 |
Fishing Reports
New Lodge at Christmas Island
July 15, 2006
Posted by Stan Wright
Email: stanwright@hawaii.rr.com
Current Report
Had a nice visit with Sean
Niesz over at Nervous Water
fly shop. He and Kevin
Faucheux just returned from
a very successful fishing
trip to that new lodge at
Christmas Island. They were
the first guests at the KPC
Village Lodge in the little
village of Tabwakea. Located
on the lagoon side of the
island about half way
between Banana and London,
it's only a 20 minute drive
from the airport.
(Christmas Island is 3 hours
by Air Pacific jet south of
Honolulu. There is one
flight a week. Tuesday to
Tuesday.)
The new lodge has 4 rooms in
two duplex apartments and a
central dining/bar area
where anglers gather each
evening for pupus (fresh
sashimi, poki, fried
breadfruit, and other
assorted goodies.) Each room
has a mini ice box stocked
with bottled water and
private bath with plenty of
hot water. I liked his
stories of fresh fish dishes
for dinner and eating
lobster.... 3 times. LOL
Breakfast to order and
making your own huge
sandwiches for lunch.
The "Village" was built by
several Mainland anglers who
have fished Christmas Island
over the last 20 years and
decided they wanted a place
that, well, "was built by
fisherman and catered to
fisherman."
When you say Christmas
Island most people think
bonefish. That's a fact. If
you want those double digit
bones, just tell your guide
and head for the flats with
waist deep water where the 8
to 10 pound plus size fish
hang out. Kevin caught one
12 pounder this trip.
Everyone caught several in
the 5 to 6 pound range.
I'm lazy. Take me to the
sandy flats where schools of
100 bones weighing 1 to 3
pounds cruse the ankle deep
water. I ask Sean, "How many
bonefish can an angler catch
in a day?" He thought a
minute and replied, "It all
depends on your skill level.
If you fish in the morning,
and again after lunch, stay
with your guide and listen
to what he says.... even a
really junk angler should
catch 30 fish a day."
The "Village" can only
handle 8 guests a week, so
everyone gets lots of
personal attention. The two
boats are on the beach right
in front of your room. A
short 10 minute boat ride
and your already surrounded
by sandy flats loaded with
fish. If you prefer, a truck
can be arranged for fishing
at other locations like Y
Site or Korean Wreck.
Owning a fly fishing shop,
Kevin and Sean wanted to
explore other Christmas
Island fishing options so
they could tell their
clients about what all was
available. "I was amazed at
the skill and knowledge of
our guides", said
Sean. "Just tell the guide
what kind of fish your after
and they could put you in
the right places."
At the Korean Wreck they
caught 1 to 6 pound Omilu
(blue travele) on fly rods.
On another flat in the
lagoon the 5 & 6 pound Papio
(GT) gave them a work out.
Outside the lagoon they used
heavy spinning tackle and
surface poppers to land two
GT over 50 pounds. Sean even
landed a sailfish that
chased down his plug. They
also filled the big ice
chest on the boat with Ahi
(yellowfin tuna) and Ono
(wahoo). These 5 to 30 pound
fish were suckers for a
trolled Rappala lure.
Spincasting with lighter
tackle and assorted lures
produced a mixed bag of reef
and game fish.
Those "Sweetlips" taste
great.
After seeing Sean's
pictures, and hearing about
the lobster dinners, my
friend and I put down our
deposit for a trip in
November. Well, have to run,
I've got lots more flys to
tye.
Aloha,
Stan
|
|
Email this link to a friend
Log In