SPORTFISHING PNG

Jason Yip of www.sportfishingpng.net announces he has a few remaining spots for 2013 to fish the remote rivers of Papua New Guinea for PNG black bass and monster barramundi.  Papua New Guinea is located off the NorthEast  corner of Australia.  Here, virtually unfished rivers await your lure.  Monster black bass (Freshwater Papuan Black Snapper) and huge barramundi swim.  Jason has a few trips planned yearly to explore the remote Gulf Region where the largest bass are known to swim.  Here, you will stay with the local natives and experience a fantastic cultural experience along with great fishing.  The power of PNG black bass cannot be explained on paper.  Of all the freshwater species I have battled, PNG bass are at the top!  I doubt a 200+ lbs fishermen could be knocked to his face during the intial strike put on by the PNG black bass.  However this did happen to myself when my trophy 40+lbs bass hit my Rapala Shad Rap.

While fishing, you will see no others than the local natives.  Here flocks of birds and vibrant butterflies can be seen.  The weather is normally tropical with some rain.  Normally the trips start near the mouth where giant barramundi can be landed then you work down the river each day for barras and bass. 

This is truely a once in a lifetime experience.  Plus, all freshwater trophy hunters need to definately add Papua New Guinea black bass to their to do list!  These trips will up extremely fast so act ASAP to secure prime dates.  Lots of publicity have come to Papua New Guinea recently with articles in "In-Fisherman" and the IGFA "International Angler" on black bass.  Plus, Jason Yip was recently awareded the IGFA all tackle world record PNG bass while I was in camp.  However, Jason has seen much bigger bass waiting to strike your lure.
Steve Yatomi of www.adventuretravelalliance.com heads groups down to PNG each year.  Steve has the experience to offer advice on tackle, etc.  and help out with travel arrangements.  You can contact Steve at zato1@earthlink.net and of course you can always write me at doradokiller@hotmail.com with any questions!  PNG is the next hotspot so make sure to get in before the crowds come down!!

La Zona 2014

La Zona Lodge is currently taking reservations for the 2014 season.  La Zona is a section of the Uruguay River which seperates Argentina and Uruguary.  It sits near the Salto Grande Dam of which only 4 boats are allowed to fish in the zone and only during Friday to Monday.  La Zona boasts having the largest golden dorado on earth.  Dorado exceeding 40 pounds are landed weekly with the help of outstanding La Zona Lodge guides which know where these monsters swim year round.

Plans are currently being made by lodge owner, Hector Bradanini, to build a new lodge for next season.  A new fiberglass boat/ motor is being bought also.
Having fish La Zona for numerous years I can help answer any questions at doradokiller@hotmail.com.  For booking information contact Steve Yatomi at Adventure Travel Alliance.  Steve can provide priceless information on this fishery and can help out with travel arrangements to Argentina.  Steve can be reached at zato1@earthlink.net

These prime spots are in very high demand so act quickly to secure the fishing trip of your dreams!

DEEP DIVING LURES FOR MONSTER GOLDEN DORADO

When the water levels reach high levels in areas such as La Zona, one needs to utilize deep diving lures to get down to where the monsters lay.

For speices such as golden dorado, large lures over 7in which can dive to depths over 25ft are necessary.  These lures need to be able to run true at high speeds and are built tough enough to withstand pounding on rocks, arm breaking strikes,  etc.   A top priority is to have a wire through construction which will enable to fish to be landed when hooks are pulled out.

It is necessary at most times to replace the split rings with the triple coiled Wolverine rings and all hooks with srong Owner ST-66 or ST-76.  I often switch to a heavy mono leader when fishing around sharp rocks while being spooled with braided line.  A stout rod is necessary to feel the lure thumping in heavy currents.  I have found the Muskie series offered by Bass Pro Shops to be the best.  Some of the top deep diving lures I have had great succes with for monster golden dorado are the Yo-Zuri hydro Magnums, Rapala Mag 30, and the Sebile deep diving 7 1/2in Koolie Minnow.

SHIMANO SYMETRE FJ SPINNING REELS

Tom Ashby of www.americanlegacyfishing.com has really gone crazy with the price being offered for a new Shimano Symetre FJ 1000, 2000, or 3000.

  These are top of the line spinning reels.  I have used the Symetre with great success and without problems for the past 24 yrs while fishing for monster silver salmon on the Alaska Peninsula.  Give Tom a shout ASAP before these once in a life time deals are gone!

POPPERS FOR GOLDEN DORADO AND OTHER SPECIES

Nothing beats the excitement of having fish hit surface lures.  During low water conditons, poppers and choppers can produce some monster fish.  Cast these lures around rocks and other known structure.  For poppers try various retrieves sometimes producing loud popping sounds and others popping very fastly.  Some of the top golden dorado choppers are the Zayaia Minotaurio.  This popper can produce loud sounds and has large protruding eyes.

The Roosta Popper by Halco comes in various sizes.  I have used these poppers for golden dorado and Papua New Guinea black bass.  These lures have crisp rattles which can also tempt shy fish to strike.

Kermett Adams of www.klures.com makes a model of poppers which have been known to produce large golden dorado, monster peacock bass, and big largemouth bass.

So, make sure you add a few of these poppers to you assortment of tackle.  Practice beforehand and you might have some great topwater action and some monster fish!!

Baddest of the bad!!!

Having had the opportunity to fish worldwide for bad ass freshwater fish, I am often asked which is the baddest!  There are many items to take into account when rating fish.  Here are 4 of my favorite.

PAPUAN BLACK SNAPPER, aka NIUGINI BASS--These brutes are found in the very remote areas of Papua New Guinea, the Province of Papua, and Indonesia.  The flights from the USA are extremely long.  Weather in these jungle environments can be downright nasty!  Malaria strict environments, possibility of running into unfriendly natives, extreme heat, muddy water, herds of mosquitos, and pouring rains exist!  However the fishing can be downright amazing!  New Guinea Bass are extremely difficult to land.  They swim around huge logjams which they use for their advantage in breaking off lures, etc..   They can be fooled by deep diving lures along with topwater poppers given the right conditions.  They are flat out bulldogs running into the snags and do not jump much.  Pound for pound there is nothing which can top this guy!!  Broken rods, reel gears stripped, hooks bent, lines snapped, destroyed lures are common each day!  I was knocked down on my face by the force of  my trophy PNG bass and I weigh over 200lbs !  The IGFA all tackle record is 46lbs caught on the Kumimaipa River by friend Jason Yip who runs fishing adventures into the remote regions of PNG.  Jason has seen bass much largers than his record!  Good luck landing that one!!

GOLDEN DORADO   These brutes are found in Argentina and Paraguay.  Currently, the largest dorado are swimming in La Zona which is a section of the Uruguay River near the Salto Grande Dam which seperates Argentina and Uruguay.  These guys are tremendous battlers often leaping numberous times to toss your lure. The golden dorado uses fast currents to their advantage.  Deep diving lures and topwater poppers and choppers are used to land these monsters.  In La Zona there is not much to worry about as you are not in a jungle environment.  The nearest town in Concorida which has all the luxuries of home.  La Zona Lodge is a top notch luxury lodge which books 4 anglers into the zone.  Another operator based on the Uruguay side offers the same.  Only 4 boats are allowed in the zone and only 4 days per week.  Weather does not get extrememly hot and 4 seasons are observed.  Broken rods, lures, lines, hooks, etc are seen each day with the dorado also!  The current world record is set at 55lbs 11oz, but larger dorado exist!

TIGERFISH  These toothy critters swim in the waters of Africa.  I fished in Tanzania on the Ruhuji and Mnyera Rivers which are a long ways from the USA.  Tigerfish swim in packs and destroy lures.  They are very fast swimmers and leap numerous times to toss the lure.  They can be landed on diving lures along with topwater.  Their teeth will literally destroy lures and lines.  The exist in a harsh environment where malaria exists!  Crocodiles and with hippos are swimming along with the tigerfish and pose a treat!  The scenery is tigerfish country is amazing!  Large herds of wildlife can be seen daily.  In my opinion tigerfish do not possess the power the PNG bass or golden dorado has!  However their teeth can be downright intimidating!  The current world record tigerfish is 35lbs 7oz.  These are not the goliath tigerfish you might have seen on the popular River Monster television show.

PEACOCK BASS--These brutes are very popular with American fishermen.  South American holds with largest peacocks espeically in countries such as Brazil.  The Amazon jungle is home.  Peacocks are very colorful, downright beautiful.  They possess extrememly fast swimming ability and have a downright mad attitude!  They hit all types of lures and are known for their ability to crush surface choppers and poppers.  The Amazon has malaria and other types of dangers.  Pouring rains and hotter than hell temperatures exist!  The current world record peacock bass is 29lbs 1oz landed on the Santa Isabel Do Rio Negro!  I believe there is peacocks larger than this.

I have also had the opportunity to land monster Mekong Catfish, Siamese Carp, Redtail Cats, arapaima, payara, huge lake trout, big king salmon, among others.  Still on the list are Nile Perch, taimen, plus others.

Which species is your baddest of the bad??  I have my opinion, but will keep it to myself!