Fly fishing day at Bolgoda Lake

Last Monday, I have guided Hiraki san who was visiting his daughter living in Sri Lanka. Hiraki san is a trout and salmon fly fishing lover, then he booked a fishing day at Bolgoda Lake.

As the barramundis seems to be not very active these last days, we mainly focus to target the featherback and the mangrove jack.

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Early morning we reached our good spots for featherback and they were very active, rolling every where. Hiraki san was so excited to see all these fish rolling. After few minutes, he sadly missed his first fish of the day. I gave him some advice regarding the drift and the retrieve of his fly. Another featherback has took his fly, but again Hiraki san missed it. We try some others spots but the featherback were not keen to took again his fly. Then just before lunch time, I decide have a try on our mangrove jacks spots and on the first cast Hiraki san took a nice one. A bit later, he missed a bigger one and then caught a second fish.

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After lunch, I decided to took our chance to focus only on Barramundi spots, but the fish don't gave Hiraki san the opportunity to hook one.

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All in all was a nice day at Bolgoda, Hiraki san enjoyed a lot the fishing scenery and wildlife of Bolgoda Lake and he had fun catching our feisty mangrove jack. I know I will see you soon for another day fishing at Bolgoda

Head Fishing Guide - Nico

Dream fish come true for Michael

Last week, weather was much better than the last 2 weeks and we were able to go sea fishing again in good condition. After 2 windy weeks, I was a bit concerned regarding sea conditions. Despite a slight green water, condition was good.

Michael and his wife from Danemark, where traveling in Sri Lanka and they have planned to have a sea fishing day. Michael dream was to catch his first GT on popping. On the second spot, a big fish smashed his popper but Michael missed it, as he was talking to us. As I always said : "You must focus on your lure, you never know when the bite will come".

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After that Believe me Michael stayed focus on his lure and on the fourth spot a nice GT grab his popper. Michael has perfectly set the hook and the GT gone in an incredible rush. After an epic fight, he landed a nice 20 kg GT, not bad for a first ever GT !!!

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We try some others spots, but as the current was slowing down, we try a bit of trolling to target some king mackerel or a sailfish during lunch time, but sadly no so much activity, then we quickly decide to get back on popping spots. Michael was so excited to cast again his popper and ready to strike another fish. An hour later, on a promising spot, a GT literally engulf his Rapala Xplode and it's a decent GT Michael caught.

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Another great fishing day for us, with a very happy client who caught his dream fish, what else ?

Tight lines

Capt. Nico

Deep dropping for swordfish

Some reports will come soon with some great fishing. Just want to share our first deep dropping fishing day of the season to target swordfish.

Last Sunday, sea condition was perfect to deep drop a big squid. Since the beginning of my season, I am looking for some spots to target swordfish on day time in deep water (500 m depth).

I have planned this fishing day at the last minute with my friend Shane from US, who is a crazy fisherman for swordfish. On the first spot and the first drop, we had a big bite but after few minutes of intense fight, we sadly lost the fish (hook off).

As you can see on the picture the bent of the 80lb class rod can give you an idea of the kind of fish we are looking for... We will keep you update in our next exploratory deep dropping days in the search of a big swordfish

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

Fly fishing and GT popping trip for Japanese couple traveling in Sri Lanka

Hideaki san, his wife and their lovely daughter are a Japanese family living in Russia. They planned to spend 3 weeks holidays in the warm and sunny Sri Lanka for Christmas and New Year. As Hideaki san and his wife love fishing, they booked days fishing with us at Bolgoda Lake for fly fishing and at sea to target GT's on popping.

First day, they fished at Bolgoda and they have great fun with the mangrove jack and caught some nice ones. We tried to catch some featherback, but these elusive fish were not keen to play with them.

Second day, we went on sea and it was mainly Hideaki who was fishing. He had 5 bites and caught 2 Gt's.

