Fiji Fishing Advice

Hey All,

Hoping all you wonderful people might be able to help me out a little. My wife and I are going to Fiji (Beqa Island) at the end of March for a dive trip. The focus will definitely be the SCUBA, as we are going through our local dive shop, but I am interested in bringing some fishing gear to explore the beaches and maybe go out on the complimentary kayaks. I wont have room for a ton of gear, but I was thinking one rod and a plastic box of lures. Through some internet research it looks like I should bring some poppers, spoons, swimbaits and jigs. Does any one have experience with anything like this that would be willing to share advice? Any help is greatly appreciated and pictures will definitely follow the trip.

Cheers,
Bryan

no direct experience with Fiji, but went to Tahiti in 2008.  Tahiti and Fiji are roughly same latitude so maybe some relevance for you. 

Only one rod?  Go a heavy or MH breakdown spinning setup, like a Cabelas Salt Striker with a Penn Spinfisher.  It'll let you soak bait from shore, jig off a boat, and whip cast the reefs.  You may even be able to slow troll with it.  crankbaits instead of spoons.  also bring some terminal tackle for bait fishing, which bait can be almost anything.  i used bacon on a bare jig head to nail a fatty horse eye jack, so maybe instead of separate weights and hooks, you can just take jigheads and do double duty with your swimbaits.

Sounds like a great trip.  have fun b safe!

Just got back from 3 weeks in Fiji and tried fly fishing as ell as bait, spoons and lures and jigs. Did not light the world on fire, but there are fish there.  They mainly hand line there over and around the reefs.  Some very nice snappers there.  They have bone fish, but you really don't see them on any flats.  The locals catch them in deeper water, and eat them, of course.  In any event, enjoy the diving/snorkeling, waterfalls, hikes and most of all the people. They are just awesome.  We spent a week on Taveuni island, the a week on a small cruise ship in the Yasawa islands, then the remainder in the Mamanucas and around Nadi. (skip Nadi, in my opinion).  Exchange rate is 2-1, so everything is half off!  Have a blast!

Thanks for the replies guys. Much appreciated and great stuff to think about! Potbelly only room for one rod with the dive gear... Have to check baggage allowances!

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Be careful about were you fish and what you fish for. I don't know much about Fuji, but I have relatives in the Peace Corps there. They tell stories about how contaminated the fish are. Seems Fuji is a major shipping transfer point without much in the way of regulations. Hence lots of stuff gets dumped there.

Born and grew up in Fiji...though I don't have much advice on gear to take. Did a lot of fishing there but hand lining bait was the only method we used. Others have given some solid advise.
Never heard of fish contamination issues there before, but things may have changed in the last 15 - 20 years.
Anyways, you'll have a great time. Fiji is a very beautiful place.



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Post some pictures/video of you Fiji fishing adventure.

Thanks for the words of encouragement Walu. I am looking forward to getting back, after a short trip there in 2012. One of my favorite places.

Born and grew up in Fiji...though I don't have much advice on gear to take. Did a lot of fishing there but hand lining bait was the only method we used. Others have given some solid advise.
Never heard of fish contamination issues there before, but things may have changed in the last 15 - 20 years.
Anyways, you'll have a great time. Fiji is a very beautiful place.



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Will do!

Post some pictures/video of you Fiji fishing adventure.