The Undisclosed location fishing log

[2nd mate]

Each year a Memorial march is organized to remember the Bataan Death March. There is a large Filipino population that work on the island as contractors. MIx that with the US and UK military and you end up with a pretty significant event.

Landing Craft embark marchers at the marina for the 4.5nm trip across the lagoon to the far end of the atoll, 37 miles from downtown by land.


No Death March is complete without bagpipes played by a Brit and a fisheries vessel looking on.


Our ride departing, leaving us to walk back.


If we were allowed to fish in this area I would name this flat Nantucket. NW facing angle.


South facing shot. I spent a lot of time pondering the fishing possibilities during the hike. Pt Marianne(Thunder Cove) just be seen 3.5 miles across the lagoon. It is a flat I have been fishing for a bunch of years


I saw all sorts of boobies.


This fighting donkey let us pass only after I fed him an apple.


There's no surf in Tahiti, or DG. Exploding off mile 10, double overhead every couple sets and peeling forever....

[2nd mate]

The march was only 11 miles to the disused copra plantation. There were buses waiting to take us back.

[ma7635]

Thanks for the info, it is very useful

[Harry]

the disused copra plantation.

I spent several months there in 1977. Is there still a crashed PBY Catalina over on that side of the atoll ? I seem to remember it being near the old plantation.

[2nd mate]

I spent several months there in 1977. Is there still a crashed PBY Catalina over on that side of the atoll ? I seem to remember it being near the old plantation.

PBY is still there, partially consumed by forest even though they do maintain the area. Picture from 2014.

[Harry]

Wow, that has really changed. Not my pic, but this is the way I remember it:

[RyanT]

Wow, that Catalina is unbelievable...

[2nd mate]

The sun is just about ready to peek over the horizon on what looks to be perfect fishing conditions


Unfortunately the tides sucked and I just went into town and walked around a bit. This shot is behind the Seaman's Club.
If you watch these baitfish schools long enough, say 2 beers, you will see either a small shark, trevally or bonefish move through.
No fishing allowed here


Continuing the tour of downtown we end up at the Officer's Club. Fishing IS allowed inside the cove here, but once you pass the new rockwall to prevent the club from being eaten by the sea, all fishing is strictly VERBOTTEN!



On this day I decided to try and snap a pic of this fella instead of casting at him.


No problem getting on the bones at Ean's Cut when the light and the tide are right.


These colors are as pretty as it gets out here.

I was able to pick up a used Canon24-105 F/4L so hopefully the pic quality will start to improve. Next trip hopefully I will be shooting full frame.

[schwerty]

Love to see your posts!

[steved]

Nice stuff 2nd Mate....terrific flats pics, sure nice during our teens and single digit days up here......as I still haven't put in my stove(wood-pellet) yet

[2nd mate]

My ship spends her in port time at anchor. This means riding a launch boat ashore. Most of the time the ride is less than 20 minutes because we are pretty close the the small boat basin. We had a turbine failure a couple months ago and headed to an actual dock for the turbine swap, GE LM 2500 at 32k HP. Being pier side is quite a novelty as my shore routine is tailored to a set launch schedule. This is the only time that I can come and go as I please on my bike. Its great for fishing efficiency(getting out and getting back so I can get some sleep.)

The bridge team in action during our long 1 mile journey to the dock for repairs. Helmsman, 3rd mate running the throttle(s), Chief Mate not really doing much and the Captain being short and happy.


Here is a pier side view of the launch boats waiting for passengers and part of the small boat basin. Also barges, tugboats, offshore fishing boats, sailboats and all sorts of official USN and RN assets hang out here. Next to the launch boats are the Royal marine PAC 24 RHIBS. These are the boats that sometimes come out to sea with us. We launch them so they can go ashore and patrol the most remote Islands in the Chagos. I was able to head in on one of these expeditions and land a few nice fish. If you look at the pier you can see a grey tube shaped canister that looks like a supersized life raft canister. This is a General Electric LM2500 shipping container. When I took this shot it was holding a $2.5m gas turbine(gas generator) that was waiting to be installed.


Here I am looking aft from the bow as we are getting ready to tie up. This flat used to be easy picking for bonefish when the tide was very low. This was one fishing spot that didn't require a 20 mile round trip bike ride. This area is now off limits to fishing because there was a fatal shark attack a few years ago.


Hiding a bonefish with my 8wt.


A small GT on a 10wt.


Time to leave the dock for a sea trial on the new starboard turbine.


Trying to figure out if this is a good pic or just an out of focus spinning window with a nice morning lagoon shot being obscured???

[teleee]

Seriously this probably my favorite thing on TGR, thanks for posting!

[Harry]

Jesus, that place has changed so much. When I was there in 1977 there were less than 100 people on the island. The harbor had not been dredged yet, so no ships in the lagoon. I only spent a few months there, but I have some cool memories.

Thanks for posting those pics.

[2nd mate]

Down that latte I just made you quickly and get to the 0700 launch boat, there are fish out there waiting to be fooled by fake food.


These hulls are just sitting here day after day. They are perfect for our needs and I would love to grab one but I also don't want to have half a dozen Royal Marines beat my ass.


As far south as it gets on the island. The next stop is Antarctica. It had been a while since I took folks to Mile 14 , so I figured why not?


Ean has just returned to the island, as a hunting guide he took to this type of fishing very quickly. This shot is looking to the north on the outside flats.


Bones were all over the place.


catch, release, repeat.


If you can spot one of these little fellas as they dart in and out of the surf you can usually get them to eat, and get an up close look at the amazing color.


"Occasionally the surf gets big, and when I say big, I really mean big" -Robert August
A few years ago as two of us were first exploring this area we made out way out into the flat and stood up on a couple large boulders. 5 minutes into it a big set rolled in and I was swimming with a fly rod in my hand and another stuffed into my pack. We were very lucky. This day there would be a 4-8 inches of water and then a set would roll in and it would be waist to chest deep. After you get the hang of the ebb and flow, this place can get really good. The fish don't seem to really notice the rapid change in the amount of water.

[2nd mate]

My First Day back on the water was the 4th of July... and what a day it was. First cast with a new rod and right into a nice GT. The gallery was a group of anglers that I had been communicating with during my vacation from work. Making myself look good during our first meeting.


This guy probably ran about 50lbs and took 150 yards of backing before I turned him. Hatch had this pic up on their IG a couple weeks ago. They continue to support our program here and have been great since we first started communicated with them.


Nice bones have been eating all over the place, especially on the inside flats. I cant recall ever consistently hooking up on so many nice fish on the lagoon side. I probably just ruined it for myself.


Usually after a nice fight, even the largest of bones will calm down enough so you can get a quick picture. This guy was having none of it. I had put the brakes on him early as he was very close to a drop off spot in the lagoon that would have broken off the 20# quick. 2 hands at all times with this one.



There is a great crew out here now that is really getting into the flats stalking way we fish. One guy is off island, but when he returns after leave we will have 5 anglers that will be going hard each weekend when the Navy has free time. The next step is to get the 3 hold outs to carry a 12wt so we can get them into some big fish.


I almost walked into this, does not really look that friendly. I got stung by a wasp a few years ago and it was killing me for over an hour. Bigger and badder out here in most aspects.

[plugboots]

Dang.

[John_B]

Thanks for keeping the TR going. Sweet fish and pics as usual.

[happytimefunbox]

Sick GT! My bucket list

[Gamomania]

Glad to see your posts.

[Harry]

OP: are there still some old rusty WW2 howitzers just north of the airstrip ? I always thought those were cool to climb around on.

Also: found some old photos from 1977

PBY Catalina, that is me up above the cockpit

Another of the wrecked PBY


P-3 Orion returning from an 18 hour patrol. This was before the lagoon was dredged.


Night patrol over the Indian Ocean



Buddy of mine walking on the beach. This was right near those WW2 howitzers.





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[MoffiyHue]

Glad to see your posts and nice pics.

[east or bust]

Cool pics Harry

[teleee]

Cool pics Harry

No kidding thanks for posting them up! 2nd mate arent you due for an update?

[2nd mate]

still no surfing allowed


Dan surveying his kingdom


Cuda on, feeling good


Shitty cuda pic, you can just see the flouro. I will see about grabbing a screen shot from the video.


Cuda splash and 10 minutes later with a couple massive leaps clear of the water...cuda off. 80lb flouro, no wire allowed.


Our guides are a pretty salty bunch here, just look at this guys FIRST BONEFISH. Pretty much ruined bonefishing for him forever.


Head Guide with an out of focus 2 hander. Still training the guides to take photos


This little GT was hand wrangled after it ate a crab on the shoreline from my 8wt. Knowing the fish would probably go a long way, the guide in training acted fast and grabbed its tail before it could run.

The weather has been shit the last 2 weeks, most likely it's the transition to the NW wind from the SE. Lots of rain and clouds. Today I hit 3 flats, 1 inside and 2 outside. Fish were spooky from the moon especially the permit. Only had a few bones today. Tomorrow if the weather is right (sun and more sun) I will head way out and see if I can find some big bones.

Great pics harry! Thanks for posting them up. It would be great to see any others you have.

[2nd mate]

Harry,

There are still some old cannon at Cannon Point. I think there is a picture of one back on page 1 or 2.