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Nice GT caught on popping day

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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 !!!

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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

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Great Popping & Jigging fishing day !!!

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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

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Popping day for Gt's

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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

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GT fishing with US anglers

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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

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Fly fishing at Bolgoda Lake with Umpqa USA angler

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Every season, I have the pleasure to guide Dave from Umpqa company for a fly fishing day. At the beginning, we have planned to have a go at sea, but sadly this day was too windy to fly fish. Then we decided to have a go at Bolgoda Lake.

Morning was quite slow, Dave caught only an oxeye tarpon.

In the afternoon the fish were more keen to play with Dave. After catching a small mangrove jack, Dave focus of catching a featherback on fly as they were well active in the evening time. After he dropped one on the first jump, he finally caught a nice one.

Dave was so happy, to tick one of the fish he had in his bucket list.

Congratulations Dave !!!

I know I will see you next season for another fly fishing day.

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

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Great popping and jigging trip with Singaporeans anglers

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Nice half day fishing with my son Paul

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A week ago, I have fished in Bolgoda Lake with my son Paul and one of his classmate for a short afternoon session.

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I have put the boys on some good spots and they have a blast with mangrove jacks. The last 30 minutes of fishing I joined them and I was lucky enough to caught a nice barramundi. Paul was so proud of his dad

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Lure of the day : Rapala Shadow Rap Deep in Fire Tiger Color (now this lure is in Paul's lure box )

Nico - Head Fishing Guide

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Fantastic popping and jigging fishing day

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

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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!!!!."

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

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Congratulations !!!

Tight Lines

Capt. Nico

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Nice fishing day at sea with Shane from Australia

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We gone mainly for popping, it was the first GT popping experience for Shane.

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He had 8 strikes and he caught 2 GT's, with a solid fish of 20kg+. He missed 2 big fish in the afternoon but he was happy to caught these first GT's ever on popping.

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Congratulations Shane ! It was nice to have you onboard Diviya and thanks for the tips regarding marlin fishing, I will have a try soon and let you know how it work in Sri Lanka

Tight lines

Capt. Nico