By John Cahill
Ebb Tide Adventures and Adhek Sport Fishing have just hosted four clients over the October full moon phase - usually a time when things start to fire up on the GT front in Bali. Day one saw Adhek ill and his son Rezza fill his shoes along with skipper Kasmir and top guide Gede. Clients Marc, Craig and Chris were soon into the swing of things at Batu Abah and popping like men possessed. A lazy current at odds with the predicted hi flow with the full moon concerned me greatly however a reasonable bite ensued with 7 bites and 5 fish boated. Not at all bad for a 'poor' day in Bali. The star performer was the Adhek Bali Cuttle popper with a River 2 Sea Doggie sinking stick bait also claiming a scalp. A highlight of the day was a long standing ambition to jump in and swim a GT fulfilled - priceless to watch this girl swim away. With day one done and dusted everyone had scored a GT. Day two saw the arrival of another client David and an early start had
us making the considerable trek to Lombok, some two hours or so from the
port at Benoa. Again Adhek was unwell and we had the same crew as day
one. On arrival at Lombok the water looked wicked and the current was
running hard - the day proved to be a bit of a disappointment however
with many follows but not one positive hit from a GT. This was at
complete odds with the conditions and fish numbers we came across, but that's fishing, the GT's had a dose of lock jaw. A couple of extremely
large and smelly barracuda and some nice eating Almacojacks taken on jig
saved the day from being a loss, as well as the scenery.
Day 3 was back to Batu Abah and a slight change of crew. With Adhek
still unwell the boys did a tag team and Rezza had commitments so Angga
stepped in; capable lads these Amerta boys Adhek should be proud! The
main popping site was again flat - this full moon was not producing the
tides and current that had been expected but the water was flogged with
poppers and stick baits by the eager but tiring crew. The day produced 9
bites for 4 boated GT's and quite a few other half swipes and
boils..... not bad at all for a slow current day in Bali. A solid
bricking by a much better than average GT kept the imagination firing
for next time..... the Adhek Bali Pom Pom popper was the versatile star
performer this day. A very amusing and slightly embarrassing side note
that concerns myself must be told .... Early after lunch I found myself
on the bow casting platform - as I fired in my first cast of the
afternoon using the new Adhek Big Buffalo popper (it casts a mile), I
was met with a strike on the 3rd pop that I was not quite prepared for.
Banging hard against the bow rail and hanging on for dear life I struck
the fish from an awkward position and managed to somehow lose my grip
completely as the rod sailed over the rail and into the drink....
without too much thinking a dive in saw the rod in my hands and a swim
against a fish that was now behaving itself saw the rod in safe hands.
Climbing aboard sans my new pair of Spotters sunglasses (grrrrrrr) I
grabbed the rod again and thankfully finished the business. It shows
the power and ferocity of even a modest sized GT and the weakness of my
girly wrists!. A reminder to myself to pay attention - and hang on!
But that's what I love about GT top water fishing - the violence!!!!
Ebb Tide Adventures and Adhek Sport Fishing have just hosted four clients over the October full moon phase - usually a time when things start to fire up on the GT front in Bali. Day one saw Adhek ill and his son Rezza fill his shoes along with skipper Kasmir and top guide Gede. Clients Marc, Craig and Chris were soon into the swing of things at Batu Abah and popping like men possessed. A lazy current at odds with the predicted hi flow with the full moon concerned me greatly however a reasonable bite ensued with 7 bites and 5 fish boated. Not at all bad for a 'poor' day in Bali. The star performer was the Adhek Bali Cuttle popper with a River 2 Sea Doggie sinking stick bait also claiming a scalp. A highlight of the day was a long standing ambition to jump in and swim a GT fulfilled - priceless to watch this girl swim away. With day one done and dusted everyone had scored a GT. Day two saw the arrival of another client David and an early start had
us making the considerable trek to Lombok, some two hours or so from the
port at Benoa. Again Adhek was unwell and we had the same crew as day
one. On arrival at Lombok the water looked wicked and the current was
running hard - the day proved to be a bit of a disappointment however
with many follows but not one positive hit from a GT. This was at
complete odds with the conditions and fish numbers we came across, but that's fishing, the GT's had a dose of lock jaw. A couple of extremely
large and smelly barracuda and some nice eating Almacojacks taken on jig
saved the day from being a loss, as well as the scenery. 
Day 3 was back to Batu Abah and a slight change of crew. With Adhek
still unwell the boys did a tag team and Rezza had commitments so Angga
stepped in; capable lads these Amerta boys Adhek should be proud! The
main popping site was again flat - this full moon was not producing the
tides and current that had been expected but the water was flogged with
poppers and stick baits by the eager but tiring crew. The day produced 9
bites for 4 boated GT's and quite a few other half swipes and
boils..... not bad at all for a slow current day in Bali. A solid
bricking by a much better than average GT kept the imagination firing
for next time..... the Adhek Bali Pom Pom popper was the versatile star
performer this day. A very amusing and slightly embarrassing side note
that concerns myself must be told .... Early after lunch I found myself
on the bow casting platform - as I fired in my first cast of the
afternoon using the new Adhek Big Buffalo popper (it casts a mile), I
was met with a strike on the 3rd pop that I was not quite prepared for.
Banging hard against the bow rail and hanging on for dear life I struck
the fish from an awkward position and managed to somehow lose my grip
completely as the rod sailed over the rail and into the drink....
without too much thinking a dive in saw the rod in my hands and a swim
against a fish that was now behaving itself saw the rod in safe hands.
Climbing aboard sans my new pair of Spotters sunglasses (grrrrrrr) I
grabbed the rod again and thankfully finished the business. It shows
the power and ferocity of even a modest sized GT and the weakness of my
girly wrists!. A reminder to myself to pay attention - and hang on!
But that's what I love about GT top water fishing - the violence!!!!