I really enjoyed to guide Hideaki san and his wife. I have also done a bit of baby sitting with their daughter when they were fishing, but that was great time as she was so funny.

Thanks to come fishing with us and I hope to see you again somedays.

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

British angler caught a decent barramundi at Bolgoda Lake

Brian and his wife are from UK and they love coming in Sri Lanka for their holidays. Brian is a fanatic angler and was desparated to not found a serious sportfishing charter, till he discover our website and the catch of our customers. They booked a day fishing at Bolgoda beginning of January.

Despite plenty of baits, fish activity was slow the morning. After a nice lunch at the Villa, we reach one of our good spot and I was expecting some good catch as Brian wanted to catch a barramundi. It's at the end of the day he caught a nice fish who gave him an epic fight.

Congratulation Brian for this catch and to don't give up to cast, you deserve this barramundi !

I hope to see you next year if you come back again in Sri Lanka. In the meantime I wish you some good fishing in UK.

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

New Year fishing at Bolgoda Lake for Japanese couple.

Around New Year time, Kiyoshi san and his wife have the habit to come fishing at Bolgoda Lake for 3 days.

This year as usual our guide Shaktivel welcomed them and put them on good fishing spots. Despite some unusual tough fishing condition, Shakti has managed to found places with activity and they caught fish every day. Biggest fish of the trip was caught by Kiyoshi san, a beautiful Golden Barramundi, his first fish of 2019 !

Here are some pictures send by Kioshi san.

Thanks to gave us your confidence to bring you fishing at Bolgoda lake and we are really waiting to see you again in Sri Lanka. Maybe next time for GT's

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

Nice fishing day at Bolgoda guided by Shakti

Darren and his family were traveling in Sri Lanka for Christmas holidays. Darren and his son love fishing and had planned a day fishing at Bolgoda with us. As I was guiding clients at sea, they were guided by Shaktivel, who's put them on the good spots and caught fish. Here is the kind word of Darren of his fishing day. We cannot expect better than that.

"Hi Nicolas. Just got back home after the most wonderful family holiday. What a fantastic country Sri Lanka is, and the people who are so lovely.

We had a great day with Shakti on Bolgoda lake. He did a great job and took us to some areas full of fish. Featherbacks mainly topping everywhere but we didn’t feel like they were feeding. My son Daniel hooked a good one but lost it right at the net. I caught a beautiful barramundi which was my main target and also mangrove jacks. We also saw some great wildlife, birds, monkeys and 1000’s of fruit bats! A great day!

Many thanks for your help in getting us there, sorry we couldn’t manage to sort a day for the GT’s. I hope next time. Some amazing fishing to be had in Sri Lanka. Darren"

Thanks Darren and congratulation for this nice barramundi. I hope to see you again in Sri Lanka and next time I will put you on some nice Gt's

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

Last 2 fishing days of Gary & Ollie

Late report of the last two days fishing of Gary & Ollie from UK, who fished after Christmas.

Day 1 : We focused to target only GT's on popping. Result was 9 bites, for 5 misses, 2 fish lost (one was big) and they caught 2. It was a very nice day at sea with calm weather.

As the guys were a bit tired to pop all day long, for their last day I plan to do a mix of popping and trolling as some friends caught some mahi mahi and sailfish the day before. We start to pop, but fish were not so active despite lot of baits, then after 2 hours, I decided to go trolling. Sea conditions were perfect, but not so much activity despite birds and a nice line of current with plenty of flying fish. In the afternoon, we came to the popping spots and on the second spots Ollie caught a decent GT and later Gary caught another smaller one.

I really enjoyed to have Gary & Ollie on board Diviya, congratulation for yours catches, both of you caught yours first ever GT on popping and Gary you still have caught the most unexpected fish on popping this season, a beautiful long tail Tuna. I wish you all the best in UK and I hope to see you again in Lanka or somewhere else.

