Big Game Trolling
The Yellowfin Hunt
Primary Targets
- • Yellowfin Tuna (50-100kg resident & migratory "cows")
- • Wahoo (Fast strikes on high-speed lures)
- • Sailfish (Acrobatic battles)
- • Black/Blue Marlin (Trophy billfish)
Peak Season
May to November (Southwest Monsoon)
Largest Yellowfin aggregations concentrate on the west coast drop-off during this period.
The Gold Standard
- • Shimano Tiagra 50W LRS
- • Penn International 80 VISW
- • Custom heavy-action rods
- • High-vis braided line + mono leaders
The Strategy
Fuvahmulah is famous for its live-bait tradition. We often depart pre-dawn to catch Rinmaha (Scads) using sabiki rigs in the harbor. These small baitfish are critical for triggering feeding frenzies among the tuna schools.
Once the school is located (either visually by bird activity or via our Simrad sonar), we deploy live bait on circle hooks or troll deep-diving skirted lures along the 1,000m contour line. The key is maintaining the correct speed (6-8 knots) and understanding the thermocline depth where the tuna are feeding.
Pro Tip: The Live Bait Advantage
Live Rinmaha create a scent trail and panic vibrations that massively outperform artificial lures for Yellowfin. When the bite is on, expect screaming drags and 30+ minute battles with 50kg+ fish.
What to Expect
This is endurance fishing. Yellowfin in the 50-100kg range will test your stamina. The Maafahi's fighting chairs and rod holders are strategically positioned to give you maximum leverage. Our crew will coach you through the fight, but ultimately, it's you versus the fish.
Big Game Trolling in Action
GT Popping
The Fenagando Strategy
Primary Targets
- • Giant Trevally (GT) – The apex predator
- • Bluefin Trevally – Aggressive schooling fish
Physical Warning
High-stakes fishing. Physical fitness required. Drag is locked at maximum. You have seconds to turn the fish before it cuts you on the reef.
Specialized Gear
- • 8ft Popping Rods (PE 8-10 rating)
- • Shimano Stella/Saragosa 18000
- • 100lb Braided Line
- • Heavy Poppers (100g-150g)
The Strategy: Technical Warfare
GT Popping is not traditional fishing—it's combat. We target the Fenagando, the Dhivehi word for the turbulent white foam where ocean swells smash against the reef crest. This opaque, oxygenated water is where GTs ambush prey.
You must be prepared to cast heavy poppers (100g-150g) with precision right into the danger zone—often just meters from jagged coral. The retrieve is aggressive: pop, pause, pop. The strike, when it comes, is explosive. A GT will often launch completely out of the water to engulf the popper.
⚠️ Critical: The First Five Seconds
When you hook up, lock your drag and turn the fish immediately. If you hesitate, the GT will dive into the reef structure and cut your line on the coral. This is a battle of will and strength. Many anglers lose their first GT—don't be discouraged.
Catch-and-Release Philosophy
We enforce strict catch-and-release for all Giant Trevally. These apex predators are critical to the reef ecosystem and take years to reach trophy size. The battle is the reward—not the meat. We'll photograph your catch and release it to fight another day.
GT Popping Combat Zone
Vertical Jigging
Deep Water Precision
Primary Targets
- • Dogtooth Tuna – Deep reef predators
- • Rainbow Runner – Fast mid-water species
- • Amberjack – Powerful fighters
- • Grouper – Bottom dwellers
Depth Zones
40m to 250m
Working the thermocline layers where predators hunt in the deep blue.
Specialized Gear
- • Slow-Pitch Jigging Rods
- • Shimano Ocea Jigger
- • 150-300g Metal Jigs
- • PE 3-6 Braid
The Strategy: Rhythm & Feel
Vertical jigging is a technical discipline that requires rhythm, patience, and sensitivity. We drift over deep structure—pinnacles, drop-offs, and seamounts—using sonar to locate schools. The jig is dropped straight down to the target depth, then retrieved with a precise lift-fall cadence.
The strike often comes on the flutter as the jig falls. You'll feel a sudden weight or resistance. Set the hook hard and prepare for a vertical battle. Dogtooth Tuna in particular will make devastating runs straight down toward the reef.
Deep Water Precision Jigging
Kattelhi Night Fishing
Traditional Maldivian Technique
Primary Targets
- • Skipjack Tuna – Fast strikes
- • Yellowfin Tuna – Night feeders
- • Barracuda – Apex predators
- • Bonito – Schooling fish
Prime Time
Sunset to Midnight
As darkness falls, tuna schools rise from the deep to feed on the surface.
Traditional Methods
- • Bamboo Poles – Classic setup
- • Live Bait Rigging
- • Barbless Hooks
- • Rapid-Fire Technique
The Strategy: Cultural Heritage
Kattelhi is the traditional Maldivian pole-and-line fishing method perfected over centuries. Under the stars, we anchor near a known tuna aggregation point. The boat's lights attract baitfish, which in turn draw predators.
Using bamboo poles with barbless hooks and live bait, the technique is deceptively simple but requires timing and rhythm. When the school arrives, it becomes a frenzy—anglers working in synchronization to pull fish after fish from the water in rapid succession.
This is more than fishing; it's a cultural experience. Our crew will teach you the traditional methods passed down through generations of Maldivian fishermen.
Traditional Kattelhi Under the Stars
Ready to Master These Tactics?
Contact us to plan your expedition and select the fishing styles that match your skill level and ambitions.
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