Tuesday, November 5, 2013

MUST BE THE MALDIVES! Part Two

This is the continuation from the earlier post found here:
 
 
Like all previous trip to the Maldives, we would take at least a morning's break from the heavy stuff and go light. Ultra light. On the beach!
 
No guesses which lure is prefered by us for this kind of work!


Rods of choice:
Evergreen Temujin 'Spider'
Majorcraft Air Lights
Majorcraft Crostage Aji
Majorcraft KG Lights

The new IMA Pugachev's Cobra 60 was a great way to experience topwater action with the likes of this Honeycomb Grouper - one of many which fell for this lure...

We also put another fascinating popper to good use - the Bassday Crystal Popper really shines in these gin clear waters...

One of the highlights of the session was to hook up this tough fighter of a Wrasse on the surface!

The Bassday Crystal Popper did this one in...

This is the female of the species, just as aggressive in nature and a real handful too in the shallows on the ultralight gear...

Snappers are always welcome, they like Bassday Crystal Poppers too...

Another Wrasse on the Crystal Popper, and another intense few moments...

On the flats all we could coax was this nice Yellow-lipped Emperor. It put up a spirited fight too...

Like all else on these flats, it fell for a nicely placed DUO Ikakko...

And so did this Triple Tail Maori Wrasse...

Bluefin Trevallies are the bullies of the lagoons, and many times we did get bullied too. Bust offs were all too common when one of these were hooked. This one was manageable as it took the DUO Poco Poco popper in tight confines...

Another nice Bluefin Trev plucked from a school, also on the ever-popular DUO Poco Poco popper...

This trip we brought along a brand new Majorcraft Crostage ultralight spin rod exactly for this. A small GT took the DUO Poco Poco popper and allowed itself to be coaxed into range but alas still evaded capture as it busted off shortly after this picture was taken...

The IMA Pugachev's Cobra 60 is wicked in the shallows and even fooled this Wrasse before we called it a day on the island...

Back to jigging and it didn't take long to find the ever-abundant Rock Cod with the Shout! Flash jig worked with the Evergreen Poseidon Spin Jerker rod...

We were much happier pulling up Lunartail Trout though. This one was taken on the same Shout! Flash and Poseidon Spin Jerker combo...

This was followed by another beaut Coronation Trout, this time on a Tacko jig...

As the sun set on another day, a last GT is landed on the Bassday Quicker jig...

Next morning it was popping bright and early. And the GTs were out to play...

The FCL Labo SPP Slim in a funky new colour gets the session going...

And another SPP Slim is also credited with the next GT to hit the deck, a very nice specimen and one of the biggest of the trip...

FCL Labo SPP Slim 140 - essential equipment...

This FCL CSP sinking pencil is enthusiastically inhaled...

GTs are tough fish and they go hard indeed...

On the jigging front it is a day of the Cods. Here's one on an Andaman jig...

And another on a Sevenseas Hooker jig...

We get distracted by a Green Jobbie or two. This one a Shout! Shab Shab jig...

But otherwise, brown is the colour of the day. They were taken on a brace of Shout! and Fisherman jigs...

Another Andaman not to be outdone. With a fancy little Cod...

Here a Poseidon Spin Jerker is maxed out on what turned out to be a shark. We almost got spooled and was eventually cut off after regaining some control...

Shout! Shab Shab with another deep dwelling Rock Cod...

We then get lucky when we hit a pack of Amberjacks of decent size. This one went for a Shout! Shab Shab worked on the Poseidon Spin Jerker...

This other Amberjack was also overcome by the strong Poseidon Spin Jerker after it took the Fisherman Andaman...

Rosy Jobfish were in and amongst the Amberjacks as well, and they loved Andamans too...

Another beautiful Amberjack comes aboard and is released into the sunset...

The Fisherman Andaman does the damage once again...

The procession continues. And they were of very good size by Maldivian standards too!

To get into the action you had to have one of these tied on. The Fisherman Andaman is peerless...

An early morning surprise. Mucking around with the mini IMA Gun jig on the light Temujin 'Spider' rod we pin this hungry Bigfin Reef Squid...

Back to the jig spot and we hit some more Amberjacks, smaller though like this one on the FCL Labo SL jig...

School sized but no complains whatsoever...

Then we get in on the Rosy Jobbies. This one liked the Geecrack Long Gun jig...

Shout! Shab Shabs never fail on these fishes too...

Neither do Fisherman Andamans...

We hook up one after another. This one on the Shab Shab again...

A pair on the FCL SL jig and Andaman respectively...

And the Fisherman Andaman does it again...

Black Jacks go hard and fight all the way up...

Can't escape the Cods from the deep. The Andaman scores this one...

And the Andaman gets this other Nassau Grouper as well...

Another Shark from the deep is hooked and eventually lost as it bit through the leader...

Going deep means a good chance of hooking one of these beautiful Nassaus. Andamans work their usual magic...

Small Rosy Jobfish on the Shout! Shab Shab...

Soon we have to leave the jigging grounds as we head back towards the capital of Male. There's still time for some casting, and we get this stunning Coronation Trout in the reefs with the FCL Labo CSP pencil...

The FCL CSP also scores this Bluefin Trevally...

You know the popping's tough when you get bait-class Mack Tunas hitting your oversized lures...

Last fish of the trip is this frisky Reef Shark which went for the FCL SPP Tuna lure hard and got pinned. Will be back soon to get a bigger one!



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