotearoa. Not being very well versed as a trout fisherman, it was quite a struggle to figure out how to catch those big, wary backcountry fish. I’ve been fortunate to make some great friends there and really enjoy walking alongside a river with them, searching for feeding fish. I nearly didn’t get a chance to do any of this after almost not making it out of a high rise building that I was trapped in after a bad earthquake that devastated Christchurch in 2011. It’s a long story, but I was trapped for 6 hours in a crumbling building, fighting to get down from the 25th story to safety, all the stairs had collapsed, leaving a giant hole in the building, and most of the buildings around us had been reduced to rubble. Constant aftershocks continued to tear the building apart, and I truly didn’t think I’d ever make it out. That experience certainly changed my outlook on life.
Flylords: Do you have a favorite shot you have taken?
Jerms: It’s so tough to narrow down, but if I had to choose it would probably be a photo of my buddy Nolan after losing two redfish, one from a broken tippet and the other after it spooked and swam onto the exposed pluff mud at low tide… he wrestled with it, trying to get his hands around it, but only managed to get covered in pluff mud. The entire thing happened in about 30 seconds, and the image is of him tying a fly back on directly afterward. The whole image just conveys a lot of emotion from the recent defeat, and I love that.
Flylords: With a million fly fishing photos floating around the internet how do you try and shoot unique content?
Jerms: Other than a few goofy ideas that I come up with, like catching a redfish on an inflatable Toucan, nothing I shoot is set up beforehand. I try to just stay in the moment and let it speak for itself. Ultimately I want my images to tell a story and be authentic, and I think that resonates with folks.
Flylords: I know you also shoot weddings with your wife. Can you compare shooting a wedding vs shooting a day of fishing?
Jerms: They’re not that different, to be honest. Both involve trying to tell a story and capturing a moment that speaks volumes through one single frame. The pressure to perform is much higher at a wedding, but everyone is so happy and having a good time that the mood is infectious.
Flylords: What is some advice you can give to an aspiring photographer?
Jerms: Put a camera in your hand. Shoot every day. Shoot the things that you’re passionate about and it will be evident in your work. That’s what I think drives people to make a connection with your imagery.
Flylords: What is your bucket list destination?
Jerms: Golden Dorado in a remote jungle.
Flylords: Favorite book you’ve read in the last year? Favorite movie?
Jerms: I’ll give you two great books because I don’t really watch many movies… The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, and West with the Night by Beryl Markham
Flylords: Can you recommend a good new beer for our audience to try?
Jerms: Just one??? OK – everything that @revelrybrewing puts out is great, but give their Gullah Cream Ale a taste!
Flylords: Would you rather catch the trophy fish, or shoot a photo of the trophy fish?
Jerms: Shoot it, without question. But not just the hero shot, the entire experience. There are a few exceptions, like this photo by @l.z.jarrett of my best snook!
Flylords: If you were stuck on an island and had one rod and one fly what would they be? You could also have one lens on your camera. What lens would you choose?
Jerms: I’m particularly fond of the Epic 888 by Swiftflyfishing, and I’d probably choose a Mad Mike’s Mud Minnow because everything eats it. If I could only have one lens it would be a 35mm, no question. You could superglue that lens to my camera so I could never change it and I wouldn’t be mad at you.
Flylords: After spending 10 years in the Marine Corps, you must have seen some crazy things. Has fly fishing played a role in helping you adjust back to normal life?
Jerms: It has in that it connected me to a group of peers and great friends in such a way that would not have happened otherwise. My two favorite things are the places that fly fishing takes you, and the people who you get to share those experiences with.
Flylords: Tell me a little about Zealand. When is he going to catch his first redfish?
Jerms: Zealand is the best. Next question… But seriously, being a dad is so much fun. A lot of work, but there’s just so much reward. Zealand is almost two, and his little motor is running full speed all the time. He’ll experience his first redfish as soon as the weather warms up a bit and they get back in the grass. It won’t be long now!
Make sure to check out Jerms on Instagram @Jerms1977
Also, check out our other Faces of Flyfishing interviews!
Chasing winter steelhead has presented an entirely different set of challenges than any other fishing I have yet to experience. Once you get used to casting with what feels like a dumbbell on the end of your line, the fishing part itself is easy; cast, mend, repeat. The challenge is maintaining confidence so that every time your rig hits the water, you actually have a chance at hooking into a fish. Throwing a nymph rig into the water at fish, who may or may not even be in that section of a river, can be defeating. Add in some rain, wind, leaky waders and cold hands, and you start to question your idea of fun. On my first steelhead trip of the season, my friend Matt (IG: @mattbregartner) and I had just about reached that point.
