Bali GT fishing reports

[Mark Harris]

For a while now I have been meaning to start a single thread for Bali fishing reports, along the lines of that done by our Hawaiian contingent.  It seems to make more sense than a series of disparate reports.

I intend to add to this report over time and encourage anyone else fishing for GTs in Bali to do the same.

So, here goes .

January 2013 was a good month at the main Bali site of Batu Abah with solid fish being caught throughout the period. The middle of the month was very disrupted by the arrival of the side-effects of Cyclone Narelle. Personally I have never experienced winds and big seas of that nature for a sustained period in Bali. Sadly, it also coincided with the period when I was free of work commitments and also friends were visiting specifically to fish.

It is very notable that a large percentage of the bigger GTs were caught using sinking stickbaits. I am still a bit baffled by this as it has not been the case in the past. It may have been something to do with big waters for most the month and the sheer difficulty of correctly presenting any other type of lure.   It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

To give a better feel of the fishing during January 2013, there follows a small selection of pictures of fish all caught in the month from the redoubtable GT1.

I hope you enjoy.































Barracuda of this size are not at all common in Bali, so just to show that other species are caught



And finally, the state of the water one day before Cyclone Narelle hit!  Very hairy.

[Charles Cintron]

Awesome GT'S Mark some real bruisers that last pic of GT1 in heavy seas is sick! The Hawaii thread has been a little silent but we'll get it going again in a week or two big waves and work have been messing up my fishing schedule and I'm starting to get restless. We've also got some big fish coming up on different islands. Would be cool if you could post the gear and lures your buddies are catching fish on, makes for a interesting read.

Aloha,

Charles

[Mark Harris]

Hi Charles - thank you for that .

On the heavy seas pic - I dropped four big fish that day. It was very hard standing up once you had hooked up. Casting in those winds was extremely tough as well. Definitely the roughest conditions I have fished in. It was more evidence that the nastier the water, the more that big GTs like it.

In future I will make a point of  mentioning gear. This was more of a whole month summary just to get it going.

What I can say is that the star lures were all sinkers with Pandora and Bigfoot 140, 170 and 190 all doing very well.

[Hwee Guang Phang]

wicked catches, did you get any on Adhek's new swimbait?

[Mark Harris]

You mean the prototype sinking stickbait?  If so, fish were caught using that lure yes.

[John Cahill]

Sensational Mark great thread to get going hope ill be adding to it again

[Mark Harris]

I am sure you will be adding to it in time John .

And sorry about posting the Barracuda pic but that really is a very big one by Bali standards 

[Trevor Skinner]

Mark,

Bali is on my bucket list and after seeing these great fish and great locations it's just moved up the list.

The advantage for me is that I can 'park' her-in-doors at a 5 star hotel with a book and a glass of wine for a few days, disappear for a fish and still call it 'quality' time together. Everyone wins!

Regards,


Trevor   

[John Cahill]

I am sure you will be adding to it in time John .

And sorry about posting the Barracuda pic but that really is a very big one by Bali standards 

Your forgiven Mark - it was a big smelly beast haha

[John Cahill]

Mark,

Bali is on my bucket list and after seeing these great fish and great locations it's just moved up the list.

The advantage for me is that I can 'park' her-in-doors at a 5 star hotel with a book and a glass of wine for a few days, disappear for a fish and still call it 'quality' time together. Everyone wins!

Regards,


Trevor

Trevor that is a huge part of bali's appeal IMHO

[Andrew Smith]

Hopefully I can add some pics and info in this thread very soon!! The countdown is on!!!

[Mark Harris]

Bali is on my bucket list and after seeing these great fish and great locations it's just moved up the list.

The advantage for me is that I can 'park' her-in-doors at a 5 star hotel with a book and a glass of wine for a few days, disappear for a fish and still call it 'quality' time together. Everyone wins!

   Bali does work well in that way.

If you ever want a run down on the best times to come for GT fishing, just give me a shout.

[Arve Evensen]

Do you kill all the Gt...??

[Arve Evensen]

What is the best time, and area for the GT fishing.. And do they stay on shallow water close to shore in Bali as well..??

[Mark Harris]

Absolutely no GTs are killed on any trips I have been on.  And the boat GT1 has a firm catch and release policy.  It's a key reason why there are still so many GTs there.

There are some small GTs in areas which can fished from the Bali mainland.  But the main sites are 45 minutes to 1 hours sailing from Bali around the offshore islands to the southeast.