FISHING THE ANDAMANS
LIVING ON-BOARD
What's about the Boat? The custom Sports Fisherman we fish is near to perfect.
The boat is specifically designed to cater wonderfully for UP TO A MAXIMUM of 4 GUESTS. Sleeping accommodation is in a separate cabin with upper and lower Single berths and an ensuite attached. Fresh sheets & towels, hot and cold shower, vanity and toilet. Air conditioned or fresh air from overhead hatches is your choice.
The food is generous and varied from foreign to Thai cuisine. Tea, coffee, water and soft drinks are always on call. You won't be hungry or disappointed.
The boat has many creature comforts including 220v power, air conditioned throughout, TV, music and movie DVD. (Bring any CD/DVD you like) Now, the important bit.
FISHING!
Professional Game chair and Outriggers are a must. But the tackle is exceptional and rivals the most exacting 'Cairns' standards. All custom-built and purpose designed to give you the finest experience. A Full Set of 4 complete rigs is standard for all 3 types of fishing. Shimano 80's and Shimano 50's take care of Trolling. Popper & Jigging is Shimano 'Stella 20000' models with latest Braid. Reef fishing & deep water jigging are covered by 6:1 ratio Overheads with braid. A veritable array of trolling, popping, jigging and reef tackles complete the arsenal. You do not need to bring anything!
But if you have some favorites to try, feel welcome to include.
THIS IS FUN
An important point to please remember. On these adventures we are not Tournament fishing; we do not 'back-up' at crazy speeds where the angler is just winding in line. This is a fishing trip you will never forget. This time you will fish for excitement and achievement, enjoying every minute!
What and what not to expect...
Fishing in the Andamans is not one dimensional. You never know from one minute to the next what is going to jump-on! Maybe a small 20 kg Yellowfin, then suddenly a 80 lb Wahoo or big buck Dorado (Mahi Mahi) or a 3 kg Skipjack then a 500+ lb Marlin. You cannot comprehend the variance of so many specie in just one trolling session.
Night time is another matter altogether. At anchor the sea around us becomes a living aquarium. The aft flood lights attract masses of flying fish, garfish, squids and smaller delicious snacks. As the night progresses; all predators follow. Some closely & some just out of sight. Commonly the range of specie variety exceeds 15 or 20. Bottom reef dwellers range from small colorful types we usually only see in National Geographic stories to never-give-up 10 kg odd Snappers and Giant Groupers stealing anything just hooked.
GT's (giant trevally) from 5 to 45 kg then start chewing poppers cast at them. This is hard, hair-raising stuff, believe me! Put on a live bait or a large offering on a float and invariably the reward is a Giant Dogtooth Tuna (up to 60 kg), big Yellowfin or an even bigger Shark. Wonderful for shark lovers because these big 'Grey Suits' steal just about anything and everything you're bringing up. Never mind.
THE LAST TRIP THERE
Recent adventures with achievements from 5 separate anglers in February 2008 is a classic example. Captured, tagged and or released 24 Yellowfin Tuna, 7 Black Marlin, 4 Dog Tooth, 9 Wahoo, 9 Barracuda, 81 GT's and a host of reef dwellers!
These waters are so full of aquatic life, the excitement remains intense.
My 'hair stands up' every single time I relate the fishing here. I can feel it now! I find it extraordinary that after more than 30 years of experiencing most of the tropical diverseness imaginable, I can witness this marine wonderland which is available now and surely is one of the last frontiers. Lets pray that our Indian friends remain as committed as they are now to preserving this treasure for a long, long time. Every person who comes here is in awe that not only this exists still anywhere in the world, but that it is thrives unaffected in our Asia region. A region famous for decimating every square mile of their oceans.
DO NOT FORGET
Everybody, keep your 'fingers crossed'. And don't miss it while its here! Don't put it in the 'I must do it one day' basket.
PLAN THIS TRIP
How long should I come-for? Easy answer. We could spend years exploring these waters and never touch the surface. But we obviously can't do that.
The first consideration is the Indian restrictions. Secondly, the remoteness. Consider this last point carefully. From the mandatory start and finish point at Port Blair. The extraordinary fishing is minimum 80 nautical miles and 170 miles respectively. Fuel availability is restricted so journeys are always at trolling speed so that takes 1 full day to each destination, nights at each Island and the unbelievable Sea Mounts (from over 2000 metres up to around 150) are a must. That's 6 days already. As you can see you really need around a week and literally every angler has expressed that his 3 or 4 day trip was just too short.
THIS IS A 'ONE-OFF' EXPERIENCE
I'm telling you this so I don't get ear-bashed by you later for not explaining clearly. A few days will certainly give you sensational GT and mixed battles, but nothing can compare to where we are fishing in the remote north.
Try to organize for a week. See what happens. You will never regret it. Wives, girlfriends & staff can live a few days without you annoying them anyway!
Next season from December to end April is the time. Start the plan now. For this is a once in a lifetime fishing dream! I am going back; with or without you. But I want you to see this, even just one time.
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