This was my first trip staying at The Villages Bonefishing Lodge and I must say it was wonderful – all of the local staff and guides were welcoming and being able to walk from my room directly to the beach and step onto your boat was a bonus 🙌🙌
Christmas Island has to be the most consistent bone fisheries on the planet and it offers great value for money as well. An average weeks fishing costs around AUD $3,500 + tips and airfares via Fiji – Ex Brisbane / Sydney 😉
The colours across the main lagoon are stunning – a natural mural that is forever changing
The average size of the bonefish on this trip was certainly better than our previous trips with the average fishing being around 3lbs and quite a few fish in the 5lb – 7lb class.
I spend a lot more time targeting bones in the skinny stuff this trip with lots of tailing fish action
Me and my namesake #GOAT 🙂
You alternate your days between boat days – which you simply walk out to when staying at The Villages and Truck days if you want to access the backcountry and Korean Wreck flats
The bottom is hard with plenty of rock and small coral and you have to deal with waves – so fly line management is key
The colour of these oceanside bones is different as well – with almost neon green backs – spotting them is easy
You can still fish the Korean wreck flats at the top of the tide as fish will cruise along the beach in the waves and you are more likely to see other critters like GT’s, bluefin trevally, emperor and triggers as well
It is a man-made dam that holds a lot of milkfish which attract packs on GTs at times
Big tides are best for this area and it almost feels like you are fishing lakes with some interesting volcanic rock formations
It has been a long time since Katrina has picked up a fly rod, but her guide Menty had her casting well enough to get her in a position to land her first bonefish – followed by another 7 for the day 🙌🙌
Some interesting landscapes around Huff Dam
The bird life around Huff Dam is pretty special as well
Fishing for triggerfish wasn’t even a “thing” during my previous trips to CXI, and I can’t even recall seeing many on my last trip in 2007.… This trip was different, and once you start the quest, it quickly becomes an obsession!
The head guide at The Villages Bonefish Lodge Beiata or “B” started my quest on day one by guiding me onto flats that held more triggers than bones – but they proved more challenging than I expected 😊
On my last day “B” paired me with Tootene or “T” to get it done and we had an EPIC day landing 8 triggers from 11 hookups – which is a new lodge record 🤘😎
Tootene schooled me on where to put the fly and the retrieve – which I would not have done on my own – Thanks “T” for an awesome day and “B” for teaming me with the trigger master 🙌🙌
If you going to CXI take a #9 wht combo, some 30lb leader and a selection of shrimp flies and Alphlexo Crabs 😉
CXI Christmas Island Tackle NOTES:-
Triggerfish
• G.Loomis Asquith 9ft #9wht 4 pc rod • Abel Super 9 reel • Scientific Angler Magnitude textured grand slam full clear WF9F line – this line is again a half a line weight heavier and really made a difference on the triggers as far as not spooking them with the line in the air and on the water. • Leaders – Scientific Angler Absolute Fluorocarbon Saltwater Leaders – 9ft 20lb which I trimmed back and added 30lb Ocea Fluorocarbon tippet to • Flies – Alphlexo crabs in tan and white caught all my triggers – but others on our trip also had success on some shrimp patterns as well.
Bonefish
• G.Loomis NRX+ 9ft #7wht 4 pc rod • Abel ROVE 7/9 reel • Scientific Angler Magnitude smooth bonefish plus clear tip WF7F line – which is a half a line weight heavier with an ivory main line and a clear floating 10ft tip – I LOVED this line! • Leaders – Scientific Angler Absolute Fluorocarbon Saltwater Leaders – 9ft 20lb + added Absolute fluorocarbon tippet – 16lb to 20lb • Flies – all the usual Christmas Island patterns mostly in size 6 with light eyes for skinny water
You can what the full video from this trip here 😉
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