Pop & jig in Andaman feb 26

Tropical fishing in a top spot

Pop & jig in Andaman feb 26

Tropical fishing in a top spot

 

GROUP TRIP POPPING & JIGGING!

'The Andaman Islands and Nicobars' is what this archipelago is officially called. Located in the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean between India and Thailand, it is in this fishing mecca where many a fishing heart has been lost to Giant Trevally and popper fishing. But jigging also gives great results. In between, many other species like marlin, barracuda, groupers, spanish mackerel, yellowfin tuna, amberjack and so on are also caught. 

So species are plenty in the crystal clear waters with secluded reefs and tropical islands. This location is closest to the illustrious fishing spots 'Barren Island' and 'Invisible Banks' where on every trip some big fish are hooked but simply can not be caught because they are too big and strong. In addition, the best spots for jigging are also best reached from this location.

Look here for reports of one of our own trips to the Andaman Islands in Dutch. part 1, part 2 and part 3.

For this fishing, we work with our local partner from the stunning Havelock Island. This partner has been operating here for more than 12 years and has, among other things, a custom-built 35-foot fishing boat with 250 HP and by the end of 2023, another equal fishing boat will be added to the fleet. This location has developed into a top spot in recent years with big GT being caught every year, so booking early is highly recommended.

The trip takes place from Monday 9 February 2026 till Thursday 19 February 2026 and consists of:

  • Central online meeting in Q4 2024
  • Transfers from Port Blair airport to location
  • Highly experienced English-speaking guide on site and on the fishing boat
  • Eight nights' accommodation
  • Shared double or triple rooms with single beds 
  • Six days of fishing including 2 x to Barren island (long range trip) 
  • One rest day 
  • Four anglers maximum per 35-foot fishing boat (rotating arrangement)
  • Towel, bed linen and final cleaning included
  • Full board during stay excluding drinks
  • Licences included
  • Personal photo book after the trip for each participant
  • Exclusive sun protecting longsleeve fishing shirt included

Maximum 7 anglers plus 1 guide. The cost of this trip is € 3,795.- per person excluding international flights, visa and tips. The expected cost for international flights from Europe is around € 1,000.- to € 1,400.- per person. But let us know your airport of departure and we can assist with booking your flights.

Watch a video report of our own adventures here

 

GTs, dogtooth tuna, wahoo, barracuda, marlin, tuna, dorado, groupers...... All big fish that reach up to 30, 40 and sometimes even 50 pounds and in extreme cases even in kilos. Between fishing spots you can troll for yellowfin tuna, barracuda, wahoo if you want to relax a little. For trolling, all materials can be supplied. After a day of popping and or jigging, a moment of rest for the back is also quite nice. Until you get another hookup, of course! Then you will have to get back to work.

Fishing takes place up to about 25 miles from the departure location. Except of course if we go to Barren island on two days. These two long trips obviously depend on weather conditions.

 
The accommodation is just new and beautiful in design and execution.
 
The Matsya Island retreat has 7 luxury rooms available, all equipped with air conditioning and or a fan. The rooms also have a private shower/toilet combination. The décor and look of the venue is modern and luxurious, offering a comfortable stay.
 
The rooms differ in size and set-up. There are double rooms but also triple and quadruple rooms. We have chosen for twin rooms with two people per room in single beds. Off course bed linen, towels and cleaning are included.
 
Right next to the comfortable accommodation is Cafe 4, where our breakfast and dinner will be served. And of course we can also have a well deserved beer after a day of hard fishing.
 
For fishing, two top boats are available at this location.
 
The Calipso and the Birzo are both a 35-foot (11.5-metre) centre console fishing boat with live bait tank, GPS and fishfinder. The Calypso has a 250 HP 4-stroke Yamaha outboard engine and a 15 HP recovery engine. De Birzo has 2 x 250 HP engines. The planning for our trip will be that every participant will fish 3 days on each boat.
 
Perfect boats with plenty of room for casting and drifting. The rest is up to you, and as all fiushing is done stand up this makes it even more exciting! So a bit of preparation in the gym is no luxury for these fish!.
 
Here you will need strong popper rods up to 2.4 to 2.7 metres in length and a casting weight of up to 250g to popper. Furthermore, tight and short boat rods up to 2 metres and a casting weight of up to 500 grams for jigging. Heavy sea reels with extremely good brakes,  strong dyneema of 35 kilo + breaking strength and a good mono leader of around 1.5 metres  of around 150 to 200 lbs to act as a shock leader. 
 
Oh yes, and a buttpad is no luxury. It is also possible to rent equipment and that is Shimano Stella's 18000 and 20000 on a specialised popper and jigging rod. You pay 85 euros per day for the two rods with reel and line.
 
The season for fishing runs from October to May. With an average temperature around 30° C, this is a good place to be. But because of the heat, drinking plenty of water on the boat between fishing and catching is important. Sunglasses, sunscreen lotion and cap are a necessity here. As well as tiger balm for the muscles!
 
There might be a few rainshowers in October, but the quality of fishing is not affected. By December there is practically no rain and until April these are the top months. For the special long range trips to Barren Island, it is necessary that the weather is calm and stable. This period is mainly from January till April. The final decision on whether these trips can go ahead is up to the local management. Two long range trips to Barren island are included.
 
Check out the adventures of some other guests here.
 
 
There are several ways to get there but with Emirates, Lufthansa, KLM etc you fly in 17 to 20 hours from Amsterdam with 1 or 2 stopovers in Dubai and or Chennai to Port Blair. But other routes from Brussels and Düsseldorf are also possible. Together, we coordinate the best flights and these average between 1,000 and 1,400 euros per person. Just let us know your your preffered airport of departure and we can assist with booking your flights.
 
Arriving in Port Blair, we will be picked up and taken to the ferry that will take us to Havelock Island. A transfer is also provided for the last part from the arrival port to the hotel. On site, breakfast and lunch on board including water and soft drinks are included as well as the daily transfer from hotel to fishing boat. A single room can be booked at extra cost and is subject to availability.
 
The price of € 3,695 per person is based on a shared bedroom with separate beds including local tax and fishing licence. Excludes international flight, visa, vaccinations, tip for crew and staff, additional drinks. 
 
And here an article in the Dutch fishing magazine “de Zeehengelsport”
 

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