CyberAngler

The fishing was fantastic. The bone fishermen in our group waded the endless miles of shallow sand flats casting to 2, 3, and 4 pound fish. Christmas Island is a quantity bonefish area. The largest on our trip weighed just over 4 pounds...... I was often standing in one spot for over two hours casting to schools of 50 or 60 bonefish as the moved up the flats. Most of these fish weighed 1 to 2 pounds, but were so much fun on a 5 wt fly rod. I would catch 2 or 3 fish before the giant school of fish moved past me.

A few hours of the day was spent trawling outside the lagoon where we picked up Wahoo, yellowfin tuna, aku, and GT. We ate fresh fish dishes and sashimi every day.

After dropping the bonefish guys off on the flats, some of us would have the boatman move in close to the reef and drift over the shallow, crystal clear waters. It was like an aquarium, so many colorful reef fish. This is where a heavier fly rod or spinning rod came into play. I would wait for my brother or son to hook up, then cast my fly into the school of fish that followed the hooked fish trying to take the lure out of its mouth. Instant hook up. We caught GT (blue fin and white) from 1 to 35 pounds, lie (leatherback) up to 2 3/4 pound, and a wild assortment of reef fish. Several times our guide spotted an octopus and jumped into the waist deep water to grab it. One 8 pound tako (octopus) would provide plenty of poki and snacks for everyone at the hotel.

I'm still going through the 1000+ pictures before I can add a "Christmas Island" page to my web site. I'm also saving up for my next trip.

Aloha,
Stan

Do you still consider going back there this holiday season..??


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"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

Funny you should ask..... we leave on Oct 31. Air pacific jets now make the trip from Honolulu in only 2 1/2 to 3 hours (lunch included) We leave here on a Tuesday and return the following Tuesday. I booked our trip through Nervous Water, our local fly shop. They work with a company in California. Almost every fly shop in the US can help you arrange trips to Christmas.

We're paying just under $3000 for everything. Air fare, ground transportation, hotel, meals, bottled water and sodas, guides, boat and boatman. I think the only other thing we have to pay for is visa, fishing licence, beer, and tips. As I said, We're figuring total cost at right around $3000. Not bad for a 7 day trip. (That does not include air fare to Honolulu from where you live on the mainland.)

We're staying at The Villages, a new hotel built by fishermen for fishermen. It's fifty yards from the water on the lagoon side of the island. The boats are right on the beach, and it's a short ride every day to the flats or reef, depending on what you want to fish for that day.

I just added a "Christmas Island" page to my web site with pictures from two recent trips. I can't wait to see this new hotel and take more pictures.
From what I hear it's great.

Aloha,
Stan

Wow! That really sounds great man!

Only $3000 for 7 days, that is too good..Von Voyage..lolz

By the way, what was your website, can you share it with me, I want to see all the pictures you have just taken from your trips..

Thanks..


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"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

Sorry...... www.hawaiibassfishing.com

Just click on "Christmas Island"
The first 14 pictures are from Sean over at Nervous Water. They went down in June '06 to check out the new lodge and see how many different fishing options were available. Their pictures show the many fishing options available if you want to do more than just go for bonefish.

The rest of the pictures are from the '05 trip when I took my brother and son. They fly fish, but are more into spinning rods. There are so many fish in so many sizes to keep you busy.

I have to tell you the bone fishing is great. I'm going with my doctor who has never caught a bonefish on a fly. (he goes to the mainland every year for trout) He also wants to try for the GT (Giant Trevelli) That's that big "jack" looking fish in the pictures. Those big fish are lots of work. I'll stick to the small stuff.

Aloha,
Stan

Wow the pictures was really great, The views are really beautiful.


DO you use all this things.??



This place is really great, and the fish, wow! look to go thier... :0


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"Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."