Early records are hard to locate, but flyfishing for GTs most likely began in the Pacific Ocean on Christmas Island (Kiritimati). The earliest records there of fishermen actually targeting these predators on the fly is from the late 1970s. Fishermen flocked there as one of the first international flats destinations to open after the development of saltwater flyfishing in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. I am sure that many people probably tried to catch trevally with traditional methods on the Hawaiian Islands where the species was revered before then, but very little has been documented. I can only imagine the experiences of those early flyfishing explorers, fresh from the Florida tarpon flats; happily bonefishing on some large expanse when out of left field a GT charged in and removed the prize from their line. The piscatorial version of a UFO sighting!
Michael Poor& Moana Kofe, Christmas Island
It was only a question of time before some of those flyfishermen tried specifically to target this mugger and they were completely astounded by their aggressive power. In the 1970s the first generation of guides operating out of the Captain Cook Hotel on the island began to unravel the GTs habits, patterns and even moods. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Zen Masters of flyfishing’ these early guides included such names as Simon Corrie, Big Eddie, Tebaki, Pilau, and of course Moana Kofe. Sadly some are no longer with us while others such as Simon and Moana are still guiding. These pioneers of the sport were the first to begin to think about how to specifically target GTs and unlock their mystery. A handful of their clients became equally obsessed and began to dedicate some serious time and effort to landing these beasts.
Early pioneer Tim Pask, Christmas Island
At that time the tackle used was adapted from the tarpon flats, so 10-12# rods, saltwater lines of the time which required regular application of silicone to make them shoot in the tropical heat; light braided cores and light shock tippet with IGFA class tippets would have been the order of the day. To land a GT on this light gear, especially light flyline cores, meant many cut or snapped lines. It must have been exceptionally tough, making the achievements only more laudable. Up to this point, GT fishing was conducted for an evening giggle at ‘cocktail time’. The original ‘local special’ was a piece of white PVC piping threaded with 80lb wire and a massive treble hook. Local guides would hold clients up in the surf to prevent them being knocked down and lacerated on the sharp coral.
Early fly patterns were also adapted from tarpon fishing, yellow and red deceivers and cockroach patterns being favoured. Smaller hook sizes such as 1/0 and 2/0 were preferred for their greater penetration as there were none of the cutting point hooks we have today. A small band of dedicated anglers appeared such as Richard Humphrey, Jerry Swanson, Lance and Randall Kaufmann, Tim Pask and a few others who spent nearly all their time hunting these fish above all other species. Richard Humphrey would target GTs for two weeks a year, twice a year, and held the IGFA record for a time of 62lb landed on a 10# as his guide was carrying his 12# at the time! They believed that if you wanted to hunt for them specifically then rather than have the guide carry the 12# and carry an 8# then you needed to have the 12# in your hand all the time or when the opportunity arose it would be missed. These dedicated few, along with a handful of converts, began to explore some of the other Pacific fisheries such as Midway Island, Bikini Atoll and Kanton Island. Although Midway’s primary focus was marlin and the bluewater fishery, Captain Ed Hughes and some intrepid anglers explored the eight-kilometre-square lagoon and hit some massive GTs in the mid 1990s.
From the mid 1980s, GTs were also being fished for in South Africa and other countries along the Eastern African cast line. Referred to as iggies, ignoblis, kingies or kingfish, fishing for them was concentrated in the reef surf line and estuaries, a tricky environment at the best of times. As there are no areas of typical flats, it made hunting particularly tough, with GTs being consider
