Fishing the Falkland Islands

[makem]

Has anybody out there fished the Falkland Islands? What did you catch? Was it easy or difficult? Doyou know of any related web sites I could swot up about ?

[lobsterkid]

:) I don't know much about the falklands, but are you stopping off at ascension for long . If so the fishing there is a must do. :)

[neil005]

Never been myself m8 but i have a book by john wilson in which he catches some very large sea trout up to 14lb from the local rivers along with a strange looking fish called a falklands mullet that weighs up to double figures and has barbules! All these fish were caught using spinners, hope this helps...

[flounder_al]

Makem. What time of the year are you going down there?

The trout fishing down there during their summertime (our winter) is great. They have a record of a 20lb Brown trout being caught there. There is decent sized mullet down there which can be caught on cut offs from the abotoir (sp?). If you do intend to do some spinning down there then i would suggest taking a few down with you as they are expensive and also they only seem to stock 10g spinners for some reason (i blame the inbreeding ;) ).

On a side note. 8000 miles is a long way when your bored. Remember to take a few decent mags/mp3 player with you for the flight down there :D

[PanamaJack]

There's a lot of commercial fishing activity in that area - especially for squid. But as Neil pointed out the fishing for big Sea Trout is excellent.

One of our Club members fished for them several years ago in the Sounds but unfortunately timed his trip - his wife was in the forces - for when the bull Sea Lions were coming ashore and staking out their breeding territory. Whether it was the neoprene chest waders but they definitely viewed him slooshing around in the surf as 'competition'. They're BIG and after one, making a fast pass, knocked him over he decided discretion was the better part of valour and retreated!

As Lobsterkid pointed out if you're planning to go down there factor in a few days on Ascension Island. It's just 500 miles south of the Equator and it's where the Tristars make their refueling stop.

The shore fishing there is spectacular! Masses of hard fighting HorseEye and Black Jacks and, at particular times of the year, you can also catch Dorado, Amberjack, Rainbow Runner and possibly even Wahoo. Also they're loads of Sharks - Reef and Galapagos - and, during the summer months, Yellowfin Tuna. From memory the best they've had from the beach was one of 267lbs.

There are a couple of game boats there, but they're expensive and usually difficult to book. But some of the 'locals' - they're actually contract workers from St Helena - will take you out 1/2 mile offshore for Yellowfin, Wahoo, Grouper and Jacks, and also Sharks. Offshore they, as well as the Reef and Galapagos Sharks encounter Makos, Threshers and occasional Tigers.
Dave

[flounder_al]

You normally get an hour off the aircraft on the way down to the Falklands and you cannot leave the little compound :(

[PanamaJack]

Hi Flounder_al
What I was suggesting was breaking the journey, perhaps spending 4 days there - staying at the Obsidian, unless Makem's in the forces - and catching the next flight down to the Falklands.
Dave

[mad1965]

I fished there just after the Falklands war, in San Carlos Bay. Water was fairly deep and all i caught was a red eel type thing.But the fishing was brillant at the
Ascension island, ling, red snappers.

[makem]

many thanks for the info - I go there in November, for 6 months duty!! Ive read about Hake, Blue Whiting and Hokis so I will see if they are about. Also Sea Trout - cant wait to beat my modest best fish of 3lb.!!

[flounder_al]

At least your there during their summer then. Thats good. I had an autum and winter there. Not fun.

Remember to use sun cream as the lack of ozone means you get burnt easily. The wildlife whilst you are there will be outstanding. Get on as many helicopter island trips as you can.

Which section are you going to?

[The VooDoo Bus Man]

Plenty of BIG mullet in the rivers. I caught one of 14lbs on a toby lure small abu baitcasting rod fitted with an abu6500 in bout 18ins of water!!! Plenty of small seatrout as well. This was way back in 83 you might want to contact Port stanley angling club we stayed in their cabinon Top Malo river