Sunday, September 23, 2012

Adventure Fishing @ West Papua 2012

BACK TO PAPUA
Every avid angler has a passion to fish in the most wild and exotic location,.... hoping that the least human invaded places will yield big and beautiful fish.... I am no different, I wish the same too and I will try my best to fulfill my dream even if it means venturing into very primitive land and harsh condition places which provide some of the most amazing sights and results.....
You can visit some fascinating parts of the world that are so far undiscovered by the tourist hordes and experience a way of life that has been lost in most parts of the modern world.......
This is my fishing adventure to one of the least touched places by outsiders on earth.... West Papua...  Not so long ago, it is rumoured that some parts of this world is still practising Cannibalism.... But then this is what makes this place such an ADVENTURE..... Getting here is no easy feat at all.... The journey involves many hours of travelling by different modes of transport..... But alas, I made it here again.....

Fishing in this new territory for the majority adventure anglers means there are plenty of opportunities to catch big fish..... But this doesn’t mean that fishing here is an easy choice of location..... The region is very remote and has very little infrastructure so you need to be well prepared before you start your journey.....
You will, however, get the opportunity for some amazing experiences..... Once you sample a taste of life here you will appreciate the importance of conserving the natural resources that were once abundant on earth... Seeing how much effort goes into providing a simple meal for your family when you have to catch, find and forage every part of it yourself will really open your eyes to the wasteful nature of those living in other parts of the world.....
The muscular and ferocious Swamp Barramundi and Northern Saratoga are often found in this region here, however they can be incredibly difficult to catch..... Not only are they pretty vicious, they also keep well hidden, so accurate casting is a necessity if you want to land one of these fish. 7 - 9 kg is fairly easy to catch with modern equipment and they have been recorded at up to 20 kg in weight.... For the indigenous people landing a fish such as this is something many of them can only dream of...
For the indigenous population this bounty is certainly difficult to come by. While there are vast numbers of big fish in the rivers and lakes,... they are very hard to catch without modern fishing equipment.  When you have to work so hard for your main source of food the delicate balance of the earth’s precious resources is impossible to forget.... The locals do not gorge themselves on what they catch as it is just too difficult to provide enough food to feed their families. Instead, respect and balance are an integral part of the way of life here...

You certainly won’t find fishing tackle shops at convenient locations around the lakes and estuaries that provide the biggest catches.... Fishing in regions such as this take you back to the true roots of the sport. Finding your way to the best marks and rivers takes time, patience and dedication. Once you find them, however, the rewards are immense. Foraging for food in the same way the locals have done for hundreds of years really makes you appreciate what you’ve got. You can’t fail to be unchanged by an experience such as this....
This area is widely regarded as one of the last frontiers when it comes to freshwater sport fishing.There is very little angling infrastructure throughout the area and very few people offer angling opportunities as part of a packaged tour.....This is largely due to the remoteness of the locations where the best fresh water fishing can be found. For any visitor who wants to fish here there are plenty of adventures to be had as well as the opportunity to really learn what it means to be dependent on what mother earth has to offer.....
This area of Papua is one of the last places on earth you can get away from the increasing commercialization of the sport and experience the liberating sensation of true adventure fishing....  There is no better place for you to get back to nature and learn just how difficult it is to have to provide every meal from the natural environment..... The large swathes of forests, rivers and wetlands that are free from human intervention make this one of the most amazing, inspiring and life changing fishing locations on the planet....