Steve’s Como Maalifushi Fishing Narrative 2018

This is Steve’s description of his fishing experience on our vacation to The Maldives. As you can see, his writing style is much different than mine. I will insert some pictures to they story.

Linda and I took a trip to the Maldives in January, and I arranged 3 days of fishing at our second stop, Como Maalifushi, comohotels.com/maalifushi with guide Craig Richardson. Craig is a young South African with experience at other Indian Ocean locales including the Seychelles an Brandon’s atoll. He is exploring the fishing opportunities at the Thaa atoll, which is about 25 miles in diameter.

Craig explained that bonefish were scarce, having left the atoll to spawn in deep water for about a 2 month period, but that several species of trevally, triggerfish, and grouper, among others, were around.

This is a bonefish that Steve caught when we were in Abaco, The Bahamas; staying at Delphi-Bahamas.com.

The water temperature on the flats was above normal due to calm sunny weather, so on the first day, January 11, we ran 45 minutes to the other side of the atoll, where the water was 2-3 degrees cooler. We poled some gorgeous flats, but saw only a few small fast moving trevally’ I took a few shots and got a couple to follow but no hookups. In the afternoon, at low tide, we waded between 2 small islands in a shallow area with coral and eelgrass. Fish were working the area. In short order I caught a bluefin trevally,

a yellow spotted trevally and a needlescale queenfish, all 2-3 pounds. Then I hooked a big bluefin, which made a powerful run across a very shallow reef covered with coral. Craig held my line high and kept the fish from wrapping my leader and breaking off. He took at least 100 yards of line before tiring. Craig tailed him and we got some photos. He estimated him at 11-12 pounds, a beauty considering the maximum size in the Maldives is around 14 pounds.

Soon after releasing the fish, we saw a huge commotion about 200 feet away, probably a Giant Trevally (GT) attacking a school of mullet.

We grabbed the 12 weight and pursued him, but he disappeared. But we came upon scattered triggerfish. I found them very difficult to spot, unless they tailed, so many of my casts landed right on top of them and they spooked. I did get one take, but missed the strike.

Steve also caught a honeycomb grouper, but as this was a reef fish, and not a gamefish, it is not included in his narrative.

The next day was again sunny and calm, and the fishing on the flats was slow. I caught a small pipefish

and a small bluefin trevally. We spent some time dredging with a 700 grain 12 weight line in a deep channel with strong tidal current, but had no action. Craig said this technique produces very big fish, including tuna, sailfish and GTs.

With continued high water temperatures on my third day, Craig suggested we try jigging and popping with heavy spinning tackle outside the atoll. I caught a pretty peacock grouper on the jig,

Here is the closeup.

Steve also caught two immature peacock groupers.and either snagged the bottom or hooked a very big grouper before the hook popped free. He caught a lyre tail grouper and 2 yellow lipped emperors of 5-6 pounds on a big Sure Cast popper.

It was fun, but we did not see a GT. Craig’s engine began conking out every few seconds, and it was a good thing we had only a couple of miles to cover to get back. It was an interesting 3 days, with 9 counters of 6 species new to me, including a linker bluefin trevally.

Craig did post a picture on Instagram of a triggerfish a client of his caught after Steve and I left Como Mallaifushi. Steve was jealous.

Author: lindalant

Lover of luxury travel. My husband and I are retired and are traveling meeting people and having excellent adventures. LindasExcellentAdventures.com is my blog site.

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