Polynesian Paradise

Travel to the South Pacific where Samoa’s sensational culture and bruiser blue-water bounties eagerly await…

Talofa Samoa! With bags in hand and a couple of my favorite lures stashed in a side pocket, I finally arrived in Samoa.

I’ve been invited to do a story on Troppo Fishing Adventures where my good friend Greg “Hoppo” Hopping and his dedicated team run a 35-foot Bertram, Pure Indulgence, out of Apia, the capital. A five hour flight from Sydney and some 10 hours from Los Angelas, Samoa lies just below the Equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There are two main islands that make up this South Pacific nation - Upolu, where Apia is located, and Savii, the big island. Known as “a very fishy place,” Samoa leaves nothing to an angler’s imagination. Blue and black marlin, Pacific sailfish, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo and dolphin are all on patrol in good numbers when trolling the deep drop-offs and canyons, while monster GTs, bluefin trevally, exotic coral trout, dogtooth tuna, red bass, and green job fish prowl the fringing reefs, ready for those who like to cast a popper or retrieve a jig.

As I boarded Pure Indulgence, Greg introduced me to his fellow skipper, Captain Ian Moroney, and his ‘master deckie,’ Sonny Gordon. Sonny informs me that today’s charter consists of a group of four anglers who love to fish as a team. Once the boys are all aboard, we get underway.

It’s only three miles to the first drop-off and not too long before our lures are in the water. It’s our skipper’s intention to tag and release a billfish, however there are also many other pelagics lurking around. Sonny has selected a fine spread to start the day which, from experience, should put us in the fish quickly. He’s right on as within minutes of lines out, the Marlin Magic medium plunger on the long outrigger gets clobbered. The ratchet screams as 200-yards of 50lb. Momoi melts off the reel. We all look up as our skipper yells, “mahi mahi!”

Sonny and I start to clear the other lines as Scott picks up the arched stand-up outfit. Scott patiently lifts the rod tip to keep constant pressure on the fish as he waits for all of the other terminal gear to be removed from the water. As Scott continues to pressure the fish, the dolphin leaps from the sea doing a perfect somersault, continuing its spectacular aerial performance right to the boat. A perfect gaff shot by Sonny and the 15-kg fish is quickly lifted aboard and placed on ice.

Earlier that morning, the four anglers had drawn straws to determine the order of who was up to bat first. Big Dave is up next. He’s chomping at the bit and can’t wait to get his hands on one of the Tiagra outfits. Thirty-minutes pass as we continue trolling out over the first drop-off and then the second. We are now in 3000-feet of water off Apia in “Marlin Alley.”

Crack! The rubber band on the short outrigger blows up as we all look back to see another big dolphin leaping out of the wake. Dave makes short work of the fish which soon joins his friend on ice. With lures reset we’re underway yet again. No sooner had we hit trolling speed and the shotgun goes off with another loud snap. It’s yet another dolphin. Neil grabs the rod and after a few sensational leaps, also makes short work of getting the fish to the boat. Three quality fish and we only left port an hour ago.

We continue trolling along the drop-off where small white terns flutter on the surface. Simultaneously, blue billed boobies snatch tiny flying-fish in mid-air which leave the water in an attempt to escape the jaws of the hungry predators below. With a huge amount of baitfish about, we decide to move off our path to concentrate on a school of skippies boiling on the surface about 200-yards away. There’s a good possibility a billfish is among them.

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The skipper turns Pure Indulgence towards the boiling school of baitfish. There are birds everywhere. Not just boobies, but hundreds of black and sooty terns. Some of these flying fiends are very similar to gannets. They dive from great heights, entering the water at high speed and then swimming to catch their meal. As we circled the school, watching the frenzy unfold before us, the short-rigger goes off with a loud “POP.” The Tiagra 50 screams under the strain of a heavy run. This time there was no dance from a neon green dolphin, just a long, deep run from what was obviously a large yellowfin tuna.

