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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2011 at 5:55pm
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I am not too uptight about the seiners working the fads, as after all, they are the guys that install and maintain them all after all. Still, to do both on the same day! sheeshhhhh......
Lazy day today tho, as a pile of visitors came that required use of all boats etc.... and of course I am not too opposed to having a lazy (well, to be honest, an extra-overly-lazy ) day after the last few days of long hours casting, fishing and generally enjoying myself! :-)
Have resolved to do another mangrove Jack/ munda bar trip tomorrow though, that will ease me back into things nicely I suspect :-)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Gin Palace Reject Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2011 at 5:02pm
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Hi Capt. Asparagus

I'm heading to the very same resort shortly, limited to taking only a couple of fishing rigs, what would you recommend? Obviously something with a bit of stopping power for the GT's etc. Would a high end softbait combo work for the river/ lagoon fishing?

Cheers, and please leave some fish for us.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2011 at 8:35pm
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Yes for the popper set, although I think 50lb poppering gear will be plenty for here. for the mangroves etc, really a easy to use, light spinset with 6-10lb fireline is fine for the mangroves/river - ideally 10lb for the mangoves stuff due to the stopping power required to keep the little buggers outa the snags, and the 6lb is great for flicking around for wee stuff in the clear areas of the lagoon. A slightly beefier casting set with say 20lb line and a 5000 size reel and a bunch of smaller pencil type poppers and SPs have been fun getting some pretty decent fish over the bommies inside the lagoon.
 
Trolling sets are all loaded with braid here, so if you are happier with nylon trolling gear, bring along a 15kg set with you I'd say. Perhaps if there is a group of you and are looking at rationalising your gear, some guys could bring that, others the casting stuff.
 
I have been truly impressed with stickbaits here this time around, especially the R2C doggies, they have been the show stealers for me this trip.
 
Otherwise, Joe has a pretty extensive tackle shop here that can help you with most of your needs... especially Halco trolling lures which are extremely good for the mangroves and for trolling reefs etc, you won't beat his prices in NZ.
 
Yesterday we spent the day (well, 10-30 to 3-00) working Pukpuku for Jacks again, and had a ball. Ended up with 7 mangrove jacks landed (released all but two), kept 2 decent little trevs and of course got nailed by a couple of big sekiseki, which as you will know would be one of the most aggresive fish you will ever find.
I was awesome up there, surrounded by mangroves, real jurassic park sort of stuff. Gladly we didn't see and of the Longnosed longtoothed marine iguanas that tend to give me the willies a little :-)
I lost several lures to the jacks, and one big trev that just went nuts and damn near climbed a tree to get away, but the jacks will wait til a lure is just over their snag, and grab and dive under the snag with it. Doesn't matter how heavy your line is, you just can't prevent that.
Swearing ensues.
today, another lazy day (hey after 2 weeks I admit, I am starting to flag! :-) ) and we headed out to check out the mangrove rivers around pinandpanda on kohinngo island, and yes, more jacks, only ket the one this time though....so I am conserving the stocks for you GPR!
Depending on weather, I am thinking of heading over to Haepei again, but whatever, I want to get more stickbait action on tape, so will work the munda bar/shark point/lighthouse area either way.
Well, catch ya tomorrow!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Blue Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2011 at 10:40pm
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come on Stuey no one wants to know anymore bro, can you just update us on snapper fishing in the gulf when you get back bro, snapper fishing is where its at.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2011 at 4:09pm
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Oooohhhhhh..... nah, snapper is boring.... and cold at the moment I am told!
Couple of blokes went to the fad today, got several mahimahi, one 13kg female, very nice fish for here, and then had a couple of marlin come in and start mugging a school of rainbow runners around the fad. I was over at haepei, working a R2C Rover lure.... had been putting it off as it just didn't ring my bells, using it at home for kings it was just OK, but then it was never in really calm water..... here, in dead flat water, the lure is way, WAY better.... in 2 hours landed 2 GTs,




 a bluefin, and a red bass, lost (thankfully) a big mutha of a shark that nailed it but thankfully missed the hook.... no idea how though, and hits from other fish, red bass, trevs and a big cuda even. So my nice pristine brand new lure now has bites and scratches all over it! :-)
And now.... Joe has put my little electric motor on the back of my little MacBoat 360, so I think I might just go for a little wander round over the flats, see what I can scare up! :-)
Sorry BA, no snapper mate.... although... hang on, yes, another name for the red bass is Malobar Snapper! So there, I DID talk about catching snapper a little at least! :-)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2011 at 8:53pm
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.....so played with the little macboat and the 'lecky motor, it was well cool!! Got Osanga (sweetlips) for the girls' dinner, and then picked up a small Diamond Trev, what a wierd and wonderful looking critter that is, with filaments off its dorsal and anal fins that would have been 18inches long,,,, twice the length of the fish I reckon.

