Dean Butler's Sportfishing Tours

Dean Butlers Sportfishing Adventures New Caledonia bonefish.
" I think its fair to say that there is no other fish swimming in the worlds waters that has captured the imagination of more serious saltwater fly fisherman than the bonefish "During an exploratory trip with Philippe Leroux who has recently set up a sport & fly fishing guide business in the north of New Caledonia I experienced big bonefish fly fishing on un touched flats as good as any I have ever seen or ever even heard about before. It’s a place that could just be the newest bonefish hotspot in the world.

It was not so much the numbers of fish we caught but more to do with the amount we saw and about the overall good feeling I got from the place. It is one of the more remote areas I have ever fished but there is sufficient infrastructure and accommodation in place to make it extremely comfortable, relaxing and relatively easy to get to.

For the record fishing friend Warren Smith and myself were the first Australians ever to fish the area. Along with Philippe the 3 of us in 5 days saw around 500 bonefish, while wading we cast to about 100 in water from 1 to 5 feet deep, got interest from 50 of them, hooked 20 and landed 12. The smallest we saw we caught weighed 41/2 pounds on a Boga grip the largest weighed 9 pounds. The average seen, hooked and or landed was 6 - 7 pounds and I figure that personally I cast at 8 or 9 fish, 10 pound plus. We also collectively saw one fish that we estimated was 14 or 15 pounds actively feeding by himself on a flat that spoked when yours truly dropped the fly line over his back! Currently the biggest Philippe has taken on a fly-weighed 12 pounds.

Other species we caught sight casting on the flats were big gold spot trevally to 20 pounds and small golden trevally to 6 pounds, we saw bigger but did not get shots at them. Every time we saw a stingray mudding on the flats (we saw hundreds) a cast would produce trevallies from 2 to 6 pound and Philippe often pulls nice bones blind casting to the rays.

Philippe's operation
To get to the flats Philippe runs two new South Wind long boats, powered by 75 hp Yamaha out boards. They move 1, 2 or 3 anglers plus a guide easily around the sheltered waters of the region. They are also excellent for general trolling and working the flats fringes, reef edges and bombies for GTs casting big poppers or flies. The boats also worked very well for us with two fly fisherman, one forward and one aft, drifting and poling flats once the incoming tide made them to deep to wade for bones.

At this stage NC is not a place to catch cricket scores of small bonefish that are often talked about by anglers fishing known bonefish spots such as Christmas Island, the Bahamas and the Seychelles,

What New Caledonia has to offer is plenty of shots, each day, at truly big bonefish that have had next to zero fishing pressure, but let it be known, big bones are not easy to catch whether they have seen a 100 flies in their lives or like the NC fish, never been fished to before.

For any fly fisherman who wants to experience the thrill and ultimate challenge associated with stalking the flat fishing's 'Holy Grail’ NC is a place I can certainly recommend. Whether you’re a beginner or expert with the fly you will earn your fish and in turn gain far more satisfaction from your success. If you are just getting started with the fly there can be no better way to see the results of a super steep learning curve while also catching a million hungry trevs in the 3 to 10 pound range eager to take fly’s along the way. If you are keen to cast big poppers at giant giant trevally you will find them just as challenging, all be it, in a more brutal sort of a way. For big Gt’s I can honestly say I have never seen a better place to chase them.

But maybe the best thing of all is, that if you choose to fish New Caledonia you can be sure that all though the facilities are first class, it is way off the beaten track and you will be amongst the first to fish these waters and for me anyway that's at least as big an attraction as the superb fishing itself.

"Relais de Poingam"
"Resort from Poingam" set in beautiful gardens features 6 spacious bungalow style living quarters each with its own indoor/ out door bathroom. Each bungalow is uniquely different built with a combination of local materials and more traditional brick. It really is a great place to stay - one where you will be made to feel like part of the family but more importantly have the option to 100 % privacy if that's the way you want to go. Its classic sophisticated, French/South Seas culture where excellent meals and fantastic French wines are served in the central - main bar /court yard dinning area with water views and a mere 50 paces, via the pool, to the water's edge. Last but not least "Resort from Poingam" is only minutes by water to some of the area's best bone fish flats and with-in half an hour of many that have yet to be fly fished.

Tackle
Fly rods from 7 to 10 weight would cover every NC bone fishing situation but if I could only take one it would be a 9 weight. The 9 & 10 weight rods make quick short casts easy if the wind gets up a little.

Big crazy charlies and variously weighted shrimp patterns tied on 1/0 or 2/0 hooks worked well for us, but as with a lot of sight fishing, as long as it looked something like flats food and was put in front of a feeding fish with out them knowing, they would eat it.

We used Intermediate fly lines for most all our bonefish fishing and for wading found the Scientific Anglers clear sink tip with floating line by far the best to help with stripped line management and quick presentations. Ideally an intermediate and floating line to match each rod you have would cover all situations. Reels should have a minimum of 250 meters of fine diameter backing and super smooth drags. These outfits will handle the other species encountered on the flats such as trevallies, gold spot giant and golden.

For the giant trevally a 12 weight would be the smallest rod you would want to use. The GT's there are numerous and big.

Getting there
Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia and it’s just a little over two hours flying time from Sydney. Upon arrival in Noumea you are met by Philippe and taken by road (4 hours) to Poingam in the Northern Province of the country.
Trip Costs (Please note all fishing, accommodation and airfares quoted are subject to change without notice)
7 days / 6 nights / 5 full days of guided fishing 8 days / 7 nights / 6 full days of guided fishing.

Please contact Dean Butler for any information on tour costs.
email: dbsportfish@ozemail.com.au

Cost includes ....

- Road transfers from Noumea to Resort de Poingam return
- 6 or 7 nights accomm -- twin or triple share basis at Resort de Poingam
- 5 or 6 full days of guided fishing, boats, fuel & taxes
- All meals while at the resort and while fishing

Not included - air fairs to and from New Caledonia, drinks, fly fishing tackle, lost poppers, travel insurance and items of a personal nature.

Flights
Return economy airfare flying Air Calin - Sydney/Noumea/Sydney range from $815.00- low season to $910.00 high season and include Australian and New Caledonian taxes (NB subject to change with out notice) Flights are also available from other major East Coast cities
Compared to similar fishing programs in Australia and more well-known bonefish options
in other parts of the world, New Caledonia represents exceptional value -
be amongst the first to experience it.

Seasons
May through to December is best with tides playing a big part on premium bonefishing. Philippe has put aside these peaks for Australian groups and space has been booked for the best tides during these months. For more information and availability please feel free to contact Dean Butler at any time.

Dean Butlers Sportfishing Adventures
For more information contact Dean Butler
P.O.Box 722
Nelson Bay NSW 2315
Phone 61 2 49 849 294
Mobile: 0407 249 818
Fax 61 2 49 81 0006 e-mail dbsportfish@ozemail.com.au

Take a look at Dean's other tours