Christian Island

There is no denying that Christmas Island has stood the test of time as a world-class bonefish destination. For decades, this piece of angling paradise has been visited on an annual basis by a large number of dedicated anglers.

Christian Island

Crash aboard a one-of-kind live-aboard for an all new way to fish this South Pacific piscatorial paradise.

There is no denying that Christmas Island has stood the test of time as a world-class bonefish destination. For decades, this piece of angling paradise has been visited on an annual basis by a large number of dedicated anglers.

They travel from every corner of the globe arriving nearly every month of the year. In fact, if you ask almost any veteran bonefisherman, it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t enjoyed Christmas Island at some point in his or her fishing career. The question today is, “Is Christmas Island still as promising as it used to be?”

The answer to this question varies from year to year and from angler to angler. It really depends on whom you ask. There is no doubt that the atoll has a loyal following. For instance, at the conclusion of our week, I ran into a gentleman at the Christmas Island Airport. He had just completed his 15th visit in 25 years. I asked him how his week went. He simply stated, “Great as always!”

Christmas Island is a mature destination. Most American anglers know its reputation, but the fact that traveling anglers from all over the world are still visiting the destination - in the numbers that they do - tells me that there’s something else going on that’s really worthwhile. I believe the anglers that truly have this place dialed-in have tapped into the diversity of the region’s prolific fisheries. Yes, they do chase the gray ghosts on fly gear when the tides are right, but they also come for the GTs, various reef species and powerful pelagics, not excluding super-fast wahoo and tackle-testing tuna.

Today’s visitors not only have diversified their target species, but the guys that really maximize on the area’s success have evolved into crossover anglers. Inshore fishing doesn’t always mean fly gear. Nowadays, the savvy Christmas Island crowd comes well-prepared with a wide variety of tackle. They do whatever it takes to score big and they have a blast doing it.

Our question here at Angling Destinations Inc. - a travel firm which specializes in providing fishing adventures tailored to challenge the imagination - and the very reason for our recent visit to Christmas Island was; how best to approach the region’s diverse fisheries once you’ve moved beyond the lagoon’s spectacular bonefishing. We suspected the answer would have to do with precisely where you stay, and is certainly tied to the length of your fishing day. It’s no secret in anyone’s book that longer days and more time spent on the water equates to greater angling success, whatever the target species may be.