Light spin tackle matched with small soft plastics proved a deadly combo for the big wary bonefish that patrol the crystal clear flats on the tropical paradise known as Aitutaki in the South Pacific, writes BRENT HODGES.
ON reflection, combining a wedding and honeymoon with a few days of fishing certainly sounds like an adventurous plan. Fortunately, my wife and I share a passion for the outdoors and our most recent journey was the pinnacle of our travels thus far. Imagine pure white sandy beaches, gently swaying coconut palms, fresh tropical fruits, exquisite seafood, friendly locals and a relaxed lifestyle. Now picture a magnificent blue lagoon teeming with feisty trevally and some sizeable bonefish, and there you have a tropical island paradise known as Aitutaki.
Fishing Aitutaki
Aitutaki Lagoon is popular amongst fly anglers and has the potential to produce trophy bonefish. The surrounding reef system is also home to some monstrous GTs, brassy and bluefin trevally, barracuda, dogtooth tuna and various other tropical species. Offshore game fishing targets include yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and wahoo. During our stay, I was unable to land anything huge on my modest spin tackle, but the trevally kept me entertained while flicking lures around the resort. I also managed a handful of bonefish on soft plastics.
The Ghost Whisperer
My first encounter with the seemingly elusive but attainable ghosts of Aitutaki Lagoon came while wading the flats under the guidance Itu Davey. Itu (pronounced E2) is a reformed local netter who has since hung up the mesh in favour of guiding recreational anglers for a living. His intricate understanding of bonefish behaviour, extensive knowledge of the flats and legendary fish spotting ability has put many clients amongst the action over the past few years. Itu specialises in guiding fly anglers, but he was more than happy to accommodate my spin tackle. He was also intrigued and keen to learn about fishing with soft plastics, or soft bait, as the Islanders refer to them. An online video featuring Itu is available for viewing at the Fisho website, fishingworld.com.au. The 10-minute clip takes a while to load but features some spectacular images of the island’s flats and amazing bonefishing potential.
Seeing Ghosts
As a stiff breeze swept across the lagoon, Itu pulled the boat up onto the sheltered side of an uninhabited sand island, and we began to make our way across the flat on foot. Less than 10 minutes later, Itu froze, pointing at the crystal clear water directly ahead. Though I couldn’t see anything, other than sand and water, I punched out a long cast aided by a tailing breeze. Allowing the jig-head to settle, I commenced a slow but steady roll style retrieve, gently dribbling the plastic across the bottom. “Slowly, slowly, he’s coming,” Itu whispered in his Cook Island Maori accent. Instinctively, or perhaps through force of habit, I briefly paused the retrieve. “Yep, he’s got it,” Itu announced as the rod loaded up and the fish headed for the horizon. In almost utter disbelief we watched 15 to 20m of line disappear from the spool within seconds, before the unimaginable occurred. Immersed in the moment, I failed to set the hook properly and it fell out! Somewhat disillusioned, but at the same time excited, we headed back to the boat to try another flat on a nearby island. Along the way, Itu explained that the best way to spot bonefish on the flats is to search for moving shadows. Resuming our quest, a couple of trevally had my heart racing before it finally happened. This time I also spotted the fish, watched it home in on the lure, and ensured the hook was set firmly. For years I have dismissed bonefish as finicky oversized whiting and never considered that targeting these silver bullets, be it on fly or spin gear, could become so addictive. In fact, prior to the trip I was more interested in pursuing trevally, but that all changed after watching my first bonefish hook up unfold in crystal clear water, not to mention the blistering run that effortlessly stripped 50m of braid off my reel in an instant.
