Beginner's Guides

Tips On... Fighting Saltwater Game Fish A Beginners Guide

The following guidance assumes you are fairly new to big game saltwater fishing and are out fishing on a charter boat. This type of information is given to all guests aboard our game boats if they are not experienced anglers. Occasionally we have to remind experienced anglers as well !

Lets assume you are out doing some general trolling for wahoo, mahi mahi or tuna on 30lb class IGFA tackle. The deckie has set a pattern of 4 lures behind the boat and one of the reels starts to scream….

Tips On - Going on a Gamefishing Charter Boat

Know Before You Go

First, do your research. What you want to catch dictates were you want to go and fish. Once you decide where you want to go, find out what charter boats are in the area. Read magazines, get on line and put some time in to find out all you can about your options. When you have a couple of possibilities, call them up, drop them an email, ask them questions, not just “how much is it?” but “what is the best time to come? What fish are in season? What type of tackle do you have on board and in what classes? Can the weather stop you going out? Do you fish under IGFA Rules? Is the skipper an IGFA Certified Captain? What about beginners? Can you put me in touch with a couple of previous clients? What types of fishing can you offer?

Try to find out if they are a serious charter boat with good equipment, a good crew and they know what they are doing!

If you can, talk to the skipper before you go out. Tell him/her what you would like to catch, your level of experience and if you would prefer calmer waters or are happy to corkscrew all day if the fish are there.

You are out there to have fun, not sit in a corner looking green and feeling miserable. If you start to feel unwell, tell the crew ! Here in Kadavu, we can always move to calmer waters.

A good charter boat will take your wishes into consideration when deciding how and where to fish.