fishing

THE FLATS
     Christmas Island has a myriad of diverse habitats and endless flats, unique in its opportunities for both the novice and expert fly angler. It is considered one of the top bonefish destinations in the world. An angler could spend a lifetime trying to fish every flat and still not accomplish the feat. The flats are so vast that It is common to fish all day and never see another group of anglers!

     Your fishing expedition will depart from the boat dock in London Village, just a short walk from the Mini Hotel Kiritimati. From there, the 32-foot catamaran will take you to your favorite flats. Since all of the transportation is done by boat (except for ocean side fishing), anglers can fish some remote areas inaccessible to those traveling by truck. You will wade fish the flats and the boatman will follow. You have the opportunity to fish a variety of ankle deep flats, deep big fish flats, or ocean side flats. Even small isolated pancake flats provide an interesting chance to hook an immense bonefish or trevally.

&n bsp;    Bonefish, the sleek occupants of the flats, can attain speeds above 20 miles per hour. Although Christmas Island has gained the reputation as a small bonefish destination, it is not uncommon to take bones in the 6-8 pound range weekly with ample opportunity for double-digit fish.

Christmas Island provides a change of pace with its several species of trevally, some of which can run over 100 pounds. More commonly are the 5 to 50 pound size that will demonstrate an impressive surface strike on a wide variety of streamers and surface poppers. The tug-of-war with a trevally will leave your forearms sore and a smile on your face.
     Don't be surprised if you catch a few other species as well. Queen fish, black-tipped sharks, snapper, barracuda, goat fish and more are known to frequent the flats.
     
Your fishing experience provides one guide for every three anglers. Our English-speaking guides are locals that have valuable knowledge of the tides and fishing spots around the island. They can get you in the right place to test your knots and angling skills with a big bonefish or trevally. From selecting flies to landing fish,your guides pride themselves on their ability to help you have a successful fishing trip.

OFFSHORE
     Also included in your expedition is the option for offshore fishing. For a change of pace, you can spend the afternoon or the day offshore fishing in the deep blue around the island. Light tackle gear and stand up fighting belts required to catch a variety of offshore species on lures is provided on board.
     You can also bring your own 12-14 weight fly rod to test your offshore angling abilities. Make sure you have a large arbor reel with at least 350 yards of backing. Wire or heavy monofilament shock tippet is a must to keep the big fish on. You will want to have a good supply of billfish flies and large streamers in greens, blues, reds and browns, all with a white belly.
     Species c ommonly caught offshore include yellow-fin tuna, wahoo, billfish, rainbow runners, and trevally. The offshore sea life is different from that of the flats and can provide a welcome alternative with schools of porpoise or large manta rays. You may even see a shark or two.
     Christmas Island provides a great diversity of flats and offshore to give you an overview of the sea life in the Central Pacific.

Click here to see the accommodations at Christmas Island.