GTPopping.com - Giant Trevally, GTPopping, Topwater & GT Fly-Fishing Resource
General => General Topwater & Jigging Discussion => Topic started by: Charles Cintron on June 08, 2012, 11:13:23 AM
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As I read reports from all over the world it seems nothing is ever said about Komodo? I've watched Okubo San just decimate the GTs down there on legend 5 over and over and can't imagine that place just absolutely deserted so what happen?
I don't know where I read it but I do recall reading that it definitely ain't what it used to be, I was wondering if someone could explain what happen down there? Or is the charter biz all washed up on that side of the world?
Charles
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....... I doubt the fishing is of anywhere the same standard it was years back but I would also point out that in Legend 5, he hooks up on nearly every cast. I'd suggest that might not accord with reality.
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Both Brandon's points are very apt.
As for Komodo specifically, there is no question that the fishing is not as good as it used to be. This is also true of Alor which is not so far away.
As Brandon alludes to, many hot GT destinations go through this process as the fish get used to seeing lures. At Komodo (and Alor) there are other factors at play:
1. Irresponsible anglers killing fish indiscriminately (GTs and others)
2. Pressures from local small scale commercial fishing including reef bombing
3. Declining quality of charters (big factor)
All that being said, I do believe that if the area was visited again by quality anglers who are capable of fishing stickbaits properly, the results would come. The days of a few bloops with a chugger and "smash" are gone, but there are certainly still big fish at Komodo. Komodo is actually at the top of my bucket list for a re-visit (have been several times in the past).
Charles there are newer destinations being opened up now in Indonesia where the initial results are similar to the early days in Komodo. Who knows how long that will last, but the early results are very encouraging. For example, a friend of mine was at a previously unfished Indonesian site a couple of months ago and the first 3 casts with a bog standard chugger induced 5 GT strikes (from large fish). The logistics and costs for reaching these many of these sites remain a bit prohibitive though.
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I've seen an awful lot of dead GTs with smiling Indonesian anglers on Facebook. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What astounds me is they complain about the deterioration in the fishing!
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I've seen an awful lot of dead GTs with smiling Indonesian anglers on Facebook. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What astounds me is they complain about the deterioration in the fishing!
Brandon,
I can't agree with you more on this subject, it really bothers me to see anglers taking pictures with dead GT!
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Welcome to my world Brandon :( . The illogicality drives me nuts and it is an ongoing battle of winning people over.
It should also be said that a lot of visitors and expats here are no better.
It also makes the very enlightened locals like Adhek stand out as beacons.
Dead GTs don't bother me any more than other dead fish caught for sport by anglers - it is all very bothering.
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"The oceans bounty is limitless". Fishery management and the concepts of species vulnerability do not require a second thought. Releasing a fish after capture is an act of stupidity. A boat full of dead trophies is a measure of skill and prowes of the angler.
Now if we can just educate the fish on these points I am sure things will get better.
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Indeed Andy.... lovely sarcasm.
If only the fish understood.... ::)
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I've seen an awful lot of dead GTs with smiling Indonesian anglers on Facebook. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What astounds me is they complain about the deterioration in the fishing!
This sounds like Hawaii. I asked because I'm a little scared that in several years I'll be telling my son," dad and his buddies use to hook up all the time but the fishing ain't what it use to be." I already here that now from the old timers.
In Hawaii you'll always see guys holding up monster GTs dead on arrival, and it's always been like that. Not until this past year since iv'e been tagging and releasing fish has it bothered me. I spent a lot of years on the continental US chasing bass which showed me the benefits of T&R. Not to be hypocritical but we do on occasion take one home usually a small one or one that has been mutilated by trebles. But it's pretty rare for us I can count two that we've kept around 10lbs. I have no idea how our fishery is doing regarding GTs but I'd say about 7 out of ten GTs caught are eaten but this is just a personal guess. pick up any local mag and you'll see GTs hung up dead with happy people who love GT fishing.
I do make it a point on our local fishing forums to show all our released fished and that we tag them to fight another day and I hope more people jump on the bandwagon.
Thanks for the input guys sounds like Komodo just fizzled out from it's hey day and not a complete desert.
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Mark and all apologies for my sarcasm :-X :-X......must be positive.
Indeed Andy.... lovely sarcasm.
If only the fish understood.... ::)
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As I have said on a number of occasions, this forum promotes catch and release. That said, I don't think anyone is going to bregrudge you taking one for a meal, Charles, particularly a small and damaged one. What realy riles me though are these guys who are killing them as trophies and keeping every fish they catch.
