Sunday, April 19, 2015

IT'S THE MALDIVES Part One

A group of friends of Tackle Source recently made the trek to the equator, and the magnificent Maldives. Like all other trips before it was fun for a week and the catches were an interesting mix as usual. Here's the trip in pictures...

As the sun rises the first morning the beauty of the place encapsulates you...

There were quite a few first timers who would be trying their hands at heavy popping. The Major Craft Giant Killing Tuna Popping rods are the perfect tool to get initiated. The lighter, more forgiving action bodes well for first timers to this extreme form...

For the initiated who were going for their trophies it is hard to go past the FCL Labo EXT 81 in its few guises...

As pictured, the FCL Labo CSP is a favourite stickbait...

And it scores a first Red Bass...

The downsized CSP 175HS is a scorer every trip...

Next up a decent GT comes to the boat...

Its the FCL CSP 175HS again..

The CSP then scores the best GT of the trip, on the first day of fishing!

The topwater bite seems to be red hot as a another GT falls victim to the CSP 175HS...

Dropping a Xesta Afterburner jig, the result is instantaneous...

A rare Yellowfin Grouper on the first drop...

It is joined by a Tomato Cod on a Xesta Slow Emotion Flap jig...

The Xesta Afterburner jig scores again, this time a Green Jobfish...

Next up a little Blue Runner on a Xesta Nitro jig...

Which also accounts for a little Rock Cod...


Another Yellowfin Grouper to make the good day a great one...

The Shout! Stay jig did the trick...

Working a Kanji Slow Free jig slow finds this little Emperor...

An amazing Clown Triggerfish take on an IMA Ro jig...

The Kanji Slow Free jig then scores a healthy Rock Cod...

Going light in the evenings with the boat at anchor is a great way to boost the species list. The IMA Gun Peki scores a little Yellow-banded Emperor...

The small Emperors are abundant and aren't shy when they see their fave jig, the IMA Gun Peki...

Sinking lures cast at bommies work too, like this DUO Realis Vibe which accounted for this nice Red Bass...

As night falls nocturnal Squirrelfish come out to play. They like IMA Gun Pekis too...

A Juvenile Red Bass on the IMA Gun Peki...

And a Red Throat Grouper on the IMA Gun jig the next morning...

Emperors are ultra fun on the light gear. IMA Gun Pekis are hard to pass on...

They account for many fish from the reefs...

It could go on all day...

But then there is the bigger fish on heavy gear to concentrate on. Here the FCL Labo EXT 81M is stretched...

Its a fat Coral Trout...

Courtesy of the FCL Labo CSP stickbait...

The GTs are on the bite as well...

This one falls for a FCL Labo SPP Tuna. Another gun lure for this area...

The beautiful Bluefin is always welcome. This one had no qualms hitting the FCL CSP...

Here's the Major Craft Giant Killing Tuna Popping rod in action. Lots of strength down low...

Another GT hits the deck...

The SPP Tuna from FCL Labo does the trick again...

Another GT on the CSP 175HS stickbait...

Although the SPP Tuna is seldom ignored...

As another nice Bluefin Trev comes aboard...

The bright Red FCL Labo EXT 81MH rod in action...

A nice fish comes in...

The FCL Labo CSP 175HS grabs another...

And another. The GTs go crazy over these FCL lures...

Back to jigging and the Xesta Nitro jig gets an Emperor to the boat...

At night is when the Bigeye Trevallies come out to play and this one is snagged by an IMA Ichimatsu jig...

The Major Craft Jigpara jig accounts for this Paddletail Snapper...

On shore for some respite, the DUO Ikakko scores a little Snapper from the shallows...

On these small reefs the DUO Ikakko is king...

From the deeper reefs come a Rosy Jobfish which fell for a Xesta Flap slow jig...

Working the bigger Shout! Shab Shab jig, a small Mack Tuna responds...

While the ever productive Fisherman Andaman jig gets a good Grouper from the deep...


Watch out for more in Part Two...



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