VoliVoli Resort take 2

My how time flies. I have actually not been out on our boat for almost four weeks.

Since my last post the weather turned to crap. I don't mean a little rain and wind, I mean blowing 25 knots for weeks on end and raining like the end of the world. Now I am usually the first to say, fish don't care if it rains, but this weather has been really nasty. We even have "very rough seas" warning put out by the weather people. So, needless to say not a lot of fishing has been done. On top of that I hurt my back,(more of that later).

We did get the chance to go away for a few days as it was Rosies birthday. I booked three nights at Volivoli Resort. I thought it might be romantic if we could do a bit of popper fishing with heavy gear. You know just the two of us and a skipper.

We stayed at Volivoli back in April, you can read about it here.

The owners are the Darling family and they are quite wonderful.

The staff are friendly and make you feel like family. Especially, Jenny, Sheba, Wise, Sasha, Pola, Ben, Bola, Amit, Lela, the night watchman, Puncture and all a few I can't remember their names.

We decided to take the back road to get there. We did this the first time also, only this time we had our own truck not a rental car.

From Volivoli 2

You can see the rod tube sticking out of the back end of the truck. I think we had more fishing gear than anything else.

Only about 15 km is not paved and even that was not bad. The new road is being built full swill and soon it will be a breeze to get to the top end of the island.

From Volivoli 2

It is a very scenic drive of about 3.5 - 4 hours. You go through some very pretty and clean villages.

From Volivoli 2

The life style and pace are just a little bit slower.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

Eventually you come out from the interior of the island and of course you are greeted with the sea.

From Volivoli 2

We arrived at the resort a little late to fish so it was time to relax and enjoy with our friends.

In this picture is Rosie and Jenny with a tanoa filled with kava.

From Volivoli 2

Nick's wife and child were in New Zealand so jugs kept him company.

From Volivoli 2

This image is me giving instructions to some of there resort guests on how to mix the kava.

From Volivoli 2

The next day we had to wait for the boats to return as the resort was full of scuba divers. We had a leisurely morning and snapped a few pictures for you all.

From Volivoli 2

The weather was less than stellar.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

When the boats finally returned and we got to go out, the weather had turned for the worst. Never mind, we are going fishing. Our captain was new to GT popping, but he new where to take us and I could direct the rest. We had a hell of a session. We landed six fish and raised another six in 1 1/2 hours.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

Rosie, first on the board.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

As you can see the weather was not very cooperative.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

This video shows how tough the these fish are. I am using 80lb braid with 120lb twisted leaders and 12kg of drag. By the end os this session I had pinched my sciatic nerve in my lower back. Although I fished the second day also I have paid a heavy price, as I am still laid up with a bad back.

Our second day out fishing proved to be harder than the first. We woke up early on to be greeted by cyclone type conditions.

From Volivoli 2

By noon Rosie and I decided to head to the bar as the weather was not letting up. Well we all know what happens when you go to the bar at noon, you start drinking. And drink we did until after 3:00 pm, when Nick said, "Look the weather is letting up, let's go fish".

So we did. Only this time it was rougher than before. To be honest, it was too rough for fishing in the boat we were in, but we had a few drinks in us and we wanted to fish.

After pounding our way out to the reefs we managed to land a few fish.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

We could not stay out very long as it was just too rough, but we did not get skunked.

The next morning we were leaving and of course the weather turned beautiful.

From Volivoli 2

We had a nice easy drive back to Pacific Harbour with lots of great scenery.

Here is a sugar cane train.

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

From Volivoli 2

I can't wait to get up to VoliVoli Resort again. The fishing is great and if I can get there with the weather good I know it will be epic.

That's all until my back gets better. I am still not 100%.

Tight Lines

Fishing Fiji Style

Navigating the waters of Fijian culture
If you plan to go to Fiji and guide yourself fishing then you should be prepared. With a little cultural forethought you will be fishing in no time and trouble free.

Fiji is not Australia or the United States. Culture and traditions still play a major role in everyday life and need to be respected. All of the waters inside the barrier reef system called qoliqoli (ngoly ngoly) are controlled by different villages. To obtain permission to fish the waters you will want to visit a village. You need to present yourself and a sevusevu (sayvu sayvu) or gift to the chief or headman of the particular village where you want to fish. The sevusevu should be Yaqona (yangona), which is the root of a plant of the pepper family. It is best if you have a local person to take you in to the village and do the talking for you.

Entering a village
The modern day village still has some cultural nuances. Modesty is at the forefront and should be practiced. Here are a few basic rules to follow. Women should wear a sulu (wrap-around) and no tank tops or bikini tops. Remove your hat when you enter a village. In most tropical countries it is accepted practice to remove your shoes before entering. Picture taking opportunities are plentiful inside of a village. The children will always find you and your camera first so be prepared as they love to see themselves on the digital camera screen. Most people do not mind having their picture taken but always ask first.

Performing a sevusevu
After you have entered the village it is now time to meet the chief or an elder. They are the highest member of the village and are the only ones who can give you permission to fish in their qoliqoli. When you enter the room everyone will be seated around a tanoa (Yaqona basin) and the chief should be sitting at the head. This part of your visit is deeply rooted in Fijian tradition. A very serious tone and definite role playing will make it seem like a solemn occasion. Luckily you only have to sit watch and listen. Someone will do the introductions for you. Most of the formalities will be in Fijian and then it should revert to English so you will not be left out.

Drinking Yaqona
Once your sevusevu is finished then it is time to drink Yaqona.
Yaqona is Fiji Islands' national drink. It is derived from the roots of a shrub belonging to the pepper family. The roots, called waka, are dried in the sun and pounded into a fine powder. It is prepared in a tanoa and then drunk from a bilo.
The tradition of drinking Yaqona goes back many generations, originally drunk only by the high priests. Yaqona was chewed by virgin girls and spit into a tanoa where it was then mixed with coconut water and plain water. It was used by the priests typically for visions and fortune telling. The tradition of drinking yaqona has evolved into a social affair. When strangers enter a Fijian village, they seek out the chief or village headman to ask for permission to enter and visit, and are expected to present some yaqona. It is now used as a social drink enjoyed by all and encourages a sense of well-being.
You will be handed a polished coconut shell called a bilo, with mixed Yaqona. Take the bilo from them and in one or two gulps finish all of it before you return the bilo to the server. Do not put the bilo on the floor, as it is bad manners. Once you have returned the bilo then you will cobo (thombo) or clap three times. Everyone there will also clap three times for each person who drinks. This is a basic guide, as each village will have some variation to their style of drinking Yaqona.

Yaqona------------------------------------ Bilo's --------------------------------Tanoa

Down to business
Now that the formalities are done you can relax a little and talk easy. There will be lots of question and some will seem a bit prying but all with good intentions.
This is a good time to find out what attractions the village has to offer. You can arrange a fishing guide, a full village tour, or some other excursions.
It is almost customary for Fijians to invite you to tea of lunch. Accepting this will also give you more chances for a real Fijian experience

Time to fish
Once this is done you will be free to fish in that village’s qoliqoli. You might want to have a local with you when you first go fishing, as they will be able to show you some of the good spots. If you want to do some casting over shallow reefs or in a river mouth then use your own knowledge of fishing and fish habits to ask the right questions. The locals will be able to show you where the reefs are and how to get to the mouth of a river.
If you want to hire a village boat then you will need to discuss this with them and prearrange a price. If you are going to be out in a remote location then you might also have to supply the fuel.

Going through this process you will find yourself in the heart of a Fijian village, experiencing real Fijian culture and I hope catching some nice fish.