Shore fishing for Giant Trevallies (GT)

One of my long time dreams is to catch a nice GT on topwater --- either using a popper or a stickbait. My first attempt was on Grande Island a couple of months ago. It was sort of a disappointment because I did not catch anything. The closest that I got was an explosive strike from a big fish that I think was a GT. On the next trip a few weeks back, I went to Masinloc Zambales and did some light popping and stickbaiting and I was lucky enough to catch a red snapper but still no GTs.

Last Sunday, my luck changed. On that day, my game plan was to switch from UL tackle to Stickbait. I first sweeped the spot with my UL stick and when there are no takers, I combed the water with my stickbait combo. My stickbait was a Tailwalk Gunz Floating Stickbait at 60gms from Naks Nakamura, our local-Japanese fishing guide, and guru.

At around 8am, I chanced upon a shallow spot. Using cheap polarized glasses, I saw that the point of the shallow area has a deep drop that extends all the way out. At that time, it looked like a perfect spot for an ambush. I first casted using the UL and caught a small Cuda. After a few minutes or so, the bite died as if all of the residents were spooked as the water felt really silent. No surface activities whatsoever. I switched to my big stickbait combo and casted as far as I can. A few sweeps of the lure later, a huge swirl engulfed the lure and I instinctively set the hook twice. The reaction of whatever is at the end of the line was amazing. It pulled back with such force that my right leg slipped from my perch and almost fell into the water.

I managed to grab into one of the rocks and regained my composure. I sat down to gain balance while fighting the fish. I didn't realize that the drag was really heavy and standing up while fighting it was out of the question. Changing the drag setting was also out of the question.

A few minutes later the fish gave up and I was able to crank it near the bank. It was no match for my combo on PE3 line.

The problem is, the landing net was beyond my reach and instead of a metal lip grip, all I had was this Aji fish grip that looks like a big plastic scissors with tiny teeth.  This GT was way big for it. When the wave came in, I pulled the fish using the leader line and managed to grab it by the gill plate and dragged it to shore. It was my personal best 88cm and 8.5kg.

By 10am, the sun was too hot for fishing so I went home. I went back at four in the afternoon hoping to get another one. When I was fighting the fish, there was another one trailing it from behind. I sure looked bigger than this one. After 3 hours of casting and retrieving, I was drained and went home really spent. My body's still aching from casting and my shin is still bleeding but it was worth it. I am so gonna stickbait again next weekend. :-)

Summer Jigging, Stick-baiting, and Casting

During the long holyweek break, I had the chance to try out a couple of not-so-new gears that I recently acquired. One is a used Ryoga Bay Jigging 2020HL matched with a Daiko Spear light jigging rod. The Ryoga was sent by a friend and colleague from Japan. We were able to get it at a bargain price. The only addition that I made was a used RCS knob from Hookpro tackle. The line was an old PE 3 line from an old reel.

The other is a battle-scarred Saltiga Z4500H matched with my old Majorcraft Giant Killing 76M. The reel is a beat up reel that has practically seized up because of rust and salt. I think it was dunked in saltwater for a long time and was never opened or cleaned afterwards. The externals are pretty bad but surprisingly except for 4 destroyed bearings, a seized up knob, and a chewed up oscillation gear, the remaining critical internals are still in good condition. Talk about quality gear. It took me a couple of days and some parts to get it back into running condition. (I will write another post regarding this reel.)

Maundy Thursday, I took the kayak and the Saltiga for some test stickbaiting. I tied on a 60-gram Tailwalk Gunz and casted near the pilings next to the pier. It was either the lure was extremely effective or I was extremely lucky that I managed to get a 2kg pargo in just half an hour of casting. The rod and reel was a beast and plucked the fish like it was not even there.

Friday, no fishing according to oldies. Then on Saturday, I chartered my old boat man and went out for first time jigging. We left the shore at around 4am and cruised to the spot for about an hour. I got my fish finder and mounted it into the boat. Unfortunately, I charged the battery the night before using a motorbike charger that I got really cheap. Instead charging the battery, it actually discharged the battery further. After just 15 minutes of operation, the battery died and we were left without a fishfinder. Luckily, we managed to find a decent structure on the first stop. I tied on a 60-gram Ima Ganpeki and jigged really slow. The lure did not disappoint and a nice trev pulled drag from the Ryoga within minutes.  The Daiko was phenomenal and worth every cent. I had no idea that jigging would be so much fun with the right gear. We lost the spot during the fight and had no takers after that.

