Tahiti's Magical Fisheries

© WWA

Tahiti inspired Melville’s early works and enchanted Marlon Brando while he filmed Mutiny on the Bounty. Out beyond the postcard scenery is an awesome blue marlin fishery. I recently talked with local expert Thierry Kiou for the lowdown on this mystical group of islands.© WWA1560 pound blue marlin caught by Francis Bonnet and Anana Tavanae in 1986.

Aside from the beaches and the mountains and ridiculously beautiful scenery, what makes Tahiti special?

French Polynesia has 118 islands spread out over 1.5 million square miles of the South Pacific. It’s a really vast fishing territory. There are five main archipelagos: the Society, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier and Austral.

What is the history of sportfishing in Tahiti? Tell me about the Club Haura.

The Haura Club de Tahiti was created in 1962 by International Game Fish Association (IGFA) representative Mr. Alban Ellacott. This helped standardize tackle and techniques by adhering to IGFA rules.

What about notable catches?

© WWAOne catch that stands out is a monster blue marlin caught in 1968 by a local commercial tuna boat skipper Marii Teriipaia and his son. They captured the marlin using a live yellowfin tuna and a Japanese cord (a heavy hand line) between the islands of Tahaa and Bora Bora. The fish was estimated to weigh over 3,000 pounds. The actual weight of this marlin is still debated today, as at that time no certified IGFA scale was available. According to legend, the fish was cut for weighing and the Raiatea market scale showed an amazing 2,000 pounds for the flesh only. In 1986, Francis Bonnet and Anana Tavanae caught a massive blue marlin between the islands of Tahiti and Tetiaroa (a.k.a. Marlon Brando Island). It weighed 1,560 pounds. This catch was weighed on the IGFA scale of the Haura Club de Tahiti. I think it is one of the biggest blues ever caught on rod and reel in the world. Each year several grander blue marlin are caught here in Tahiti and French Polynesia Islands, but we have a big problem weighing them. Most of the time we only estimate the fish or cut them in several pieces and weigh them. This only gives us an approximate weight.

How large is the charter fleet? How pricey?© WWA...And even better views.© WWA400 miles from Hawaii and smack dab in the middle of the Pacific, Tahiti has some amazing fishing...

Very small. Most of the boats are located in the island of Tahiti (eight boats), Moorea (two boats), Raiatea (four boats) and Bora Bora (four boats). Charter prices vary, but we have to import all the diesel for the boats, so it can get expensive. Import fees cost a lot and the diesel price is around $4.80 per gallon. We have a Bertram 28 and 31, a Blackin 32, a Davis 47 and 57, a Blackwatch and a Riviera.

What’s the best season?© WWAThe 3,000-plus pound blue marlin caught by local fishermen Marii Teriipaia and his son.

We can fish all year, but for big blue marlin the best season runs from January to June. Striped marlin will show in June, July and August. Yellowfin tuna will be year round, but big ones show up in November to May. Mahi-mahi will be year round. Wahoo will be year round, but for monsters you have to go to the Austral Islands in June and July. Wahoo there run from 50 to 170 pounds.

What percentage of charter trips can one expect to see blue marlin or black marlin?

Blue marlin will be the most captured marlin year around. Black marlin will be accidental catches.

What’s the preferred method for most charters—live bait, trolling lures, fishing
Fish Aggregate Devices (FADs)?

Nearly all the charters troll lures. We We also have many FADs to fish around.

Departure time and return?

Fishing departure time is around 7:30 a.m. Half-days end at noon. Full days end at 4 p.m.

What are the average sea conditions?

Most of the time it’s moderate to choppy. Sometimes it gets very rough, especially in our winter season (June and July) with a strong wind from east-southeast.

How do charter captains feel about tagging and releasing?

© WWAMost of the charter boats do not tag and release the fish unless the client requests it. They keep the fish for eating or selling. Island life is really sustained by the sea. Most of the time the client gives the catch to the captain.

Do any captains practice light tackle?

For offshore fishing there’s really no light tackle. Everything is heavy with 80 and 130 class reels.

Tahiti is famous as a holiday spot. Is there a range of accommodations?

You can find all classes of accommodations, from cheap guesthouses to very pricey over-the-water bungalows. You will find information on hotels, trips and what to do in Tahiti at www.tahiti-tourisme.com.

What’s the cuisine like?

There’s all kind of food. Many restaurants offer French food because of our history. There’s also Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai. The traditional Tahitian food is served on Sunday in most major hotel chains.

What is there to do when you’re not fishing?

In Tahiti and Moorea you can visit the waterfalls and vistas of the interior of the islands via safari tours. In Huahine and Raiatea there are similar tours, and you can visit a Tahitian traditional conservation area. In Bora Bora you can visit areas where the U.S. Army placed armaments during WWII.

How is the diving?

Some of the best in the world. Rangiroa in the Tuamotu islands is one of the best places in the world for shark feeding.

Is English understood by most of the people living in Tahiti?

Yes, most people at least speak some English.

What’s the best way to get to Tahiti?

Los Angeles is the best way to get to Tahiti because it is only eight hours by plane. Air Tahiti Nui operates daily flights to Tahiti from Los Angeles, and Air France operates several flights a week. Hawaii is another option. It’s five hours away. Air Tahiti Nui also has one flight a week out of New York City.

What about passports and visas?

There are no visas needed. You only need your passport and drivers license if you plan to rent a car.

» Gallery

» Gallery