New Caledonia?

[Dan Smith]

Hi, I'm new to the site and also to the sport of GT Popping.  I'm not new to the sport of fishing as I have fished quite a few spots here on this side of the world (I live in Los Angeles) including Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, many parts of Mexico, Alaska, Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, various parts of the Carribbean, etc.  However, I have never caught a GT (closest thing is probably a Roosterfish of which I have logged about 30 up to the size of the one pictured).  I have done some popping for tuna, Roosterfish, large snappers, peacock bass, etc but have never done a trip that was primarily popping.  I and a friend are thinking about heading to New Caledonia to give it a try in Jan or Feb.  It looks like there are some quality guides there and many excellent reports on this great site.  However, I was wondering if anyone could provide additional insight on the pros and cons of the different areas in NC (North, West, East, South, Etc) and how they compare and differ.  From my standpoint they pretty much all sound the same.  Also, any insight on best times to go (moon phase, etc) and non-intuitive things I should bring would be great.  I would be happy to provide advice if any of you are thinking about a trip to any of the spots I've fished as well.  Thanks for any input.

[John Joubert]

Cant help re New cal but thats one awesome Rooster in your shot.

A must catch before I hang up my rods.
JJ

[Stan Konstantaras]

Hi Dan,
Quite a few great reports here on New Cal, have a troll around the site and fire some questions back at us.
We all have our different opinions.
January has been kind to me in the past, so has the west coast.
Cheers
stan

[Nathan Cefai]

Hi Dan,well you wanna fish New Cal,it will completly blow u away..Most Charter guides fish the west coast,you can see above that LPB is the best and most experinced guys to go with in New Cal,you wanna see a 50kg fish then go with them,landing one is another thiing though,this forum has alot of anglers who have fish there such as my self and we all will say its a unforgetable place to popper fish....

[Luke Wyrsta]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to the site.

I highly suggest you employ the services of a guide. Tribal rights and permissions are extremely important in the South Pacific - so unfortunately, going off the beaten track is not wise for the uninitiated or for those without close local contacts and a knowledge of the local dialect (in this instance, French and Kanak).

In summary, the whole island and surrounding islets provide some of the best saltwater fishing not only in the Pacific, but the world for respective species!

North: is a year-round fishery. Warmer water temps and currents ensure that activity is high during most of the year.
South: still a year-round fishery but cooler water temps will have significant impact on some fishing from April to September. Bigger GT can be harder to come by at times, however, some of the biggest GT that have ever been seen love to run the gauntlet in the more temperate waters or bordering the extremity of their distribution.
East: home to some awesome reefs, however, they do have a tendency to get blown out more often than not.
West: whilst New Caledonia is wind-riddled a majority of the year, the east coast provides the most opportunities to target GTs. The West coast is home to the longest expanses of the Grand Barrier!

In summary, I believe you should take a guide to fish the North-West - which is now once again serviced by guides, LPB - who are a sponsor of this site. If you want more information, then please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

One of the most important factors in the NC fishery is the wind! It can either make you or break you! Luckily, the West coast barrier reef and lagoon generally provide fishing options no matter what the wind direction. Ideal winds are 10 - 15 knots with a combination of good swell and choppy conditions. Overcast and lower-light conditions will assist in bringing out pedigree fish. Having said that, fishing is not predictable and we have encountered monsters in all conditions. We like to fish a lead-up or down of the New and Full moons which have a greater tidal influence and more flow.

Ideally, you would take several outfits. If you could only take one, I would suggest a 7'6+ Fast/Medium action PE10 (100lb min) outfit. Minimum 200lb leader.

Other items:
Spectra guard gloves
Polarized glasses are mandatory
Gimbal/fishing belt that can be worn all day whilst casting

[Dan Smith]

This is the kind of information I was hoping for.  Thanks a lot.  I was definitely going to use a guide; not going to fly across the world and then try and wing it myself.