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Bonefish And Barrels


bombora

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Hiya all; after much thought (get another boat or...) I sent off the deposit for a dream surfing/fishing trip yesterday. Will be spending two weeks in the Tuamotu Islands in December. Where? you ask; about as far away from anything as you can get on this earth. Its a massive (size of europe) chain of mostly uninhabited atolls about 500 miles east of Tahiti. Gonna be on a boat for two weeks, surfing awesome reef passes without another bloody surfer in site!!!!! Only about 10,000 people live in the entire chain, and there is NO commercial grade fishing.

But it gets better, the reef pass surf spots are all entrances to massive atoll lagoons, and in those lagoons are massive bonefish, among other things. In the Tuamotu Islands the bones AVERAGE 7 pounds and the biggest taken is 14 pounds!!!!! Apparently there aren't huge schools of bones, just lots of solos and pods of 2/3/4/5 fish, all BIG. And the tides only have a variation of between one and two feet, so fishing won't be so dependent on guides finding where the fish feed in places with much bigger tides.

It's been a dream to score a bone so am wondering if any Fishraider has experience with the grey ghost of the flats? Need all the help I can get as there is a serious lack of info on Tuamotu bones (and bonefish spinning in general is overwhelmed by rope throwers bones info on the web) Was gonna take my beloved noodle rod with dogbone grips plus Capricorn 1500 with 4lb Fireline, but am now wondering if it will be undergunned on these big Bones? Any suggestions for a rod? Something around $100-$150 as I don't wanna take a fragile mega dollar rod on the various jets, light planes, jeeps and boats needed to get there. Also gotta be two piece to fit in the board bag (gotta also save for new 6'8" rounded pin board for the reef pass barrels!!!).

Few other questions; anyone know if bonefish jigs are sold in Oz? Or even just the jig heads (they are a flat, spade shaped head design called a skimmer) so I can tie my own bucktails on em. Also gonna take a selection of plastics, but can anyone point me to a LIGHT tan coloured plastic (grubs or other styles) around two inches long in Oz shops,. The Bones apparently favour pinks, yellows, white and the light tan/sand colour (much ligher than the common p-seed used for bream).

Now the Tuamotus also as you'd guess have more than just bones in the lagoons (milkfish!!! emperors, SIX species of trevs) they also have big bruisers on the reef drop offs. Fin, huge bottom ooglies, marlin etc etc etc etc and etc. The boat, as surf charters generally do, has some trolling outfits (most surf charters seem to have two or three 24kg standup rods and "well used" lever drag reels) but what should I also take as a second medium all purpose heavy outfit???? Heavyish second spin rod? Medium jig outfit with something like a Saltist? Help!!!

Cheers Bombie

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Also gonna take a selection of plastics, but can anyone point me to a LIGHT tan coloured plastic (grubs or other styles) around two inches long in Oz shops,. The Bones  apparently favour pinks, yellows, white and the light tan/sand colour (much ligher than the common p-seed used for bream).

Have a look at the 2" Smelt coloured Berkley Micro Minnow Bombora, might be just the ticket :1clap: Or perhaps the 1" Berkley Frogs, there is a smelt pattern (called Toad or something) in them aswell.

Your one lucky sod, sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Good luck!

Cheers

Windy

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Hiya Clutch, I am actually looking forward to tangling with Mururoa's legendary atomic mutants; three tails makes for a great fight! Bom,bie

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I never thought of it that way Bombie, could be some ugly fights :thumbup:

just remember to wear lead undies if you want kids :1prop:

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No need for lead undies clutch, according to my mates; they reckon I've pulled back from far too many big waves to even have the equipment needed to produce kids, so to speak :1naughty: . Hiya Matt yeah forgot about the smelt colour, got some at home and will have a look at em tonight but I think they are still too dark! The Seppos use sandy-blonde coloured bucktails and grubs. Fun geeting ready though. It will be a long six months waiting.......... Cheers Bombie

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