Awesome fishing in Micronesia (you Guam guys, read!)

[c.lathe]

Just as a heads up to those living in the Pacific area, especially Guam, I wanted to give some information about the spearing here in Yap state in the Federated States of Micronesia: in short, it's amazing. I'm living in the Ulithi atoll (http://www.traveljournals.net/explore/micronesia/map/m4973539/ulithi_atoll.html), which is a short flight away from the capital island of Wa'ab, and there are islands in the atoll that get fished once or twice a year, trolling only. I've been to most of the islands, and the fish populations are amazing. I've seen huge grouper, Napoleon Wrasse, dogtooth, wahoo, several species of trevally, sweetlips etc. The awesome thing is that no-one, almost literally, comes out to do any spearfishing (myself and some other local guys excluded), so the big fish are big. Coming out to Ulithi can be a bit of a challenge; there is only one small airline that flies a 9-seat Beechcraft, and their flights can be a bit unreliable, but it's nothing insurmountable. If you want any more information, I can give you more info, like places to stay (homestays, since the local 'resort' is absurdly expensive for what you get, call me cheap), equipment etc.

[syrespect]

I've heard many stories about that place. One day i'll get over there. How's the cig problem there?

[njspearo]

i want to see some pictures dude!

[c.lathe]

Unfortunately, up until now, I haven't had a large gun to catch anything decent (part of why the fishing stays awesome out there!), just a 'local-style' reef fish pea shooter gun with inner-tube power bands. Couldn't really shoot anything larger than a pound or two, since the guns are freeshaft mostly. Working on getting some pictures from some spearos that came out awhile ago who caught a ~50 pound dogtooth and a few huge sweetlips (that's what they came out to look for). I'll post them when I get them.

About cig: It's nonexistent out here. I've eaten just about every type of fish imaginable (we spear for subsistence on the outer islands), and the local government hasn't issued any warnings for a long time, within the lifetime of the guys working at the local fisheries department.

[Bulit7]

prove it!!:D

[c.lathe]

Not caught spearing, but low-median representative of the wahoo this time of year:
http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q415/clathe1982/wahoothumb.jpg
Like I said, not many pictures yet of speared fish, but when I go out with my pea-shooter, I pass up shots on large fish constantly. Really. I swear. :P

[c.lathe]

Oh, and don't laugh at the shoes, they're ridiculously sturdy and last forever, all the locals wear them. Fashion is for prisses. :P

[Finbreaker]

I sent you a PM. I am trying to find some good spearing out here in Micronesia and it would be awesome to have a contact in Yap. Just let me know how to get there, I will even bring a few big guns for you to use!

[rhamil7]

How did you get to live in Micronesia? What are you doing for work & housing? I have been working summers in the caribbean and i'm looking to land a gig in the south pacific.. any ideas/tips on how to get over there would be much appreciated..

[Behslayer]

Hi Chad,

Did you get to meet up with Dave out in the Bukit and go for a little swim? Did the gun turn out okay for you?

[c.lathe]

I'm acually a Peace Corps volunteer, so a volunteer job may be a good way to go.

Wasn't able to get ahold of Dave the three days I was out there... no answer to either of the numbers you gave me. No problem though, was able to try my hand at surfing; definitely like being *under* the water and not above it. :P

Haven't tried the gun, but heading back out to the island in a few days, and will wear that thing out over the next few weeks, and I will post a few thoughts about the gun.

Got Finbreaker lined up with a trip in a few weeks out to Ulithi, and I'm sure he'll post something about the trip before I can. Can't wait, going to try to take him out to the very infrequently visited far islands in the atoll, should be awesome fishing.

[rhamil7]

Peace Corps! No way! I am graduating next year and have been seriously looking into the PC.. I wanted to request South pacific too! Did you request the south pacific? How likely is it that you are sent to the country or region that you want? What type of work are you doing out there??

[c.lathe]

Well, they are pretty flexible about where they put you, but the system works kind of counterintuitively: You basically tell them where you *don't* want to go, and places you would like to go, and they match your skillset up with the host-countries' needs. My wife and I applied and it took forever to finally get a placement; 2 years. Applying solo is much much easier, with placement times, from application to invitation sometimes being 90 days. I am teaching English here, which is becoming a pretty big program as far as Peace Corps go, so if you're serious, I would do some volunteer teaching/tutoring, and get as much volunteer time on your resume as possible, as that looks really good. Definitely do it, life will never look the same for you afterward!

[Hoff]

Finbreaker,
What, no invite for the trip? We got to plan a trip before I PCS back to the states.

[Finbreaker]

Hey Hoff, Man you are hard to track down! I have e-mailed you a couple of times. I am planning a couple more trips to other Micronesian islands this spring, and if this Yap trip goes as well as I think, I will go back. You should definitely come along! Looking at Kosrae and Pohnpei as well. Stay out of that heat coming down on Spearos over there in Oki!