With less than a week of combined steelhead fishing experience between us, we had left camp at sunrise, determined to be the first ones in the only spot we were totally familiar with. Within five minutes of arriving at our first spot, Matt put a solid buck in the net. After a few more drifts, we decided to head upstream, feeling optimistic about the rest of the day.
Any sense of confidence that we had gained at our first spot was lost over the next few hours. All the other spots we had scouted out the evening before were full of people. We tried going above the crowds but wondered if the fish were even up that high. We tried to find spots that were harder to access but usually ended up getting turned around by sketchy river crossings or no trespassing signs. It felt like we were spending more time in the car than on the water, so we decided to stop at the next open spot we saw and just commit to fishing it.
We spotted an open stretch of water that looked promising – from the car. I’m sure everyone can relate to the feeling you get when you see water that looks so good you feel like you can’t get out there fast enough…upon closer inspection, this spot was pretty much the opposite of that. It looked like a wide, flat, shallow riffle with plenty of rocks to snag on. Matt, trying to remain optimistic, pointed out that there was a deeper run on the far bank that we may be able to reach if we could wade out to it. I took the top part of the run and began to work my way out to the middle, inching closer to the deeper water with every cast, scrambling to find footholds to brace against. When I finally reached a spot within casting reach of the deep run, I glanced down at Matt just in time to watch his rod bend in half.
I admired another fish in the net with mixed feelings, relieved that we weren’t getting skunked, but frustrated that I had yet to connect with a single fish. The moment his fish swam out of the net, I grabbed my rod and scrambled back out to the middle of the river. A few casts later, I watched my indicator drop and I set the hook as I had done at least a hundred times already that day, prepared for five minutes of tug-of-war with a rock. Then, I felt it move, just a few feet at first. I felt the familiar mix of excitement and nerves, knowing that hooking a big fish is only half the battle. As he made a short run, I tried to slowly let the line slip through my fingers, while Matt ran downstream with the net. After a brief moment of panic when the fish swam into and immediately back out of the net, I was looking at my first steelhead of the season, a beautiful, colored up buck.
There is something indescribable about putting your hands on a fish that has the power to swim to the ocean and back. Regardless of where they began their lives, the fact that any of these fish are able to make it back home, with the odds stacked against them, amazes me. Â Â As I watched him swim out of my shaking hands, an immense feeling of relief washed over me. We looked out at the little, unassuming stretch of water that had made our day and laughed about how close we had been to driving away before even wetting a line.
After a few more hours of hole hopping, we returned to our spot one more time late in the afternoon. I watched Matt put plenty of good drifts through the spot where we had our success earlier in the day, but it seemed as though our luck had run out. When he reeled his set up in and headed back to the bank, I couldn’t resist wading down to where he had been standing to get a few “last castsâ€, just in case. I was so surprised when I hooked a fish that I waited a few seconds before I said anything. After confirming that I was actually hooked up, a few minutes of slight chaos ensued before I had the first hen of the day in the net.
We left the river that day feeling both grateful and humbled, with a few valuable lessons learned. Leaving your comfort zone and fishing new water, or targeting a new species can be frustrating, but if you treat every day as a learning experience, the reward is absolutely worth it.
Maddie Lewis is a talented fly angler from the western USA. Be sure to check out her other awesome content on Instagram @m_lewis_!
Every winter, fellow guide Tony Janik (IG: @anthonyjanik) and I will plan a few days off work to drag one of our skiffs 10 hrs from Jacksonville, FL to the Louisiana delta. Inevitably, we’ll catch some tough weather (this year it snowed freakishly for several hours on the drive over) but this only adds to the adventure.
Do we have a great fishery in Jacksonville? Absolutely… But the sheer quantity and size of LA’s redfish, many of which have never seen a fly or skiff, are unmatched. It’s a fly angler’s paradise; long, winding, early morning skiff rides out to what feels like the end of the world. There, you find yourselves alone taking in the rustic beauty of the marsh, all the while looking for the tell-tale, orange subsurface signature of what you really came for. 50 fish days are not out of the ordinary and a 35+lb trophy redfish of a lifetime could always be floating midwater column around the next bend. It’s the ultimate adventure, and I’ll be making the annual drive for as long as I’m able…Â
On the video: This was shot the morning after the snow had fallen on the LA Marsh. Expectations were low, angler tensions were high, but the water was clear and the fish were present and willing to eat. We were behind this small school and Capt Tony was poling as fast as possible to catch up. I was able to get the fly in front of the fish with a lengthy cast, and quickly mend the line to account for the fast-moving skiff. Fortunately, the largest fish in the school intercepted the fly, and like most LA fish quickly inhaled it.
