Epic Adventure: There Back

Cpt. Carl Muir from Epi Adventures out of Tiarua, N.Z http://www.epicadventures.co.nz/
arrived in Port Vila with 4 of his client to fish from Epi earlier in the month. Air Vanuatu put a small spanner in the work by off loading the boys specialized jigging rods before the plane left Auckland. They were to arrive a few days later however we were to leave at 5.00am the morning after they arrived. After some cobbling together we had enough gear to get the job done.

The trip turned out to be on the slow side however we turned up some fish each day. On the way up to Epi we picked up some good sized mahi-mahi, “Bill catching a couple of rippers” and ran into a school of yellow fin and at one stage had 5 on to catch 4. Toward the end of the first day a sail volunteered itself for a tag.The various seamounds around Epi failed to turn on the usual dogtooth action despite lots of jigging and towing baits on the downrigger.
Bushy dig manage a couple of very respectable G.T., one on a jig and one on bait. Euan caught a very health 61kg yellow fin to the west of the DeChaulliac Seamound to make his day. Even though we had to work hard for the fish each day everyone nailed a personal best. The only marlin we saw was one swimming into the gear and out again on the way home.

For any Kiwi anglers that might be interested in fishing up here in Vanuatu for a week however find it difficult to get a group together contact Carl via the attached web site above. He organizes a great trip and Carl himself is a great character and a lot of laughs.

Cpt: Pete Phillipps

http://www.nautilus.com.vu/fishing.htm

Tusker Game Fishing Classic

The Port Vila Game Fishing Club hosted the annual Tusker Game Fish Classic. This event was run in perfect conditions over two days. Day one started with nine boats departing from Iririki Island in a shotgun start. Fish over the 2 days was consistent with marlin being raised and tagged each day. Nevergiveup was the eventual winner with a great performance on Sunday, tagging 2 blue’s on 15kg and a Vanuatu woman’s record mahi the day before.

Nakita chartered by kiwi angler John Robinson came in second with some impressive fish captured on light line. A yellow fin and mahi-mahi on 4kg ready pushed him along on the point score with the mahi-mahi ending up the highest points scoring fish for the comp.

Makaira a new vessel to Port Vila took out third with a blue caught on each day however their marlin on Sunday couldn’t be revived at the side on the boat and cost them in the point tally.

The event ended with a prize giving at the Anchor Inn with a great meal and lots of the sponsors Tusker Beer flowing. Thanks to Tusker Breweries and all the sponsors.

The rest of the month has been magic with smooth condition and steady fishing. Wahoo have been scarce however mahi-mahi have been about in good sizes and the yellow fin turning up randomly with boats seeing them from 15kg to 60. Shogun had a good trip up around Epi a few weeks ago and was running into multiple hook ups and one fin at 61kg.

Blue marlin have been on the trim side with a lot around the 100kg mark which has been great for the light tackle anglers.

A few of us have been venturing south to Erromango Seamounts while the conditions have been favorable and getting great results. One angler that had a blinder down there was N.Z fisherman Kevin Griffiths fish on Shogun from his wheel chair getting a work out on yellow fin, having 2 marlin jump on then off and then tagging the third.

Don’t forget there are only a couple of places left on the Fishing News Vanuatu trip in April next year. For further details contact Grant Dixon.

Until next month, keep smiling.

Cpt Pete Phillipps
http://www.nautilus.com.vu/fishing.htm

Kev Grifiths was back to slay them.

Kiwi angler Kev Griffith's came back to Vanuatu for his third trip, now his second on Shogun and had a ripper. He caught a heap of personal bests being mahi-mahi, wahoo and G.T. He also had a great day on the Erromango Seamounts with a box of yellow fin, two marlin jumping on then of and then tagging the third.
He was accompanied by Kiwi custom rod builder Paul Radaly.
To learm more about this amazing bloke go to http://www.kemcare.co.nz/ Scroll down his page and check out his artwork.
Wild Blue Fishing Charters
http://www.nautilus.com.vu/fishing.htm