GTs from the beach in Fiji

[Jin Kim]

[Callan Wallace]

It is a great way to catch them. You will also catch Emperors, Barracuda, Long Toms. If you can get out during low tide and find some shallow coral heads, they are great to stand on so you can reach the deeper water with a chance at Bluefin trevally queenfish. Also on the incoming tide up against the mangroves you can catch trevally and perch. Down size your gear and poppers. I use 15lb and little rebel poppers or the small chug bugs. You might want to hop up the rings and hooks on the little lures. Do not bother with steel leader as you will miss more fish than lost lures due to barracuda. Soft plastics also work and small divers if they are shy to bite on the surface.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Callan

[Jin Kim]

Thanks for the valuable info Callan.
I was planning to take a lighter rod to use it with a Stella 5000 with PE4 and use 30-35g poppers and sticks.  Hope this works!

[Peter Morris]

Trouble is in Fiji with land based fishing is that certain grounds are owned by certain villages.
It is classified 'Taboo' and no fishing is allowed unless you gain permission by the village chief.
I have been hunted away on a couple of islands... ....and they placed sticks in the water with coconuts on top with a hairy plant on top.

Looked like some sought of witchcraft to me.... ....and I felt like Indiana Jones throwing poppers

Malolo Island,Manutamanoa Island,Castaway Island and islands close to the mainland all have these 'No fishing' areas.............So just check out wherever you are going.

Pete

[David Noble]

Hi Jin,

In pretty much all of the islands through out the Pacific you will encounter difficulty in getting permission from the local village to fish their waters from shore.  They own the rights to fish those waters. Anyway Kadavu without doubt is best fished from a boat.  You will be able to negotiate reefs and weather and get to where the fish are. These Fiji islands generally have shallow reef, coral sandy / muddy mangrove beaches and you might have a chance at fishing them at high tide but really aren't much chop at low tide.  I know a few areas which are the exception, but wouldn't bother going there just to fish from the shore.

Where in Kadavu are you planning on visiting?  Depending on the resort / location you may have shore based fishing available in front of where you stay.  When I visited Matava they have a fish reserve in front of the resort (so no fishing) but you can access the island across the channel and fish the outer side of there.

At Ono, you can see fish busting up in front of the resort but probably can't access them easily. eg, well out of casting range, best to jump in the kayak or boat...

Being land-locked at either of the above locations and not being able to get out to fish the Kadavu / Ono lagoon, Great Astrolabe Reef, Solo reef would be torture...

Adrian, Sachin or others may be able to offer some other suggestions.

Cheers,

David

[Callan Wallace]

The qoliqoli issue (traditional rights of usage by indigenous people) is really not that big of a deal. I have lived here for over 10 years and fished all over the islands. As a tourist all you need to do is ask your host at the resort, where to fish from the beach. If you are planning on staying for an extended time, over a month, then you might consider asking for permission in a traditional way, Sevusevu. Not a big deal and a rather interesting cultural experience.
On a side note, one of the main issues for the last coup was the qoliqoli rights bill. It has been scrapped and there is no legal precedence  of ownership. In other words the state owns the water up to the high tide mark. That being said it is always a good idea to "ask" the local chief for permission to avoid any misunderstanding. But as I said, you as a tourist should not have any problem and the resort should have all permissions in order for you to fish where you want.
Cheers

[Sachin Chaudhry]

Hi Jin.
Get in touch with your hotel and have something organised through them. Should not be a problem. If in doubt ask.
Have a nice trip.

[Dave Foyle]

Hi Jin,

The water in front of the resort at Matava is very shallow for a long way out.

I'm sure there will be a few bits and pieces to be caught but I think the locals fish the inside of the reef a fair bit so I'm not sure how productive it would be.

Anyway you'll be so tired hauling in all those GT's every day to want to do anything but eat and sleep when you get back to the resort each evening !!!

I'm sure you will have a great trip. 

Dave

PS - Well worth taking the lighter rod  - you will catch all sorts dropping smaller lures around on the outside of the reef.

[Geoff Volter]

Are there any bonefish or permit around kadavu?

[Dan Ryan]

Jin

Hop in a kayak and head up towards the mangrove lined bay. There are a number of drop-offs and bommies around there. I got a number of juvenile GT's and brassy trevally in the 3-5kg range as well as a thumper 'cuda up in the shallows. You don't need more than a 15-20lb outfit and you WILL get towed around a bit.

I only did this on my rest/diving days as I was fishing solo and absolutely knackered after getting beaten up by the big GT's and red bass etc outside the reef. Only 52 sleeps until I'm there myself...WOOP!

Dan

[Sachin Chaudhry]

Are there any bonefish or permit around kadavu?

Don't know about bonefish but have taken a permit on bait. Not a fly fisherman.

[Peter Morris]

I have seen Permit on Islands close to the mainland while snorkelling.

Kadavu...not sure..?

Pete

[Callan Wallace]

Permit, yes. The Fijians call them Vilu. Bonefish, used to be but the story is they were fished out with the introduction of nets. There should be bonefish as everything is prime for them.
Cheers

[Jin Kim]