Jacob Benton is a Florida based fly fishing guide and photographer, be sure to check him out on Instagram @jbenton02, or book a trip on his website!
Bad news from the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes: Minnesota plans to introduce legislation that would threaten Muskie fisheries and the species’ survival in most of the State’s lakes. This proposed legislation is allegedly supposed to benefit other, more popular, fish species in Minnesota, but that notion was rejected by DNR science. It is obvious there is some serious politicking going on here because Musky fishing has become one of the fastest growing areas of fishing in Minnesota. For good reason too, these fish are some of the most violent and tenacious fish that swim in freshwater lakes and rivers–did I mention they will readily take a fly. Take a look at this Star Tribune article to learn more about the issue. and, check out the Minnesota DNR article highlighting the growing popularity of muskie fly fishing. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/issues/2016/sep-oct/fly-fishing-for-muskie.html
Living in the heart of San Francisco doesn’t exactly give one option when it comes to fly fishing. Well…within five hours, there’s just about everything. From Pyramid Lake to Coastal Steelhead and just about anything in between. However, if you’ve got 1/2 a day, the options start to narrow quite a bit.
A few years ago, I started to play around with some surf fishing. There were quite a few days of fishless casting but eventually, I started to get the hang of it. I’d landed perch on spinning gear in the past but the fly rod was an entirely different beast.
Now that I’ve learned to read the water, select the flies, and time the tide, the fishing can be a ton of fun. There are a few different species of Surf Perch that I tend to find on the Central Coast of California. One is the Walleye Perch and the other is the Barred Surf Perch, both are a ton of fun to target on the fly. Pound for pound they’re pretty great fighters too. Most of the time, when you find a little bucket in the surf, you’ll find some fish. They’ll pod up and at times you can catch them cast after cast.
The gear is pretty simple too. A rod in the 6-9wt range should work fine depending on what size flies you’d like to throw. A single hand rod works but a lot of people use a switch rod in the surf these days. If you’re just getting started, you can use a versi-leader on the end of your float line but a full sink line will get you down a little deeper where the big girls live. If you decide to throw a two fly rig with one bigger Clouser and a smaller perch fly, you just might run into a good sized striper too.
 The surf is an entirely different beast, but once you get the hang of it, it can be pretty addicting. Get out there and give it a try!
Tyler Graff a.k.a. @baetisandstones on Instagram is a passionate fly angler and conservationist on the California Coast. Be sure to follow him for more epic content!
Kiritimati, otherwise known as Christmas Island (CXI), is a raised coral atoll located in the Pacific Ocean and one of the Northern Line Islands. This remote island is 1200 miles south of Hawaii and if you look at a map it diagonally smacks right between Mexico and Australia. The island was first sighted on Christmas Eve in 1777 by English navigator Captain James Cook, one that many will remember from History classes at school.
In 1957, the British military began conducting nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean and based themselves on Christmas Island. The tests ended six years later and parts of the island were sealed off for decades. In 2015 the population of the Island was approximately 6,447.
The population at present on CXI is a bit vague, with official figures being out-dated. Supposedly around 6000 people, but some estimates think more like 10,000. They have surveyed for over 2000 more house blocks extending out from Tabwakea, at a guess, there is an expectation that more people will be moving there, most likely from Tarawa.
Christmas Island has been on the ‘fishing map’ for a while now and although it has seen some fishing pressure over the years it is still regarded as one of the most prolific fisheries in the world.
The Island still holds record-breaking bonefish and provides the goods in terms of behemoth giant trevallies (GTs) AKA the Gangsters of the Flats, these monstrous fish lurk on the flats and around the reef depending on the moon and tide cycles.
Triggerfish are plentiful on CXI and come in all sorts of sizes and species, to name a few; yellow margin, mustache, peach-face, and Picasso. Although GTs take the limelight, triggers are highly sought after once you get a taste of their ‘play hard to get’ attitude.
The offshore fishing is excellent too. Your guide can take you into the blue water, not far from the lodge and target tuna, wahoo, sailfish and more. These can all be teased up to the boat and caught on the fly rod.
You also have the option of hunting around the holes in the reef for snapper, reef sharks and a mixed bag of other delights.
To some, it might be a destination that has been ruined by ‘been there done that’ or bad press on chumming but surely such a beautiful and deserted Islands 1000s miles away from civilization can’t be that bad?!
