Tranquility. Peace. A warm sea breeze and the sounds of nothing but drifting waves and the flick of a line.
Enticing? These are the sounds of a Christmas Island fishing trip.
This little island, or large atoll, resides a short three-hour flight southwest of Honolulu. A single flight travels between the two once a week.
This sparseness creates one of the smoothest travel experiences you’ll ever encounter. For the experienced and the novice fisherman alike, this is a dream trip.
Christmas Island Fishing
Two major factors play into the appeal of a Christmas Island fishing trip. The first is the skill curve.
The fish congregate around a series of areas such as Turneffe Flats that let you wade out and fight the fish from as little as 20 feet. However, hooking one of the saltwater tropical fish is but one step in the battle.
The other factor is the variety of fish. Over twelve common types of fish, four of which feature in the top 50 of the world’s best game fish, swim alongside these shores.
Places like this fishing lodge offer immediate access to choice spots and guided fishing tours to get you on the water and fishing quickly.
Triggerfish
Brilliantly colored to blend in with corals, triggerfish feature awkward teeth and remarkable strength.
They dive and hunt through coral, so you’ll want to keep them from dragging and cutting your line.
Bonefish
Common throughout the area, these range from two to twelve pounds. These fish are notorious scavengers, willing to snap up almost anything they can find.
This makes them an ideal sports fish as they are easy to hook, letting even a novice angler practice fighting them and pulling them in.
Milkfish
On the more difficult to hook side are the milkfish. Their diet consists mainly of algae, a difficult thing to mimic in terms of bait.
They require more patience than most on this list, making landing one all the sweeter.
Bluefin Trevally
Before you step up to the ultimate challenge of Christmas Island fishing, you’ll want to practice on the bluefin and gold trevally.
These fish hang out in the same spots as bonefish, which lets you swap between targets without moving.
The incoming tide makes for the best time to catch these beauties cruising for crab and shrimp.
Giant Trevally
The signature fish of the atoll is the giant trevally. These require some serious upper body to pull in.
Fast, strong swimmers, GTs require an independent setup from others on this list. They’re also predators, so plan your bait accordingly.
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Now is the time to get out there and enjoy a Christmas Island trip. Leave the real world behind and enjoy the waters.
Christmas Island crabs are another great element to visit for. Not a fish in the sports fishing sense, but they are plentiful. Even if you practice a strict catch and release, you’ll not go hungry with them around.
For more on sports and travel, check out our other articles.
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