GTPopping.com - Giant Trevally, GTPopping, Topwater & GT Fly-Fishing Resource
Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: Collin Tong on May 01, 2011, 06:10:45 PM
-
Hi All,
I'm just sharing my recent 7days trip to Maldives. Not too good with telling stories but I'll let the pics do most of the talking. Trip was decent but catch could have been better if not for the mirror surface water we encountered on the last 4-5 days. Currents were supposed to be strong as it was nearing new moon phase, this puzzled all of us on the boat :o Popping was tough on mirror flat days but jigging was decent thou nothing big was landed.
Tackle used includes:
Jigging
Tenryu jiz zam PE3-6 + Stella SW20K (blue model)
Smith WGJ PE4-8 + Stella 20K FA
Smith AMJ PE2-4 + Saltiga Blast 4500
JM 400g + Stella SW20K (blue model)
Shimano Bluerose PE6 + Accurate 870N
Majorcraft offblow PE1.5-3 + Certate 3500HD
Goldenmean earthshaker PE3-4 + Certate 3500HD
Seed PE1-3 + Caldia Kix 3000
Golden mean sabeldance PE1 + Branzino 3000
Expert graphite PE1-3 + Shimano Twinpower C3000
JM powerspell 150g + Ryoga Bay Jigging 2020HL
Popping
Carpenter 78EXH + Stella 10K XG
Smith Keyolhu GTK-77BG + Stella 10K
Sevenseas Ultimate-Z 80Ti + Stella SW10K HG (blue model) X 2
Smith 80P/35 + Ryobi Safari 5000 (Japan model)
Zenaq Fooketo Trevally 83-7 + Stella SW10K HG (blue model)
Shimano Kaibutsu Deep Monster + Stella SW10K HG (blue model)
Shimano Kaibutsu Light Pleasure + Shimano twinpower 8000HG
-
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5675006620_73651e510f.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/5663849316_14ca8e3f12.jpg)
26kg GT on pop
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5675007648_31a777230f.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/5663850682_6d9a8accb7.jpg)
19kg barracuda on pop at daylight
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5674638419_f56b741fba.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26609623@N06/5674638419/)
Halco roosta sinks after attack by barra but it was worth it!
-
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5674444163_1f1bc502cc.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/5663283839_583cec27b6.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5149/5663284213_a443409dea.jpg)
24kg of muscles - I mean the fish...
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5675006266_76a7bb6c21.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5674441995_2b39a5355c.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5674439965_f4acd2e04d.jpg)
19kg GT hooked beside gills and gave me a hard time
-
Sorry guys. Going for dinner with family. Will post more pics when I get home tonite! ;)
-
nice report so far mate,good work looking forward to seeing the rest of the pics.. :)
-
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5224/5663862596_e00ab69315.jpg)
Guess what took the popper by the side of the reef? ::) About 100+m was stripped in seconds on 7kg drag (preset with scales every morning)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5663863240_cf2a2f36f8.jpg)
When the sailfish jumped near his popper, he thought the popper scared the sh*t out of the fish. Only when the line started stripping like nobody's business that he realised that he hooked the bugger! ;D
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5663863828_b1a676a9da.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5663864272_b94bac623b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5675005878_7deeec2091.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5663865770_0ca856c6f2.jpg)
Safely released like all the rest
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5102/5675009112_2aeca99574.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5675043062_6f6fb604f5.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5663285049_1d745d5209.jpg)
-
you guys went up north or south?
-
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5663302997_a9ff317a43.jpg)
Mirror flat waters on the last few days
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/5663854242_b6e3ae6cd9.jpg)
Fishing was not too good so we went island hopping instead
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/5663286951_fc21164fa7.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5674442347_c9787ea515.jpg)
Some shore casting
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5674478693_040ff666b6.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5261/5675007058_e92b1a9069.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5675005298_b3b66e421b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5663302713_6523418ef9.jpg)
Our floating hotel for 7days
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5663286427_f4924840dc.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/5663288487_a512c88435.jpg)
The crew did up the room nicely, different sea creatures every day
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5663291099_1d66a99139.jpg)
Great sunset every evening
-
you guys went up north or south?
South, all the way to Meemu atoll
-
Nice pictures Collin
going there also with Noorani last October in this area; made a BBQ at night on the little island in picture; some good memories.
Bruno
-
Here are the jigging pics
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/5663855594_329e94c79f.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5663287693_05df692e8f.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5222/5663290039_469391c872.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5143/5663290447_334ac54e56.jpg)
The smallest dogtooth I've ever caught till date!
