New Caledonia: Round 2

Following our failed trip in February courtesy of Cyclone Atu, it was with great relief that I received an email from Rudy a few days prior to our departure confirming that our August trip was a goer! We had waited months to have another crack at some GTs.

For two of us expecting new family members soon (mine due only three days after my return) this was going to be the last trip for a while. Together with our newest group member Rob, we would spend a week aboard Le Poisson Banane’s Antares.

It wasn’t long before tragedy struck. As we arrived in Sydney airport from Perth, my mobile rang and Kasey informed Ricky and I that he was still stuck on the Nomad Odyssey due to bad weather! Somehow we managed to fight our urge to leave him behind (after all he'd already caught some GTs right?) and agreed to lose one day’s fishing to wait for him to get to Noumea.

The next four days fishing was hard work. Despite a promising start the fishing got progressively harder during the course of the week and the GTs had a case of lock-jaw. David tried his best to put us on the fish, but they just weren’t cooperating. That’s fishing I guess. We all took it in turns to remind Kasey that Monday, the day we had spent waiting for him to arrive, would probably have been the best day of the trip 

Despite the slow fishing, we all still enjoyed ourselves, and there were plenty of memorable moments to keep us all entertained. I can only imagine what it this place is like when it is firing! Kasey, Ricky and Rob, it was a pleasure fishing with you guys.

Some of our photos

Le Poisson Banane's Antares at the Koumac marina.

An assortment of Carpenter's & Ripplefisher's were the weapons of choice

One of my first GTs for the trip, only a little fella.

One of Rob's GTs

Boy, the coral trout in New Caledonia sure are big and angry!

One of Ricky's GTs. Gotta hand it to this guy, despite a shoulder injury that's been annoying him for the last 9 months, he fishes like he's possessed!

Kasey loaded up.

David our skipper & guide. Always professional, even after spending an hour and a half fixing the broken onboard toilet! Kasey, Rocky and Rob were quick to point the finger in my direction.... thanks ALOT guys ::)

David accepts a fishing challenge from Kasey at the back of the boat.

This unfortunate grouper decided to grab my Fullscale popper after a GT had spat it out.

Caught on a soft plastic, I still can’t believe this monster didn’t inhale the whole lot and bite through the mono trace! Rob initially announced to us that he had hooked a “sea shit”, (aka some poor small reef fish) but it wasn’t long before something decided the “sea shit” was lunch and Rob’s rod buckled over. We initially called it for a shark but a few minutes later this monster mackerel came aboard. Shame a small shark managed to take a chunk out of it a few metres from the boat.

GT inhales a Yambal GT harrier stickbait

Can't wait for next time!