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G'day Mick:
Sounds like bones have gotten under your skin too!

Just wish there was a more local opportunity: Airfares are murder these days.

On Cocos the general run of fish is larger than Kiribati according to those who have fished both destinations. No need for small flies, so the general day-to-day working fly seems to be a #2 (or perhaps #4) mantis/shrimp/flats-creature pattern in sand or tan with a hint of orange. One of the guides liked a chartreuse or green hotspot. The guides didn't particularly like pink variants but I'm sure they would work OK. Bead-chain eyes for a soft landing when wading skinny water, and lead dumbell eyes for a quicker sink rate when casting from the skiff.

An 8-weight rod would be fine on Cocos IMHO but 9-weight is recommended for two reasons: there will be frequent occasions when a big bonefish will need to be controlled quickly to get it away from the reef sharks, and the possibility of shots at truly large fish including permit and bluefin trevally (and dare I say GTs!) is never far away!

My saltwater reels are the Danielsson F3W 7ten, bought directly from the company in Sweden when our dollar was strong. They are priced in kronor but the actual cost in AUD fluctuates with the US dollar. Danielsson made Loop flyreels in Sweden for decades before the Korean connection. I'd love to support local maker Harfin but the Daniellsons are much cheaper while still top-quality gear. Pricing issues with US-made reels these days unfortunately, especially the ~50USD asking for shipping and "import costs". Bloody pirates!

I should add that my 12-weight reel for billfish (and GTs!) is a Loop Megaloop that I picked up second-hand in unused condition many years ago. If I ever quit fishing I can always strip the line off and use it as a spare motorbike wheel!

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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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