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General => General Topwater & Jigging Discussion => Topic started by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 10, 2011, 07:31:56 PM

Title: GT popping Bali
Post by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 10, 2011, 07:31:56 PM
Goodaye Chaps
Have finally got a holiday after spending the last 16 months opening my tackle shop in Darwin and am taking Family ot Bali and want to go gt popping and jigging for the day can anyone recommend a charter company they have used or heard about. Thanks
Frenchy
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 10, 2011, 07:36:26 PM
Goodaye Chaps
Have finally got a holiday after spending the last 16 months opening my tackle shop in Darwin and am taking Family ot Bali and want to go gt popping and jigging for the day can anyone recommend a charter company they have used or heard about. Thanks
Frenchy
just found some more posts re bali very excited
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 10, 2011, 07:55:15 PM
Hi Jean Marc

When were you thinking of?  I can probably fix you up OK.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 10, 2011, 09:12:57 PM
Goodaye Mark

I am flying out on sunday and hope to go around wednesday
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 10, 2011, 10:58:41 PM
Basically your options are as follows:

1. A day at the main Bali GT site (Batu Abah) which does hold some very large GTs (just saw photos of a recent October 2011 claim of a 60 kg fish there for example... I reckon that was an ambitious shout, but it was certainly 50 kgs). You should understand that it is a fickle site and can be really, really hard work for no return.  There are also good jigging spots very nearby with Dogtooth, GT, Amberjack, Ruby Snapper etc).

I can probably get you a mates' rate day charter out there with a very good boat for Rp 4.9 million (about AUD 540).    It is about 60-70 minutes sailing from the main Bali dock out to Batu Abah.

2. Crossing the straits to the much less fished Lombok sites. This is a bit of a longer boat ride (90 mins to 2 hrs depending on the seas) but there are a lot more fish.  It is mostly GT popping there with fish 10 to 30 kgs typical, and the odd real monster. There are some well kept secret jigging sites especially for Amberjack but I have rarely caught much in the deep water over in Lombok.

Same boat charter would be more expensive - more like Rp 7 million (about AUD 770).

I am a bit tied up next week myself and will be fishing in Lombok for 2 days this weekend. However, I might be able to join you for either option and split the cost.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 11, 2011, 08:37:08 AM
That sounds great can do either trip i'm letting the shop pay and can do any day of the week as this will be the main trip i book the rest will be with the family. I think the popper trip would be more fun haven't done it for some time. Used to do it for a living as a teenager out of Cairns so keen to use some of the gear I have and smash some dog GT's.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Marko Pekic on November 11, 2011, 09:51:25 AM
mark you heading out in 2 weeks time at all? am heading to bali witht he mrs and wasnt planning fishing but a day of fishing would be nicee :)
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 11, 2011, 12:01:15 PM
Almost certainly Marko. Please drop me a pm with your dates.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Jean-Marc Maujean on November 11, 2011, 12:31:19 PM
Mark am keen to get a day out if you could come be bonus - any day you recommend I will book mate
Thanks heaps
Frenchy (the Tacklebox NT)
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 11, 2011, 12:32:37 PM
PM sent :)
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Damian Fantozzi on November 12, 2011, 08:22:48 PM
hi all

im also flying to Bali on sunday for a week. Jean Marc please let me know if you are interested in finding/splitting a charter together.

I have already emailed explore and Adhek requesting a booking.

cheers guys!

my email is [email protected] if you wish to get in touch jean marc, ill check this site also

thanks
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 13, 2011, 09:34:54 PM
Should be possible for Damian, Jean Marc and myself to shot out together one day next week... I will let you both know.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Damian Fantozzi on November 21, 2011, 09:58:33 PM
Well we got out for our day of popping and jigging in the end!! after a very unlucky boat problem with the planned operator, Mark bent over backwards to get it all teed up and we ended up out on the water with Ena fishing on their centre console beast - Sea Angel.

We had fantastic weather - albeit quite warm- and I literally popped until I dropped, had a fantastic time in the process.


Unfortunately no fish were caught, but thanks to Mark and Frenchy for a fun day on the water.

P.s. for the birdwatchers amoungst you, its worth noting that we did see a beautiful white-tailed Tropicbird, which is apparently extremely rare.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 21, 2011, 11:06:55 PM
Yeah, it was a shocking day fish-wise with just a handful of misses.  Whilst poor days with just a few fish are understandable at that site, a complete zero is very unusual. After all the drama with cancelled boats, we deserved a good one but it was not to be.  Sorry about that guys, but it was great meeting you both.

If it helps, friends of mine were out the following day and completely blanked.

The birds, cetaceans and general stunning scenery make it a bit easier to take I guess, but still not good.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Narc on November 23, 2011, 12:41:14 AM

If it helps, friends of mine were out the following day and completely blanked.



Wicked!
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on November 23, 2011, 01:03:09 AM

If it helps, friends of mine were out the following day and completely blanked.



Wicked!

 :P

You have to find solace somehow.

