GTs and Flying Fish

[Mark Harris]

I was wondering if any members had insights into how to best target GTs when they seem to be hammering flying fish?

I had a experience yesterday which has prompted this question. At the usual Bali site, fishing was very quiet indeed  over the reef platform but there was lots of action right over the drop off where large rafts of flying fish were very agitated indeed. I cannot be sure it was GTs attacking them but given there were no GTs in the usual places in the shallower water, other large predators are distinctly scarce at this site,  and I did eventually catch a big GT, I am fairly confident that it was.

Just to paint the picture I am talking about - the site is 3 islets, then a platform reef which goes from about 8 metres deep right at the islet edge to 25 metres before dropping off to 100 metres, and quickly way deeper than that.  The flying fish action was right on the edge of the platform as it hits the drop off. 

I thought a stubby pencil might be the most obvious lure to match the prey, and Carpenter Kattobi in particular. Not even a follow in many, many dozens of casts. Then switched to stickbaits trying two different sized Gammas and various others. Nothing. All the while the flying fish were continuously being hammered.  Finally after about 3 hours of casting, and slightly away from the main flying fish action, I hooked a big GT only to pull the hooks a couple of minutes into the fight.

I was wondering whether other members had experience of successfully fishing for GTs when flying fish seem to be the bait and what techniques were used?  It is not something I have really experienced before, at least not the extent I witnessed yesterday.

[Duncan O'Connell]

Hi Mark
I've seen GT's that were on flying fish eat the lure right on splashdown. My assumption was that they tracked the lure through the air and smashed it as it landed. I don't think you could really plan for a hookup like that, just damn lucky to cast in the right place at the right moment.
How big are your flying fish? my first plan would be to match the bait size as closely as possible, which might mean using quite a small lure not generally considered a conventional GT Lure.
The second would be the retrieve. The GT's may be smashing into the flying fish to stun them and then picking up the disoriented bait that drifts down after the initial bust up. A slow sinking stickbait and a do-nothing retrieve may be your best weapon here. This technique certainly works wonders on fussy tunas at times. Dare I say it but a 7 inch soft plastic would probably get slurped down like a lolly in this situation.

Option three is to find another spot with 'proper' GTs that want to play the game the way it was intended!

Cheers

Duncan

[Titahi brown]

Would a small pencil popper imitate a fleeing flying fish if retrieved flat tack?

[Mark Harris]

Many thanks Duncan!  We just don't see this flying fish thing locally. Normally they are very pelagic here and way out in deeper water.

I did not think directly about the "do nothing" approach and I have to say it makes sense. I was sometimes allowing the Kattobi to sink a bit which I suppose would have a similar effect.  Perhaps that is why this pencil sinks so easily as I believe it was really designed for tuna?

Some of the flying fish were in the 20-25 cm sort of range and others smaller.

As much as I hate to say it, if I had any big soft plastics with me I would probably have tried them  .

Titahi, that is what I was thinking when trying Kattobi for so long. But it was a resounding failure.

[Brandon Khoo]

The Kattobi was designed to imitate a flying fish. Obviously wasn't a good enough imitation on the day! 

[Mark Harris]

The Kattobi was designed to imitate a flying fish. Obviously wasn't a good enough imitation on the day! 

Or it was a crappy angler attached to the Kattobi 

[Jon Li]

The Kattobi was designed to imitate a flying fish. Obviously wasn't a good enough imitation on the day! 

When livebaits ( the real thing ) are abundant , imitations ( lures ) can't compete !

Jon .

[Peter Morris]

Mark,

Over in Vanuatu there are loads of rather lareg flying fish as you would well know.

This was my reasoning for sticking with the Skipjack for the majority of my time over there and it caught me some nice fish.

I didnt witness any GT's smashing the flying fish though.

Pete

[Felix Neuer]

The Orion Flapper might do the job.
I hate that thing as it looks like shit, but it catches fish. ;-)

[Mark Harris]

Thanks Pete.  Heru Skipjack seems to work well in many different environments.

Felix - Orion Flapper!  Probably the weirdest GT lure of them all.

[Brandon Khoo]

I like the Flapper 

[Mark Harris]

Me too!  You have to admit it is a weird lure though.  God only knows how it works, but it certainly does.

[Sydney Neal]

Any lure that does the zig and zag for short burst like a flying fish taking off, my favorite would be the Ocea pencil 180F makes a great zig and zag mess on the top water.
A big spook lure with an assist off the front has a good zag.

[Mark Harris]

Many thanks for all the pointers guys. I will feel better informed next time this occurs.