Back From Vanuatu

[spirost]

G'day Raiders,

Only recently got back from a holiday in Vanuatu. I had previously done quite well there with catches of wahoo, GT's and tuna but not this trip.

I managed to get on a shared charter with a lovely couple Mike and Cheryl from Tassie for some game fishing out of Port Vila.

Unfortunately for me I picked up a virus the day before and spent most of the time on board trying not to hurl. It is the worst form of torture knowing that there is no turning back. Anyhow, onto the fishing.

Trolled a number of skirted lures on 37kg Shimano tackle. The majority of the action took place in the first hour when Mike and Cheryl had a double hook up on yellowfin tuna. Mike quickly brought his to the boat where it went ballistic and spat the hooks Cheryl, must of hooked his great grandfather as the fish refused to budge and was giving her a hard time. Unfortunately the hooks pulled and it was fish 2, anglers 0.

Next hit was about half hour later when the skipper called it for a mahi mahi. I looked forward to the fight but before I could get to the rod it too was lost.

We spent the next four hours trolling for not much. The unease in my stomach wouldn't go away and the sweats came and went. Mike and Cheryl tried to do their best to keep me in good spirits but I was not great company and only answered in one or two syllables. After fighting it for five hours I finally succumbed and hoped that at least the burley would attract something.

We finally got a good hit and Mike was on. After a decent fight a lit up mahi mahi came to the side of the boat. It was my first one I had seen and the most amazing colours of blue, green and yellow. A good gaff shot from the deckie had her on board and she was estimated at around 12kg. Finally a result.

It was time to turn around and come back in. On the troll in, we had a hit on the outrigger and this time the skipper has called it for a marlin around 70kg. Instantly the nausea subsided as I sprang to life and jumped up in expectation but misfortune smiled upon me again and the marlin refused to come back and finish off the job.

All I could do was laugh, six hours in a tropical fishing paradise, feeling like crap and not even able to turn the reel handle in anger. I suppose that's fishing.

Anyhow a couple of photos from the day plus a shot of a fish from a freshwater stream. It is amazing just how clear the water is in some of these parts.

cheers

mr mojo

[Davemmm]

Lost you Mojo!

[sherackattack]

bad luck with the cold

nice looking fish though

[The Iceman]

Unlucky on the fishing It can be like that out of Port Vila All the charter skippers seem to do the same troll run I believe its called the marlin highway

The freshwater fish is a jungle perch

[spirost]

Lost you Mojo!

HaHa!! Maybe I should hire Austin Powers to get it back for me. Has anyone seen Dr Evil ????

bad luck with the cold

nice looking fish though

Yes, she was a beautiful fish. Unfortunately the photo was taken a little while after she was brought on board so the colours had faded.

Unlucky on the fishing It can be like that out of Port Vila All the charter skippers seem to do the same troll run I believe its called the marlin highway

The freshwater fish is a jungle perch

It was a slow day although the small marlin would have made up for it but it didn't come back after it attacked the lure. The other boat had a bit more success and had landed a couple of yellowfin, a small mahi mahi and wahoo. Although they left a little earlier than us.

Thanks for the fish identification. They swam up so close it was amazing. My 2 year old daughter was in raptures.