It is neat just puddling around on the lagoon around the resort. Talk about relaxing anda great way to wind down after a hectic day "proper" fishing. Well, when I say "hectic", I really mean, "not very hectic at all really".
Certainly sucessful. god, I love fishing in the tropics!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2011 at 8:56pm
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Shot out to the FAD this morning, surprisingly loads of skippies on it, picked up a nice rainbow runner and several big skippies for bottom bait tomorrow, before having a massive hook=up, seemed like a small fish to start with, but then just went deep and man, what a job in tropical heat! 45mins of circling, with Taska saying how he hadn't caught a decent yellowfin for ages, when circling below us was the biggest damn yellowfin I have ever seen.... must have been 10ft long if it was an inch, and about 175kgs I reckon. You know, one of them big, single dorsal finned, large toothed, sandpaper skinned yellowfin. Otherwise known as a Whaler shark.






Oh...... bugger. Man, I was stuffed, downed a bottle of water straight after we cut it loose, poured another over me head. Whew!
The bloody thing had eaten whatever had taken the lure, in the process had swallowed the lure right down, so no chance of rescuing that either, double bugger!
Well, with that the breeze started to lift, so we headed back in to the resort, home by 11a.m.
Once there, a steady 10-15kn northerlie came up, which blows right into the resort, and by golly, it was nice, so very very nice. The deck at the bar has nice wide new bench seats under the Matemateigana... basically stunstunfish tree...they mash the leaves to stun fish in the water.... but I do know it casts a beaut dappled shade, with the cool breeze keeping things even more civilised.... man, it is my newest favourite spot! :-)

 Great spot for a nana nap anyhow, right over the beach with wavelets lapping against the woodwork..... damn, but I love the tropics!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote whiti-fisho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2011 at 7:37am
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The only thing that keeps me sane is you haven't got many more days till you have to come back to the wet and cold ,think on that while you nana nap in the shade .Dont go to sleep or vthe bloody cat will try and eat you 
I step out my door to paradise on earth
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kezza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2011 at 7:41am
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Awesome stuff Capt. A....really nice read but I'm not really sure I've understood 100%.....do you like or dislike the tropics?....Thumbs Up....your slice of it is still on the must-do!!

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Martini Max Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2011 at 8:05am
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Originally posted by Capt Asparagus Capt Asparagus wrote:

  working a R2C Rover lure.... had been putting it off as it just didn't ring my bells, using it at home for kings it was just OK, but then it was never in really calm water..... here, in dead flat water, the lure is way, WAY better.... in 2 hours landed 2 GTs, a bluefin, and a red bass,

 Doesn't prove a thing... You could wire up a jandal and those terrorists of the reef would mug it.  

 Tropics..hah.   BrrrCry


"I do nothing..I do it well.. I then move on to doing more of nothing"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jun 2011 at 5:29pm
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Well, just seeing if flights to NZ are still going thru. Finished the fishing now, packing all me gear back in the boxes til I get back here next time.
Last couple of days have been hectic, did another day bottom fishing, a ton of nice fish, full eskies and more, all needed for a big party this weekend (Dave Cooks b'day), totally stuffed/cooked by the end of that day, then yesterday out fishing for the day with Joe, had a ball, more nice fish on the stickbaits etc, and today popped in to Bobae village and picked up a thankyou letter and carving for the lions club as thanks for hte donated goods, then out to the blackett straits again, more Mara, ringo kulele and coral trout on the small poppers and more underwater shots of the lures, fish etc, hopefully it'll all come out good....


bagged a nice little square-tail or passionfruit coral trout, as well as released anotehr (taska was not too impressed with that idea! :-) )

Now, if there is a gap in this damn ash cloud, I will get home to some nice cool temps!
 
This trip has been phenominal for the weather, we have honestly not had a single whole day of bad, wet weather all trip....25days!.... it has been awesome. I feel totally cooked however, so guys, the thought of a nice cool place is actually pretty damn nice! :-)








As soon as I get home I will go thru and fully picture this thread up, as best as I am able anyhow.
And yes Kezza, I do indeed love this place, the tropics are totally cool.... or not as the case may be!
And no Martini, the fish don't like jandals..... they like thongs I think ( too many damn aussies over there! :-) ) Youse jus' jealous! U wan fella jelus tumas!! nyah nyah! Call ya when I get back.
Stu.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote whiti-fisho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2011 at 12:43pm
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If you get home Stu ,they have started cancelling domestic flights inside Australia now on a day to day basis .Anne is stuck in Perth until she can get a flight to Sydney then will be stuck in Sydney til she gets a flight home to Auck .Air NZ has started cancelling flights now too .I would stay there in tropical paradice until I got it confirmed you can fly from Brsbane to NZ which at the moment you cant .Unless you have contacts in Brisbane you can con a few fishing trips out of while you wait 
I step out my door to paradise on earth
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 10:01am
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Had to spend the night in honiara as pacific blues plane got suck in NZ, so had to shoot to the local travel agent and buy new tickets for the friday flights on air solomons/qantas. Insurance helps :-).
However, made it back safe and sound rocked home into bed at 4 am! Yikes! Wet, yucky, cold, rainy, .......but it is good to be home.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 3:45pm
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Well, I guess I am home for sure now, hmmmmm..... different weather here for sure, heading out of Akld Airport last night was a very rude shock!
On the last day before I left I headed out with Joe for a last fling around the reefs with him.Had some great fun with some nice fish, especially around double island, dropped several, and landed some very pretty fish....

This gold-spot trev chased the rover for about 30m out from the reef before nailing it, all on the surface, really exciting stuff.
Moved on to the nest spot, cast at fish we could see chasing baitfish, and whammo, again, this time with this....

These fish were nailing big schools of small garfish, packed so dense that an accurate cast into the school by Joe bagged this monster.....

There really has been no doubt that this trip has proven that stickbaits are the equal of poppers, somethnig I would have treated with considerable skepticism before this trip.
.
The wall of Doom.....
That dorado coloured Rover (green'yellow speckle) there, I rigged with a single big hook in the tail.... totally buggered up the action of the lure, do not do that folks, maybe try the single on the belly perhaps, but not at the tail.

All in all, it has been a great trip. Nothing out of the very ordinary was caught, pretty much all standard stuff, but plenty of action to keep me happy, and it was a delight just sitting on the deck of my bungalow there of an evening, watching the world go by....


, all the time surrounded by peace and quiet. No jetskis, no hordes of screaming tourists, just love the place.
If you guys ever want to try some place a little different from Big game trolling on regulation NZ style gameboats, try so fishing a little outside the norm like mangrove Jacks, river fishing, flats fishing or whatever, I suggest you try to picture yourself standing in this picture.......

Come January, I'll be back there as well!
Zipolo Habu Resort, www.zipolohabu.com.sb





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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Legacy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 4:41pm
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That has been a really enjoyable read , great to see the pictures ,
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 7:03pm
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Fanbloodytastic Stu
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fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote NZTurtle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 7:54pm
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Thanks Capn A. Bloody nice read, especially given the rubbish weather we have had here.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2011 at 9:30pm
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I must see if I can work out how to load the various vid clips onto this site or onto youtube or whatever.5hrs of raw footage to chop down....and that is already pre-chopped in so far as I have already deleted the bulk of the no-fish shots, so have shot after shot of trevs etc hitting the lures. I have no idea yet how I will get a decent vid out of it all, still thinking on that. The underwater shots with the little contour cam came out very nicely indeed I must say.

When I have had a chance to sit down and reflect a little, I will talk about how I found the various lures worked best for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2011 at 3:05pm
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Damn! Just put all the vidcaps onto the adobe prog, and there are 5hrs, 20mins of film to cut down! Danggit! Guess wot i will be doing for the next week!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Blue Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2011 at 3:23pm
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hey capt are you anywhere near the prisons there
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