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General => General Topwater & Jigging Discussion => Topic started by: Robert Woll on December 11, 2013, 11:05:25 PM

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Robert Woll on December 11, 2013, 11:05:25 PM

Hey all,

I am considering planning a fishing trip to Raja Ampat (West Papua-New-Guinea) and I was wondering whether anyone of you has been there and could give me some advice. Any experiences or suggestions are highly welcome.

Thanks and tight lines,

Robert

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Mark Harris on December 11, 2013, 11:15:26 PM

There a few members of this forum who I know have been there recently Robert and I hope you get a response.

Just a mild correction... it is not in Papua New Guinea.  The Raja Ampat group of islands are off the northwest of West Papua province of Indonesia.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:22:26 AM

Some friends just came back from raja ampat and the result is not satisfying. Maybe this is just some bad timing. But you could research results from recent fising trip there. Mostly spanish mackarel caught.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:25:13 AM

Kaimana (south of bird head western papua) is said home of big gt's. Raja ampat is north of bird head

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Mark Harris on December 12, 2013, 11:53:50 AM

That's pretty much what I have heard from multiple trips to the area.  It seems to be one of those place that is fairly pristine, has all the right attributes to hold a lot of good fish but it generally seems to disappoint.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 01:06:35 PM

Maybe this sounds  superstitious, but to have good result there, we must meet the village's chief and ask his permission to fish his waters. Bring him offerings (money and cigarettes). My friends didn't do that, I really don't know if this is somehow connected or not.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 01:12:47 PM

Maybe you could  try Kaimana instead.

I just got back from southern Sumba, the result is quite satisfactory. The simple way is to get to Kalala inn (by late Mr.David Kalala), now run by his wife, Mrs. Johanna Kalala (Mama Jo). This could become the base camp for sleep, bath, eat. Ask Mama Jo about boat, she can provide boat for fishing there, up to Salura (Halura) island. GTs everywhere,  redbass. sometimes mackarel and baracuda. Look for low ebb period, high tide is not as good.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Mark Harris on December 12, 2013, 01:43:24 PM

David - please do not hold GTs by the tail like that.  It is likely that you have killed the fish by holding it like that - broken back.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:12:31 PM

Some Sumba GTs

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:13:26 PM

Thank you Mark for your advise. The GT is released alive, fortunately :)

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:14:07 PM

red bass

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:15:53 PM

The ship and captain. It is not a big ship

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:18:02 PM

Another GT

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:20:55 PM

View from hotel's beach

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:21:39 PM

the bungalows

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:23:22 PM

lure casualty  :)

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 02:46:03 PM

Kalala Bungalows. That's Mama Jo, third from left

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Mark Harris on December 12, 2013, 03:31:00 PM

David, that is a really interesting location.

GT fishing in North Sumba is well known but the south coast is new territory as far as I know. Many thanks for this.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: David Lumanauw on December 12, 2013, 04:59:42 PM

Hi, Mark

North Sumba holds less GTs nowdays compared to south sumba. Many big GTs are spear gunned in north (tanjung sasar). Jigging spots are still good in north sumba.
If you like, you can explore Pulau Dana. Located south east of sumba, seems like most south island on Indonesian archipelago.
Many fish there (said some people). Sawu fisherman sometimes catching fish there, but dare not stay in that island. There is a cave that is said to have spirits living in the cave.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Mark Harris on December 12, 2013, 06:09:09 PM

I know of Pulau Dana.

I once had trip planned to start in Sumba and go to Pulau Dana, then the Sawu Archipelago and finish in Rote.  Like most ambitious trips to remote Indonesia though the logistics proved to be impossibly expensive.

Title: Searching for information on Raja Ampat Papua New Guinea
Post by: Robert Woll on December 12, 2013, 07:59:17 PM

Wow, thanks for this detailed input, David, and thanks for your support, too, Mark.

Too bad, Raja Ampat seems to disappoint. Everything I've read about it (apart from fishing) seems really nice. But that's why it's worth asking. I will definitely reconsider my planning. Might be, I'll go for Oman then. That's much closer to Europe (where I'm from) anyway.  ;)

Cheers, Robert