Description
This island group is known for the most ultimate pictures of beautiful white beaches and blue seas. The Maldives offer the ultimate summer beach vacation. And for us fishermen, big GTs, tuna, wahoo, barracuda, sailfish, marlin or grouper fit in perfectly. Here we have the ideal and ultimate fishing trip.
Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, consists of 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean southwest of India. In total, there are no less than 1190 coral islands spread over an area of about 90,000 km². But the total land area is only just under 300 km². The largest island is 5 km² and there are only 9 islands larger than 2 km². Two hundred islands are inhabited and of these, 88 are set up as tourist resorts.
This location is located on the island of Keyodhoo and is 80 kilometers from the capital Male. The island is a typical fishing island of the Vaavu Atoll. This atoll is barely inhabited and barely used for tourism. You are staying on the island together with the local population but then without the large and expensive resorts. Here you have overwhelming sandbanks, deserted islands and untouched reefs where you can snorkel endlessly.
On Keyodhoo there are several small stores for daily needs as well as a school, mini clinic, mosque, restaurant and souvenir shop. Part of the beach is reserved for tourists but there are also tours offered to deserted islands with beautiful islands. In the two small local cafes you can enjoy the local delicacies in combination with coffee or tea. The local harbor is lively in the afternoon when the boats return from sea. There is a volleyball court and the locals play cards. No resort with cultivated beaches and excessive luxury but together with the locals, making memories and enjoying the friendly people and the impressive island.
Keyodhoo is one of the easternmost islands of the Maldives and because of that you have direct access to the endless Indian Ocean. In addition you have the opportunity to do every type of fishing imaginable. Popping, jigging, trolling, live bait, fly fishing, bottom fishing and whatever else you can think of. Here it's all possible. And the list of species to catch is almost endless. Giant travelly, bluefin trevally, jacks, sailfish, marlin, dogtooth tuna, yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, bonito, mah mahi, barracuda, wahoo, sharks, groupers, snappers and so on. And there are regularly very large specimens among them!
Most fishing is done on the outer reefs of the atolls. Here the seabottom reaches down to depths of 1000 and 2000 meters, also called drop offs. This is the place where the waves break on the reefs and that is also the favorite place for many species including the GT.
Various currents and "Ripps" run along the atolls. The large tidal difference and the shallow areas of the atoll create an interesting current for fishing. Here you can go perfectly trolling with artificial lures or natural bait. Particularly successful is the southernmost tip of the Vavuu Atoll. Here the drop off runs to more than 2000 meters depth and different currents come together. Fishing is also done on the inside of the atolls, but the chances of losing a fish due to line damage are considerably higher.
Unlike the luxury resorts, fishing from the shore/beach or sandbars is allowed on the island of Keyodhoo. This is often an ideal place for fly fishermen to wade in search of our fishy friends. If you want to flyfish with the boat there is always a guide / spotter on board to assist.
This location is situated on a typical fishing island and not a tourist resort island. This means that fish that are too damaged or lack strength to be released are used as food for the entire local population. So where possible there is catch & release but fish are also used as regular food. Sharks are protected and should be released at all times and as soon as possible.
It is also possible to spend a day fishing the traditional Maldivian way. First, many small baitfish are caught and then the tuna schools are sought. Then, with a traditional stick and line, you catch the fish and pull them in at once. Hard work and lots of fish but you have to like it because this is not really sportfishing.
Location
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Keyodhoo, Maldives
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