I feel positive for Aitutaki, after 10 trips there I cant say it is worse nor better but I do see the place getting more popular with fly fisherpeople and can only hope that demand for rich fishing grounds oustrips current trends with the netting, even if it is just reduced to the requirements of the current rules with netting and if these are adhered to it could be a healthy partnership betweem tourists and locals alike.

It is a hard place to catch your first bone but the challenge is well rewarding and as fishbyfly says you learn you go back and you get better.

I certainly am in for the long haul definetly voting with my feet 36 days to go:)

http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/local/item/62020-lagoon-work-to-cost-70-million

Yeah, it's a difficult one. Especially when netting is seen as a 'traditional' way of putting food on the table. The biggest clash occurs because both netters and fly fishers want to use the sandy areas with no coral. The only way around the problem I see is in the development of a new source of eating fish for the island, probably from deepwater- nothing else is left.

Yeah Nah. In the main tourist season every wahoo and yellowfin currently caught is quickly purchased by the restaurants and resorts on the island. There is often a shortage and local boats have been known to make 24 hour return trips to Manuae in order to hopefully load up on yellowfin and wahoo.

The population on Aitutaki- like most of the Cook Islands- has actually been decreasing. The cooks have direct entry to NZ (and therefore Australia) so constantly lose people.

Sounds good Will. That's an excellent average weight. January would be an interesting time of year to go.

smashing it m8. absolutely smashing it.

Sorry

we go to Rarotonga  most Januarys and its the beginning of the cyclone season and the water is realy warm , a lot of the  locals going home for Christmas so end of January can be cheap , think i saw a flight one way to Raro for $150 yesterday .Some beaautiful hot still days between monsoon like rain .

Bad Ass Bones 16 see end of the video this was filmed 8 years after this post started