Saltwater Reports

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).

Swordfishing Sri Lanka Deep Drop .jpg

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

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.

GT fishing sri lanka.jpg

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.

Deep sea fishing sri lanka.jpg

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 !!!

GT+fishing+sri+lanka.jpg

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.

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 !!!

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.

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.

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.

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

Popping day for Gt's

Few days ago, I have guided Ross from England, who was travelling in Sri Lanka.

Ross is a great fly fisherman for salmon in UK and wanted to have a try on popping for Gt's during his holidays.

He landed his first Gt's and he enjoyed !!!

Another happy angler who fished with us

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

GT fishing with US anglers

Last week, I guided Jesse and his friend Fred, for a popping day to target GT's.

Despite some windy conditions, the guys don't give up and they have 5 bites and caught 2 Gt's, their first ever GT on popping.

Congratulations guys !!

Nice to meeting you and to have you onboard of Diviya.

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

Great popping and jigging trip with Singaporeans anglers

Beginning of the month, we have received Yunus, Roy and uncle John from Singapore for a 4 days sea fishing trip.

The guys were quite experienced, well equipped and ready to catch the sri lankan fishs. First two days popping was a bit slow, then we focus to fish on jig and they had some great action with sometimes double hook up on Gt's.

Boat charter sri lanka.jpg

Roy caught a nice dogtooth tuna, Yunus a malabar grouper and uncle John a strong Diamon Trevally, plus plenty of Gt's.

Deepsea fishing sri lanka.jpg

The last two days, we mainly focus on popping. The third day the guys have 11 bites but sadly caught only 2 Gt's.

Last day, we been to the drop off to jig, Gt's where there and the guys had a good time. Yunus caught an amberjack and uncle John a nice black tip trevally (also named malabar trevally). On the last drift of their jigging session, Roy lost a big fish after a serious rush.

Deep sea fishing tour sri lanka.jpg
Jigging fishing in sri lanka tuna.jpg

End of the day and the trip, we spent the last couple of hours on popping and Yunus after he missed some fish, finally caught a decent Gt's with his Hammer Head E cup popper.

GT Popping sri lanka.jpg

But it's Roy, tired to pop, he was fishing on light jigging on the popping spots and caught the last fish of the trip, an absolute beautiful coral trout.

sea fishing sri lanka.jpg

I had a great time guiding Yunus, Roy and uncle John, they told me they enjoyed their trip and will come back to fish in Sri Lanka. Waiting for you guys !!!

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

Fantastic popping and jigging fishing day

Next day after fishing with Shane, I have guided Damith, his friends Saliya and Sajan. It was a fantastic day fishing.

Dogtooth tuna sri lanka deep jigging.jpg

Please read Damith report :

"Once again with our wonderful Capt Nico who put us on the spots and we had an epic day with Sajan and Saliya. It was fun and full of enthusiasm by the "Boy" Sajan whom I have fished with since a kid. He had a wonderful spell with a number of GT's, dogtooth tuna and a sizeable GT to "Cap it off". Saliya my old buddy was content with a pompano and cooling off with beers chilled to the Max!!!!."

Fishing in Sri Lanka deep sea fishing.jpg

Sajan dreamed to catch a GT on popping and for his first time, he caught 3 Gt's with a decent 30 kg !!

Big Gt Sri Lanka.jpg
Boat charter sri lanka.jpg

Congratulations !!!

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico