Ia Orana! “Hello” My this year’s adventure took my again far far away. My fourth saltwater trip took me to French Polynesia respectively Anaa. I spent there 5 weeks with one week purely fishing on Anaa. It was my hardest fight I have ever had. And I mean this in many ways.
Why French Polynesia? The answer is very easy. I really like the south pacific. 2014 I was on the Cook Islands and I enjoyed it. South pacific is big and the diversity in the islands too. There is Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia and many more destinations. So also French Polynesia. The idea of fishing in French Polynesia almost died because I wasn’t able to find a fishing guide. Luckily I wrote a mail to Mathew McHugh from Fly Odyssey who made me a sensational offer being part of a scientific program on Anaa fishing together with the local guide and a scientist. Purpose of this scientific program on Anaa is to build up a sustainable fishing on Anaa to protect the fish for a small but supreme fly fishing business on a remote Tuamotu atoll. This will support the people out there being guides and on the other side preserve a unique piece mother nature where fishermen can go for their dreams.
Being precisely Anaa was a dream and a nightmare together. It wasn’t a walk in the park. More than once I was desperate because nothing seemed to work out. It all started with a striking Air France that lost our luggage for 3 days. It continued with an also striking Air Tahiti. You have to understand striking is a national sport of the French people. Air Tahiti was on strike 4 weeks before we arrived and just by gods help they stopped striking 2 days before our departure to Anaa. There is only one flight a week to Anaa. So if they would have continued striking the fishing trip was over before it begun. Also mother nature was against me with El Nino as a spoilsport. We headed out to Anaa with the worst weather you can imagine. And this in the south pacific everybody only knows for its blue sky as bright as the lagoon. Pouring rain all day. And this in the dry season!.
In the end it was a challenge we have taken and successfully mastered. My special thanks goes to all the people that have helped to make my dream come true and make me a happy fisherman.
So what you will gonna read here in the next weeks about Anaa. I will give you a little sneak preview. You won’t see hundreds of fish BUT very special ones. Biggest and most mightiest toothy critters I ever have shown to you.
Unfortunately also stories of the ones that did get away. Fish that gave me sleepless nights. The balm for my soul is that that the ultimate priced fish didn’t get away. Fish that kicked the sh… out of me. Fish that gave me the fight of my life… I think it can’t get any better… hardly!
Sharks in the lagoon
Portrait of a killer
Fish on!
Maururu!! “Thanks”