It had been 20 years since I had boarded a live-a-board to fish and dive. My friend, Capt. Wayne Hasson, president of Aggressor and Dancer Fleets, invited me to accompany him to the Maldives for a world-class fishing and diving expedition. Over the years, Wayne and I have fished and dived many exotic locations, including waters of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific and Atlantic. This was my first visit to the Indian Ocean.
A three-leg flight from Miami through New York and Dubai landed us in Male, the small, bustling capital of the Maldives. Upon arrival, Wayne and I quickly cleared customs and were assisted by a friendly and helpful crew of the mothership. We were transported aboard a ‘Dhoni’ (dinghy) by water, to lush accommodations aboard the Maldives Aggressor. This live-a-board vessel boasts a full-service galley, huge salon, 10 guest staterooms and decks for relaxing, sunbathing, dining under the stars or just getting away for some private time. This luxury yacht offered all of the comforts and amenities of a five-star, land-based property with toilets, lavatory and shower facilities to satisfy the most demanding guests.
This voyage, Dive with the Owners Week, provided me the benefit of being surrounded by many crew members, divers, and fishermen – all of which were representing more than 10 different countries.
The Maldives is a nation of islands. It is also the “Honeymoon Capital” of Europe and parts of Asia. Temperatures range from 77 to 86. There are 26 atolls with 1,190 islands. One island boasts a rainforest. Only 209 of the islands are inhabited with a total population of only 400,000.
Tourism is the leading industry, followed by fishing. The Maldivian government is famous for it’s eco-friendly approach and serious application to fish conservation. The government’s prohibition of both net and long-line fishing for commercial purposes has sustained the abundance of fisheries. Commercial fishermen use line and pole, preventing by-catch of species other than their main target, which is tuna. Sports fishing, therefore, has thrived. Among the game fish found are giant trevally, barracuda, wahoo, dorado, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, and marlin. Bonefish and permit inhabit the flats.
There are many charter fishing operations in the Maldives. I had numerous opportunities to be transported to beautiful sand beaches in the middle of the Indian Ocean to fish for bonefish, giant trevally, jack crevalle and other species. While sailing to new dive sites, we used a ‘Dohni’ to troll and catch tuna, sailfish, wahoo and dorado. At night aboard the Maldives Aggressor, we bottom fished for grouper and snapper.
Trolling, spinning, fly-fishing gear, including lures and fly presentations, are basically the same as we use in the states. Diving various locations and seeing up close the numerous species that I would fish for was an added and educational bonus. Perfect water clarity offered a vast array of marine life at every dive destination.
For information on this trip of a lifetime, visit www.maldivesfishing.com or www.aggressorfleet.com. Contact Captain Terry Fisher of Cape Coral, Florida’s Fish Face Charters at fishfacecharters@yahoo.com.