I saw a DVD a few years back from a company that is respected in jigging circles where they were fishing in the Burma Banks or Andamans region and the mongrels killed every single GT they jigged up. There was a deck covered in bloody big dead GTs! You'd surely expect a fishing tackle company to be more sensible than that >:(
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There is one specific Bali operator who is just like that Brandon. They kill every single fish they catch (mostly Amberjacks and GTs) and are very proud of their photos of dead fish lined up on the beach. It is French owned and operated.
Whilst I can understand locals taking fish for economic reasons, when it is Europeans (or otherwise) running a $800 per day charter, it is unforgivable. Thankfully their website is so distasteful that any decent angler would have one look and make sure they never fished with that company.
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The best one I have come upon is a Fijian operator who said he has to charge double if you want CnR because he has to buy fish to replace the ones we release. Double?!?! :o
There is one specific Bali operator who is just like that Brandon. They kill every single fish they catch (mostly Amberjacks and GTs) and are very proud of their photos of dead fish lined up on the beach. It is French owned and operated.
Whilst I can understand locals taking fish for economic reasons, when it is Europeans (or otherwise) running a $800 per day charter, it is unforgivable. Thankfully their website is so distasteful that any decent angler would have one look and make sure they never fished with that company.
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I agree wholeheartedly that there are some charter operators in Fiji who are fishmongers, but some of us are trying to change this.
I have just come back from the first Volivoli Resort popper fishing competition, and every single GT and bluefin was measured and released. Barbless hooks were strongly advocated, advice was given about correctly holding fish for photos, and we trialed a weigh sling made free of charge by a local sail maker. I had some Release the Gt stickers made up ( thanks for permission Luke) and we gave these out at the end of the trip. Apparently one was going to be stuck to the van windscreen of one of the main culprits.
Ill do a longer post on the competition over the next few days.
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Ahahahahhhhh, thats awesome Will, sticking it to the windshield of the culprit, heheheheh, man i needed that laugh this morning. Is there anyway someone can get some of these stickers printed out and place here for sale? I would like to buy a few and stick one one the back window of my vehicle.
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Great stuff Will and good to hear.
We do similar things here in Bali with Adhek's CARE stickers. If you want any of those let me know and I will post them to you.
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/markinbali/care.jpg)
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Ben, I can send you one from Fiji, but you'll have to wait a couple of weeks until I can get to a post office as I'm out on Tokoriki. Alternatively, you can do what I did, download it from Giant-Trevally website, and, subject to Luke's approval, get it printed on to stickers.
Mark, that's a cool sticker.I would love some,but it will cost a bit to send them to Fiji. If I could get the artwork, I can easily get them printed onto stickers, again subject to permission.
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What does say a 20kg plus GT taste like...?
I have never tasted one nor do i have any desire to do so.......but I would imagine they would be horrible on the plate...???
Pete
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It's borderline inedible Pete but I have seen very large GTs prepared on an open charcoal grill and also curried. The heads get used for making soup.
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You guys are all a bunch of thread Hijackers what happen to Komodo! ;D lol Pete just for your curiousity GT's taste like crap and are full of ciguatera in Hawaii :P lol
A good thing about hawaii is we have a free and voluntary T&R program and if your fish ever gets recaptured they will call you and let you know where it was recaptured along with its current fork length and they will send you a t shirt as long as the fisherman call it in. Ive yet to have one recaptured but hope one will soon so I can have a t shirt. Our Tags that we use are very similar to the one shown in pics in Nick Bowles recent report in Tokara.
aloha
charles
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;D Charles.
Any discussion about "......why less fish at an Asian site" will inevitably veer towards lack of CnR practices.
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Shame on some ppl around the globe on slaying and bludgeoned these majestic creatures Ive never caught one hopefully one day soon but in a heartbeat I'd release it without a doubt after some magnificent photo with it they look so innocent similar to a Murray cod how can anyone keep one of those and I know they're two different fish but looking at them both fresh or salt we have to be a little more conservative I'm probably being a little hard in some ways and we'd understand ppl that have been raised on certain areas and islands would have to survive on fish like these as their daily dietary upbringing but DVD and certain fishing company's killing in the name of just the attitude plenty of fish in the sea these corporates should be named and shamed sorry Brandon I'm asking you to drop any names but this must stop.