After months of frustrating delays we finally managed to get the boat back in the water and trialled with a brand new engine sitting on the back, in the meanwhile we had not been sitting around waiting for paint and fibreglass to dry, no chance, as usual we had been pouring over maps finding out about local where the local fisherman go and what catches they have been brining in. So by the time d-day for our planned exploratory trips arrived we just could not wait any longer.
The boat being run after off season maintenance and clean ups
Once at Trincomalee we decided to do a little bit of scouting around, generally driving the boat and looking for signs any signs that would tell us “fishy” and did we find places that our sensitive noses picked up…. you betcha!!
Oh, the other thing we are all rigged up and using Sami’s Racepoint Rods which are going to be the standard charter rods for hire on all our charters both in Sri Lanka and the Andamans I first tried this rods on this trip http://gamefishingindia.blogspot.in/2013/02/fish-of-dreamsgone.html and they are great rods, there are the 200 and 250 Racepoint’s rigged, minimum for this trip is 80 lb and max is 130 lb hollowcore, we are hoping to get something to give us a bit of a workout and the expectations are good.
Akshay putting the hurt on a fish which wants to get into deeper water
I will remember this strike as it was first one we had the fish came in from the deep water and tried 3 times before it got a good hold of the lure, he has never seen one before for sure. I hope its a good omen of things to come if this is fish number one of the trip. It pulled hard and took off a lot of line in the current.
We also got quite a few small ones the first day, it was exciting to know that fish were around as that always gives you the motivation to cast and keep going when things are a bit slow.
Stew with his first GT of the trip, as of now it is only me who has not landed one yet, I am casting hard but to no return, tried my selection of selection of favourites from before and none have worked so far… that is why I love fishing!!!
We come upon this area that just screams GT, its got all the characteristics with deep water close by everyone is excited and we are all casting like maniacs
Cast, cast, cast no time for rest now the time is right
Hit… Hiiitt ittt…Hiiitt itttt AGAIN!!!
Another good hook up
And a very nice GT for Stew at the end of the fight, well done Stew, boy does this place have potential if we are hooking fish like this.
Double header on really solid GT’s, simply fantastic
We come upon this other set of spots we have seen earlier and feel we should give another go after a full morning of casting with no rewards, I am the second one to cast on this drift having the back of the boat, Stew’s popper lands and he is immediately into a good fish that is peeling off the line like the drag was non existent. My popper lands, one pop and BANG… set set set the hook and again, solid pressure and then all goes limp, I am shattered, I reel in and look at the lure, I am shocked to see both my Decoy Trebles are opened… Tough luck for me!!! Stew is still fighting his fish and the battle that end is status quo so far, I cast again, I pop with fading hope, missed chance mate!! the wait for me will be longer…… 12 feet from the boat there is this enormous crash on the lure, luckily for me I pop under the arm so I mange to set the hook, maximum pressure on the Racepoint 250 and a few minutes later with some deft boat handling we have 2 big Geet’s to pose with and another one for my collection.
Big fish and excellent fight for both parties!!
Quickly putting 2 and 2 together to make 20 we try another spot on the same section of the tide, my popper lands just behind an eddy about 70 yards away the first cast of the day for me and see a big swirl and a tail come out of the water, I set the hook and the fish is on but its peeling off line like I have my drag on loose so I am palming the spool to slow it down, luckily for me its gone to deeper water. I do not know the size of this fish as it was long cast and expect it to be good size, 5 minutes later I am quite surprised to see the GT above
Deep heavy set GT
Most of the GT’s here appear to be very deep and thick set, heavy and bulky, the one above gave Akshay a serious workout and back pain before it finally ceded to the continuous pressure from the Racepoint 200 which bent and lifted the fish very nicely.
Stew lets the RP 200 do the work
Stew is all smiles after this GT we actually saw it swimming near a bommie and got it on the second pass, she put up a great fight in the 2.5kn current and gave Stew a full workout. Just before this Stew had lost 2 poppers in quick succession, both to fish, one cast was the perfect place not to cast, just behind the bommie in an eddy, he was on instantly and off equally fast as the fish raced off and sliced the line on the sharp coral.
Another Big GT
Lets put it this way there were a only a few small fish, by the end of the trip every time you set the hook you knew if the hook set you would be on the fish for a while, this really is superb GT fishing
Solid, solid Geets, just enjoy the GT porn
A Final Big one for Akshay to seal a great few days of fishing
The surviving lures, battered, straightened hooks, we are not counting the lures now resting at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, its time to go back now knowing the job is done, at least for now, we have found the fish and just a few of the places, but we are back soon and better prepared for the next round, coming again very soon.
Till then
Tight lines….