As the fish races into the depths and the gear is cleared, Scotty calmly takes control. Leaning back on the stand-up gear, he knows he’s in for a tough fight. He’s right. The 24-kg. outfit is bent double over as he applies the heat. These fish fight deep and hard. After a bruising 30-minute battle, we finally get to see the muscular fish with mirror-like green and gold flanks and long, black and gold sickles – a typical Samoan beauty. With all the effort he can muster, Scotty heaves back on the fish trying to get her within range of the gaff. Eventually, the fish is alongside the boat, exhausted and in-sight of Sonny who sinks the gaff. An estimated 130-pound yellowfin tuna - a beast!

After a few minutes, the skipper yells from the bridge, “big work up off the port-side!” We all look up to see a huge pile up of birds and fish destroying a bait pod only 100-yards away. Skipjack are being chased by massive tuna – an awe-inspiring sight! Ian gets us back up to trolling speed and with the lures reset; we are once again on the hunt.

A billfish is still our goal, so we keep heading east along Marlin Alley. As the water behind the boat erupts and all hell breaks loose yet again, the skipper screams, “Marlin on the short corner!”

A tail-walking blue of about 150-kgs. peeling line off the spool at an alarming rate makes our acquaintance. Everyone except Dave, who climbs in the fighting chair, lends a hand clearing the remaining gear. Sonny straps him in, and then passes him the rod. The fish is still screaming off line as the skipper keeps the pressure on by motoring forward. Sonny yells that the spool is down to the backing. The fish has taken 800-yards of monofilament in less than 60-seconds! “Crank like hell,” shouts the skipper from the bridge as he shifts the motors into reverse and starts backing down hard on the blistering billfish. With Dave winding and Pure Indulgence heading astern, we start gaining line. Soon, we have a couple of hundred yards back on the spool and Dave is feeling confident. We are all looking intently in the direction of the line when suddenly the marlin erupts through the surface and thrashes wildly. The skipper throws the boat into forward and hits the throttles. Once again, line pees off the reel as the marlin makes another mighty run. Before long, Sonny grabs the leader while I implant a tag in the fish’s meaty shoulder. Dave’s ecstatic! As we coerce him to reach over the side and gently pet his first marlin, tears well up in the big man’s eyes.

It’s now midday and we are approximately 20-miles from Apia. We are still trolling with the skipper intent on more yellowfin tuna. The boys decide to turn west and head back the way we came, along the drop off towards Apia. We’re all smiles ear-to-ear, and figure we have a good chance of picking up another quality fish or two before heading back to port.

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Our trip to Samoa is perfect as Dave continues entertaining us with his endless repertoire of jokes, having so many good laughs that our faces are hurting. Just as we catch our breath, the shotgun bait gets smashed! Neil’s quick to the rod and arches his back as he lays into the fish. After a short but robust fight, another big dolphin is gaffed. The boys indicate to the skipper that he can head directly toward Apia. What they don’t realize is that even though we might be turning toward home, we’ll be fishing, this time for wahoo at an increased trolling speed.

Sonny decides to run just two heavy jet-heads. Ian plots a couple of sea mounts into our course and as we approach the first, a reel screams to life. After an enjoyable fight, there is a small wahoo lying on the deck. As we approach the second sea mount, the same reel screams once more. I think to myself, “You’ve gotta’ be kidding me!”

This time the boys offer me the rod, and I proceed to add to the already magnificent day by adding another small wahoo. Now only minutes from port, it’s lines in and with a brief burst of speed, we’re back into Apia Harbor.

Once we arrive, we are whisked back to our hotel while the crew cleans up and prepares the catch. After a quick shower, we head down to the local fishing club for a fantastic BBQ and plenty of Vailima - the local beer - to wash down the tasty sashimi, dolphin fillets and seared wahoo steaks. What a culinary delight!

With an amazing day behind us filled with some of the best fishing we’ve ever encountered, we all agreed the South Pacific reigns supreme as an unrivaled angling destination that every blue-water angler has to experience to appreciate.

Jack Faulkner is an Aussie. One of those mysterious, salty anglers who has been fishing the Pacific Ocean and its exotic locations for over two decades. His fishing stories are legendary, as is his wit. His and the laughter of all those aboard his Australian fishing charters can be heard for miles around when he’s spinning one of his favorite yarns. Always on the hunt for new and exciting adventures, Jack is famous for his tag: “If I wasn’t there, you’d never believe it.”