How to catch a 515Kg Marlin

VANUATU FISHING REPORT. - (22 August 2007)

The hot news about the place at the moment and I’m sure it is old news to some of you is that a grander has captured and weighed in the waters of Vanuatu.

Late last month world famous saltwater fly fishing guide Dean Butler teamed with legendary deck hand Russ Housby arrived in Port Vila on a 15M Pleysier called Blue Dog to set up operations to fish the waters of Vanuatu. After several days of clean up and preparation they left on an 18 day trip with the owner and world record holding marlin fly fisherman Tom Evans.

We all knew these guys would prove to be a force to recon with on light tackle and salt water fly fishing as some of their previous conquests have been achieved in these waters.

On day 3 of the trip fishing just off the south west corner of Malekula, Russ noticed movement in behind the lumo sprocket teaser and called to Dean who had just completed rigging a yellow fin with a Roddy Hays 9.0 hook attached to a 500lb leader. The fish ate on its second bite swallowing the bait well.

As the fish peeled off it jumped once and the team realized they had a monster hooked up. Amazingly in all his world record capture’s Tom had never used a game chair or chair rod. Once Tom had the rod and himself settled in the chair he turned up the heat with 60lb of drag on the Tiagra130. The fish was subdued and gaffed in 30min. The next task was getting it aboard in the rough conditions and ultimately required a block and tackle to get the fish in with its bill in the saloon and tail against the transom. The monster fish was weighed ashore at South West Bay and weighed in at 1142lb or 515kg. The fish was eventually distributed amongst the local villages and enjoyed by all.

Speaking of world records New Zealand’s during early August gun angler Carl Angus and Bay of Islands skipper Bruce Martin aided by deck hand Terry Graham teamed with yours truly to fish from Shogun our 34ft Blackwatch for 8 days this month chasing a blue marlin on 3kg tackle.
The fishing was just a bit slower than expected and sloppy conditions on a couple of days slightly restricted our fishing area. The outcome of it all was 6 fish raised with 2 solid hookups. The closest was a 160kg est. blue fought for 45min and so close to the boat on a number of occasions. It was discovering that it had become partly tail-wrapped in one of its numerous jumps making it impossible to wire the fish. Close but no cigar!
www.nautilus.com.vu/fishing

Another Epic Adventure to Epi.

Hi Everyone,
Just back from Epi an island 60Nm north of Port Vila here in Vanuatu.
We have had a group on New Zealand anglers on board headed up by fishing guide and charter operator Carl Muir from Epic Fishing Adventures in Tiarua in New Zealand. Dispite some roughish conditions the fishing was great. For the trip of 5 days we saw 4 marlin, losing a large black du to a pulled hook after a 30 min fight another followed the gear however didn't hook up.
On day 2 we managed a pack attack of wahoo close to the still active volcano at Lapevi Island. We had 4 strikes and managed to capture 3 with the biggest being 26kg. On the return back to Lamen Bay we managed to tag and released a nice blue marlin at around 160Kg.
Day 3 we headed to DeChaliac sea mounds for another few wahoo and a nice 20kg yellow fin. I spite of spending a fair amount of time jigging we didn’t turn up and dogtooth tuna. We returned to the sea mound at Lamen Island for a couple hours of reef fishing and caught a variety of reef fish which most we released and a few taken to the village people for dinner.
Day 4 we traveled to the Maskalin Islands and back to DeChaliac for no result.
Day 5 we returned home to Vila from Epi and tagged another marlin 25nm from Epi. This was a blue at about 110kg. Several other small tuna were caught on the way home to round the trip out. All in all a good trip if just a little slow on the fish front.
Whilst fishing in these water we stay at the spectacular Lamen Bay Paradise Sunset Guest House with Chief Tasso and his family.
www.nautilus.com.vu/fishing