We scoured the area but did not find any fish. I decided to blind cast while drifting hoping to attract some trevs. Instead of a trevally, a Blue Runner bit the bait. The fight was decent but the fish was no match for the rod and reel.

I decided to go home at around 9am because it was getting too hot and jigging blind was no longer fun.

Easter Sunday schedule was fully packed. We were supposed to leave after lunch after all the processions, beach and other errands. By 10, I sneaked out with my kayak and went to my favorite estuary. Casted my lucky popper while the tide was rising.  I chanced upon a school of red snappers near the mouth of the estuary and caught 4 table-sized beauties. By 1pm, I was back home washing the kayak, rod, reels, and lures. At around 4pm, I was driving back to Manila.

I'll be back with a better battery for my fishfinder. I know there are other big monsters out there that are eager to take a nice jig. Maybe this May. We'll see.

Grande and Chiquita Island Shore Fishing

I've heard of Grande Island as a great fishing destination for god knows how long. The funny thing is, Grande is very near my wife's house in Olongapo but for almost 15 years of going back and forth from Manila to Olongapo, I never really visited the place. I wanted to, but I always seem to miss the chance to go there.

Last week, I got an invite from Naks Nakamura. Our Japanese fishing mentor and JDM tackle supplier. He organized a fishing trip because the resort recently offered a great deal. Instead of the usual 10:30am-4pm day trip, it will be a 7am-5pm pm fishing outing. I immediately grabbed the chance and went. I always imagined the big trevs and queenies from the shore using very light tackle. And as a bonus, I might even get to tussle with the famed GTs (Giant Trevallies) in Chiquita -- a small uninhabited islet next to Grande.

Photo by Joseph Gueco

We arrived at the Grande ferry station at around 6am yesterday. Me and Richmond did not waste any time and rigged our UL gears while waiting for the boat that will ferry us across. After around 5 minutes of casting, a big trev grabbed my sinking pencil and took it for a dive under the dock. It was a long drag-screaming run and when it was about to reach the rocky pillar, I was forced to tighten the drag to stop it. The fish was too much for my #16 treble and straightened all of the barbs. It was a great sign that fishing was going to be exciting. Minutes past and the rest of the group arrived and we immediately boarded the boat to the island.

At a round 7:30, we got to the island and started rigging. A few minutes and we were off casting our UL gears in the beach. Fishing Grande means you really have to get wet. At times, up to chest deep while casting. I got a few takers from rock fishes including a feisty Parrot fish. After the warm up we went straight to Chiquita island for some serious GT fishing. While we were crossing the channel that separates Grande from Chiquita (about waist deep), we saw a big shadow lazily swimming the shallows. It was a black tip shark. Our guess was about 20-30kg. We had to create some sort of commotion to scare it away. Bebong, our guide and GT fishing expert guided us to cast to a lagoon at the northern tip of the islet. It wasn't long when something tried to snatch my cheap 40-gram popper. I frantically set the hook on reflex --- which I learned later was a wrong move. The rod bent but the hooks did not connect as the popper came flying back, narrowly missing my face. I learned later that I have set the hook too early. Naks advised that I had to wait for about a second before setting the hook --- just enough time until the fish gets to turn around giving the hook the right angle to connect. I tried casting again for a good half hour but no takers so Joseph and I moved to another spot further north leaving Bebong behind. Ironically. a few minutes later, Bebong was able to land a 6kg on that very spot using a 120gm popper. Pure skill and luck.

I tried following Rich to where he caught his 15kg GT but I chickened out when I learned that I had to literally swim to the casting position. I cannot imagine how he was able to get there pass through the sharks with bleeding foot and all. I tried with all my strength and waded after him but had to turn back fearing I might drown, dunk my gears, and get eaten by sharks.

Anyway, the Chiquita GTs were not cooperating so we changed our game plan and went back to Grande for UL fishing. UL from shore in the north of Grande was tough. Lots of wading and swimming over barnacle-crusted rocks. We ended up with lots of cuts and bruises instead of fishes. Fortunately for us, Bluefin trevallies were plenty in  the beach near the pier and most of them are very eager to take sinking pencils and ultra light jigs. I hooked and lost a few but managed to land my first Bluefin Trevally. The fight was absolutely fantastic. I didn't think the hooks would hold. Luckily I ended up with one, saving me from getting heckled by my wife when I got home.

At around 5pm, we left Grande. It was a wonderful experience highlighted with great fishing action. I also realized that the fishing style there was great exercise with all the walking, wading, jumping from rocks to rocks, and swimming. I honestly think that I lost a few pounds from that day trip.

I will definitely go back and perhaps stay the night to maximize the fishing time.