Sport Fishing on Moorea
 

Does anyone have advice/input on the best way to spend a day/half day sportfishing on Moorea? My finance and I are spending our honeymoon in Moorea June 3 through 11 - and I'd like to get him a day/half day fishing excursion. Anyone have any idea how to go about this? Do they charter small boats? Is it easiest to go on a larger group boat? Thanks for any info...!

your hotel can help you. We went on a chartered boat that only held 11 people. It was expensive, but we caught a huge swordfish, at least that is what I remember it being. It weighed 300 lbs. They didn`t let us keep it, as it belongs to the boat. The boat sold it to Club Med, as I recall. The next year, we didn`t catch a thing.

remembered it was a blue marlin we caught. The guy who had the boat was named Chris. The hotels know all the fishing boat people, and will set you up. They pick you up at your hotel.

Thanks for the info Pat. Does anyone know of any fishing boats that actually let you keep your fish? Or at least not profit from the fish you catch after you've paid quite a bit to fish? Sorry if I sound upset - I was a little surprised by the info Pat left! Also, if anyone has an idea of the cost as well - that would be great.<BR>Thank you,<BR>Amy

Amy - I am just curious. What would you do with a fish if you were allowed to keep it? When we fished in Fiji the people who took us were so happy to have anything to take home to their families.

Louise prices in French Polynesia are astronomical, in league with anything anywhere in the world figure US$600-1,000/day for a Billfish Charter.<BR>In spite of this the Crew insists that they have the right to kill everything and sell it, even sell it back to the Clients!<BR>This is common throughout the Pacific, Hawaii is notorious for this odious practice, in reality there is little 'sport' involved it's all about killing really.<BR>So I understand Amy's reluctance to be part of such a scam.<BR>The thing to do is to INSIST that all Billfish be released before you leave the dock and tell the crew that you'll reimburse them something for doing so (US$10/fish is enough) on top of a regular tip.<BR>In theory this is great but a person still has to be vigilant and insistent.<BR>Also you have to make clear dead Billfish no tip, none.<BR>And please no lifting Billfish out of the water to take pictures it crushes their internal organs and they suffocate out of the water, among other things.<BR>Naturally enough this isn't a great way to 'make friends and influence people'.<BR>I know I've had to do it in Mexico, Hawaiii, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Fiji.<BR>The problem with taking a 'hotel boat' is that the Hotel takes a % of the charter price off the top, in Hawaii up to 40%, so the boat which doesn't work every day or even every week has to make some $$ somehow.<BR>You now know how.<BR>The thing to do is to walk down to the Dock when Boats are returning and talk to clients who have Chartered that day.<BR>Ask questions-How was the crew?Efficient?<BR>The boat clean, good gear?<BR>Any problems at all?<BR>Deal directly with the Captain anyone approaching you on the Dock should be ignored they are looking for a %.<BR>I let the boat keep all Tuna, Dorado or Wahoo but claim a fish for myself (and have it put on ice) for the Hotel/Restaurant to cook up later.<BR>Finally yes Amy it'll be easy to Charter a boat to fish around the Reef for a half day, although you may end up using a handline-absolute H*** on wheels!!<BR>All kinds of fun.<BR>Just don't jump into anything until you get there, see 'how the sea lies' before committing any $$$$$.