PPS Destinations Report 

Pahonu Fishing Lodge, Penryhn Island, Cook Islands.

Date:        April, 2007

 Reported by Margaret Larson,  Poulso, Washington, USA

    Pahonu fishing Lodge on Penrhyn Island

 

Going to Pahonu fishing lodge in the Cook Islands was a unique adventure and we knew,  going into this trip, that fishing would be a speculative proposition.  Pahonu is located on Tokerau Island which is one of several small islands dotting the atoll comprising Penrhyn.   Penrhyn is the northernmost Island of the Cook Islands chain and is a good 4 hour flight from Rarotonga .  The large coral runway built during World War II continues to this day to operate as the main airport.  This remote atoll has a large lagoon embedded with individual small to large coral reefs making it one of the most remarkable untouched snorkelling sites in the world. 

 

 Only 1 day out of  5 did we successfully find good numbers of tailing fish (3-5 pounds) otherwise the bones were spotty, few and far between which meant a good amount of the day was spent hunting around for them.   Most of the time, we waded on firm white sand which proved easy and pleasant although occasionally, we fly-casted from the boat.  Fishing was done early morning during incoming tides with “Gotchas” when the water was cool but during the hot afternoons when the heat of the day became oppressive and fishing became difficult, we chucked our fishing gear and went snorkelling.  The pristine azure blue waters of this lagoon proved large enough for several days worth of serious snorkelling and each coral reef provided new and interesting adventures… some even resembling a deep underwater sea garden.  Several curious large ten foot black tip sharks (harmless) approached us which, at first was disconcerting, but later we accepted them as part of the normal landscape .  Snorkelling in this lively lagoon full of giant clams (purple and magenta mantles), turtles, rays, sharks, and various types of colorful full-size tropical fish (large and sometimes in schools) really became the high point of this fishing trip.  This really would have been a phenomenal trip if the fishing had been better.  

 

The lodge owner, Mike Grubnau, and this head guide, Ba, proved to be more than gracious hosts, they were fantastic in making our stay comfortable and interesting.  Life is rather rustic at Pahonu but cabins are large and clean with shared outside toilet and bathing facility which were located a couple of feet away.   For the last ten years, Mike and his wife, Lillian, have managed a pearl farm where they grow and harvest black pearls (similar to the large Tahitian pearls) from the black lip oyster (pinctada margaritifera), but now they are exploring other business ventures such as running a part time fishing lodge (bonefish and other big game fish).  Upon request, he will sell some of these black pearls to his fishing clients for very reasonable prices but the majority are destined for the world market like Japan and New York .  Mike currently is making a intense effort into understanding the migratory habits of the bonefish and hopes in the future to find some consistency in providing a better statistical and predictable outcome on location and numbers for a more successful fishing experience.  So far, it has been hit and miss but hopefully with all his tidy record keeping, he will find a pattern to follow and make this a worthwhile bonefishing lodge.

 

Report by Margaret Larson

 

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