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 Capt. Chris Newsome 

​​​​​​​​​French Polynesia: Out Island Odyssey

Experience the cutting-edge of exotic fishing!

Welcome to a world where the fishing options are seemingly limitless!  In a single day, it is possible to troll the bluewater, jig the ledges, pop the reef, and so much more.  If you’re skilled in the craft, try your luck spearfishing for marlin.  Those who like to keep their head above water can practice the traditional Polynesian method of harpooning bull mahi as they are chased down from the boat.  No matter your preferred angling method, you’ll find this trip to be an exciting odyssey to an idyllic South Pacific destination.

Endless Quest's specialty is saltwater fly fishing.  Countless hours of research, planning, and exploration have resulted in Endless Quest beginning the first to provide fly anglers the opportunity to experience this destination hidden in French Polynesia.  Having never seen someone fly fish, the native fishermen were initially skeptical if the technique would be successful in their waters.  The out island locals quickly became believers as more than twenty species were caught on fly during the inaugural exploratory mission.

​When fly anglers think of fishing in the tropics, bonefish immediately come to mind.  I’ve been lucky to land many nice bonefish in all three oceans, so they were low on my priority list heading into the inaugural out island trip.  That changed when I saw the studly dimensions of the bones.  While the out island bonefish are lacking in numbers, they more than make up for it in size.  Several legit double-digit bones were sighted, but none were brought to hand.  I managed to hook six exceptionally strong bones during the morning tide on a couple occasions.  My conclusion is that the fishery here can produce trophy bonefish of a lifetime, but there are not enough productive locations to target them heavily.

The most exciting discovery during the exploratory visit was an abundance of blue triggerfish on the flats.  These reef dwellers rarely enter shallow water elsewhere within their Indo-Pacific range.  When blue triggers venture onto the flats, they are notably more paranoid than their peachface and mustache triggerfish counterparts.  Only a handful of wading fly anglers have caught blue triggers worldwide, and I now feel extreme lucky to land the very first one that I saw.  My luck changed the remainder of the exploratory trip as I spooked countless, had refusals from many, and lost eleven blue triggers for a multitude of reasons.  I'm itching to solve the blue triggerfish puzzle and excited to help anglers join one of fly fishing’s most exclusive clubs!

In contrast to the high degree of stealth and delicacy required to catch blue triggerfish, fly fishing for predators of the reef is hand-to-hand combat.  Tossing large poppers and stickbaits with spinning rods is incredibly effective at drawing savage strikes.  You and your equipment are tested as these powerful fish retreat toward their coral hideouts.  More than half of the large reef dwellers win the battle between angler and beast.  Snapped leaders, straightened hooks, and broken rods are casualties of the tug-of-war!

Extraordinarily healthy and prolific corals enable a jungle of habitat which contributes to the worldclass reef fishing.  The majority of this fishing involves drifting over the reefs from the boat, however reef predators are also caught wading beaches and flats.  This is one of the few places in the Indo-Pacific where it is possible for fly anglers to consistently hook coral trout, longnose emperor, camouflage grouper, red bass, and other reef predators.  The high abundance and trophy size of coral trout is particularly special.  The Nepoleon wrasse is a legendary reef predator of the South Pacific.  We managed to land one small Nepoleon on fly, one monster was lost on spin, and several others were sighted on the exploratory trip.  Consider yourself blessed by the fish gods if you get to hold one of these magical creatures!

While no true "giant" trevally were landed wading the flats, one massive GT was hooked on fly, several beasts were spotted, and a few juvenile geets came to hand during our initial exploration of the region.  Tossing poppers and stickbaits on spinning gear along deep reef ledges is the most successful method for hooking the true giants.  Since the GT prefer deeper water around the out islands, I do not classify this region as a trophy GT destination for fly fishing.  Despite the lack of giant trevally on the flats, a good number of large bluefin trevally patrol the shallows.  Few fish species can match the eye-popping neon blues, greens, and purples of a lit-up bluefin.  In the deeper water accessed from the boat, packs of brassy and black trevally readily inhale flies.  We have caught six trevally species in the out islands, and they all put up a relentless fight!

Exceptional bluewater fishing opportunities are found just beyond the barrier reef, although bluewater fly fishing in these waters is yet to be explored.  Blue marlin and yellowfin tuna are caught trolling, plus you’ll find ferocious dogtooth tuna that attack metal jigs.  Avid spearfishermen travel to the region for excellent shots at wahoo.  One angler on the exploratory trip proved that you don’t have to be Polynesian to harpoon a bull mahi-mahi as it’s chased down by the boat!

This trip is ideally suited for skilled saltwater fly anglers that can spot fish on the flats and cast sinking lines from the boat.  The challenging wade fishing terrain requires fly anglers to be in good physical shape.  Conventional anglers have their best success fishing exclusively from the boat.  Anglers with moderate to advance spin fishing skills will find this to be a worldclass fishery.  In addition to fishing, there is sublime snorkeling amongst coral gardens where marine biodiversity abounds.  Other activities include mountain hiking with spectacular vistas and beachgoing on deserted sand islands known as motus.

Endless Quest has developed a relationship with a local family that is experienced in accommodating visitors to their island.  They provide wonderful Polynesian hospitality, comfortable lodging, and delicious homecooked meals.  Unlike a traditional fishing lodge that houses many anglers, this trip provides an exclusive atmosphere making it a great choice for couples and close friends.

The farther of the family is known as the top conventional tackle angler in the islands and the son is a young-gun spearfisherman.  Bluewater and reef fishing is done out of a custom Tahitian 28ft fiberglass boat that serves as a comfortable and stable platform for fishing.  Accessing wade fishing areas requires navigating minefields of coral bommies, so a 20ft aluminum boat with a side door is used for easy boarding.

A detailed travel guide is available for those interested in joining the trip.  Given the extreme fishing this trip provides, pre-trip planning is critical to success.  Group participants are invited to attend several Zoom meetings where I will share my experience in trip preparation, gear selection, fishing techniques, and other travel topics specific to this expedition.  Please view a slideshow of the 2025 exploratory expedition.

I hope you can take part in this cutting-edge odyssey to the exotic out islands of French Polynesia!​