Christmas Island Packing List

Here is a quick packing list for a week at Christmas Island.  This is also very relevant for Anaa Atoll, the Seychelles or anywhere else that you will be flats fishing on foot for a week.

Clothing

• 2 sets of loungewear
  
• 1 set of clean travel clothes
• 2 sets of fishing clothes 
  • Flats pants, OR shorts with light colored tights/long underwear
    
  • Sun hoodie or UV long sleeve shirts
    
  • Sun gloves
    
  • Buff / Neck gaiter
    
  • Hats (bring a backup)
  • Packable rain jacket
  • Socks (6 pairs of synthetic hiking socks)
    
  • Neoprene guard socks
  • Flats boots - no felt, no removable soles, no BOA laces and no "booties"

Fishing Gear

• Waterproof Fishing Pack
  
• Spare rod holder for belt/pack
• Clamps
• Nippers
  
• Flies (see below)
• Tippet (fluoro is preferred)
  • 16-20# for bonefish
  • 25-30# for triggerfish
  • 50# for small / medium trevally
  • 80-100# for Giant Trevally
• Tapered bonefish leaders (20# fluoro preferred)
• Rod/Reel setups (bring a backup for your main target species)
• Bonefish
  • 8-9wt rod
  • Reel with sealed drag reel
  • GSP backing (50-65#)
  • Floating Tropical Fly Line
• Triggerfish
  • 9-10wt rod
  • Reel with sealed drag reel
  • GSP backing (50-65#)
  • Floating Tropical Fly Line
• Trevally
  • 10-12wt rod
  • Reel with sealed drag reel
  • GSP backing (65-80#)
  • Floating Tropical Fly Line
  • Sink Tip Fly Line if you are going to target GTs

Flies

• Bonefish (30-50 flies should get you through a week of bonefishing)
  • White, tan and orange
  • Sizes 6-10 are productive, but up to a size 2 are in play.
  • Vary the weight - more lightly weighted and some heavy
    • Crazy Charlies
    • Bonefish Bitters
    • Gotchas
    • Chili Peppers
    • Spawning Shrimp
    • Christmas Island Specials
• Triggerfish (you will only get one fish per fly)
  • Flexo Crabs
  • Bonefish Bitters
  • Itchy Trigger Finger
  • Any bonefish fly in a pinch
• Trevally (6 good flies should suffice)
  • Black, Black/Purple, Tan, Blue
  • Fulling Mill makes great GT Flies...
    • Two Tone Brushy
    • GT Bus Ticket
    • Magnetic Minnow
    • NYAP
  • Any baitfish on a solid 2/0-6/0 hook
    • 2/0 for smaller trevally
    • 4/0-6/0 for GTs
• Milkfish Flies (optional, but you never know)
  • Algae flies with red glass beads

Personal Gear

• First Aid Kit with all possible medications you might need
• Ear Plugs (you will be paired with someone for lodging)
• Ibuprofen
• Sun burn cream / lotion
• *** Call your doctor and get prescriptions for Doxycycline and a Z-Pack, then learn to diagnose symptoms of infection.  You do not want to have to be evacuated
• A good book
• Chargers (Christmas Island uses Australian power adapters)
  
• Towel

Extras

• Water Bottle
• Water Filter
• Ground Coffee and a device to turn hot water into coffee
• Global Rescue
• Alcohol from the Duty Free store at the airport (if it's your thing)
• Snacks (bring a lot of snacks, the food at Christmas Island can be less than ideal)
• POSITIVE ATTITUDE
• Tip money
• Australian cash for fishing license
• Gifts for the guides and locals
  • sun hoodies
  • fishing boots
  • fishing tools
  • coloring books / school books
  • soccer balls
  • waterproof packs
• All guides at Christmas Island rely on customer gifts for their guide gear