Christmas Island

PRONUNCIATION: With the country name, locals pronounce the ‘ti’ in ‘Kiribati’ as an ‘s’; therefore, the proper way to pronounce ‘Kiribati’ is ‘Kiribas’ TARGET SPECIES: Bonefish, with some possibilities for giant trevally, triggerfish, golden trevally, bluefin trevally, milkfish and more MAJOR AIR HUBS: Cassidy International Airport on Kiritimati (CXI) DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: Valid passport. No visa required for most countries. SEASON: Year-round LANGUAGES: Gilbertese (also called I-Kiribati) and English CAPITAL: South Tarawa

Halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand in the middle of the South Pacific sits Kiritimati — the world’s largest atoll and a destination that is better known in angling circles as Christmas Island. It takes a bit of time to get here, but once you arrive, you’ll find a massive saltwater wilderness area that is home to staggering numbers of bonefish and solid populations of milkfish, triggerfish, giant trevally, golden trevally and numerous other species. Since first emerging as a destination flats fishery in the mid-1980s, Christmas Island has continued to deliver great flats fishing experiences and consistent numbers of fish on a year-round basis.

Christmas Island is one of our favorite places for anglers that are fairly new to saltwater fishing, as strong populations of cooperative bonefish can be found any month of the year. These bonefish are the main target species on Christmas Island, where one-to-three-pound fish thrive in the shallow waters of the atoll. The endless interior and exterior flats of Christmas Island offer a mix of hard white sand, coral and turtle grass bottoms, creating the ideal setting for wade fishing and exploring on foot. If you are new to saltwater fishing, we consider this a great first-trip destination.

Aside from the dependable bonefishing, another thing that we love about fishing Christmas Island is the diversity of species that can be targeted with a fly rod. The atoll is home to three different and unique species of challenging and hard-fighting triggerfish. These waters also offer opportunities for several species of trevally, including bluefin, golden and giant trevally. While the atoll’s large populations of milkfish are usually found in deeper channels and in the blue waters that surround the fishery, they can at times be targeted while tailing on the flats. The offshore fishing in the deep waters that surround Christmas Island can also be productive, with strong numbers of barracuda, giant trevally, wahoo, Mahi Mahi, sharks and the occasional marlin.

We will mention that Christmas Island may not be the ideal location for everyone, as the accommodations, food and overall setting can be a bit on the basic and “rustic” side. That said, if you’re an angler that appreciates a solid fishing-focused destination with great wade fishing opportunities, long days on the water, and an attractive overall price point, then Christmas should indeed be on your own personal Christmas list! These trips also pair well with bonefishing trips on Oahu in Hawaii, as well as non-angling vacation itineraries throughout the Hawaiian islands. It should be noted that there is only one flight per week to Christmas Island from Honolulu every Tuesday morning. This Fiji Airlines flight is around three-and-a-half hours from Honolulu.

One of the most established and proven lodge operations on the entire atoll, The Villages offers a premier location and a fantastic overall layout. The fishing boats depart from the beach directly in front of the lodge each morning, making everything about this operation easy, convenient and close. With a client-to-guide ratio of one-to-one, anglers are assigned their own personal guide each morning. With a friendly staff, good food and an extremely “fishy” atmosphere, The Villages features several small, air-conditioned cabanas outfitted to accommodate two anglers per room. The lodge has a large indoor dining area with air conditioning, as well as a covered outdoor lounge and bar area, where cocktails and appetizers are served after each day on the flats. Over the course of a standard week, anglers can expect to fish the expansive bonefish flats located in close proximity to the lodge, as well as the interior lagoons of the atoll, the remote “backcountry” areas, the far side of the atoll near the famous Korean Wreck, and offshore waters for milkfish and tuna.

Ikari House is one of the nicer, “newer” operations on the island, offering comfortable air-conditioned accommodations, an experienced guide staff and good food. All of the lodge’s double occupancy bedrooms feature private bathrooms with consistent water pressure, comfortable single beds and icecold A/C units. Ikari House utilizes several very unique, locally-crafted, outrigger-style transfer boats to access the flats. The boats are very reliable and offer anglers a fun and effective mode of transportation to and from various fisheries. This is an excellent destination for beginner saltwater fly anglers due to the sheer numbers of bonefish found all throughout the shallow waters of the atoll, and also ideal for those that love to walk and wade. Aside from the dependable bonefishing, the atoll is home to three unique species of triggers and several species of trevally, including bluefin, golden and giant.