Christmas Island (Kiritimati) Fly Fishing 2023 from Christmas Island Lodge
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2023
- This was just my 3rd saltwater trip but, despite my many shortcomings, I had a fantastic week. I will definitely be returning. I really prefer the experience of wading over being in a skiff.
#flyfishing #saltwaterfishing #kiribati #christmasisland
Christmas Island (Kiritimati) is the largest coral atoll in the world and has bonefish, giant trevally (GT), 3 species of triggerfish, bluefin trevally, and so much more. With so many flats and other areas to fish, it is rare to see other anglers.
Here's the day-by-day fishing locations:
Day 1 - Lagoon
Day 2 - Backcountry (Huff Dam)
Day 3 - Korean Wreck
Day 4 - Lagoon
Day 5 - Bluewater Fishing
Day 6 - Lagoon
Chapters:
1:05 - Fishing the Lagoon
2:54 - Fishing the Backcountry
3:42 - Fishing Korean Wreck
5:35 - Fishing Bluewater
7:08 - Wrap Up
During the week, I hooked 2 GTs but lost them both due to inadequate hooksets. You've got to really hit them hard. I did land my triggerfish on the last day.
Equipment Used
Trevally:
Rod: 12wt I built from a NFC GammaBeta blank
Reel: Nautilus Silverking with RIO Elite GT Line
Bonefish
Rod: 8 wt I built from a CTS Affinity X blank
Reel: Galvan Torque T8 with SA Grandslam Line
Triggerfish
Rod: 9 wt I built from a NFC blank
Reel: Nautilus CCF-X2 8/10 with SA Grandslam Line
Bonefish take us to Christmas Island but it’s the Giant Trevally that keep anglers coming back😊
And the triggerfish! I'll be going back for sure.
I’ve been to Christmas twice, can’t wait to go back.
I'm headed back in a month. Can't wait. What lodges have you stayed out?
@@FlyFishingWithMike it was a lodge about 20 minutes from the put in at the bay. During WWII it was housing for military personnel. Our rooms were right on the ocean.
Nice video and great fishing - I just returned as well and always regret not staying for two weeks ;-)
Thanks for watching. 2 weeks would be nice. I'm headed back in a couple of weeks. Been tying lots of aphlexo crabs.
many thanks ! finally a film telling me how is the lodge and fishing in Christmas Island. Best regards from Switzerland .
Glad it was helpful! Are you planning on going?
Salt water fish are so strong , you can hear the fisherman grunting and growing telling their selves how much fun they’re having . Meanwhile back at the lodge it’s time for a massage, cocktails food and sleep so we can get up fresh in the morning and do it again. I love fishing :-) Thanks for sharing
They do pull hard! I just wish I would have started sooner.
What flies did you use most for bonefish? Hook type, sz, and eye weight? Starting to tie for an upcoming trip. Awesome video
For bonefish, I fished Orange/Pink Christmas Island Specials and Gotchas. Mostly size 8 and occasionally a size 6. I tie my bonefish flies on Gamakatsu SL3H-3 hooks. For weight, I used small/medium bead chain eyes and XS lead eyes. You'll also want some unweighted ones for super skinny water.
For triggers take a lot of crabs. They get chewed up quickly. Our guides liked the Aphlexo crabs.
I plan to go back later this year. Have fun!
What did you think of the lodge and guides? I'm going in 2025 so I'm starting my research.
That's great. I haven't traveled to many fishing destinations but Christmas Island is, hands down, my favorite. You will love it. I'm trying to get back in 2024.
Christmas Island Lodge - It's nice. Comfortable. Has good internet coverage through Starlink if that is important to you. All of the rooms are single rooms so you are not sharing with anyone. That was a big plus for me since I was traveling alone. I think the location on the island is also favorable. Its 10-15 minutes from the airport and it is further south so the drive to the Korean Wreck and Back Country is shorter than for the lodges that are in London. They also have a private launch area for the lagoon that is about 10 minutes away from the lodge. The new owners seem to care about their guides and the community. The guides all had new boots and backpacks courtesy of the owners. They brought in local musical talent for a farewell dinner, and shared our blue-water caught fish with the guide's families.
Food - All the food is brought in from Hawaii and it's not bad. I had read to take a lot of snacks as food could be a problem. Was not the case the week I was there. It's not 5-star restuarant food but we didn't go hungry. Think home-cooked style of food. I don't drink but there was wine and beer available at dinner. There's no limit on the number of water bottles during the day. They had plenty of water on the boats for you. I was pleasanty surprised on both the amount and quality of the food. Most of the snacks I took got left behind.
Guides - There was a set of very experienced guides and a set of newer guides being trained. Their normal policy is 1 guide per 2 anglers but the week I was there, there were only 4 anglers so we actually had 2 guides every day for each angler - a seasoned guide and the trainee. It was great having another set of eyes. I have no doubt that by 2025 the newer guides will be fantastic. I know there is another lodge on the island that they have a 1 guide per angler ratio but Christmas Island Lodge has all private rooms. So...choices there.
Listen to the advice on taking sturdy boots - you will appreciate them when wading the surf at Korean Wreck. And practice a lot and then some more with the 11/12 wt for GTs. It's a beautiful place with great fishing.
Please let me know if you have any other specific questions.