Traveling from the UK is a pain in the ass, it is so far away that the thought of the journey makes me quiver! London -> LA -> Fiji -> Christmas Island – it seems daft that you travel all that way, passing some incredible destinations to then rally on by like there’s nothing to see. We did, however, stop-off in Fiji for a day where we chilled on the beach, albeit anticipating the next flight to the final destination! The benefits of flying from the UK via Fiji, other than the beautiful Fijian singers in the airport is you get 7 days fishing instead of 6 as you land very early in the morning on your first day. Your other sensible option is to go via Hawaii (via the US first!).
As Edd and I stepped off the plane, there was a sigh of relief – we made it! A member of staff from Ikari House picked us up and before we knew it we had arrived at the final destination. The lodge is set on a white sandy beach only a stone’s throw from the rolling ocean waves. We were greeted by the Ikari staff that all smiled sweetly as you passed and said “Kam na mauri†meaning “helloâ€.Â
No rest for the wicked, it was time to get kitted up and straight onto the boat with our guide for the week, Kurt – what a legend! We arrived a week pre-full moon, therefore, targeting bones and triggers for the first couple of days – an apt warm-up for the GTs! It does take at least a few hours, if not days for your eyes to adapt to the bright surroundings, do not be disheartened if you can’t see what everyone else sees, give your eyes some adjusting time.
A proud moment for me was landing my first GT on my first few casts on the first day, albeit a baby, a fish is a fish!Â
The FishingÂ
Bonefish/ Ghost of the Flats ~ (Latin name: Albula Vulpes)
‘The World Bonefishing Championships’ took place on the Island since the early 90’s so if you’re solely after the ghosts this is the place to visit, when we checked in for our flight back home there was an Australian man who had never been fly fishing before and caught 100 bonefish in the week – a century to be proud of! We experienced large numbers of good-sized bonefish on all the flats we waded, they were not in large schools but singles to small schools (4/5 fish). After seeing only a few during the week, we specifically did not target them, as we were so fanatic with other species…cough…cough GT’s cough..cough…
Kurt said that 3 days pre-full moon/ high tides, the larger bonefish make their way onto the shallow flats to spawn and the rod holder will have shots at bonefish over 8lbs.
Giant trevallies/ GTs/ Geets/ Gangsters of the Flats ~ (Latin name: Caranx ignobilis)
Christmas Island is one of the most accessible GT fisheries as well as Cosmo and Farquhar Atoll in the world. Especially for the eager saltwater fishermen living in the USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, South America etc. – I envy you!
We spent most of our days walking along the edge of the lagoons looking for the elusive shadows moving across or onto the flats. Seeing baitfish is a good sign as it normally means a GT won’t be too far away, if you are in the right place at the right time you will spectate a ruckus between predator and prey with nervous water, bow waves and splashes all within seconds of each other.
Kurt, Edd and I were standing on the flats taking a quick break, I was asking questions about GTs, as we hadn’t seen a big one yet and we were pretty keen to bump into one. I was asking Kurt when you were most likely to see one and he was explaining the anatomy of the tides and moons… suddenly Kurt and Edd looked at me like they had seen a ghost and shouted “CHUCK THE FLY, BEHIND YOUâ€, as I turned my back and looked down a 30+ lb GT was within 10 foot of where I was standing – he was looking straight at me like an angry bull ready to charge, with his big eyes and long pectoral fins. The moral of the story is: always be ready, never clip your fly onto your rod eye!!! Never take your eyes off the prize, the opponent can show up anytime.
If you place your chosen fly in the right place and get a take from one of these brutes expect your heart to stop for a few seconds. If you watched Blue Planet II you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about! If you haven’t searched on Google: ‘Bird is eaten by giant fish!’.
Aggressive takes, bulldozing fights and an initial burst of speed up to 60 mph, get ready for chaos; a burnt out reel, snapped lines on coral, spooled, snapped rods – all can be very expensive but equally fun! Make sure your rod setup is robust enough to put up with the fight.
The size range for the flats is approximately 8lbs – 75lbs then on the reef they get a lot larger up to 100lbs +, our Japanese friends staying at the lodge were catching 100+ lb GTs every day.
Christmas Island has become famous for its triggerfish fishing, they occupy nearly all of the flats and you can expect to have a number of shots at them. They are notoriously hard to catch; we must have cast at well over 50 – without success. For now, there is more ‘hate’ than ‘love’ towards triggers. Frustratingly I lost 2 throughout our trip due to coral, one was a sizable yellow margin. You can also take on what the guides call the ‘Trigger Fish Grand Slam’ (3 different species of Trigger in one day) – If you have bad blood pressure I do not advise this challenge!
Milkfish/ Milkies ~ (Latin name: Chanos chanos)
Now this was an unexpected infatuation, an itch that didn’t seem to go away all week. We had 3 mornings chasing them in the open blue water outside the lodge. They were head and tailing in the current, feeding with Manta Rays in the first hours of light. We described them as dog looking, mullet looking, grass carp looking, bonefish!
They are without a doubt a fantastic fish to catch, they don’t have Lactic acid build up, meaning they don’t tire in the fight, as you would expect any fish to do. You catch them on weed and algae imitations, we were using one called ‘Wayne’s Milky Magic’.
Rods need to be 9wt/10wt – My other half snapped an 8wt rod playing one. The sizes averaged about 15lbs up to 30lbs +.
You will get shots at both of these beautiful fish and they are likely to take crab and shrimp patterns. Golden trevallies tail on the flats when there are feeding, they move faster than the speed of light, one minute they’re there, the next minute they’re gone.
The bluefin trevally feeds on the flats and in deeper water. They can also be found behind triggerfish and rays. Both species fight hard, fast and don’t mess about. The golden trevally can tip the scales at 30lbs and a nice bluefin trevally 15lbs.
***Important***
“You might plan your trip around bonefishing, but arrive at the lodge and discover that actually, you’d like to participate in all the species you have available to you, in which case you will need in most cases heavier setups. Bring as much of your fishing kit as you can possibly fit in your rod carrier and suitcase. Better to have more fishing kit than clothes, rather than the other way round.
If Christmas Island has been a likely destination, but you are ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ because of the long haul journey I can confirm it is well-worth all the stress! Pretty much as soon as we landed back home we booked another week at Ikari House and reserved 10 spots for our friends to join (which we have filled since).
Tight lines for the salt! – Marina
Marina Gibson is a fly fishing guide, writer, casting instructor and all around incredible angler from North York, England. Be sure to check her out on Facebook, Youtube and on her Instagram @marinagibsonfishing!
If you’re a fan of gear designed with purpose, gear that is versatile and gear that doesn’t break the bank, you’ll be stoked on the new gear bag from Yakoda Supply. The fly fishing world is saturated with overpriced, over-engineered gear that does nothing more than drain bank accounts and it’s refreshing to see a company intentionally design a bag with the consumer in mind. This bag is well designed, practical, and available at a price that doesn’t make you cringe.
If you’re like me, you haul your fishing gear around in your car or truck from spot to spot. I know few people who have the luxury of living on a trout stream or a nice bungalow on the beach, so chances are your gear has to be transported from one place to another. In the past, I’ve generally just accepted the fact that the back of my truck perpetually looks like a tornado wreaked havoc on a Cabela’s store. Gear everywhere, rogue flies and socks, empty beer cans and tippet tangles. Rod tubes, reels, waders and boots bouncing and dispersing everywhere. For years I have lived in an unconsolidated mess of fly fishing chaos. That is, until I had an opportunity to pull my life together and reap the benefits of the Drifter Gear Transport.
The following are some aspects of this bag that make it great for individuals who need a bit of structure and could benefit from some housekeeping:
It’s huge: 95-liter capacity, way bigger than a lot of bags that cost 3x more. Plenty big for everything you’d need for a week on the water, or can easily carry two pairs of boots and waders, hip packs, nets, etc if you’re going out with a buddy.
Lightweight and packable: 14oz. when empty and can be rolled up and stashed like a rain jacket when not in use.
Materials: The upper of the bag is made with Japanese-made, 4-ply wader material that was salvaged out of a warehouse in LA, where it might not otherwise have ever seen the light of day. It’s waterproof, breathable and anti-microbial, just like your waders.
Changing pad: Most anglers aren’t super careful about caring for the bottom of the booties in their waders but gravel, asphalt, etc. can really mess with the neoprene and result in leaky waders. We use the changing pad to separate our wet stuff from everything else in the bag at the end of the day.
One of my favorite things about this bag is the fact that it can be used for any sport. Most anglers I know also participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities. For me, I used this bag to haul my mountain biking gear to the trails. It easily fits my helmet, pack, gloves, jersey, shorts, snacks, tools, and some extra frosty post-ride beverages. I also used this bag in the winter months for a bit of hockey. If you play hockey, you know that having a smaller bag is essential for stick and puck. I hate hauling a full 40 lb gear bag when all I need is my skates, helmet, gloves and shin pads for a casual afternoon at the rink or local pond.
This bag does not disappoint, and the folks at Yakoda did a great job of designing a bag that does exactly what it is supposed to do: carry gear with ease for a price that keeps consumers happy. I’m stoked.
