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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:16:06 AM

Title: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:16:06 AM
G'day all,

I'm a new mwmber to this site but have to admit I like it already. Luke has done a fantastic job - Well done. ;)

I recently travelled to Nadi, Fiji for 7 days of fishing - Our trip was to involve casting poppers at GT's and trolling the bommies for Spanyards, Wahoo and Yellowfin.

A very good friend of mine owns a 23 foot half cab to which we used for the trip.

During out trip we had some awful weather catching a tip of the cyclone. So the boat only left the safe anchorage of Denaru 3 times. Pity that because the days we did get out we had an absolute ball taking GT's to 35kg and yellowfin to 40kg.

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji01018.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:16:48 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/anneke2.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:17:42 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji026.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:18:04 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji018.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:20:02 AM
Luke that is my Current weapong of Choice - Kilwell Rocky 2 rated 20 - 24kg ( 8'4) and packs a punch.
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:20:32 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/Joesfishcopy.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:21:03 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji01002.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:21:31 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji004.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:22:46 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/jim6.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:23:24 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji032.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:24:48 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/fiji1.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 23, 2007, 11:25:46 AM
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w115/kingiphotos/jim6.jpg)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 23, 2007, 01:09:56 PM
some great fish there!!
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Luke Wyrsta on March 23, 2007, 03:18:41 PM
Well done mate.

Love the black GT 8)
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 23, 2007, 04:53:21 PM
that's a really black one!!  ;D
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: gtmad on March 26, 2007, 09:09:15 AM
I've got no idea why but the black seem to pull better and hit the poppers harder ?????? But they are the same species ?
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Jon Li on March 26, 2007, 11:49:48 AM
I was told by Japanese GT anglers that black GT is due to they are full of eggs .

Jon .
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Sachin Chaudhry on March 31, 2007, 08:50:01 AM
Hi, guys. I live in Suva, Fiji and the GT fishing has been fantastic over the past three or four months.
We have consistently bagged GTs over 20kg estimated as the fish were over a metre long.
3 of the fish landed looked to be half as big again.
The strike rates are also very good with around 10 to 15 hook ups in the 2 hours or so we work the tide.
All of these fish were caught popping inside the barrier reef casting toward the breakers an hour before and after the full tide and the drag pressures really had the Stella and Dogfight (which my friend uses) a good running over.
The yellowfin are running now and that should be interesting. Bagged a Mahimahi on popper a fortnight ago.
We do popper fishing for yellowfin when we come across some schools and the action is almost always explosive especially when the tuna are around 20 to 30kg.
There has been a reduction in the Asian longline fleet numbers here (always a good thing) so the action on offshore species is really hotting up.
Easter should be very interesting.
The best part about it is the travel time to the grounds is only half an hour by boat from the yacht club in Suva where the boat is
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Luke Wyrsta on March 31, 2007, 10:29:29 AM
Hi, guys. I live in Suva, Fiji and the GT fishing has been fantastic over the past three or four months.
We have consistently bagged GTs over 20kg estimated as the fish were over a metre long.
3 of the fish landed looked to be half as big again.
The strike rates are also very good with around 10 to 15 hook ups in the 2 hours or so we work the tide.
All of these fish were caught popping inside the barrier reef casting toward the breakers an hour before and after the full tide and the drag pressures really had the Stella and Dogfight (which my friend uses) a good running over.
The yellowfin are running now and that should be interesting. Bagged a Mahimahi on popper a fortnight ago.
We do popper fishing for yellowfin when we come across some schools and the action is almost always explosive especially when the tuna are around 20 to 30kg.
There has been a reduction in the Asian longline fleet numbers here (always a good thing) so the action on offshore species is really hotting up.
Easter should be very interesting.
The best part about it is the travel time to the grounds is only half an hour by boat from the yacht club in Suva where the boat is

Welcome to the forum Sachin2021.

Nice report, do you have any more pictures of these fish?

Cheers,
Luke
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Sachin Chaudhry on March 31, 2007, 11:50:56 AM
Luke, I should have some pics on the site within a week or so.
Hoping the Easter weekend will see the fish co-operate and allow me to post some more.
Thanks
Sachin
Title: Re: Popper smashing Fiji Islands (Report)
Post by: Lance Ng on November 02, 2007, 08:16:23 PM
I've got no idea why but the black seem to pull better and hit the poppers harder ?????? But they are the same species ?

Hey Joe,

Some marine researchers have observed that when the GTs are mating, the males usually turn darker, some to almost black. During this period, the males are juiced with high levels of testosterone in their bodies..

Therefore, the black GTs are like laced with steroids in their blood - in fact, my mates & I call them steroid GTs..

C'mon.. think about it mate.. even if you're not laced with any steroid.. but if you were halfway down the alley with a Kylie Minogue lookalike in your bedroom, & someone tries to take u away from the scene.. would you not wanna get rid of that impediment & get right back in the jigging business of things..?

So, please forgive them blackies' bad behaviour! :D