Chasing dogtooth tuna in Vanuatu

[redsetta]

Hi lads,
Thought you might enjoy a couple of pics from last week's long-awaited trip to the beautiful and far-flung islands of Vanuatu.

The trip was booked and paid for more than three years ago for my 50th, but COVID happened and it was postponed pretty much continuously, until finally happening last week.

Even then, our Friday AM departing flight was cancelled the afternoon prior, so we had to buy new tickets to Australia (as the direct flight only goes once a week from NZ), then another set of tickets from Brisbane to Port Vila (the capital of Vanuatu).

We got there eventually, which was a huge relief after all the years of anticipation.

If you're not aware, Vanuatu is part of Melanesia, pretty much smack in the middle of the central-west Pacific between the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji.

There are 83 volcanic islands that thrust up from the deep ocean so starkly, that just a few metres off the beach at the place we stayed dropped into 220m (~720ft) of water. Snorkelling over the edge was like going off a cliff! Apparently, US subs used to use the marine canyons as hideouts when pursued in WWII.

It was a bucket list trip for me (that I committed to ticking off after an accident a few years ago), but it was my wife's first fishing trip.

The target species was one of the strongest fish in the ocean - the mighty dogtooth tuna.

We stayed at Trees and Fishes, which partners with OceanBlue fishing charters. They run three or four Edgewater 31.8ft centre consoles, with two 300hp Mercurys on the back.

Trees and Fishes only hosts 16, so each room gets a boat and guide to themselves for four, six-and-a-half or eight hours each day, depending on the package. We were on the six-and-a-half hours per day, alternating between AM and PM.

Fortunately, we had a terrific local guide named Harry, who put us straight onto fish on day one. It was an auspicious start, with my first fish being a 'resort record' 30kg (66lb) wahoo, taken on a livie.



Next up, Debbie caught her first proper fish - an 8kg (~18lb) dogtooth. Not a bad start to her fishing career. There were guys at the camp who'd spent four years unsuccessfully chasing dogtooth!



I was next with a 10kg (~22lb) version that pulled far more line than its relatively diminutive size would indicate. They get up to and over 50kg (110lb+) in Vanuatu.



That was it for day one. Day two was a washout with no fish taken, despite plenty of sign.



Debbie had some quality time reading by the pool on day three, while Harry and I headed way out wide, chasing pelagics in the 1300m+ (~4300ft) deep blue.

We were soon onto a series of huge schools of ~10kg (~22lb) skipjack tuna, being worked by terns and gannets, who were in turn being worked by frigates.

We took around eight casting poppers and stickbaits on PE3, which made for terrific sport and some blistering runs.

Then... I saw a barrel of a yellowfin - the guide estimated 60kg+ (130lb+) - get completely airborne before hitting my popper on re-entry.

The PE3 rig was no match and I watched 200m of braid disappear into the depths before it broke like a gun going off.

Skippie workups move incredibly fast, so we were chasing, casting, chasing, casting and using the full 600hp inbetween.

At one point, we saw two huge objects emerge in the middle of a workup and project skywards to about 8ft in the air, before snapping together and drifting back to the depths. It took the closing to realise they were whale mouths, and they were taking whole bait balls from beneath in one enormous mouthful! It was epic.

I switched over to a PE8 popper rig and, shortly after, had another aerial assault in the midst of a boiling workup.

Taking a yellowfin on topwater has been a life goal for some time, but I really didn't think it was a possiblity, given how rarely I've ever heard it happening. Now I had one on, I'd totally underestimated how much leverage a good fish can put on you when you're using a 9ft popper rod!

It took a good 20mins+ and a significant hematoma in my groin from the rod butt to finally boat the fish, but boat it I did - ~55kg (~120lb).



It was my fourth yellowfin and very slightly smaller than my PB, but without question the most satisfying. I doubt it'll ever happen again, but I'm grateful it happened once.

All in all, a fantastic trip to an incredible part of the world - highly recommended if you're looking for your next big adventure.

Hope it was of some interest.

All the best, Justin

[steelfish]

another great report amigo Justin, I could felt the adrenaline !

 

[redsetta]

Thanks Alex - glad to take you along!

[Donnyboat]

Thanks Justin, you always give good reports, much appreciated, glad you & your wife had some good fun together,  cheers Don.

[oldmanjoe]

    All nice looking fish !!

[Hardy Boy]

Nice.  Next time we go to Australia I will have to go. I looked at it last year but it did not play out.

Todd

[Swami805]

The almost mythical dog tooth Tuna, thanks for the write up

[alantani]

very nice!!!!  wahoo is my favorite!

[redsetta]

Thanks lads - I like to think anticipation is 4/5ths of satisfaction, but maybe sharing is half of it... 

[ReelFishingProblems]

Excellent write-up. Now all I can think of is fishing and not working!

[jurelometer]

Doggies! And some nice tuna popper action, too!  The big skippies are a cool fish in my opinion.  The jumbos get so fat- someone described them to me as "watermelons with fins" .


Vanuatu has been on my list for awhile now.  We got a lone smaller dogtooth in the Solomons, and that just whetted the appetite.  So many cool species and wonderful sights in that neck of the planet.

Looks like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing.

-J

[foakes]

Great report and trip, Justin —-

Glad your wife went also, and glad your health is back to near normal.

Best, Fred

[Dominick]

Great report and trip, Justin —-

Glad your wife went also, and glad your health is back to near normal.

Best, Fred

Same, here Justin.  Feels good to see you up and at them.  Dominick

[54bullseye]

Nice post Justin !! Great pictures to !!  Nice Job.  John Taylor

[redsetta]

Thanks Dominick/John - hope you're both keeping well!