Try on Fly - Learn to Fly Fish

Christmas Island Revisited

by Nial Logan

It gets better each time you visit. There is such a variety of fishing situations that it’s mind blowing. From the gear testing (and sometimes gear destroying) offshore action for a whole range of critters, the phenomenal sight casting in the crystal clear water on the flats, the adrenaline fuelled action on the ocean side reefs and the shore based stalking of wary fish in some of the “backcountry” lagoons that receive little fishing pressure, the potential is unlimited.

You will seldom hear one negative report about the experience. Even in the unfortunate event that the weather is less than favourable, there are still plenty of fish to be caught. There isn’t sufficient time to experience it all in a week. Apart from the fishing, if you take the time to stop and smell the roses, there is some great scenery and birdlife to see.

Fine tuning the gear

On a previous trip, after reading reports and listening to advice from various sources, I ended up taking everything except the kitchen sink. This time I was determined to trim the gear and flies down to a more manageable level.

Flies

Obeying the old KISS principle, 88 Crazy Charlies and Gotchas tied on #4 and #6 Gamakatsu SL45 Panfish hooks with a gold body and tan wing and pearl body with tan wing. Salmon coloured thread used for the head with gold or black small barbell eyes (no beadchain or painted such as real eyes). Why 88 .... that's how many that fitted into a pocket size double sided fly box.

White and pearl flashy profiles 4-6 inches long on Gamakatsu SL12S for the larger species and a few kinkyfibre bendbacks for use over reefy areas.

Rods

A stiff 6wt saltwater rod to handle the majority of fish on the flats, a 9 wt to make casting a little easier in very windy conditions and for use at the Korean Wreck. A 12wt for the bigger trevally on the flats and the outside action for tuna, wahoo, sailfish etc.

Reels

3 larger arbor reels with spare spools. The larger arbor reels make life a lot easier to pickup line after the usually long initial run. They also virtually eliminate the necessity to stretch stiff tropical core lines

Lines

Two 6wt SA Bonefish floating lines, 9wt Bermuda TT floating, 9wt Striper 1, 12wt SA Tarpon floating, 12wt Striper 1, 12wt T14 shooting head.

Leaders/Tippett

For bonefish leaders, a standard 9ft, 16lb tapered flouro, one foot off the end and joined to 4-5 feet of 10-12 lb flouro using a triple surgeons (on sand bottoms, going down as small as 8lb will mean more hook ups). I found Seaguar performed well for tippet and the small spool makes it easy to carry in a shirt pocket.

For the larger species, a 20-30lb 8ft long twisted leader fitted with 60-80 lb shock tippet. Where a shock tippet is not required, a 20lb tapered leader is ideal.

Clothes

Two sets of long trousers and long sleeved shirts for fishing, one set of clothes to wear over and back and casual clothes for night wear. A light rain jacket and

four pairs of thick socks completed the ensemble.

Other Essential Gear

Invest in a pair of good quality polaroid sunnies - yellow and light brown seem to be the preferred colours. As a personal choice, I used a pair of Spotters with yellow photochromatic glass lenses and found them to be excellent on a wide variety of bottom structures.

A solid pair of wading boots such as Bites or Cabelas are a must. Cheap flats booties will not always stand up to the rigors of walking through some of the coral. Wounds will infect quickly so the money spent on good footwear designed for the task is cheap insurance.

A stripping basket is invaluable so make or purchase one and get used to using it before departing.

Some people prefer bum bags to carry necessities when wading. In deep water everything gets wet. For that reason and for ease of access, I prefer a small bag that can be slung diagonally across the shoulder for dryness and ease of access.

Preparation

To make the most of the trip, before you go, do some preparation. Talk to people who have done the trip before and check the chat rooms for other hints and tips.

Brush up on the techniques for casting in the wind particularly off- shoulder or backhand for when the wind is from your casting arm side. The norm is winds speeds of 10 to 15 knots and sometimes up to 25-30 knots.
Practice fast presentations - having to make 5 or 6 false casts to make a 40-50 foot cast will, in many cases, mean a missed opportunity .
Do a bit of casting practice on accuracy using 12 to 14 foot leaders with a weighted fly. Add an elliptical or Belgian Cast to you bag of techniques for throwing heavy flies.
Learn how to change direction quickly.
Practice quiet pickups and presentations.
Practice roll casting - it is a useful technique for close quarter action.

This Years Lodge

The lodge we used is located on the waterfront in London about 200 metres from the boat launching area. It has three air-conditioned twin share rooms each with ensuite. Adjoining the kitchen and dining room is a “mwaneaba” or meeting house constructed in the traditional steep roofed style using only the materials from the coconut palm. A great place to relax after a hard days fishing and a good meal. It is spotlessly kept and the food was excellent. Pre-dinner nibblies consisted of tuna sashimi, battered fish pieces and deep fried breadfruit slices. Dinner consisted of salads, fresh steamed vegetables, rice, mashed sweet potato or potato while the meat was either lobster, BBQ tuna fillets, pork ribs or steak.

The guides were very experienced and are great at their calling. Their intimate knowledge of the lagoon, tides and moon phases without ever referring to a chart is amazing.

Additional Hints

Attach fly using an improved clinch knot or a lefty’s loop pulled down small as you can get it. A large loop will spook some fish. After every few casts check the fly to ensure that it isn’t tailwrapped or the hook point dulled. The latter is particularly important when fishing the rubble bottoms. Check the leader regularly if you find a knot in your leader remove it or replace it immediately. After every fish check the entire length of the leader for abrasions.

Converse with the guides - they have such great vision and are so good at spotting fish. Their knowledge and expertise will be shared willingly if you take the time to ask. Many of the guides will not want you to cast unless you can see the fish. They will point the fish out and the rest is up to you.

The guides work hard to put you onto the fish. Sometimes you hear complaints about the guides when in reality it’s the fisherperson who cannot make the shot when the guide presents the opportunity. Accept that some days are tougher than others - make the best of the good days and enjoy the experience.

Nial Logan

Why not experience the great fishing for yourself

Join us for a week in either June or July 2009.

Cost is around $3,300 AUD - including airfares departing from Brisbane.

Check out the Noticeboard or contact us for more information.