![]() We also happened to anchor within spitting distance of a mile long sand flat that was in the lee of the island (sheltered by the prevailing easterly winds). Our first stop in the Tuamotus was on the island of Kauehi, where we were anchored just off of Kauehi “City” and traded with the locals for freshly caught grouper and snorkelled straight from the boat. The rest of my gear includes one extra fly line, two fly boxes, tippet from 10 to 50 pounds and a few tools and gadgets. The Triangle Tape, along with overloading the rod helps me do that. I need to react fast and I’m often making fairly short casts, not much longer than I would if I were trout fishing back in Montana. Visibility in the water is often scattered and the fish are moving fast. My saltwater fly fishing has necessitated quick, powerful casts in often very windy and sometimes overcast conditions. And while that does happen, my experience has proven otherwise. ![]() I used to think saltwater flats fishing was about precise 100 foot long casts to spooky fish in shallow, calm water. My fly line is a new 10 weight Royal Wulff Triangle Taper saltwater line. The combo is about 10 years old but is solidly built and has endured expeditions in Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, the Florida Everglades and elsewhere. I have a 9 weight Orvis T3 fly rod and an Orvis big game reel. ![]() My fishing quiver has been pared down to the bare essentials: a handline for trolling while under sail and my fly fishing gear. The activity lies beneath the surface.īecause we are essentially backpacking across the ocean, I have scant resources for my underwater investigation: some snorkeling gear, a speargun, and an underwater camera. Otherwise, these narrow strings of sand and coral are the domain of coconut crabs and not much else. Most of the islands we visited had very small towns or villages that subsisted on fishing, coconut harvesting or maybe some sparse tourism. To top it all off, the islands are sparsely inhabited, if at all. The interior lagoons are protected, accessible usually by one or maybe two narrow passes and the clear, warm water runs in shades of blue, green, turquoise and even yellow in the shallow, sandy edges. Most are covered with coconut trees and surrounded by deep, blue water on the ocean side. The islands are small – just sunken volcano craters that just barely break the surface of the ocean. The Tuamotos are quite simply what most people dream of when they think of the term tropical paradise. This, of course, sounds like heaven to someone interested in chasing fish. ![]() With a peak elevation of about 10 feet, the islands have been feared by mariners for centuries because of their shallow, fringing reefs and the fact that they are hard to see until you’re practically on top of them. Often called the Dangerous Islands, the Tuamotus are a string of coral atolls that stretch several hundred miles. ![]() However, I could tell from aerial photos andsome time spent on Google Earth that there were endless sandy flats in the Tuamotus. Besides a few random and out of date blog posts and a couple of websites for resorts or fly fishing businesses, I didn’t find much to go on. Before we left on this adventure, I spent some time on the internet looking for information on fly fishing opportunities in French Polynesia. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |