Christmas Island Fly Fishing

To a bonefish fly fisher, heaven is an endless flat with fish all over it. Welcome to heaven on earth — Christmas Island.

From the moment your plane begins its descent, you can see the thousands of lagoons and flats that makeup the interior of this magical place. You couldn’t fish it all in a lifetime. Small skiffs carry the fly angler through the maze…guide and angler jump out on the upwind edge of the flat and wade downwind. Every flat is different. From pockets of colorful coral, scattered small rocks, and blinding white sand, you’ll find the variety intoxicating all the way to the horizon. The footing is firm, water is crystal clear, and yes, the bonefish are everywhere.
A kaleidoscope of truly unique experiences are packed into a days fishing on Christmas Island. Often, you’re awakened by the crow of a rooster or very pleasant singing by neighbors or a passersby. The sun brightens, and the breeze freshens quickly, and the smell of salty air accompanies you as you go through your equipment checklist and gather everything together. The guides and helpers load everything into the boat – everyone is so genuinely happy and helpful, and unselfish on this island…all of the time.

Your skiff crashes waves upwind, giving you the first taste of saltwater for the day, as dolphins zigzag back and forth in front of the boat. You see the water change color in front of you, announcing your arrival to the flat, and your guide says “We fish here.” With rod in hand, and essentials in pockets, you both begin to painstakingly scour every square inch of the bottom for not a fish, but a ghost of a fish. A thin ribbon moving along the bottom as the waves, wind, and varying bottom contours add their difficulties for humor’s sake. “Bonefish?” you ask your guide. “No, is puffer fish.” How embarrassing. “OK, that one’s got to be a bone,” you tell him. ”Rock.” He graciously replies. And so the education continues. Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes of slowly walking and looking may go by at a stretch, broken up by your inability to keep yourself from looking around you at the stunning beauty. Then it hits you. You’re fishing in that picture. You know the one. The one that’s occasionally on the cover of the fly fishing magazine you subscribe to…only this time, you’re the person in the picture instead of wishing you were.

“ Bonefish come!” your guide says, and he points. You strain even harder than you have been, if that’s possible, and after several seconds you see a slightly less transparent figure moving along the bottom. This way, that way, you struggle to make out a direction so that you can cast ahead of the fish. Have I tangled my fly line? Can I shoot enough line to reach him quickly enough? Don’t look at anything but the fish, or you’ll lose sight of him. Wind is from behind…remember, back cast low, shoot high….the cast goes, windage is right this time, and it looks good. “Strip, strip, strip!” your guide says, and you see the fish pursue. A slight tightening of the line and you instinctively set the hook. A rocket gets attached to the end of your line, and someone lights the fuse. Rod held mercifully at a 45 degree angle, your reel screams for help as the fish takes you well into your backing. Suddenly the pressure eases and you reel as fast as your hands will let you, as the fish is charging back toward you. Back and forth it goes. Reel in, and the fish rips line back out at mach 5. Slowly the fish tires, and you’re able to land it, get the hook out, and release it. Reaching over to shake your guide’s hand, thanking him yet again, you gaze up, around, and realize you’re in the picture…again.
This time you take a small break, looking up from squinting for bonefish, to let in again the endless parade of seabirds, rays, triggerfish, small harmless sharks, and dolphins porpoising in the distance. You remain mesmerized in an environment of colors so vivid they have yet to be re-created. The waves rushing by your legs, the feel of the soft sand under feet, the wind keeping you cool, and the ever-present salty air all add up to a significant life experience.

You’ll need top quality equipment to be consistently successful. Don’t skimp on anything or you won’t be able to cast through the wind, and these fish will find any equipment weakness and simply break it. Your knots have to be perfect. Bring fast or extra fast action rods such as the St. Croix Legend Ultra or Elite in a 9’ 7 weight, matched with Legend Ultra reels and 150 yards of 20 pound backing, quality specialty fly lines like the RIO Bonefish line, Bonefish leaders and fluorocarbon tippet material in 10, 12, and 14 pound test. Don’t forget spare everything – rod, reel, backing, line, cleaners, etc.

Get your fly-casting technique tuned up before you go, especially your ability to cast accurately in high winds. Cast the fly too far away, they won’t see it – too close and they spook. This is tough in wind and there is almost always wind. We recommend you practice the methods found in Lefty Kreh’s Saltwater Flycasting Techniques.

Flies used are mostly your typical patterns such as size 6 Christmas Island Specials, Crazy Charlies, etc., sparsely tied, with the classic bead-chain or barbell weight tied in on the back of the hook, near the eye so the fly rides point up to reduce snags. Mylar strip or Krystal flash bodies with Krystal flash wings that lay along both sides up the hook point are the most popular. Best colors are gold, orange, red, rainbow, and chartreuse, but mix it up with some small, muted color hackle tip or Craft Fur wings, just to have some variation. You will need enough variety so that if you get follows and refusals, you can change flies. If you’ve got simple tying equipment, bring it, as this is the best way to make sure you’ve got plenty of what’s hot. You can’t beat fishing all day and tying in the evening.

And don’t forget the Trevally, a voracious Jack or Permit type fish. They chase baitfish along the edge of the flats where the water turns from light color to emerald green. Use the same patterns used for bonefish – tiers, make them about 2” long and with more material thickness. When you see them, you’ve got about 8 seconds to make your cast, as they are constantly moving. Strip your fly in as fast as you can.
As your skiff surfs waves homeward, you can’t help watching and admiring the guide’s boat handling and navigating skill. “I don’t know how he does it,” you think to yourself, “I have no idea where we are.” The walk back to the hotel is soothing now, the sun is low, and the breeze lighter and cooler, caressing sun-drenched skin and airing out salt water soaked clothes.

With the equipment rinsed and put away, you sit around with your favorite beverage and reflect on the day. A neighbor starts singing……