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5663290867_c44177c4e1.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5663861786_b6a13d674f.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5663861390_9b42a1060c.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5663866162_3e01605147.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5307/5663298859_21fc036614.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5663299297_aa6476995d.jpg)
Lite tackle fun
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5663300171_73b9d77254.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5663300663_de65274bcc.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5674440127_7f96139834.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5674440199_024924a2a9.jpg)
14kg doggie on jig
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5674440427_f16de5fae1.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5674444275_ab30c4acba.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5674444337_d5d3dd6f4e.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5309/5674441029_48bc4f7e41.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5674441173_b2dd9c149a.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5190/5674555567_8718abda79.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5674441445_21c635e854.jpg)
21kg GT on jig
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5675006172_616727984d.jpg)
Surprise catch on madai jig!
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5146/5674442865_82f6879b2b.jpg)
11kg wahoo on jig
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5675009002_b03a0cbafe.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5675009256_068959359e.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5149/5675043246_7c87d34273.jpg)
-
Nice pictures Collin
going there also with Noorani last October in this area; made a BBQ at night on the little island in picture; some good memories.
Bruno
Thanks Bruno. Great to know that you are enjoying the pics. I hope to go again soon too ;)
-
That octopus catch is something I have never seen yet till now , congratz ! ::)
Jon .
-
Nite activities
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5663850228_43bb7f5cbd.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5266/5663291375_e7028a1e23.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5663292563_97414456d6.jpg)
Something to add to the dinner table ;D
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5663860350_bede3de864.jpg)
Porcupine fish caught using a net
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5663871444_f1a3c69def.jpg)
Deflated the moment it was out of net.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5663868820_19e156d040.jpg)
We did heavy bottom fishing with 1 feet barracuda as bait for a few nites. The 200lb wire leader snapped on the 1st night when no one was guarding the rod. Another nite we fought for 5 secs before the fish threw the hook with the bait coming back headless. We finally got lucky on our 3rd nite.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5663301301_ca40c3a060.jpg)
We initially thought it might be a big grouper, but it turns out to be a ray. Still good fight for 30mins thou. Caught on Shimano jigwrex PE6 + Accurate 665 extra narrow
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5663869622_248c937b99.jpg)
Ray maxed out our 50kg scale when we tried to lift it for weighing. We estimate it to be 70kg. Unfortunately it looks very small in this pic. We wanted to lift it up for pics as it'll look bigger with us for comparison but all of us just bathed not too long ago so no one wanted the honour ::)
-
That octopus catch is something I have never seen yet till now , congratz ! ::)
Jon .
Thanks Jon. We suspect the big octo was trying more to mate with the jig than to eat it. Hahaha
-
Very nice Collin and well done.
One little gripe, please don't hold GTs with hands inside the gill plates like that... really not good for the fish.
Cheers.
-
you guys went up north or south?
South, all the way to Meemu atoll
We went up from south up to Male. Think that Meemu atoll is aka "okubo" reef. nice L shape corner where the bigger ones resides.
-
Very nice Collin and well done.
One little gripe, please don't hold GTs with hands inside the gill plates like that... really not good for the fish.
Cheers.
Point taken Mark. I'll advise my friends the next time. Cheers.
-
We went up from south up to Male. Think that Meemu atoll is aka "okubo" reef. nice L shape corner where the bigger ones resides.
Yup, dats the one. Unfortunately we didn't pop the stretch of the L shape reef. How's your trip? Any CR to share?
-
That porcupine is a easy catch. Beautiful place and nice trip guys!
-
We went up from south up to Male. Think that Meemu atoll is aka "okubo" reef. nice L shape corner where the bigger ones resides.
Yup, dats the one. Unfortunately we didn't pop the stretch of the L shape reef. How's your trip? Any CR to share?
you got PM
-
Great photos colin and such a huge variety of species caught,
looks like an amazing location!
Dave
-
That's amazing weather I hope I can strike the same for a future trip
-
That looks like such a fun trip. So many different species and great scenery. The pictures are great too; they really show how much fun ya''ll were having. ;D
-
great mix on the jigs. what do you think of the earthshaker and the 3500HD as a setup?
-
great mix on the jigs. what do you think of the earthshaker and the 3500HD as a setup?
A capable setup it seems. Able to tame up to 20kg GT.
-
nice report Colin!
what do you recon is the best time to fish the Maldives?