Vanuatu fishing
Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some 1,750 kilometres east of northern Australia, 500 kilometres north-east of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and south of the Solomon Islands.
Game Fishing in Vanuatu
By TJ Fisher
Vanuatu has many things to offer its visitors, and water activities are amongst the most popular. Game fishing in Vanuatu is known throughout the world as being exceptional and the area holds at least three world records for the largest catches on a single line. In fact, some of the game fishing operators guarantee at least one 200lb+ catch per trip - that is how confident they are.
Photo: bokissa.com
Where to fish in Vanuatu
Many of the islands offer fishing expeditions; however the best game fishing in Vanuatu is found in Port Vila (on the island of Efate) and in Luganville (on Santo). Most of the large fishing operators work out of Port Vila, as it is a relatively short journey of around 20 minutes to the best game fishing sites. From Santo, the journey is considerably longer; however there is good fishing along the way.
There are four commonly fished sites close to Port Vila - these being the Marlin Highway, Nguna Volcano, the Erromango Sea Mounts and Hat Island; each is known for particular types of fish.
Types of fish common to Vanuatu
The fish that both Port Vila and Santo are most famous for is the Blue Marlin - a magnificent fighting fish. Professional fishermen come from all around the world just for the Blue Marlin game fishing in Vanuatu, often resulting in Blue Marlin catches with average weights of 200-500lb, with the largest ever caught weighed in at 1094lb. Santo fishing is very similar although the average weights are a little lower.
In addition to Blue Marlin, you can also catch Black Marlin, Striped Marlin, Yellow fin Tuna, Mahi Mahi and Wahoo at the Port Vila sites. Santo also has fish such as sailfish, dog tooth tuna, coral trout, job fish and red bass as well. The dog tooth tuna have been known to reach 80kg+ while the yellow fin tuna grows even larger, sometimes up to 90kg.
The fishing season in Vanuatu
Game fishing in Vanuatu is legal all year round, however some months produce better catches than others. Most of the fishing takes place between May and November because the weather is slightly cooler and less humid than during the rest of the year. Saying that, December to April are sometimes the best months for the heavyweight catches.
March through to May is officially the game fishing season and these months often see the best range of species being caught. For example, Santo is known to produce sailfish, short-billed spearfish and Big Eye Tuna during the early fishing months but less so as the season progresses.
Fishing trips in Vanuatu
Game fishing in Vanuatu is big business, which means that trips out to the best fishing spots run virtually every day of the year. The fishing boats are generally first class and most provide all the equipment you would need to successfully go game fishing. Port Vila also has a game fishing school where you can learn the basics of the sport before hitting the ocean.
The large fishing operators usually run two kinds of trip - day trips where you leave early in the morning and return in the late afternoon and live-a-board trips that can last up to a week or more. The live-a-board trips move from one site to another so that as many species of fish can be caught by the fishermen.
Vanuatu fishing tournaments
The Port Vila Game Fishing Club runs two tournaments each year which attract hundreds of international fishermen, as well as the locals. The tournaments are held in May and November - the two best months for game fishing in Vanuatu - and it is not unusual for the largest catches of the year to be caught during these tournaments.
Conclusion
It is widely known that game fishing in Vanuatu is among the best in the world, and thousands of people visit the small island nation each year just to take part in the sport. Port Vila is probably best for large, heavy catches of Blue Marlin, however Santo is better if you are looking to catch a range of species that are slightly smaller in size. Either way, you are virtually guaranteed to catch something worthwhile when game fishing in Vanuatu.
Terry Fisher traveled the world extensively as a Management Consultant in the 1980’s and 1990’s. He lived and worked in the South Pacific for 14 years and shares his travel experiences / knowledge in his personal blogs, eg
Vanuatu Videos and Cook Island Videos
Terry Fisher is also a double million-dollar lottery winner living on Australia’s Gold Coast. He shares his winning lotto secrets through his books, websites and articles.
Chantilly’S On The Bay Hotel Port Vila
This modern waterfront boutique hotel, situated on the edge of Port Vilas Central Business District, is just eight-minutes from the airport. Located on Fatumaru Bay, its central location makes it a prime destination for business travelers. You can easily walk to the shopping, dining and entertainment venues. Rooms feature balconies with 180- degree views of the bay. Tillys Restaurant and Bar specializes in Tapas, a la carte and fresh local cuisines. More Information.
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