With some delay, here is the full report of a great 3 days popping and jigging trip with Japanese anglers Nakamura san and Hayato san beginning of February.
The first day, we mainly go for popping and despite some slight green water due to some unusual heavy rain days before, the guys have 5 bites and caught 3 GT in the 15 kg range and Nakamura caught a nice 20kg + end of the day.
As we have bites early morning and end of day, the second day we do a mix of popping and jigging. The morning, Hayato san caught 2 small GT and miss a bigger one. Just before lunch, I decide as planned to reach some of our jigging spots. Good move, as the sonar show me some nice marks and the guys were immediately tight with fish. They caught some amberjacks, black tip trevally, Gt's and a nice long nose emperor for Nakamura.
On the way back, I stopped on a couple of popping spots and on the second spot, I spotted a bait school in surface. Nakamura san, cast his Carpenter Gamma and a big GT came and smashed his lure very close to the boat. The GT missed his stickbait and on the second bite it grab it properly. Nakamura strike, but sadly the hook were not set properly and he lost the fish... Tomorrow is another day...
Last day, we discover a very nice water color on the first spot and I told the guy, that will make the fish more active, especially the big ones. And it's what happen, on the second spot Hayato san had a big bite, the fish goes on a powerful rush and straight in direction of the rock. I started the engine, and followed the fish to make sure the line don't touch the rock. After some epic boat maneuver to keep the fish far from the rock, Hayato san can finally fight his fish safely. After, a hard fight, it's a cracking big GT and we landed on the deck. Not the biggest GT of Hayato san as it's a regular GT angler onboard Big Dipper with Fukui san in Japan. But Hayato san told me this GT was the most tough fish he has fight.
On the next spot, it's Nakamura san who had also a big bite and again very close to the boat. This time Nakamura san set properly the hooks and start an epic battle with a healthy GT who gave him a hard time. And it's another nice big GT we landed, that fish was a bit heavier than the one of Hayato san. We try a couple of others spots without success, than we decide to reach the jigging spots. As the previews day, the sonar show us a lot of big mark and we are expecting some good action. But the most frustrating scenario happening, they don't have a single bite !!! We try different jig action, slow, fast, short shape jigs, long shape jigs, colors etc... but nothing decide these fish. We back a bit earlier as the guys have a flight early in the night, I just stopped on the couple of popping spots, but like I was expected we don't have bite as it was a bit too early.
All in all, these 3 days fishing were great and for their first trip in Sri Lanka Nakamura san and Hayato san enjoyed a lot their trip and they have already plan to come back soon. I am waiting to see you again guys !!!
Tight Lines
Capt. Nico