So awesome was the fishing after-dark on the last Maldivian adventure it deserves a dedicated entry altogether. As the sun set every evening, the Captain would search out a safe and calm anchorage for the night. Oftentimes, these places are excellent spots of their own and we were lucky to experience some truly great reel-screeching action on a couple of those nights. Please enjoy the Maldives by night...
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| The sunsets are always beautiful in the Maldives. For us it signalled the beginning... |
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| Big-eye Scads were ever abundant and weren't afraid to hit all manner of artificials, like this Jackall Laser Jig... |
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| Bluefin Trevally aren't particularly nocturnal but just after dusk they still hunt and feed... |
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| This one liked the flashy Bassday Bungy Metal II jig... |
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| Red Bass are reef bullies and are tough on tackle, but with this one we got lucky and the Evergreen Temujin 'Spider' spin rod handled the task well... |
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| The IMA Gun Peki mini jigs are the killer all over the world... |
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| We had some surprise visitors onboard occasionally... |
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| With surface activity heard. a DUO Realis Pencil cast into the darkness drew this Big-eye Trevally... |
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| Big-eye Trevs hunt in large packs and one usually means more. They aren't afraid to hit big lures too when in a frenzy. This DUO Aomasa Pencil was smashed out wide... |
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| Using ultra light gear is the best, if not most tiring way, to enjoy these little speedsters. That's where the Temujin 'Spider' comes into its own... |
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| The little DUO Realis Pencil 85 works just like its bigger brother the 110... |
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| When they aren't on the surface, Big-eyes can be located feeding in the depths with effective jigs like the IMA Gun Peki... |
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| Fish of this size are a mighty handful on the ultralight 'Spider' outfit, and take a while to get boatside... |
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| DUO Realis Pencil 85 does it again... |
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| When the feed gets to boiling point great attractors like the DUO Realis Popper 64 gets the attention it seeks... |
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| When Big-eyes are thick they feed at multiple columns, and this Bassday Bungy Metal II jig finds a big one. A real challenge on the Temujin 'Spider' ... |
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| Even small ones are great fun and everyone is overjoyed... |
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| The DUO Realis Popper 64 gets the job done again... |
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| We whip out different lures to test the limits. This DUO Realis Jerkbait on the Evergreen Poseidon Ocean Hunter is snaffled all the same... |
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| In amongst the Big-eyes are some real bruisers like this nice GT. On the Bassday Bungy Metall II jig and Temujin 'Spider' combo fights like these are ones to remember... |
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| Meanwhile the topwater popper action doesn't cease... |
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| DUO Realis Popper 64 at work once more... |
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| The species list grows with another hard hitter. These fat Mack Tuna are bluewater speedsters in every way and go real hard on the 4lb Evergreen Temujin 'Spider' outfits... |
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| The Bassday Bungy Metal II jig is a force to be reckoned with... |
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| Some of these fish were real big ones. And they even went after big jigs like this IMA Ro. But unfortunately, the action also attracted some unwanted company in the form of sharks... |
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| Going small didn't mean necessarily hitting smaller specimens. It was the luck of the draw. This nice Big-eye Trev was a thoroughly gut-busting workout on the 'Spider'... |
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| The small Xesta After Burner jig began to show its magic... |
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| More Mack Tuna action on the micro jigs. This one took a Megabass Metal-X jig... |
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| More GT action from another passer-by... |
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| The IMA Ro jig is another star performer... |
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| And its on a roll with another nice Mackie... |
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| The flash of the IMA Ro is second to none, as is its fish-catching ability... |
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| Yet another GT. Not common at all at night, these predators were obviously loking for an easy feed... |
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| The Viva Bakugeki-Oh jig did this one in... |
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| Some nights we fished much shallower waters with smaller jigs like the Jackall Mametai. And got small oddities like this Squirrelfish... |
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| The DUO Ikakko works too, and gets this Squirrelfish of another species... |
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| Small Yellowfin Trevally are pack hunters and aggressive little things when chasing down small jigs like the Jackall Mametai... |
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| Another sunset to end another day... |
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| Jigs drop once the anchor is taut. A nice surprise comes in the form of a nice Dogtooth Tuna as the sun sets behind... |
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| The IMA Gun Peki jig adds another to its scorecard... |
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| A taxed Snapper which feel for a Jackall Mametai... |
