CHRISTMAS ISLAND
The anticipation for this trip had been building ever since my mate Greg asked if I would like to go to Christmas Island and chase Bonefish on fly. Once confirmed that he wasn’t joking and we were actually going to go, preparations swung into action. What flys? What rod? What weight line and type? With this in mind the internet became my friend.
First on the list was what type of flys? I ended up purchasing a Saltwater Fly Patterns book which had a specific section on Bonefish. Next came the fly tying materials. Ebay and the internet again proved it’s worth here as there are very few shops in Adelaide with this type of material on offer. I bought everything to make the flys from scratch. Quite a few evenings over the next few months were now spent in the shed making them. On one particular occasion, I thought I should do the right thing so I brought all the tying material into the lounge room so I could grace my wife with my presence. But I managed to spill the super glue on the carpet and by the time I had got something to clean up the mess, the vapours coming off the carpet told me that whatever I did wasn’t going to be enough. No amount of acetone was or did get that glue out. Not a happy camper and the look I got was enough from my significant other…..So the glue and all other sorts of finishing materials were kept in the shed from then on. Literature received from the fishing adventure operators said I needed to take all I need with me so I ended up making 235 flys of different shapes, sizes and colours.
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| THE FLYS |
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| ROD AND REEL WITH SMALL CHRISTMAS ISLAND GT |
The flight to Brisbane was uneventful until my mate Greg was supposed to pick me up. The flight was half an hour late, so this is where some confusion reigned. Out from the arrival bridge, no Greg. Down to baggage collection, no Greg. Baggage collected, phone call to his place, no Greg. Call put over the PA at Brisbane airport, no Greg. Phone call from my wife, no Greg. I hate mobile phones but actually had mine on me this time, but Greg doesn’t carry one with him all the time, no communication by mobile. Eventually after a couple of hours, phone calls between Adelaide and Ipswich, and there’s Greg. He had been at the airport but the signs hadn’t turned on the arrivals board so he went home which is a good hour from the airport. I arrived and the rest is confusion
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| CHRISTMAS ISLAND BONEFISH |
We headed back to the airport next morning for the flight out to Fiji, then a six hour wait in the Fiji airport before the flight to Christmas Island, arriving there at 0630hrs the following morning in the rain. We got driven to the airport in the back of an open sided truck which was not a bad ride except a little wet. So slightly damp for the check in, but everybody was in the same boat and when you are going fishing in a place like this, who cares? Greg and I were not the only fishermen here for the week as there were another seven guys, six from Aust and one from the US. As it turned out a fantastic group of guys to go fishing with and with some of them being here multiple times, a great source of hints, tips and information.
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| OUR HOME FOR THE WEEK |
The first day of fishing is an optional
extra. The majority of the other guys went fishing but we stayed behind to
catch up on some sleep and walk the beach front with the fly rod to see if we
could entice anything there. Nothing doing but the Crayfish for lunch was worth
staying back for. That evening everyone got together over a few drinks and
swapped stories.
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| GETTING TO THE FLATS |
The following morning, the routine started
that would be our “typical” day for the next week. Up at 0500, breakfast at
0530, back to the huts to finish getting everything we would need for the day before
being picked up in the trucks to go either shore based fishing or around to
London where we boarded a skiff to go out into the bay. A guide was allotted
between two fishermen but could be arranged individually if required. Return to
the hotel would be between 1700 and 1830. All fish caught on this trip is catch
and release.
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| TYPICAL FLATS FISHING |
Greg
and I had Beada (spelling) as our guide for the first day out in the skiff. The
wind wasn’t going to be our friend that day as it had turned the water very
milky due to the churning sand. Lots of blind casting before Greg got the first
Bonefish.
Very elated that we had finally got on to a Bonefish but slightly
disappointed at the same time as we had $10 bet on who would catch the first
one. So down $10 there. Not too long after that I landed my first Bonefish on a
borrowed fly. Of all the flys I made the only colour I didn’t make many of was
orange and guess what? That’s the main colour used on the Island.
To overcome
this shortfall I borrowed an orange highlighter pen and coloured some of the
small white Clousers and Crazy Charlies. The white thread absorbed the orange
colour and these flys turned out to be a hit with the fish. All the hype on how
these fish fight and pull on a fly line is true. Even though my first one was
only a relatively small one, it went hard. I didn’t land another that day but I
was very happy as a massive tick on the bucket list had been achieved.
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| BONEFISH RELEASE |
The next day the fishing teams swapped
around and would stay that way till the last day. Greg and I had Toki as our
guide from now on. Caught a few more Bonefish even landing my biggest Bonefish
for the trip on one of my yellow Christmas Island Specials which measured 26”. The
only downer was breaking my brand new South Pacific rod on one of the Bonefish.
Only got just over a days use out of it. Lesson learnt, don’t try and maneuver
the fly line with your rod so you can grab it, while you have Bonefish on the
other end. So after quite a few choice words it was back to the skiff for a rod
change.
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| BIG BONEFISH |
Over
the week we alternated between skiff and shore based fishing. The tally of
Bonefish slowly mounted along with different types of species caught. One
particular day we went after GT’s and I was lent a 12wt rod and reel from
Chris, one of the other fisho’s, for this purpose. The guides were “chumming”
to get the GT’s around. When one of those things grabs your line and heads out
to the nearest coral out crop which is about 200 meters away, you soon learn
that is not as far away as it seems after getting busted off. A re-rig, new
leader and back out onto the pancake for some more fun. Now knowing what to
expect the next time when it took off I put all the hurt I, the reel and rod
could muster onto the thing. Nothing like a good tug of war and arm wrestle for
the next twenty minutes before finally getting this one in, photographed then
released. It didn't feel as big as the last one but weighing in between 40-50
lb I was more than happy to land this one.
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| GT |
The
scenery is very picturesque all around the island but especially out on Paris
Flats. White sand, clear water, palm trees on the beach, definitely fishing in
paradise. The local Islanders are very friendly and accommodating, the villages
are simple but enough for the climate and lifestyle this Island has to
offer. Driving in the back of the trucks
on sealed and unsealed roads can be an experience, especially with worn shock
absorbers. Another hazard for many of the residential crabs is having to move
off the road rather quickly to avoid becoming road pizza. At times some of the
local birds like to get very close and personal when you are fishing. It is
pretty cool for the first time if you are not used to it, but when you are
casting to a fish and the bird shadow scares it away, it quickly loses it’s coolness.
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| PARIS FLATS |
Greg has been up around the tropical
islands before and one of his things is to bring play equipment or balls for
the children. So, on the truck ride back to the hotel after fishing, when a
child or children were seen, a tennis, soccer or football was given to the
totally unsuspecting recipient. Just the wave and smile on the kids faces made
it all worthwhile.
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| LOCAL CHRISTMAS ISLAND CHILDREN |
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| VERY HAPPY FISHERMEN |
Ash.
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