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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: Mark Harris on March 09, 2012, 10:02:15 PM
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Just back from an enjoyable day's fishing at Batu Abah in Bali with John Cahill on Adhek's boat, the aptly named GT1.
Although the bite window was disappointingly short (about 1 hour on the incoming tide) we did manage a raise a good fish and a couple of smaller ones.
About 20 minutes after arriving and seeing the current not quite doing what I hoped it would be, John sent a cast out of the wrong side of the boat in the opposite direction to the strike zone. First chug and he was smashed - so much for Adhek and myself having the local knowledge of where to cast! A long fight ensued and I reckon John was within about 30-40 metres of being spooled. Anyway it ended well with a very grunty and huge shouldered GT on board. Weight was called at 35 kgs with the provisio that is gets hard with such broad shouldered fish. It was 126 cm fork length with a massive 96 cm girth. May have been a bit closer to 40 kg, but I will stick with Adhek's call of 35. A PB by a country mile for John and a very happy boat all round.
I then picked up a healthy 18-19 kg fish and John a while later a smaller specimen. Then it died, and aside from a few follows from Barracuda and Rainbow Runners, we saw no more fish action.
The Batu Abah site is so like that - the window is often short and highly current dependent, but when you hit it right there are quality GTs to be had.
Successful lures were Adhek PomPom 160 (2 fish) and Craftbait GT3 150 (1 fish).
Also, Adhek's long awaited large cupped 180 gram chugger is now close to release. Really enjoyed using the final prototype of this today. For such a large popper it is surprisingly easy to get chug from and I think this one will go down well when it finally gets released.
John with the biggest fish, 126 cm fork length, 96 cm girth, caught with a PomPom 160:
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/john35kg.jpg)
Me and 18-19 kg fish:
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/Mark18to19kg.jpg)
John with a little one:
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/john15kg.jpg)
John, Adhek and a bent GT Special
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/johnandadhek.jpg)
I love this pic, it is very evocative of the site. That's Lombok in the distance:
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/evocative.jpg)
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Good read Mark, what is the deal with the cable ties around the tail wrists?
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It's an informal tagging program that Adhek carries out Andrew - really just for his own interest and that of other local anglers.
I would like to get a proper tagging program going here but it is not proving easy to get co-operation.
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Thanks for sharing, Mark. The big one is a beauty!
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Good size GTs! Didn't try any jigging since surface action wasn't great overall???
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It was a popping trip Steve. We could have had a jig in the afternoon I guess but that was not the objective of the day.
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Very nice report Mark.
John`s smile tells me he had a fantastic day on the water.
Keep the reports coming Mark.
Cheers Rob
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Beauty Mark,
Very nice.
I think closer to 40kg is on the money for that fish.
With those measurements I reckon it would come in at very slightly over 40kg...(working off nomads methods).
Pete
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Thanks Rob. It is always good to have played some role in getting someone into their first big GT.
Pete, I am reluctant to 2nd guess a weight called by somebody with 20 years of GT experience, but I did think it a bit bigger as I indicated in the original post.
Yesterday was also the first time I have seen a GT Special loaded with a serious fish. It's a more brutal rod than I expected, actually not very different to a Caranx Kaibutsu in that respect. John is a fit and strong guy... just as well with a rod that gives the angler little relief!
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nice fish Mark. Have you had anytag recaptures? We are looking at getting seriuos about tagging the locals
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Hi Graham, I would need to check but last I heard, 3 fish have been re-caught in the past 2 years, all in the direct area where they were tagged.
Give the number of GTs that are caught here, that tells me what I think I knew before - GTs are very abundant tropical reef predators!
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Yesterday was also the first time I have seen a GT Special loaded with a serious fish. It's a more brutal rod than I expected, actually not very different to a Caranx Kaibutsu in that respect. John is a fit and strong guy... just as well with a rod that gives the angler little relief!
They are a fairly brutal rod hey Mark! Very capable of knocking over big fish, at the anglers expense though!
Nice report!
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Great report Mark, that is a beauty of a GT.
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Mark,
Cracking fish and a decent return for an hours "window".
Cant wait to get there in a month or so.
Moral of the story is to cast in the opposite direction to where you say eh?
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Yes Al, completely ignore everything I suggest and you will catch catch more fish :)
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Nice fish,love the darker GT colours.
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Thanks Mark I was not aware you had posted and was pleasantly surprised to see you had. Was a great day on the water in the company of yourself and the legend Adhek. I should point out that my first 30 casts were in the right direction haha. Funny the other hit I had for the day was when I was about to lift the popper from the water - love those fish...
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Yep John... damned GTs have no respect :) . I once caught one that literally left the water to catch the tail hooks of the lure as I was lifting it! As Al suggested earlier, the best tactic is do the opposite of what I think its right :).
More seriously, the fish could be bloody anywhere and no matter how much logic you apply to where you think they should be, there will always be many occasions when you get it totally wrong!
Was a lot of fun fishing with you for the day and I am so pleased that you got into that excellent fish.
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Congrats Mark nice fish. 8)
Where is Batu Abah?South side near Nyang Nyang beach?
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Congrats Mark nice fish. 8)
Where is Batu Abah?South side near Nyang Nyang beach?
No Celso - you will be lucky to find any fish down there around Nyang-Nyang. Batu Abah is a karst formation on the south eastern coast of Nusa Penida. In a fast boat, about an hour out of Serangan or Benoa Harbour. It's by far the best Bali GT site with big fish possible and lots in the 15 to 30 kg range.
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Congrats Mark nice fish. 8)
Where is Batu Abah?South side near Nyang Nyang beach?
No Celso - you will be lucky to find any fish down there around Nyang-Nyang. Batu Abah is a karst formation on the south eastern coast of Nusa Penida. In a fast boat, about an hour out of Serangan or Benoa Harbour. It's by far the best Bali GT site with big fish possible and lots in the 15 to 30 kg range.
Ok,after Manta Ray point.
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About another 15-20 mins east from Manta Point.