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Lillo
09-05-2006, 12:35
At the beginning of March the Blind Strike was at the Similan Islands were we had excellent time with huge balls of Yellowfin which kept our guests fully busy all day long. We also had a bite from a Black which did not give us even the time to enjoy it that was already gone!

We then moved to the Andaman Islands in India till the end of the month for two consecutive sessions of our famous “Popping&Jigging” expeditions. And the Andamans confirmed and even exceeded our expectations in some case, with no-stop action from dawn to dusk (or better all day long sometimes since some of our guests had barely few hours of rest every night!). Huge Grouper and Yellowfin, Red Bass and Dogtooth Tuna together with Barracuda, Wahoo, Sharks of different species and a variety of bottom dwellers of the most different sizes, colours and shapes were on the menu. GTs were numerous and among them some beauties will remain for long time in the memories of all our guests. They proved again to be the star of the trip with some spectacular strikes and fights which confirm them as the ultimate fighter pound for pound. Finally during the transfer from one spot to another we even manage to catch a Black Marlin which unfortunately, since badly injured, we were unable to release. This one, another one lost on the way to the Andamans together with other reports from other sportfishing boats confirm our thoughts according to which this place has huge potential as Billfishing destination. For the adventurous anglers this is truly one of the ultimate frontier; we barely saw a boat during our stay in those waters and we really hope they will remain as they are for long time. Moreover the area is so vast (more than 8,200 sq km) that it can offer to the returning anglers always new and sometimes unexplored fishing ground, both to the popping and jigging enthusiasts or to the big nose lovers. In conclusion I don’t think that it happens everyday to fish waters which on the map are showed as “unchartered” and I still believe that every keen fishermen should give it a try once in a lifetime!
We are already receiving booking enquiries for the 2007 season, so I suggest to every interested angler to contact us as soon as possible to be part of one of next year Special Safari Expeditions to the magical Andaman Islands.

Please go to http://www.thebigblues.com/Andaman06.html for the latest pictures of the “2006 Popping&Jigging Expedition”.

For more details on fishing to the Andamans and in the Phuket area with The Big Blues please contact us on +66 (0) 783 45293 – 988 56233 or visit our website www.thebigblues.com

Momoi
16-07-2006, 07:28
Really nice pictures and catches.......!!!

I am particularly keen on GT popper fishing, what kind of gear were you using?

MM

Lillo
18-07-2006, 07:37
We are talking about big game GTs in 25kg plus range so you need the best fishing gear available on the market such as Lamiglass, Shimano Aspire, Carpenter and Zenaq rods for example between 2,10 m and 2,75 up to 200 gr.

Reels like Stella 10000 and Saltiga 6000 with full out 12-15kg drag to stop the fish from reefing you. Also the fishing requests casting 180g poppers all day fitted out with 5/0 trebles using 80lb braid.

Finally a good selection of big fatty poppers should make the job!

LILLO

Alessandro
10-05-2008, 17:05
180 grams poppers? Sounds crazy, I casted the Manns 135 gram popper in Guinea-Bissau and it was on the limit for me.

Lillo
12-05-2008, 02:49
even 200-250...the bigger they are the loudier they are..although I have to say some lighter model are terribly effective as well. Of course also all your fishing gear must be able to handle such kind of lures.

Alessandro
12-05-2008, 15:49
I thought the Mann´s Magnum Chug-n-Spit was noisy as hell...