Jump to content

Mana Island Fiji (report added)


Spearer1

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I'm headed to Mana Isl Fiji early October for a family holiday. I'm hoping to be able to do some land based stick baiting and popping on the island itself, and maybe jump on a boat with a local to get out onto some reef too. Alternately can anyone provide any recommendations for me?

Does anyone know if land based fishing is allowed on Mana? How do I find out as I don't trust the travel agents.

Would my Daiwa Isla 5000H with PE-4 75lb be sufficient?

Any inputs or advice appreciated.

Adam.

Edited by Spearer1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Adam, hugely jealous of your trip. I just got back from two weeks in Fiji...feels like it was forever ago. Mana is surrounded by a brilliant reef and where the cat docks there is a big bay of deep water surrounded by reef. There are options to go out of the resorts boats which I'm pretty sure are crewed by locals from the village on the island. If you're looking at doing some solo fishing just make sure you ask management and the locals before you start out of courtesy they're usually pretty good about it! If you do a charter (or 3!!) and they don't offer bottom bashing with bait/lures ask the skipper, it's a great way of picking up some brilliant coral trout!!

I'd definitely suggest taking a lighter outfit as well, I took over a 3000 aeronos on. 2-4kg stick, it was brilliant for flicking along the edge of the reefs and having a ball on some decent trevallys and cod....did loose a few lures though, but it was awesome fun!! My theory is take as much gear as you can (or the wife allows), you don't want to get there and run out of something or wish you'd packed those extra poppers or gear!! One of our bags was a rod tube filled with 5 roads and gear...cost a bit because it was oversized but it was definitely worth it...Im just luck the wife loves fishing as well!!

If you've got some soft plastics take them! And stock up on poppers of all sizes here's nothing like seeing a 15kg+ GT come up and smash a surface lure!! and metal lures which can be jigged as well as cast.

Have a fantastic trip and looking forward to seeing your post when you get back!!

Also, if you're feeling generous and the charter was good, I'd suggest giving the skipper a lure or two to say thanks, I've found it also helps get your charter extended for a couple of hours for no additional cost!!

Good luck,

Steve

Edited by Fish-On
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Mate

1 lucky guy!

I got back from a trip there about 6 weeks ago which was the best holiday! We spent a week on Malolo Island about 10 Kms from where you are going. I'm going back some time soon!

The weather was perfect, people were beautiful, water was amazing.

TAKE SOME SNORKELING GEAR. It will BLOW your mind if you find some good reefs. Your resort will probably have gear but I like using my own.

I took my Stella 5000 and traveling IM "T" curve + lures and did get out one day for a troll with one of the blokes from the resort. Only hooked two fish first one had teeth never to be seen and the second was a new Raider record. Only problem was the ?? 600mm Blue spot Trevally was not photographed like this post-24126-0-96770200-1472192678_thumb.jpg

The photograph i took of the said fish looked like this at lunch time.

post-24126-0-93766700-1472194008_thumb.jpg

My BAD

If you catch any fish ---- pictures and a size!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In closing have a great time enjoy

Bulla Vinaka

Be a little careful with your personnel items on the cat from Denarau marina. Had money taken from my unattended back pack!

JD

PS: If you want a heads up on a few other things I learnt (helpful) send a PM with your phone number, only happy to have a chat.

Edited by Johndory
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Fishing in Fiji back a couple of weeks ago got cancelled due to bad weather and those that did manage to go out never caught anything and lots of people burleying over the side,lol. Take a lot of your own lures if you can cos' the charters will charge you $25 for each one you lose. We went out to Amadee Island but then a little excursion from there to the outer reef (but we were on the inside of it) where we through 'garlic bread' at the fish, they love it, someone said because they are French fish,lol but I saw the biggest GT's accompanied by loads of Mangrove Jacks and two fish I thought were Spanish Macks but was told they were Barracuda, only problem was it is still a marine park on the inside of the reef. I will be going back to Noumea and Fiji soon to a resort next time so we have more time to go fishing. I do have photo's of these fish and will have to find some tech savvy kid to help me post them here, have a great trip mate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all,

I'm headed to Mana Isl Fiji early October for a family holiday. I'm hoping to be able to do some land based stick baiting and popping on the island itself, and maybe jump on a boat with a local to get out onto some reef too. Alternately can anyone provide any recommendations for me?

Does anyone know if land based fishing is allowed on Mana? How do I find out as I don't trust the travel agents.

Would my Daiwa Isla 5000H with PE-4 75lb be sufficient?

Any inputs or advice appreciated.

Adam.

Stayed on Manu island before. Tried the big ferry wharf but was told by a security guard no fishing on the ferry wharf.

Best bet would be to walk to the rock ledge at the end of the beach if your going landbase. its a big platform. I didn't fish there but the water does look fishy. Poppers and stickbait i think would do the trick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Mana Island magic.... Nice place. Great fun with the family.

i found myself a villager with a long boat and 60horses happy to take me out for $150fiji for 3-4 hrs. We did three morning sessions. Mac Tuna, barracuda, mackerel, GTs, Blue spot Trev.... Some good fights on my 5000 Isla but no BIG fish taken. Had some Dolly follow ups but no hookup, lost a good YFT too.

villagers ate all fish landed. How do they not get ciguatera poisoning! I left my boat man a bottle of Ron Zacappa Rum which might help fend off the Cig.....

 

thanks again ain for all above advice. Appreciated.

 

 

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mate 

Where did you find this man

As I said in a earlier post Im going back it was SO NICE

Did you fish the reef edge?? or just troll??

Im there in January dodging bad weather I hope.

LOOK AT THOSE PHOTOS.................... OH WOW.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cast poppers and stick baits on reef edge, on bommies, and over reef. 

We trolled between reefs. 

Find John. He's the dude with the last boat down the beach. Lives in a little shack. Old bloke. Local. Nice guy. 

First boat guy on beach (Danny) charges $150/hr...... Nice guy too. Not nice enough for $150/hr tho. 

Have fun. You know you will. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On ‎23‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 9:39 PM, Spearer1 said:

I cast poppers and stick baits on reef edge, on bommies, and over reef. 

We trolled between reefs. 

Find John. He's the dude with the last boat down the beach. Lives in a little shack. Old bloke. Local. Nice guy. 

First boat guy on beach (Danny) charges $150/hr...... Nice guy too. Not nice enough for $150/hr tho. 

Have fun. You know you will. 

Glad to hear you got into the fish! I'm going to Mana on Thursday for 4 days and taking a travel rod, reel and some poppers and plastics. Any other general info would be much appreciated Spearer!!

Edited by swordfisherman
SITE RULE REGARDING SPEARFISHING
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jenno

I fly out on 6:30 am on Thursday I'll be on Malolo about 10 kms from you

May be we should talk.

Looks like we will need a bit of wet weather gear. I don't care as the place is beautiful,~~~~~ And I think the fish don't mind being wet!

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Glad to hear you got into the fish! I'm going to Mana on Thursday for 4 days and taking a travel rod, reel and some poppers and plastics. Any other general info would be much appreciated Spearer!!

I reckon getting out on a boat is your best option. Alternately try the eastern head land on the north beach. I had a couple of hits and some follows over there too. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...