Albacore Record aboard Bite Me Too

Skipper Joe took angler Boyang Zhang out for some deep-water jigging last week aboard the new boat Bite Me Too. Great weather meant ideal jigging conditions and Boyang made the most of it hooking up and landing a 19.6kg Albacore setting a new M-36 Fiji National Record.

 That's a monster Albacore !

The very distinctive Pectoral fins on an Albacore

A very good Fiji Record catch for Boyang and of course - very good eating for all the other guests at Matava Resort !

New GT Popping & Jigging Boat Almost Complete

Work is almost complete on our brand new offshore sportfishing boat Bite Me II being built by BlueWater craft in Navua, Viti Levu. She will be a 28ft go-fast go-anywhere fishing machine designed to perfectly service the growing GT Popping and deep water jigging specialists as well as offer anglers the opportunity to go after pelagic gamefish such as marlin, Pacific Sailfish, yellowfin Tuna, Dorado and Wahoo on stand-up tackle. Powered by the very latest Twin 150 Mercury 4-strokes she will cruise at 25 kts and be capable of reaching 35+ knots at WOT.

Sister Ship

Our vessel will be based on the above design however we have added a number of modifications to suit our fishing around Kadavu Island.

The main hull is complete with the large centre console going on now.

With a 400L in-floor fuel tank she will be very stable for casting and jigging and have extensive range.

We have specified grab rails at the perfect height for safety and ease of casting poppers

There will be plenty of rod storage

and of course easy access transom door for hauling in a big Dogtooth Tuna or sliding in the big GTs for release !

I will be personally supervising the finishing touches and loading all the required brand new safety equipment in a few weeks and we hope to have her in Marine Survey and in service by the beginning of December. We are now taking GT Popping & Jigging bookings for the summer season starting 1st January 2014.

I can’t wait to barrel out to the Kadavu Seamount and drop some jigs !

GT Popping on Tease Me

A few pics taken GT Popping aboard Tease Me sent to my by Jayson. Along for the ride, Steve from Florida.

Jayson's best fish which would have been well over 35kg

Kadavu GTs and Doggies Report

Derek & Danielle spent their NYE vacation with us at Matava Eco-Adventure Resort. Aside from some beach picnics, snorkeling and adventure stuff, Derek wanted to have a go at the legendary GTs and Dogtooth Tuna found here. Two new species for Derek to add to his comprehansive list...

Derek is soon loaded up !

That's a beauty Derek !

With some decent weather Bite Me was able to access some of the best popping and deepwater jigging spots. A big NYE party and Jan 1st lay day just meant a much needed rest before fishing resumed.

We Tagged this fish before release

Danielle gets in on the action

and releases her first GT

Derek's first Doggie

Loading up on Doggie #2

Another nice Doggie.....Hope you guys had fun !

Recent GT Pics from Tease Me

Henrik from Germany had a couple of half day popper casting session with Joe aboard Tease Me.

Weather was pretty ordinary but he managed some nice fish on his German made poppers and stickbaits. Made by Thomas Heidhoff and called X-Hoff he had most success with stickbaits in the choppy water.

Henrik's larges fish taken on an XHoff Stickbait

Latest GT Popping News

The gang

Some highlights of a 6 day GT Popping trip to Matava Eco-Adventure Resort by Dan, Andy, JT and James, fishing aboard Bite Me.

Dan knocked over a few nice GTs like this one

Weather for the first few days was decidedly unfriendly...

Even when we did get access to the best GT spots we had to put up with some annoying chop but it was usually worth it. Best GT of the week measured 46" SL with several around the 40-45" mark. We tagged and released two GTs, the best of which measured 46" SL as well as a Dogtooth Tuna around 15kg.

JT with his biggest fish that measured 45" Short Length (close to 40kg) taken on a Stickbait

JT also fought a big doggie to the boat but all aboard were dismayed to see it pounced on by three whaler sharks just below the transom. The head alone weighed in at 20kg....

Lunch time and JT demonstrates his preferred water entry method

Double hook-ups

Dan with a nice GT caught off the bow on a Buffalo Popper

Some real chunky Red Bass around....

Matava is fully operational after Cyclone TOMAS

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort is 100% fully open after the cyclone passed Fiji on Tuesday 16th March 2010

 

KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS - 17 December 2009 - On Monday 15th March 2010 Fiji was hit by a Category 4 Tropical Cyclone, TC TOMAS. The cyclone passed over the northern islands and well to the East of Kadavu Island.

Although the resort experienced high winds and heavy rain, no damage was done to the resort at all, apart from the loss of some thatch from the corner of the roof of the dive centre.

The guests and staff spent the whole day playing cards, board games and reading books safely in the Main Bure while Maggie served breakfast, lunch and dinner as normal. We even had some divers toughen up and go shore diving in the 'teeth' of the bad weather on Monday and Tuesday and get some great pics of critters on The Critter Junction dive site!

By Tuesday 16th March we were once again fishing, diving and trekking as normal, in glorious sunshine with not even a slight breeze!

The cyclone passed well east of Kadavu and was over in a couple of days of strong winds and grey weather.

Due to flight safety reasons, Pacific Sun did postpone its flights for a couple of days, but have now fully resumed services to Kadavu from Nadi.  All flights to and from Kadavu from Nadi International Airport are currently fully resumed and we have have had clients fly in and out of Kadavu today (Wednesday 18th March 2010).

We appreciate your patience in these matters, and rest assured that we are all fine and 100% fully operational at Matava - Fiji's premier Eco Adventure Resort.

Here is a pic taken by Adrian this morning from the deck of Mango, one of our Honeymoon Bures:


Richard, Adrian, Jeanie, Stuart & The Team @ Matava

Gamefishing Seasons Go Nuts

Thorsten recently had a few days popper casting aboard 'Tease Me' and despite some early ordinary weather, managed to rack up a few nice GTs.

One of Thorsten's best GTs around 30kg

One day Skipper Joe spotted some birds working off the reef and they headed over to have a go at some yellowfin tuna on a popper or stickbait. First couple of casts and Thorsten had a little yellowfin hooked up but before Joe could whip out his sashimi knife, it was 'sharked'.
Undaunted, Thorsten cast again and was quickly connected to something that screamed off across the surface.....Another shark ?
No ! a Wahoo !!

We are way out of wahoo season here but it just goes to show, you never know what you are going to hook up next.

Yesterday anglers aboard Bite Me were jigging the outer reef slopes for doggies and we hooked up something fairly big... It was a bit of a surprise when our doggie hook-up came screaming up to the surface right behind Bite Me and transformed into an airbourne Pacific sailfish that cavorted about for 10 seconds right in our laps before throwing the hook...
Wahoo and sails in the middle of summer ??? The seasons have gone nuts...

Popper Casting Report Jan 2010

Some more photo highlights from Scott, Tim and Dave's week of popper casting and jigging aboard Bite Me. I think its safe to say the fishing was quite good....

A tripple always makes for mayhem on deck

Dave with a fish pushing 40kg

Double hook-up for Scott and Dave

Tim's new headgear...(at least, I 'think' its Tim...)