[Hoff]

Finbeaker,
Didn't get any emails. I'll email you.

Mike

[Platypus]

Rick and his best friend Henni dove Ulithi Atoll just last year... Got heaps of pics.... ;)

[c.lathe]

Ahh, awesome, some pictures! I learned a lot from watching Rick and Henni, those guys mopped up out here, and that was only over a few days. Of course, few people could keep up with Rick and Henni. :P

[Finbreaker]

Whoa, Chad, that coral trout of Rick's is a hog! I won't be able to wait another week at this rate! You will have to force me out of the water!

[Platypus]

Rick had a wonderful time in Ulithi. The people were simply amazing and he could not have felt more welcomed. The diving was also FANTASTIC! :thumps: I was so jealous the whole time he was there! :D

Here is a photo that I gave to one of Hawaii's best young artists and she in turn made a portrait of it for me. Needless to say it means a lot to us especially as the Artist is also our Women's National Champion and dear friend: "Kimi Werner" !!!! Check her art out and you can see the portrait at www.kimiwernerart.com
That was one of many doggies he and Henni shot during their trip (also massive Coral Trouts, Giant Sweetlips and Trevallies). But that is my favorite picture. :up:

[BreathlessSight]

Ah! The signature throw it over your shoulder and flex your guns pose. I have seen its becoming quite famous. :D

[Platypus]

Ah! The signature throw it over your shoulder and flex your guns pose. I have seen its becoming quite famous. :D
Hey Kevin,
Hell, if I shoot a doggie I may try that pose too... :cool:

[BreathlessSight]

Hey Kevin,
Hell, if I shoot a doggie I may try that pose too... :cool:

Have fun! This old man would probably break another part of what little I have left of my own skeletal structure. :cool: Isnt that Rich or Daryls © signature pose anyway. If I remember right he was quite protective of it when it was first invented ;) But if I wanted to, is it ok if I use it?

:lol: Nice to hear from ya Ang! Rich still swimming in the channel for exercise and getting some good spearing in for fun? Hows the retired life? Shoot me a PM :thumps:

BTW, awesome photos of those fish!!! Doggies... Sure cant find those in too many places around the world. Fun fish to search for! Love the thread!!

[Platypus]

Have fun! This old man would probably break another part of what little I have left of my own skeletal structure. :cool: Isnt that Rich or Daryls © signature pose anyway. If I remember right he was quite protective of it when it was first invented ;) But if I wanted to, is it ok if I use it?

:lol: Nice to hear from ya Ang! Rich still swimming in the channel for exercise and getting some good spearing in for fun? Hows the retired life? Shoot me a PM :thumps:

BTW, awesome photos of those fish!!! Doggies... Sure cant find those in too many places around the world. Fun fish to search for! Love the thread!!
You might have to pay a royalty, but sure! You can use it!! ;) But it only works for big fish. I tried doing it with an aweoweo and it didn't have quite the same effect... :D C'mon Kevin - you aint that old!!

Nice to hear from you too, it's hard to keep track of you, where are you these days? Rick is limited to non-impact exercises, so yes, he swims a lot here on the Big Isle, but no channel, mostly South Point, and he is a strong swimmer. That's why I love diving with him, when the current gets too strong he tows me through it like a dead fish... ;) Retired life? Bah, sore subject... he is gone more now that he is "retired" than when he was active duty! But that may change in a couple months. :thumps: Oh, how'z your mum doing?

I am not expecting to shoot a dogtooth tuna, I have my eyes on another prize, but don't want to jinx myself. ;) Rick was just in Micronesia and shot a couple of those Yellow Spot Trevallies, I think the bigger one went over 19lbs!! :thumps:

I'm gonna shoot ya a PM, I know you don't have a shortage of divers to dive with, but if you are ever on the Big Island, let's get together, shoots.

Ang xo

[BreathlessSight]

I remember somone talking about how they saw RIck swimming in some harbor/channel. I oculd be mistaken but that same day the guy saw an Ahi. I would like to hit one of them or maybe an Ono. Last time I was there I was using Kurts gun and we ran into a sworm of them things. He swore he never seen em so thick. I thought he was trying to flatter me or something. But he got a good one but mine was hit too high. Im sure you saw my shot as an example of what not to do in "Oahu Still Get Fish". I wasnt use to the small euro gun :D :rofl:

Mom is doing well soaking up them retirement benifits and enjoying the great sunshine of South Carolina. I think she is glad she can settle down back home. Ill tell her you said hey when Im in WA next week.

Anyhow I dont want to throw this awesome thread of great pictures off any further. Glad to hear things are going well. Hopefully you guys can get down in this part of the world again to shoot nice doggies. :) They are a strange fish but somehow put off some sort of magestic touch. Love watching em swim and even like watching them go into shark like feeding frenzy even more. :thumps: