March Destinations

**Dabler** · 26-02-2008, 01:39

Have been reading this forum for a few months now and I’m flabbergasted at the wealth of knowledge and friendly advice you guys hand out. So here’s my first posting.

Recently got back into my fishing after a trip to Florida in 2006 (hadn’t fished in almost 18 years, mostly pike and some uneventful shore fishing here in Northern Ireland ). Been back to Florida a few times since and would love to try something a bit different. I’ve been scrolling the international area of the forum and would love to bag a big GT or similar hard fighter. The Forum is very informative with lots of links etc, but most people forget to put the time of the year they were catching. I’m planning a trip with my wife around the 8th March who loves to lie in the sun all day whereas I mostly like to fish form the shore with the occasional boat trip if I can hook up with like minded people.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I’ve read throughout the forum that the Red Sea and Indian Ocean are hot spots, but what will be around at this time of the year.

**PanamaJack** · 26-02-2008, 12:10

Whilst it’s difficult to be specific Giant Trevally, as a largely inshore species, would normally be encountered year round off those tropical shores. I guess the issue is very much where to go and I suspect, given your tight timing, you’re looking for a discounted trip.

Not Asia, perhaps others could comment on that, but Mauritius is a possibility – there’s a renowned shore guide - http://www.fishingandhuntingsafaris.com/ - or Kenya. But virtually all the Kenyan GT captures are from boats. Or even Hawaii. Do a search through the Canada and North American forum and you’ll find a site that reports all 100lb plus GTs – Ulua in local parlance – caught from the shore. That though’s with HEAVY surfcasting gear.

Then, of course, whilst you’ve been to Florida how about some of the more unusual opportunities identified on this site - http://www.johnkumiski.com/jkumiskio...rticleMenu.htm? But, as with Central America – both sides - no GTs! There are however reasonable Jacks & Tarpon to consider and, Pacific side, Roosterfish.

**Dabler** · 26-02-2008, 14:38

Hi P J, Thanks for the quick response. I had a hankering you would be the first to offer up some sound advice and pointers.

Whilst I would be on the plane to Islamorada in the blink of an eye, my wife has indicated that she would like to try somewhere different, which presents me with a bit of a dilemma. I usually stay in the Coral Bay Resort (bay side) about 1 mile south of Robbies Marina, You may even have stayed there, for me its heaven on earth. When my wife is sunning herself I usually have a couple of rods rigged with live or dead bait and a light spinning rod on standby off the small private jetty. I normally hire a boat for a few days as well and anchor up around the bridges and maybe take one or two days with a flats guide. Its all to handy and convenient and the fishing from shore and boat is superb. (although I was there during the 2nd week in January this year when a cold front came in, the fish kill was terrible on the flats, so had to go ocean side and bridge fishing to get some results).

To be fair to my wife, I don’t really want to leave her on her own, (well not to often), you know how it is, disappear at 5 30am, back for lunch and away again in the evenings. I suppose what I’m really looking for is a good fishy location (like Mauritius or similar) with hotel or complex close to the action. So if you or anyone else has any suggestions, I’m all ears.

Here’s a tackle question if you’ve a mind to answer, I’ve Just bought a 4 Piece Snowbee 10ft travel spinning rod, Deep Blue Tarpon Off Shore (5lb test curve) which I think should handle a GT ok. I was going to match it up to my Shimano Sustain 5000SD spinning reel, but after reading some of those postings on the Caranx forum and watching some footage on you tube I am having second thoughts and don’t want my wee Sustain smashed up. I’d love to get the Shimano Stella 10000SA or the 20000SA but is the price justified ($650 in the US and £650 here).

Cheers

Brian

**PanamaJack** · 26-02-2008, 19:58

Hi Brian
Following on from my first game fishing trip – and first Marlin – from Gran Canaria in 1979 I spent the next several years fishing the ‘Keys – essentially Islamorada and Key West. And despite being drawn to many other places in the meantime I have to admit to having a ‘soft spot’ for the ‘Keys and still like going back there. Tremendous light tackle fishing opportunities.

I know GTs are a tremendous challenge but I must admit any of the Jack species, irrespective of size, offers a tremendous scrap. And, at times, when we’re meant to be fishing for them as bait – an ignominious end, consigned for chunking for Tuna – I’ll on occasions take the trebles off the poppers just to experience those phenomenal surface strikes. Really then, in my view, it’s a case of balancing your tackle to suit the particular species. Certainly for most of my ‘Jack’ fishing is with the same 7’ Loomis travel rods - one built for spin fishing, the other for casting – rated for 10 to 20lb line. I’ll normally fish 12 or 16 on them, based on species. And, whilst I’ve had 100lb Tarpon and Sailfish on them, probably a 30lb Jack over a reef is as far as I’d want to push them.

One of our Club members in particular, a German – Stephan Kreupl, has done a lot of popper fishing for GTs from places like Mauritius, Rodrigues and the Maldives (a problem with shore fishing?) – although it’s always from small boats. There’re some photo-essays of his trips on this site - http://www.bluewaterfishing.eu/e_start.html. But, as you say, somewhere like Oman, or one of those other sultanates, could also be a possibility. From memory MarktheShark ’s been to them and could comment. Or some of the islands in the Seychelles archipelago?

Leaving GTs aside there are some superb shore fishing venues like Ascension Island, Guinea-Bissau and Angola BUT they’re not places I’d necessarily want to take my wife.

How about certain of the Bahamian Islands or Belize, or the Pacific coast of Mexico/Sea of Cortez or Costa Rica though? There you would encounter, Caribbean side, Jack Crevalle and Permit plus Tarpon. Or the ‘other’ side Roosterfish and Snapper, as well as Pacific Jack Crevalle. There, as well as the fishing, you’d find reasonable hotel accommodation.

BTW are you intended to find a packaged holiday or arrange it independently? Let me know if any of those suggestions appeal and I’ll post some further information.

As to the rod that sounds more than ‘man enough’. Does it have a parabolic action do you know? But yes, the reel does sound a tad on the small side. Stellas are a wonderful reel but, as you say, pricey! As an alternative have you perhaps considered one of the Shimano Spheros range?
Dave