Most of our customers come from far and tend to optimize their trip with 2 fishing sessions: a 89h on Hawkins and a second one between 48h and 82h on the Eastern Bank. Both are mythical! However, in May we wrote “numerous spots around Rodrigues let us expect big surprises”.
Activity is very very nice on the Hawkins Bank trolling, mainly with wahoos (29 kg for the biggest) and yellowfin tunas (30 kg for the biggest). However, jigging is not that good because of bad currents. We shall then stay 2 days on Hawkins to finish by a whole day around Rodrigues, where the jigs pleased a little more red coral trouts, doggies, trevallies, jobfish, spangled emperors, sharks. Baiting will make the difference. Charles Rubis will remember for quite a long time this very big strike on 22nd October. Within 20 min, he caught a 97kg dogtooth tuna on live bait (catalina) with a VMC circle hook. It is the 3rd biggest doggy aboard Black Marlin. This piece weighed 17h after being caught, boded to be over 100kg while caught. A 49kg doggy is a nice piece of fish, caught by Claudius but near by the 97kg one, it’s not that big after all! No worries Claudius, your tenacity will be rewarded!

wahoo – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

yellowfin tuna on heavy spinning – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

grouper on jigging – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

funny bottomfishing – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

97kg doggy on baiting by charles – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

49kg doggy by Claudius – Rod Fishing Club – Rodrigues Island – Mauritius – Indian Ocean

We are often asked the same questions: what line? What brake? What leader? In fact, as concerns jigging, brakes have never changed since March 2005: 7 to 8kg on strike and 10 to 11kg on fight, according to the situation. Our 4 rods are equipped with 65lb and 80lb tresse. We tend to use more and more 65lb with a 130lb and even 150 lb leader. Rods are lighter and lighter and more flexible than before, in order to get better sensations, since doggies are mainly below 50 kg. However, good tackle is required.
In Rodrigues, impediments are few. No under water structures like in Vanuatu for example. We fish by an average of 50-55m depth. Fish does not need to be bridled then. On big strike, the boat follows.