Trip Report - Christmas Island 2025

Although the weather wasn’t ideal for sight fishing, with lots of cloud cover and intermittent rain showers, we were determined to make the most of it. By the end of Day 1, we each had a few shots and were able to land some beautiful bonefish and a couple of smaller bluefin trevally. Christine and I had a few great chances at triggerfish, but they were always just a step ahead of us.

Day 2 was similar, with plenty of clouds and rainstorms throughout the day. But we had good fishing and each landed a few fish. As we made our way back to the lodge, we discussed our plan for Day 3: a two-hour drive to the Korean Wreck. We left early, braving the pouring rain, but we knew the weather was about to break for the week, making the drive refreshing. When we arrived, the rain had stopped, and the clouds began to part. The weather finally cleared, and we were ready to dive into the action.

The Korean Wreck is a special place. Instead of fishing the inner lagoons and pancake flats, we fished the reef edge on the southeast side of the island. The variety of species here is incredible, from bonefish and trevally to triggerfish and reef species like grouper, snapper, and wrasse. We had some great shots and even had the opportunity to go after a 40-pound giant trevally (GT) that cruised along the reef edge. Seeing such a powerful fish up close made everyone eager to return the next day. On Day 4, we made the drive back and not only saw but also landed a few magnificent GTs. There were lots of high fives and cold beers on the ride back to the lodge that day.

Day 5 brought plenty of sun with intermittent clouds, perfect for hitting the flats in search of bonefish and triggerfish. The fishing was incredible, with lots of opportunities. Chris scored big that day with a beautiful peachface triggerfish. I could hear him hooting with excitement from 300 yards away on the opposite side of the flat—I'm pretty sure people in Honolulu heard him, too!

After a long day of fishing, we headed back to the lodge and spent some time walking around the nearby shops.

For our last day, the weather was expected to be similar to Day 5, so we decided to head back to the inner lagoons. I'm not sure if the guides saved the best for last, but we were treated to the best bonefishing of the trip that morning. Fish in the 4-6lb range were abundant, and everyone had plenty of chances to hook into them. Ray, on his side of the flat, was on a mission to catch a triggerfish, and they seemed to be lining up for him. After a few hook-ups that either came undone or broke the line, he finally hooked a solid peachface trigger. The fish immediately swam into a coral nook and refused to budge. Pedro, our guide, waded into the water up to his shoulders and dove down, trying to grab the fish. After five minutes of underwater attempts, Pedro emerged victorious with Ray’s trophy triggerfish in hand. We snapped a few photos before watching the fish swim away to make another angler just as happy.

I ended the trip walking the rocky edge of a flat by myself, chasing triggerfish. Although I didn’t land any, it was one of the most memorable fishing sessions I’ve ever had, with some incredible shots at these elusive fish. It was the perfect ending to our week on the island.

The highlight of the trip was seeing three anglers, who had never fished saltwater flats before, go into this experience and absolutely crush it. Going into the trip, there was some uncertainty about how they’d fare due to their lack of saltwater experience, but that all disappeared just a few hours into Day 1 when they started hooking into fish. They quickly became comfortable with spotting the fish, making the right casts with the proper presentations, and fighting the fish. We wrapped up the trip with plenty of high fives, hugs, and celebratory bourbon, reliving the stories of our unforgettable week. I couldn’t be prouder of how they did on their first saltwater adventure, and I can’t wait to watch them wade the flats again in the future.