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| The Shout! Dangan jig falls prey to a beautifully marked Red Bass... |
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| An awesome capture on jig. A rare Batfish is fooled into taking the little jig and the ensuing battle on the Temujin 'Spider' is brutal to say the least... |
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| The Jackall Mametai will convert many non-jig-takers... |
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| Meanwhile the Shout! Dangan pins this Paddletail Snapper... |
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| And follows it up with another frisky Big-eye Trev... |
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| Another Paddletail on the Jackall Mametai... |
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| The sheer diversity of species under the boat on any given night is astounding. Here's another Big-eye on the Jackall Mametai... |
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| This school was a little smaller in size but just as fun as any other... |
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| The Bassday Bungy Metal II strikes again... |
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| IMA Gun Peki victim in the form of a Yellowfin Trev... |
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| Off the bottom we find many Emperor species, they fight hard too... |
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| The Bassday Bungy Metal II jig continues to shine on this trip... |
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| A curious creature from the depths indeed. The Flutefish isn't uncommon in these parts... |
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| It fell for an IMA Gun Peki like many before it did... |
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| IMA Gun Pekis are a favourite of ours, and rightly so. Another Red Bass hits the deck courtesy of the Gun... |
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| Another IMA Gun Peki caught Big-eye Trevally... |
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| You know these fish are hungry when they snatch big lures like this DUO Aomasa Pencil off the surface... |
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| DUO Aomasa Pencil scores another... |
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| Jerkbaits work well too against these Big-eyes. This one fell for a Jackall Mag Squad Minnow... |
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| As usual some which were deeper didn't hesitate with the jigs... |
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| Bassday Bungy Metal II - need we say more? |
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| The Big-eyes hammered bigger jigs too, like this new Xesta Amraam jig... |
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| Paddletail Snapper finds an IMA Gun Peki appetizing... |
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| And is followed by another from the same school... |
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| The bigger Big-eyes move in once again and is welcomed by everyone onboard. The Bassday Bungy Metal II does it again... |
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| Bungy Metal II scores another Big-eye for the lady... |
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| This Red Bass on the ultralight Evergreen Temujin 'Spider' is one to remember. These larger Red Bass don't normally suffer fools. This one was landed against all odds... |
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| It took a tiny IMA Gun Peki... |
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| They aren't all monsters. This beautiful little cod got greedy with the Megabass Metal-X jig... |
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| Small Big-eye on the IMA Gun Peki but huge fun! |
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| The hook-ups came fast and hard. In the fore a Majorcraft Airlights rod is bearing the grunt... |
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| Sharks take jigs too... |
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| And they make their presence felt in other ways as well. Another messed up Mack Tuna on an IMA Ro jig comes aboard... |
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| Some real bruiser sized Big-eyes were encountered on this trip. On the light gear every one was a ten minute battle... |
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| The Bassday Bungy Metal II jig in its element... |
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| Bungy Metal II with a Green Jobbie... |
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| Seemed like a school of Green Jobfishes moved in... |
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| This second one took a Xesta After Burner jig... |
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| We are happy campers whenever a beaut Red Bass comes up. They are hard to stop indeed. Bassday Bungy Metal II claims another... |
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| We hardly tire of Big-eye Trevs as everyone of them can be counted upon to give 110%... |
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| Xesta After Burners are great for this kinda work... |
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| This has to be one of the biggest Big-eye Trevallies we've seen in a while. The fight was truly intense and didn't look in favour of the angler at any one time. In the end the Majorcraft Airlights ultralight spin rod held up against this beauty... |
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| Of all things, it fell for a Bassday Nin Cas mini Madai jig... |
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| Another nice memory : a big Green Jobfish on the Temujin 'Spider' ultralight spin rod. Courtesy of the IMA Gun Peki jig... |
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| Another Paddletail Snapper taken on a Bungy Metal II jig... |
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| A coral dwelling Snapper on the Bassday Nin Cas mini madai... |
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| The night action could go on and on, and so could this post. But we'll leave with yet another Big-eye Trev on the useful Jackall Mametai to end this one... |
Yet again we are not fully done for this Maldivian adventure. Look out for more posts to come very soon!
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