Bucket List: Big Game Fishing

Seychelles, Mahé, sea west of Mahé

This was a previous article written by myself and posted in this travelogue blog in September 2014. Those were the times when fishing was a favourite personal past-time. I had not been on open waters fishing trips for more than 10 years since, except for the occasional fishing trips to commercial fishing ponds.

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The main purpose of my visit to the Seychelles in  May 2000, was for some big game fishing action. One of my fishing buddies, Kenneth, was there with me for the same reason. But the dates of our visit in the month of May, did not coincide with the big game fishing season which normally starts around September.

Therefore, we learnt to our disappointment that big game fishes may not be easily targeted during our fishing trip. Still, we decided to go ahead and charter one of the specialised fishing boats. We contacted the organisers and chartered a small sports fisher for our fishing trip. The sports fisher was the Striker II. It cost us slightly more than US$400 for one full day of fishing, inclusive of lunch.

The Striker II, Beau Vallon, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

We set off at about 8.00am in the morning and Striker II headed for the southern coast of Mahé. Six lines were trolled out, including two on the outriggers. About 45 minutes later, we got our first catch. It was a meduim size Bonito or Little Tuny (Euthynnus alletteratus). We did not weigh the fish but I believed it should be in the region of 2 to 3 kg.

Our first Bonito, sea off western coast of Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

After the Bonito, there were no more action and Kenneth and myself gradually dosed off until the reels starrted to scream and Kenneth managed to outfought the fish that took the rapala lure that was trolled out. It was another Bonito but much bigger than the one I caught earlier. As we were still discussing Kenneth's catch, one of the reels on my side of the boat went off as a Mahi-mahi (or Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus) took off with the jig. The deckhand handed me the rod and as I strike the fish, the Mahi-mahi returned my strike with a fierce run that took quite some length of the line with it. It was the first time that I engaged a Mahi-mahi although I have read countless reports of people doing so in local and overseas fishing magazines. But nothing beats having a taste of the real action myself, up-close and personal. Several minutes of fighting saw me gained the upper hand as the beautiful fish was soon swimming alongside the boat. It was gafted by the deckhand. The fish weighed nearly 7kg and gave my forearms' muscles a good workout but excitement on the boat suddenly hit a new high as the skipper, Vincent, spotted a Sailfish!

Striker II was steered close to the Sailfish (a.k.a. Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus) as the magnificient billfish swam lazily near the surface of the sea, its beautiful sail was completely above water and clearly visible as we were only metres away from it. But it was in no hunting mood and our lures failed to generate a strike. Still, it was the first time in my life that I had came so close to a billfish and even though it did not hit our lures, the experience was still an exhilarating one.

After the encounter with the Sailfish, there were no further action and as the hot sun beat down on us, we started to doze off again. Before long, we were woken by the reel as a big power fish took off with one of the jigs again. It was another Mahi-mahi, a bigger one than the first. Like the first Mahi-mahi, I strike to set the hook after being handed the rod by the deckhand. This time, the big bull (male) Mahi-mahi exited the water in an impressive aerial display as it tried to shake off the hook. It was fantastic game fishing action as my muscles tightened to hold off the Mahi-mahi's powerful run. Nearer the boat, the big fish gave another acrobatic jump out of the water but it was soon tired out and I managed to reel it in close enough for the deckhand to gaft it. While trying to remove the hook, the fish gave a last gasp struggle and the deckhand accidentally dropped it back into the sea. The one that got away!

A few good-sized Bonitos followed the second Mahi-mahi as Kenneth and myself took turns fighting these 5kg tunas. It was great fun and nothing like the fishing actions we had encountered back home in Singapore and neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. Fighting pelagics on rod and line certainly added new dimensions to our usual expriences of bottom-fishing. We unanimously agreed that what we were expriencing then were much better that what we had before.

More action awaited us as a double hookup occurred. Vincent made the correct decision to abandon the smaller fish that took the lure next to me because it was a Bonito and we had already had lots of opportunities with the earlier Bonitos. He went for the bigger one that took the lure on one of Kenneth's rods. This was to be the biggest catch of our trip and as Vincent strike to set the hook, Kenneth prepared himself for the great tussle with the big Wahoo (a.k.a. Kingfish, Acanthocybium solandri). After several minutes of engaging this magnificient fish in a tug-of-war, the 18kg Wahoo was close enough to be gafted. It was Kenneth's first Wahoo and needless to say, he was extremely delighted. This was also his biggest catch to date.

Wahoo onboard! Sea off western coast of Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

Knocking out the big fish, sea off western coast of Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

The actions after the Wahoo were limited to several more Bonitos and as the sun started to set, Striker II took us back to Beau Vallon. A quick photo session followed and the catch was distributed to the villagers who had gathered.

Our total catch for the trip was 13 Bonitos, 2 Mahi-mahis and Kenneth's giant Wahoo. 

I considered this to be one of my best and most fruitful fishing trips. Nope, I did not get the prized Marlin I was after and there were no Hammerhead Sharks or Dog-tootheed Tunas. But I was still happy with the trip. Still hoping that one day, I can land that big Marlin.

The author, with that big Wahoo, Beau Vallon, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

A village kid, taking a Bonito from us, Beau Vallon, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)