The fishing on offer in New Caledonia is world class. The fishery is underutilised and as New Caledonia is surrounded by the second longest coral reefs in the world it has extensive lagoon waters suited to fly fishing.

Bonefish and trevally are found in good numbers throughout New Caledonia and the Isle of Pines. The best flyfishing is on the shallow flats where many species can be caught including giant herring (ladyfish) and Pacific tarpon.

The bonefishing in New Caledonia is generally to larger fish in deeper water and the first of the rising tide presents the opportunity to target the bonefish in channels and gutters as they start to move onto the flats. Once the bonefish are up on the flats they tend to disperse and as the water rises can be difficult to target effectively.

The trevally in New Caledonia are there in large numbers, good sizes and numerous species. The last trip to new Caledonia produced 5 species of trevally and did not include a golden. At low water move to a deep channel and if in the right location you can catch many trevally.

Giant trevally will often be seen on the flats when looking for bonefish. The small ones are 25 kilos and the large around 50. They are quite an inquisitive fish and even a small popper can keep them attracted and entice a strike. Giants will often be seen travelling behind a reef shark as if they are keeping an eye on it.

On certain flats you will see so many trevally that if you want to engage a bonefish then don't cast to the trevally. Also schools of bonefish will often have trevally travelling with them and generally the trevally will beat the bonefish to the fly. So to catch a bonefish leave the trevally alone and cast to single or paired bonefish.

Other species in New Caledonia include tuna and mackerel in blue water and coral trout and emperor around reef and bommies and milkfish on the flats. In the North there are many brassy and giant trevally and Isle of Pines has a good head of golden trevally.

New Caledonia has a lot to offer the Travelling Fly Fisher from world class bonefish in the remote North to an idyllic romanitic white sands getaway in the South.

Please contact us to ask any questions that you may have regarding New Caledonia and to discuss your travel / fishing plans in more detail.  

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