You know as well as me that Batu Abah ain't much fun when there are no fish :).  Land of a million casts....
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Damian Fantozzi on November 25, 2011, 10:11:47 AM
Ill be back for another go next year.

Mark if you come down here and want to chase some monster kings, give me a shout

cheers
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mikko Blomqvist on January 20, 2012, 09:00:45 AM

Anyone in Bali from 24th of January to 1st of February 2012 ? I'm going GT popping and I'm fishing alone so there is room on board for a keen GT fisher :)
If you are interested drop me a PM and lets work it out.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on January 23, 2012, 04:33:30 PM
PM sent Mikko.  I am around.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mikko Blomqvist on February 08, 2012, 02:53:06 AM
Hi Mark!

Unfortunately I did not get your PM and I went fishing by myself because I forgot to check this thread from the forum :D Unfortunately we did not catch any GT's with poppers but we managed to land some skipjacks with trolling. It was very much fun for me since I had never tried tropical fishing before :)

Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Simon Bomholt on February 08, 2012, 08:50:37 AM
which company did you use??
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mikko Blomqvist on February 10, 2012, 02:14:42 AM
Hi Simon

I have put a short story of the trip to my blog http://nordicangler.wordpress.com (http://nordicangler.wordpress.com)

I'm not sure if it is OK to advertise the charter here?
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on February 10, 2012, 12:44:23 PM
I just read your blog post Mikko.  Shame no GTs as those conditions in your pictures look excellent - the current is really running.

The charter you used is Ena Fishing with the guide Pak Kebut.  I don't think there is any problem saying that here. He's a good guide, albeit he knows more about jigging than he does topwater GT fishing.

Now that Xplore has lost their captain and all-round maestro, most folks would choose to use Adhek for GT fishing.

The tube flies you mention in your blog are used a lot here for trolling for various small tuna species. Mahi-mahi will take them as well.  Traditionally these were made from goat hair, but nowadays synthetics have taken over.  You can though still find the old boys tying the superior goat hair versions on the dock at Serangan.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Narc on February 14, 2012, 12:01:47 PM
Mark, any fishing lately?
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on February 14, 2012, 12:43:19 PM
Mark, any fishing lately?

Hi Richard

Weather for a lot of January was totally grim with 3 metre swells and a lot of wind and rain.  Early February the same or even worse . Much better and settled now.

I have been busy so have mostly been light casting inshore before work in the mornings. 

Adhek's site is a good gauge of the situation at Batu Abah.  You can his recent photo reports here:

January: http://adhek.net/picture.php?y=2012&m=January (http://adhek.net/picture.php?y=2012&m=January)
February: http://adhek.net/picture.php?y=2012&m=February (http://adhek.net/picture.php?y=2012&m=February)

Some nice fish in the periods in January when it was possible to fish.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Chris Rogerson on February 25, 2012, 06:29:27 AM
Hi Mark is Batu Abah one of the locations near Nusa Penida?
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on February 25, 2012, 11:27:50 AM
Chris, Batu Abah is the main GT fishing spot at Nusa Penida. 
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Chris Rogerson on February 25, 2012, 02:01:25 PM
Thanks Mark I have fished there before, the guides at the time said 'we are fishing number one GT spot' Google earth filled in the gaps!!
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on February 25, 2012, 03:02:47 PM
That's it Chris. Land of a Thousand Casts and just sometimes, really superb GT fishing.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Ben Furness on February 25, 2012, 07:09:22 PM
Hi Mark, how is life mate. What's this about Xplore losing the captain? Has he moved on to another boat or has he gone to another industry? Bad news for your favorite crew.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on February 25, 2012, 07:45:25 PM
Yep Agus has left Xplore, and after that also had a very saddening personal tragedy to deal with  :( . 

He has plans to be back as a guide/captain but no firm date yet.

Life is good thanks, not as much fishing as I would like as very busy with a business project. But I am making the crossing to Lombok with Adhek on Monday just for the day. Will hopefully connect with some GTs.   

And life can't be bad when I am about to pop out and have a hour's light casting before dusk right after typing this message :)
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Chris Rogerson on February 28, 2012, 09:57:44 AM
That's it Chris. Land of a Thousand Casts and just sometimes, really superb GT fishing.
Thats definatley my experience, at least the thousand casts part. Hopefully the Superb fishing part next time.
Title: Re: GT popping Bali
Post by: Mark Harris on March 06, 2012, 01:36:30 PM
Mark, any fishing lately?

If you were considering a trip over mate, now is a much better time.  The heat in late February became unbearable and there was a horrible algal bloom - water was like green soup. Impossible to catch a fish. However, a storm came through last Friday and Saturday and it is now cooler and the water has cleared. Adhek just had a couple of good days at Batu Abah (14 GT strikes, 8 GT strikes), the local jiggers have been catching good numbers of big Ruby Snappers and  I have noticed big improvements in the inshore fishing as well.  I am out at Batu Abah on Friday and maybe Saturday as well.

So if you were thinking of a Bali jaunt, now is a pretty good time.