Charter Operator – Matava Resort Gamefishing Average Water Temp – 26.0 Average Weather - Yes, decidedly average. Often 20kts and rough, Occasional excellent days Water Clarity – Variable inshore, good offshore
The fickle winter weather conditions continued to frustrate with weeks of trade wind chop separated by perfect weather days and big fish numbers. Wahoo and sails have dominated with plenty of winter Yellowfin for added variety.
Warmer water currents moved through in August to quiet the wahoo bite a little but with it came huge numbers of mahi mahi for excellent light tackle action. Most are small around 20lbs but some good bulls mixed in to 50lbs.
All in all, the winter wahoo season didn’t live up to early expectations, mostly because of unusually poor weather. The GTs however love nothing more than crashing barrier reefs breakers and the popper casting has been and continues to be absolutely outstanding.
Still seeing a few nice black marlin along the reef edge for the heavy tackle fans who don't mind spending all day watching their carefully rigged baits being smashed by the razor gang. Its usually worth the effort when a big black gobbles a bait and puts on the normal spectaculor aiborne display.
October will see game boats start to move offshore and dust off the heavy tackle with blue marlin and Yellowfin the main targets. Expect the usual by-catch of mahi mahi, wahoo and the occasional spearfish making a valiant attempt at eating an 18” marlin lure.
Captain Adrian Watt Bite Me Gamefishing Charters www.GameFishingFiji.com www.GameFishingFiji.blogspot.com
Great Astrolabe Reef - October 23rd, 2007
supplied by: Matava Gamefishing Charters RECORDED:90 °FISHING: Excellent Fiji Saltwater Fishing Report – September / October 2007
For the waters around Kadavu Island- Fiji Islands – South Pacific. Charter Operator – Matava Resort Gamefishing Boat Names – Bite Me (Offshore) and Offensive Tackle (Inshore) Average Water Temp – 25.0 Average Sea State – 70% Wind chop to 4ft, groundswell to 6ft / 30% calm Average Winds – 70% Breezy to 20kts ESE / 30% light Northerly Water Clarity – Variable inshore, good offshore
Spring is in the air but the wahoo and sails continue their airborne displays. With the late season start, Fiji should continue to enjoy a good wahoo bite right through to October. The big sails are still being found along the reef but usually just in twos and threes. It has been a variable winter, warmer than normal with some unusual weather patterns interrupting the typical trade winds.
In winter, the outer barrier reef slopes are often inaccessible but these weeks of calm winter days have given anglers unlimited access to the big GTs that hang out in the breakers. This has resulted in a red hot GT bite. Kadavu island’s Great Astrolabe barrier reef is producing large numbers of mid sized fish with frequent fish to 70lbs and the occasional rod snapping monster getting the best of astonished anglers. Even the narrow barred mackerel are getting into the action with many good sized fish caught on poppers right in close to the reef.
Nevertheless, with the calm summer season rapidly approaching, the sails will move on and the wahoo move out wide so thoughts are now turning to the heavier tackle. Divers from the resort have been checked out by big black marlin on several occasions as the blacks migrate past Kadavu island.
With large schools of Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna scattered all along the barrier reef, the bent butt 80s and Moldcraft wide ranges are getting dusted off and serviced as attention starts to switch to the blue marlin grounds and the coming run of big cow Yellowfin in November / December.
Summary: Blue marlin – Lots of small to mid sized fish with the occasional 600+ pounder Sailfish – Still here with double hook-ups common. Average size 80-90lbs Wahoo – Big packs still being found though starting to thin out now. Yellowfin - Here in good numbers but can be patchy as schools move through Mackerel – Plenty of small ones inshore, some very nice fish hitting ballyhoo rigs outside the reef. Mahi Mahi – Yes, lots to 20lbs and some bigger bulls to 50lbs around GTs – Red hot bite at the moment but the weather sometimes limits access to the best places.
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