Matt O’Brien’s Trip Trifecta

March 17th, 2011 | By Ocean Blue

We have recently arrived back from a wonderful week’s fishing at Ono Island, Fiji. I would like to thank David and Rowan from Oceanblue for organising another great trip. This was my third Oceanblue trip in 12 months and I am happy to say this trip was the best yet.

The fishing highlights of the trip for me included landing my biggest GT to date, a 36kg back-breaking brute of a fish after watching it smash my Sebile Popper on the surface, catching a great Coral Trout and a 6ft reef shark on a ‘Octa’ Jig and battling and eventually landing numerous other GT’s from the reef, just inside the crashing swell.

The fishing at Ono was some of the best I have ever experienced and it’s stunning scenery was simply breathtaking. After spending over 8 tiring hours a day throwing big poppers and dropping jigs, it was a pleasure arriving back to Oneta resort each afternoon. The resort itself is beautiful, set by the water’s edge and surrounded by lush green vegetation, and then there is our host, Piero and his amazing staff. I have never experienced such kind and friendly people, it really was a pleasure staying there and getting to know them all.

I cannot thank Piero, Simeli, Joe, Kara and the rest of the staff for their amazing hospitality. It was truly unforgettable and I cannot wait to go back there with Ocean Blue.

Matt O’Brien

Danny & The Dogtooth – Ono Island, Fiji

June 11th, 2010 | By Rowan Stanek

Dan Theodoulou’s first jig dropped off Ono Island produces a new resort record – 65kg of angry, gaff-bending dogtooth tuna!

Ono Island Article in NZ Fishing News!

December 14th, 2009 | By Rowan Stanek

Click the link below to view the pdf of Mark Kitteridge’s article on Ono Island, published in the June 2009 issue of NZ Fishing News.

Ono – Island of Giants

Remote Ono Fiji Report

June 16th, 2009 | By David Noble

One of our clients, John Westcott, recently returned from a 6 day adventure on Ono Island. This is the report he emailed me this morning:

‘We were picked up from the airport by the team from Ono upon our arrival. We packed our gear into the boat for the trip to Ono, and 30 minutes into the transfer we came upon a football field-sized school of Yellowfin Tuna and Mahi Mahi (dolphin fish), with Pilot Whales breaching around it and birds diving everywhere! Half an hour of quick fishing and a mad scramble to get rods out of tubes and we had 3 Yellowfin and a Mahi Mahi on board, all within an hour of stepping off the plane! High fives all-round and then we continued on our way to the resort. We all thought, “If it’s going to be like this, it we will have the best trip ever!” Quite simply, it was!

We caught big numbers of GT’s every day, and Red Bass were shouldering each other out of the way to get to the poppers!! A great range of fish were caught; Dogtooth Tuna, GT’s, Red bass,Yellow Fin Tuna, Coral Trout, Walu (Spaniards) and Jobfish to name a few. We were totally worn out at the end of every day from the fishing. Upon arriving back at the resort each afternoon, we were well looked after by Piero’s awesome staff and barely had to lift a finger, other than to ask for one more beer! Remote fishing adventure at it’s best! We had untouched reefs to snorkel on while having a lunch break and resting our aching bones. We will definitely be going back! Oh yeah, the food simply awesome, big thanks to Kara for fantastic meals morning and night!!

I wish to give a big “double thumbs” up to Ocean Blue for organising the best fishing adventure that my three mates and I have ever had!

Below are a few photos of the trip;

Regards,  John Westcott and team.’

Modern Fishing Cover, June 2009

May 28th, 2009 | By Rowan Stanek

1 Week On Ono Island, February 2009

May 28th, 2009 | By David Noble

I’ve recently returned from a fantastic week away sportfishing Ono island, Fiji. I was accompanied by Brent Delaney (Modern Fishing), Mark Kitteridge (NZ Fishing News) and Sydney angler/photographer Kerry Wilson. All top anglers and really good guys to share the experience with. The angler’s lodge is a quality sport fisherman’s ecolodge and we enjoyed superb food and great facilities, did I mention the resort masseuse was very good also!

The fishing turned on quality and quantity! On poppers we caught GT’s, yellowfin tuna, red bass, maori wrasse, bluefin trevally and longnose emperor to name a few. Plenty of highlights, including coming across a school of yellowfin on our boat transfer from the Kadavu airport to the resort! I quickly rigged up and was hooked up to a feisty YFT within 30mins of stepping off the plane. What a welcome!

The next morning Kerry got a 25kg GT on one of his first casts of the trip! We also enjoyed a triple hookup on GT’s in the shallows, with all fish landed. Mark wasn’t as lucky only half an hour later when a big GT hit his popper and powered back over the shallow reef break and into the lagoon. The video footage we got of the fight is quite something!

On jigs we caught dogtooth tuna, red bass, XOS GT, pukapuka (red snapper), mangrove jack and more. The jigging we experienced was as good as the popping. Each session had it standout event!!

I’m really looking forward to reliving the experience in the upcoming magazine articles, keep an eye out for these! Till then, I have some great memories, awesome photo’s and some pretty tragic poppers and jigs to remember it by.

David Noble

Ono Island January Trip Report

May 28th, 2009 | By David Noble

Hi David,
We arrived home safe and sound, but very sad to have to leave Ono. We had an absolutely amazing experience and although we had very high expectations of the trip – they were exceeded on all accounts!! Piero is an absolutely first rate guy and together with Johnny so knowledgeable and great at passing on their knowledge. He has done a great job with the people he has there and no reasonable person could fail to be blown away by the location, the people and the fishing.

We caught Yellowfin, GT, bluefin trevally, red bass, coral trout, cod, emperor (and a quite large shark on a popper!) – and for total novices at this kind of fishing it was an awesome and eye opening experience. My son caught his first trevally within 15 mins of getting off the plane in Vunisea – amazing! All three of us have memories and experiences that we will carry for a lifetime.

As my first experience at this type of fishing I’m now totally addicted – I will without a shadow of a doubt be returning to Ono – just have to work out my timing. I would like to thank you for putting us onto Ono island and the excellent and personal service I have enjoyed throughout the whole experience. I’ll touch base with you re another trip, might try and make it for the Wahoo season!

Cheers, Stuart Smith