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

Nice GT caught on popping day

Just before Christmas, I have guided Zac from Sweden, Mark & his girlfriend Meagan from US, for a day charter to target GT's on popping. It was their first time popping and they were very excited, Zac is a good pike angler and Mark fished a lot at sea, mainly on big game and flyfishing in Alaska for salmon.

I started the day on the spot where Gary caught is long tail tuna and hoped they were still there. On the first cast of the day, the Cubera 150 of Mark was smashed by big fish and I was thinking about another tuna, but quickly, I recognised the way GT fight and this fish look nice. After an epic fight Mark landed a solid and fat GT. What a fish for a first Gt ever, the day could not started better !!!

We fished some others popping spots, Zac missed 2 fish. Around noon, activity stopped due to flat tide and I decided to do a bit of trolling to catch some wahoo or a sailfish as friends caught some the last days, but sadly not so much activity, we just have a strike but the fish don't hooked up. In the afternoon we back to the popping spots. On the first spot, Zac have a nice bite, but the fish hooked off. Later Mark wanted Meagan to have a try on popping. As she can't cast enough far with this heavy tackle, I was casting for her and she was retrieving the popper. Next spot, I spotted a school of baits in surface and I told Zac to cast in their direction. I also cast but on the side of the bait school and gave the rod to Meagan. On the second pop, we all saw a big Gt coming and smashed the popper, the fish missed the lure, but came back and grab it. Unfortunately Meagan can't set the hook properly and missed the fish. As the wind started to blow we decided to get back.

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All in all was a good day, not a crazy activity, but some big Gt's were there. Congratulation to Zac who don't give up casting his popper all day long, just an unlucky fishing day for him and Mark congratulation for this first GT, that was a solid fish, many GT anglers dreamed to catch a fish like that one. I wish you a Happy New Year and safe flight back at home.

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

Great Popping & Jigging fishing day !!!

Ollie & Gary from UK have decided to spend Christmas in the sunny Sri Lanka and booked some days fishing with us. The 20th December was their first day fishing and they have great day.

First fish of the day was caught by Gary. This fish came on the surface as a bullet, smashed the Cubera 150 and gone in an amazing rush. At the beginning, we though of a big GT but the way the fish fought was definitely not the same as a GT. I was thinking at a very big King Mackerel as we were fishing on a reef of 15 meters depth and only 1 nautical mile from the harbour. But it's finally an absolute unexpected Long Tail Tuna who came a long side the boat. Last April, I have spotted some nice tunas near that reef, but we never have the opportunity to catch one. Congratulations to Gary for this insane catch !!!

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We continued to fish some popping spots, Ollie has a bite but missed the GT. On the other spots, despite lot of baits around, the activity was slow and I decided to reach the drop off to do some jigging. Ollie and Gary don't have any bite on the first drift, but on the third drift Ollie had a serious bite. Nothing fast, but an heavy and powerful fish going slowly but surely. He intensively fought this heavy fish for 30 minutes before the line broke.

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After this, I decided to troll a bit on the way back to the popping spots and give a bit of rest to Ollie and Gary. Few nautical miles before to reach the popping spots I spotted some birds turning around an area and we have a double strike of wahoo they landed.

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These fish woke up the guys and they were ready to pop again. First spots were empty, then we move to the spots we fished the morning where I have spotted baits. After a while Gary took a rest due to some pain in his shoulder and offer me the opportunity to do some cast. On the second cast I missed a nice fish and on the third cast my Hammer Head E-Cup was smashed by a decent fish. After an epic fight as no captain driving the boat I finally managed to landed a big GT.

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After that fish Ollie, but especially Gary were motivated to cast. Gary has a bite of king mackerel, but sadly the fish missed the lure. After that, Ollie hooked a GT but the fish came off just before to land it. End of the day Ollie has another GT bite, but missed the fish.

All in all it was a great day fishing with two really nice fish landed and the uk guys are ready for the next round, which is in a couple of days. Stay tuned for the next report.

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico