Back from Raro
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Saltwater Flyflingers
Forum Description: A forum for saltwater fly fishing enthusiasts
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=81410
Printed Date: 10 Jun 2026 at 6:43pm
Topic: Back from Raro
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Subject: Back from Raro
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 4:19pm
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Hi Guys, just back from Raro, had a great time as usual over there. I did not fish very much, I had a day out with Captain Moko and managed the best fish of the day, after the other guys took pity on me and let me have the last strike of the day! here it is.  I did manage to take the fly rod for a walk a couple of times and had great fun catching all sorts of reef fish like these.   From close to the coral, just casting off the sand. Those Cornet fish grow to some impressive sizes, the biggest one I managed was not far short of a metre long and actually managed to pull some line of the reel. The last time I took the rod out I fished one of the outlets from the lagoon and managed to hook about six of these in an hour and a half, landing 4 and losing two.  As the day came to an end I changed from a biggish streamer to a small tan gotcha thinking to try for a few more reef fish and got absolutely smashed by a big Bluefin Trev in the 12 to 15lb bracket that took the fly about 40ft out and ran between two coral heads before tearing away towards the horizon, the fly line shot through the guides at a very fast rate and even burned my finger before the last six inches of lose fly line flicked up and looped around the reel handle bringing everything to a very sudden end as the 15lb tippet broke with a very load crack! Bugger!! Still it was fun while it lasted. Have to say the Lagoon fishing up there just seams to get better and better, other than the above no real monsters but lots of reef fish and lots of fun. The snorkeling is superb, my wife and I saw Turtles, Huge Moray eels and a big school of Long Tail Stingrays as well as loads of Goatfish, Flame Tailed Snapper, Peacock Grouper and too many others to list, it really is like swimming in a fish tank. Add to that lots of Sunshine, very friendly locals and some great restaurants and you have a superb holiday! All the best. Mike.
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Replies:
Posted By: MarkE
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 4:40pm
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Looks like you had lots of fun Mike :) Were you on the main Island itself? the wife and I are heading over for 4 days next week, maybe I should try and sneak a flyrod in the luggage.... ------------- Sea Strike 18' Centre Console - Under Construction.... http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/sea-strike-18-build-thread_topic87723_page1.html" rel="nofollow - Build Thread here |
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 4:49pm
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Yes Mark, we were on the main Island, Most of my fly fishing was in the Titikaveka area and the Papua passage for the trevs. Well worth popping a rod in, you only need an 8 or 9# and a handfull of Gotchas for the reef fish and a couple of streamers for the Trevally. All the best. Mike
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Posted By: matto
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 5:45pm
luvly buvly looking water and fish mate , well done on a successful combined holiday, not an easy thing to manage.
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Posted By: FISHBYFLY
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 6:24pm
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Lovely stuff Mike great to see an improvement on the fishery next time im in the pacific, im gonna try and hook a Mahi mahi on Fly the skippers over there think im crazy but i reckon its doable,such a fantastic sportsfish.
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Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 7:09pm
Great report Mike. Pleased to hear you found some bluefin. Flutemouth are not my favourite fish, but I've heard a rumour that they're actually very good eating  . Don't think I'll be travelling in search of flutemouth anytime soon though.
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Posted By: herby
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 7:25pm
| Just go to the hen and chicks Craig |
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 8:18pm
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I dont think I would fish just for them Craig, but considering they have no real tail they fight quite well. When you hold them they feel very much like an eel, they have that same really muscly feel to them, I am sure they would be very good eating, but not from the Raro lagoon, too much chance of Ciguetera poisoning. As for MahiMahi on fly, I think they are just about the perfect target if you can a skipper to let you target them, they do hang around the fads and the other ones we caught were close to one of these and around the 5 to 8 kilo mark and they took poppers off the surface, very exciting to see and I am sure a big popper fly or a big streamer stripped very fast would take one.
All the best. Mike
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2012 at 8:28pm
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Great report Mike, nice to hear some positive stuff from Raro. I visited there in the late 80s as a kid and loved it, but the reef was severely diminished by chemical runoff, and the land was in a pretty sorry state in a lot of places. Good to hear there are some nice fish inside the reef. Those flutefish are a dag, I speared one up in the islands once and we ate it, it was great. They're just an enormous sea horse, aren't they?
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Posted By: Millsy
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2012 at 8:17am
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Again, good to hear a positive report. ------------- http://www.revoflyfish.co.nz/" rel="nofollow">   |
Posted By: lemmy
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 9:07pm
| Good to see Captain Moko is up and running again after losing his last boat "Tangaroa" what sort of boat has he got now? |
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2012 at 5:54am
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Hi Lemmy, he has an Osprey boat on order from Nelson but untill it is built he is renting the boat behind me in the picture of me with the MahiMahi.
Have to say his wife makes the best fish sandwich ever!
All the best.
Mike
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Posted By: lemmy
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2012 at 6:02am
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Yep your right there ca,nt beat one of her Wahoo sandwiches smothered in her lime Mayo. Steven sure loves his Ospreys now, had a few good days in his last one did,nt think it would be long before he was out on the water again, |
Posted By: Norseman
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2012 at 3:16pm
| Nice bunch of fish and the water looks about as clear as it can be! |