Ever so often we get a chance to experience a slice of paradise at the many places our hunt for fish leads us to. This trip was one such. The Maldives is an annual pilgrimage, it is a place to unwind & enjoy. It has an abundance of everything, and though you may strive to find the biggest fish, the sheer variance of species consumes you!
On most trips like this the core objective is to chase reef predators with heavy jigs and poppers but most times we'll set aside a half day session to hit the islands for a little more light hearted fishing. On light gear, the myriad of species which call the reefs and beaches home provide good fun for all!
A day on the beautiful beach with some handsome little lures in hand. The Tetra Works series by DUO was crafted especially for light saltwater work and they are right at home in locales like this...
The white sand and shallow lagoons were where we would flick these light lures at...
Had my trusty Majorcraft KG Lights rod - 2 piece for easy travel, light tubular tip for utmost sensitivity and adept at casting light lures even in windy conditions...
Didn't take too long to hook up!
A nice hard fighting Bluefin Trevally, they represent the upper tier of the food chain here in these knee high waters...
The DUO Ikakko claims its first victim in the lagoon!
It was basically a fish a cast! The Ikakko would be cast to likely fish holding structures, allowed to do its flutter fall and twitched back with subtle strokes. It usually doesn't take too long to find a willing customer, like this Ornate Emperor...
The Black Blotch Emperor is the thug of the reef, they hit really hard and go really hard on the light gear, constantly trying to bury you in the nearest outcrop...
The beautifully marked Picasso Triggerfish which fell to the Ikakko...
A big Black Blotch Emperor, very fierce!
A Triple Tail Maori Wrasse, one that's common to these reefs...
Another Blotchie on the Ikakko...
An electric blue Surge Wrasse got all territorial with the Ikakko...
The smaller Thumbprint Emperor, just as ferocious as their blotched cousin...
Cute little Rainbow Wrasse...
Small Yellowfin Trevallies hunt in packs and would go wild at anything that moves fast enough to attract their attention...
Honeycomb Cod are abundant in these reefs as well and are holed up in surprisingly shallow water...
Another beautiful Picasso Trigger on the Ikakko...
This decent Thumbprint Emperor went ballistic as the little Poco Poco popper got into its field of vision...
Note the colours on this Honey Comb Cod that took the Poco Poco, it matches the surroundings pretty convincingly..
A pretty decent Christmas Wrasse that probably took the popper due to territorial tendencies...
The DUO Poco Poco showing its versatility by even attracting this Picasso Trigger...
Another hard fighting Thumbprint Emperor...
Honey Comb Cod on the Poco Poco...
Small Bluefin Trevally on the Poco Poco...
At this size, the Thumbprint Emperors are pretty hard to stop in the shallow reefs...
A nice Bluefin Trevally, maximum thrill in the shallow waters, this Poco Poco popper was eventually lost later to an even bigger Bluefin which won its freedom by wrapping the line around some sharp corals...
Honey Comb Cod on the DUO Ebikko, a shrimp imitation lure...
Another Honey Comb Cod on the Poco Poco...
Thumbprint Emperor on the Ebikko in super shallow water...
This cod fell prey to the Perakko, a twin prop lure...
A prized specie of sorts on the beaches, this nice Bonefish took a slowly twitched Ikakko...
It gave a good account of itself and was a handful in shallow waters with corals all around...
The Ikakko makes the perfect squid imitation and it certainly fooled this Bonefish...
Next up was another rare encounter, this guy took the Ikakko deep despite its relatively small mouth...
The Permit, a beautiful and hard fighting chance encounter on the flats. This is the Holy Grail for fly fishing enthusiast and are even less likely to hit a hard lure. Speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the Ikakko...
Lastly another Bonefish showed itself just before the tide stopped and the fish buffet ended. A bigger one too! What a way to end a fantastic session on the beach!
Somewhere in there, there's an Ikakko! He snaffled it right down!
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