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Fly Fishing

Canada
4 posts
Fly Fishing
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Hi. Is there anywhere on the main island where one can wade out into the surf and do a bit of fly fishing? Is there a good island resort which welcome this sort of activity? I am not interested in guided

excursions.

Thanks

Pacific Coast...
Destination Expert
for Fiji, Mamanuca Islands, Navini Island
Level Contributor
13,833 posts
148 reviews
331 helpful votes
1. Re: Fly Fishing
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Most of the mainland is surrounded by an enclosing reef and the lagoons are pretty shallow.

Vancouver, Canada
Destination Expert
for British Columbia
Level Contributor
12,986 posts
6 reviews
5 helpful votes
2. Re: Fly Fishing
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As HoF says surf fishing as such is only practical in a few places-mostly on Viti Levu where fish populations are relatively thin especially inshore.

Fly fishing from shore is particularly tough because the water is so clear-any false casting is going to put super-spooky fish down.

So your best days to fish are windy ones where the water is stirred up a bit.

That being said you can't just wade out somewhere and start fishing-every grain of sand literally everything out to the outside of the fringing reef is Private Property and you need permission from the owner/controlling body to fish.

Resorts are almost all No Fishing zones but by asking around you may find somewhere to wet a line and amuse the natives by doing so.

By breaking down/actually spending some money you can hire a local boat to take you to the outside of the reef where you can cast for Bonitos/smaller GTs and maybe something more.

You'd need to be able to explain exactly what you want though most fishing in Fiji is either drifting small bits of bait on light line inshore or fast trolling with heavy handlines.

FWIW-I've seen all kinds of people carrying FF tackle in Fiji but have yet to meet one who was in any way a successful fishermen-mostly FF Fiji is just an affectation in the land of heavy tackle and meat fishing.

Moreton Island...
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6,622 posts
61 reviews
222 helpful votes
3. Re: Fly Fishing
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I live in Queensland Australia, and no one uses fly fishing here, nor on the reef. And never seen anyone fly fishing in Fiji either.

We use either lighter tackle and bait or hand lines with bait fishing from a boat.

If you want something big, then you'll have to go out on the bigger fishing charter boats, but most are tag and release.

Also as Sam mentioned, you'll need permission in many spots from the village elders/chief.

There's also marine sanctuarys where there is no fishing whatsoever. If you do fish, I recommend that you have someone with you to identify the fish, as some are not edible. Certain species carry Ciguatera toxin.

I fish often here near where I live.

adelaide
5 posts
4. Re: Fly Fishing
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ive fly fished fiji

and am going back in 12 days!!

cant wait. last time i went with a 7wt and lost 2 flylines and 1.5 lots of 300m 30lb backing on unknowen monsters. all on green/chart over white clousers. mainly fishing the beaches around denarau and westin island and sheraton break wall till you get told to move. any river mouth is worth a shot.

all landbased except 1 day i hired a boat for 80$ and a driver.

i caught GTs, wolf herring, bonnies, bluefin, gold spot, jacks, coral trout, and missed mahi mahi and whaoo a few times

im taking a loomis 9# cc glx this time with an abel super 9 so i can stop the hoodlems lol! also a 10-20kg rapala stick and a 4000 diawa heartland with 50lb, might have more of a chance this time

Edited: 13 years ago
Moreton Island...
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6,622 posts
61 reviews
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5. Re: Fly Fishing
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Fly fishing at Denarau, near the Sheraton and the Westin??????

oh that's funny!!!

Wished I had seen that.

adelaide
5 posts
6. Re: Fly Fishing
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i know, the locals couldnt believe it. even when i went out on the boat the number of fish i got on fly was crazy.

but yeah denarau beaches early morning incomming tide, and the river right at the bottom southern end of the island, gts there too.

i mean its not post card fishing but there is some fishing to be had,

the bggest gt i actually landed on the 7# was about 4-5kg. but plenty lost,

Vancouver, Canada
Destination Expert
for British Columbia
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12,986 posts
6 reviews
5 helpful votes
7. Re: Fly Fishing
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"mainly fishing the beaches around denarau and westin island and sheraton break wall till you get told to move."

It's difficult for to fathom how rude and ignorant some people are-the reason you're told to move is because you're fishing in No Fishing Zone or Poaching on someone's private food supply or both.

Edited: 13 years ago
Canada
4 posts
8. Re: Fly Fishing
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Thanks all for your replies.

johnwalkley thats awesome, and exactly what I'm looking for.

Looks like my Winston 10wt coming with me after all. Did you use a floating line or intermediate sinking line?

Samsalmon, I am not planning on retaining any fish, catch and release only.

adelaide
5 posts
9. Re: Fly Fishing
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nothing rude about it, the security just doesnt want guests hurting them selves on the rocks thats all, and they building near there.

denarau is a priviate island, not a local village. no cheif.

Vancouver, Canada
Destination Expert
for British Columbia
Level Contributor
12,986 posts
6 reviews
5 helpful votes
10. Re: Fly Fishing
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Fishing in a No Fishing Zone is against the law-if security uses polite fiction to move people along that's all it is-they're helping guests save face and exercising the typical Fijian reluctance to say NO.

As to C&R it matters nothing-to Fijians fishing is fishing what's so difficult to understand about targeting someone's private food supply?

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