Ikari House
THE FISHING
The fishery at Christmas Island offers a wide variety of options and species opportunities that are really hard to match anywhere else. The inner lagoon within the atoll is an enormous honeycomb of flats where the majority of the bonefishing takes place. These flats are largely comprised of hard packed sand and coral and they offer excellent visibility where bonefish can be seen from a long way off. The water depth within the lagoon is highly influenced by the tides and winds and water depths will vary between 6 inches and 3 feet. The average sized bonefish will range between 2-4 pounds with larger fish seen and caught weekly.
Many of the inner lagoon flats are named and the Paris Flats at the south end of the opening of the lagoon are some of our favorites, particularly on the back end of the full moon when thousands of bonefish will school up on these outer flats. Other favorites include Perry’s Wharf and the Navy Flat. The famed Korean Flat is way down at the bottom of the atoll and when the weather cooperates, this is a great place to spend the day fishing. The trigger fishing at Christmas Island is somewhat similar to permit fishing in Southern Belize, where you are casting to tailing fish in very skinny water. While the triggers are not big it’s a great deal of fun casting to them and they readily take a well presented fly.
The GT fishing at Christmas Island is some of the most consistent found anywhere, both inside the atoll and outside on the Oceanside flats, as well out in the blue water. While there are some monster GT’s that will top 100 pounds, by far the majority of the fish are in the 10-40 pound range. For guests looking to focus on GT’s when fishing Christmas Island, we recommend weeks that go in to and out of the full moon. The higher water that comes with the full moon tides allows the GT’s to push up in to places they cannot get in to during a skinny or new moon phase.
The blue water fishery out at Christmas is very productive and offers a highly diverse number of species to target. We’ve had guests land wahoo, tuna, sailfish and GT’s all in one afternoon. When the weather cooperates, a day out in the blue water is a great change of pace from the majority of the week spent wading the flats. Guests don’t have to fish the blue water during the week but we highly recommend it for those anglers who are interested. Landing a 25 pound tuna on the fly and you just might be having some fresh tuna sushami to help wash down those cold beers at the end of the day.
BOATS AND EQUIPMENT
The boats used at Christmas are the traditional and highly versatile South Pacific style outrigger skiffs. These skiffs are used to transfer anglers right from the lodges beach to the many productive bonefish flats and reef dropoffs. Flats’ fishing involves using an outrigger or single hull vessel to access the flats. Bonefishing is entirely wade fishing. When fishing the “Korean Wreck” waters or other sites that can only be reached by using land vehicles, they will be used.
GETTING THERE
From Honolulu, guests will fly Fiji Air to Christmas Island and return the following Tuesday. To accommodate the once weekly flight schedule to Christmas, guests will need to make arrangements to arrive in Honolulu on the Monday and depart Honolulu the next Wednesday. We can assist with the flights to and from Honolulu as well as the overnights in Honolulu, upon request. Once the trip is booked, all guests will need to immediately send payment for the Christmas Island flight and a clear photocopy of their passport photo and information page, along with the trip deposit to our office. The photocopied passport is a prerequisite for the seat on the charter flight to Christmas Island. Upon arrival at Christmas Island, all guests will clear customs and then be met by the staff from The Ikari House, for the transfer to the lodge.
Slipstream is a full-service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.
RATES FOR 2024
$5,950 USD for single room, private guide for 7 night with 6 days fishing
$3,650 USD for a double room. shared guide for 7 night with 6 days fishing*
* A $1.50 USD per litre fuel charge is applicable
- Santa Cruz - VVI
- May to October
- Dorado, Pacu, Pirapitinga, Yatorana
- 6 Rods + 1 host per week guests
- Wifi: Yes
- Language: English/Spanish
- Physicality: Low
- CC Payment at Facility : Yes
From our gallery
Ikari House
Tour Location
LOCATION
PRIMARY SPECIES
SEASON OF OPERATION
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE LOGISTICS
While the travel logistics to Christmas Island can appear daunting at first glance, it’s actually pretty straight forward once you have a good look at the whole process. Fiji Air makes one round trip flight every Tuesday from Honolulu to Christmas Island and back. This is the only option to Christmas Island. What this means is that guests will need to arrive in Honolulu and overnight in Honolulu on the Monday before the Tuesday departure to Christmas and should plan to overnight again back in Honolulu, on the Tuesday night once your week at Christmas is over. Doing this eliminates the stress of delays and cutting arrival and departures too close for comfort and potentially missing the flight to Christmas as a result.
Space is limited on the flight to Christmas Island so please make sure that you send your deposit, flight payment and photocopy of your passport immediately upon booking the trip.
On the last day at the lodge, after breakfast, you´ll have a short dug-out canoe ride back to the airstrip, then the charter plane Back to the Santa Cruz domestic airport, where the Tsimane host will transport you to the 5-star hotel to spend your last night in Bolivia. The next morning, you´ll be picked up and taken to the Viru-Viru International Airport to take your international flight back home.ACCOMMODATIONS
The Ikari House is a privately-owned fishing lodge, located in Ronton, managed by Jacob & Lavinia Teem with the help of local staff and some of the finest fishing guides available in Kiribati. The property lies at the edge of the lagoon entrance with its own private beach and view of Cook Island. Fly fishers hunt bonefish, giant, bluefin and golden trevally along with triggerfish and milkfish. Customized offshore trips for wahoo, sailfish and a variety of tuna are also encouraged. A thatched maneaba serves as both restaurant and bar where guests enjoy communal dining and cold beverages at days end.
The Ikari House offers one of the most aggressive, convenient and thorough fishing programs on Christmas Island. Located just 500 yards from the put in dock and minutes from superb bonefish and giant trevally angling, you’ll waste no time in accessing the prolific lagoon flats. The lodge has 14 comfortable guest rooms, each with 2 twin beds or 1 king size bed, en-suite bathrooms with on demand hot and cold water and air conditioning. A large in-room table and storage rack keeps gear organized and maximizes space. An outdoor rod rack and rinsing station is convenient too.
DESTINATION CAPACITY
Ikari House
Ikari House
INCLUDED IN PRICE
- Land transfers on the Island, on Arrival and Departure days
- All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- 6 days guided fishing
- 7 nights’ accommodation, DBL occupancy
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
- Round trip, international flight
- Alcohol
- Fishing License
- $34 USD Christmas Island fishing license
- $20 USD Island Departure Tax
- Telephone calls while at the Lodge
- Gratuities
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
It is necessary to have a Passport that is valid for 6 months from the end of your trip to Christmas Island. American and Canadian guests no longer need a tourist visa to visit the Island.