BLOG: Kiribati adventure

I've just returned from a week away from home fishing the Central Pacific island of Kiribati.

This region is stunningly beautiful and I was actually glad to find a lack of opulent resorts or fancy retail outlets – Kiribati (pronounced “Kirri-bas”) is a developing nation so leaving the creature comforts of home behind meant I spent most of my time on the water or exploring what the region has to offer.

Kiribati is probably unknown by many but mention Kiritimati or Christmas Island, which lies within Kiribati, and immediate thoughts of one of the world's premier bonefishing destinations come to mind.

Whilst bonefishing is a major drawcard there’s more to Kiribati than meets the eye. Walking through villages and experiencing local life and customs first hand was quite interesting while traditional line fishing with the locals for a variety of reef species provided an experience that many holiday makers would rarely experience. The gamefishing throughout the region was what I was most interested to explore, however, and after a couple of solid days' fishing I was left feeling like there was unfinished business to complete. I found myself crafting excuses on why I needed to return – the picture postcard beauty of the region and prolific schools of yellowfin tuna, wahoo and coral trout left me wanting more.

It seems like we only just scratched the surface on the style of fishing and species on offer in the couple of days I spent fishing around Kiribati and Abaiang Atoll - you could spend weeks there exploring both the deep water and shallow water options available.

We caught a few GTs and some thumping big coral trout in the shallows while the yellowfin were ever present and wahoo readily available. After modifying some lures and rigging, our catch rates soared on the final day to the point that we drove away from yellowfin to find something else – I’m sure there were some large blue marlin lurking around the periphery in the thousand odd fathoms we were fishing just a stone's throw away from shore … like I said, a few days just weren’t enough, one day I’ll be back for more.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone that has fished Kiribati or other areas in the Central Pacific and Micronesia – with stories of wahoo and yellowfin off the beach in some locations I think the area has great deal to offer fishos and adventurers alike!

Check out www.kiribatitourism.gov.ki and kiribatihorizons.com.ki for more info.