Bonefish on Soft Plastics
It was a tremendous thrill to hook and land my first bonefish, albeit a relatively small specimen by Aitutaki’s standards. It was even more special to do it using my own gear and techniques. Prior to the trip, it was suggested to me that bonefish would not take soft plastics on the shallow sand flats, but I was keen to give it go regardless. I realise it’s been done before at various locations around the world, but bonefish are not often pursued on spin tackle. Given that the first two bones we spotted resulted in hook ups, certainly gave me some confidence and definitely raised Itu’s eyebrows. He is now considering investing in some threadline tackle to cater for a greater range of anglers. The following day I also managed to coerce a few more bonefish while wading the shallows just out from our resort. Blind casting into the channels and deeper gutters, adjacent to where fish were spotted tailing, also proved successful. I even had a couple of fish that I’m certain were bones follow and create a bow wave behind a surface presentation. Until recently, few had considered that bream, let alone yellowfin whiting, would become viable surface luring options here in Australia. Perhaps chasing bonefish on small poppers and surface walkers will become the next big challenge for lure enthusiasts. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves …
Spin Tackle
While the local guides and charter operators do supply some gear, serious anglers are advised to bring their own tackle and equipment when visiting Aitutaki. Gearing up prior to the trip, my mind boggled at the thought of tangling with monstrous GTs on the reefs and a host of pelagic species out wide. As a light tackle lure specialist based in Melbourne, loading up with massive poppers, large diving minnows and enormous soft plastics was a bit of a novelty. While my luggage bulged at the seams, I still managed to squeeze in plenty of smaller lures and a lighter outfit specifically for bonefish. After scouring the internet and seeking advice from fellow anglers, I stocked up on various shrimp, yabby and worm pattern soft plastics in natural tones. From my very limited experience and observations, the finesse style tackle and spinning techniques employed for bream and flathead here in Australia seem very well suited to targeting bonefish. My outfit consisted of a two piece, 3-6kg spin rod, matched to 2500 size threadline reel. The spool was loaded with 6lb braid tied to a rod length of 10lb fluorocarbon leader. In order cast a lightly weighted lure or plastic, you really need a reasonably lengthy rod and relatively light line. Reels loaded with anything heavier than 6lb braid will struggle to cast 1-2 gram jig-heads far enough. Skilled anglers could even get away with three to 4lb braid on the flats, which would increase casting distance by at least another 10m. Going lighter than a 10lb leader is likely to cause some issues, although bonefish seem to be fairly clean fighters, particularly on wide open flats. While a range of soft plastics proved successful, Squidgy Pro Range Critters rigged on a 1.5g jig-head and a size 4 hook were the most productive for bonefish and juvenile trevally in the shallows. Working large diving minnows and surface poppers closer to the surrounding coral reef also produced some exhilarating hook ups, but most were short lived. I was blown away up to a dozen times by GTs and other toothy critters that were far too big and powerful, even for my “heavier” outfit. Next time I’ll be better prepared.
Wading the Flats
For obvious reasons, this really wasn’t a fishing trip as such, but there were a few opportunities to cast a line. While my wife sipped cocktails on the deck of the beach bar or relaxed in a hammock overlooking one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, I found some time to wade the flats literally just a few metres away. The wading can be endless on Aitutaki and you really don’t need a boat to access some fine fishing areas. You can walk out to the reef, fish the channels along the edge of the sand flats or sight cast the shallows. As the tide rises, bonefish move up on the flats to feed on yabbies, sand worms, crabs and shrimp. Opportunistic by nature, they will also prey on errant baitfish at times. A stealthy approach is required and the best form of attack is to use the wind to make the longest cast possible. In general, a light blue shirt and beige coloured shorts or pants will help to conceal your presence against the natural environment. Polarised sunglasses and a peaked cap are a must, while a decent pair of sandals or reef shoes will save your feet from a stray piece of coral or a nasty encounter with a stonefish.
Permits & Guides
In an attempt to promote more sustainable fishing practices, the Cook Island Ministry of Marine Resources recently implemented a new bonefish management plan for Aitutaki Lagoon. Politics and controversy aside, this basically means that all visiting anglers must obtain a fishing permit. These are available from the Island Council Chambers, the Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI) or the Marine Resources office. As part of the management plan, netting has been banned in designated areas where bonefish are known to aggregate and spawn.
Recreational angling is still permitted in these areas provided you are accompanied by a licensed and accredited guide. All other areas are still open and available to visiting anglers provided you obtain a permit. While netting is permitted to continue throughout much of the lagoon, the commercial sale of bonefish has been banned.
FACT BOX
The Cook Islands
FLANKED by Tonga and Samoa to the west and Tahiti to the east, the Cook Islands are situated in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand and almost due south of Hawaii. The main population centre is on the island of Rarotonga which is serviced by direct flights from Sydney and Auckland. Connecting flights to Aitutaki are available on a daily basis. Both islands offer a range of accommodation from basic motel rooms through to beachside luxury resorts. Whale watching is available from July to October, while snorkelling, kayaking, lagoon cruises and of course guided fishing charters operate all year round.
