by Peter McLeod
Tail Travel Editor
I first came into contact with triggerfish in the Seychelles in the early 2000s. At that time, most saltwater operations concentrated on bonefish, but a number of enterprising guides were beginning to target triggers on the fly, and they realized the value that triggers represented as a gamefish. Having spent much of my saltwater career fishing in the Caribbean at that point, my focus had been primarily bonefish and permit. I distinctly remember wading across a flat with my guide when suddenly that first orange spade started waving at me. I was about to move on, still scanning for bonefish, when the guide put a hand out to stop me.
“Trigger!” he pointed. At first was I confused, but then I realized he was indicating the waving tail.
In my naivety, I asked what it was and he reaffirmed: a titan triggerfish. I actually had no idea what one looked like, or even if they took flies. Little did I know another species obsession was about to be born. The guide switched out my leader to some 20-pound test and tied a small crab fly on the end. The fish was slowly feeding in and around a small white hole on the edge of a flat, happily tailing as it went. I found the movement of the tail rather mesmerizing; it seemed to flop around with not much purpose as the trigger rolled in the gentle current of the incoming tide. By direction I dropped the crab into the white hole and let it sink. Once it had touched the bottom, I gave it one short strip and stopped. The puff of sand was enough to attract the attention of the titan, and it came scurrying over to investigate. I gave a slow pull and felt the nip nip as it tried to pin the fly to the sand. On the next strip, about halfway through, everything went tight and I slowly lifted the rod while simultaneously giving the hook a short strip set. The fish charged off and I remember marveling at the power in such a small fish.
Triggerfish are, in my opinion, one of the most underrated fish to target on fly. If giant trevally are the bulldogs of the flats, then triggers have to be the Jack Russell: small, pugnacious, ideas far above their station, and even GTs will steer clear of them. Triggers have no qualms about attacking much larger fish, and any diver will tell you they are a fish to be respected, especially when they’re protecting their territory or their nests. This particular trigger was heading for the drop-off rapidly, and I knew if he hit the razor-sharp coral there the game would be over. I leaned on him sideways, applying pressure, and finally managed to put a stop to the powerful run and bring him under control. Shortly afterwards I was cradling my first trigger, and what a weird-looking fish it was!
Although fishing for triggerfish follows a pattern, each interaction with them is unique. Never was there a fish with such independent character. Fly fishing for them is a technical challenge not unlike permit, but they are far more attainable due to their more aggressive nature. If they notice you on the flats they are often unafraid and have been known to come and check you out if you are encroaching on their territory. To catch one you have to find the right water and tidal height to locate them, select the right fly, and present it correctly. Then actually hooking the trigger presents its own challenge with that mouthful of teeth. Lastly, if you hook one, they have a nasty habit of scurrying off into a coral hole as fast as they can and either cutting you off or refusing to come out. For the uninitiated, this can happen before you even realize you have hooked it. Some days they absolutely hammer flies, and then other days nothing you try works. It’s this challenge and frustration that, like permit, make them such a fascinating fly rod species.
There are essentially four species of triggerfish from the family Balistidae that we target on fly, and although there are many more, most inhabit deep water. On the flats we find the titan (also known as moustache or giant triggerfish), the yellow margin (also known as the peach face triggerfish), the Picasso, and the gray. The Picasso is very small, a palm-sized one being a trophy. Generally in the Pacific and Indian Oceans we are targeting the titan and yellow margin and in the Caribbean the not-so-colorful gray triggerfish. The gray triggerfish is really only just beginning to be targeted.
Aside from their bright and colorful markings, triggerfish are defined by their almost human-looking teeth secured to incredibly powerful mandibles that make up a large proportion of their body. The triggerfish uses these hydraulics to quite literally bite coral, revealing prey underneath. You therefore do not want to get your fingers or peripherals anywhere near these snapping jaws for fear of losing digits. Almost as bizarre as its toothy maw is the ability of its eyes to rotate with a high degree of freedom; similar to a chameleon, it can look in different directions simultaneously.
Next is the trademark trigger in the dorsal fin that the fish can lock in place. This mechanism can make prying them out of coral holes particularly difficult. Although the colorings of each species are very different, on the flats it is their tails that make them so distinctive as they hunt. The titan has a large orange tail with a black band across it and a flat spade end. The yellow margin has a crescent-shaped tail outlined with yellow. The tail of the gray triggerfish is gray, although sometimes it looks like a small black flag. The Picasso is too small to tail and is normally found in very skinny coral areas.
To find tailing triggers you need to be in the right depth of water. In most reef systems they feed actively in that short window as the tide starts to push, allowing them access to the rich feeding grounds along the edges of the flats. They are particularly fond, it seems, of areas that have white holes and broken coral around which they can hunt, but also bolt into if they are alarmed. They also like the reef edge itself. The opportunity to stalk tailing fish therefore can be short, as they are harder to find once the water reaches a certain depth. On the whole they won’t make their way farther up onto the flats like bonefish and permit, instead preferring to remain near the coral edges. This is not always the case, however, and sometimes they will appear in odd places, or you will find them chasing each other when one encroaches on another’s territory.
Once you have spotted your tailing trigger what is the method of attack? To target triggerfish a 9-weight setup is the best, although in some instances you might get away with an 8-weight. The 9-weight is the perfect blend of lightness of presentation combined with the backbone to be able to apply pressure if the fish heads for the reef edge or a large coral head and you don’t fancy swimming to pry him free. Fly choices, as always, vary depending on the bottom you are fishing on, but normally my go-to flies are shrimp patterns such as Itchy Triggers, EP Spawning Shrimps, and small crabs such as Gumby Crabs in deeper water. Flies need to be fairly light to give a gentle presentation, and a good hook is vital. The Itchy Trigger is tied on a thicker wire hook and survives well. Weed guards are essential due to the nature of where you are fishing, and they avoid much frustration. Your ideal leader will be a tapered leader of 12 feet in length, 16- to 20-pound test. Nine feet is a bit short, and 15 feet can be tricky to manage with a shrimp fly, especially at close range.
You must approach stealthily, as triggerfish are alerted to your presence by crunching coral and water pushing from your legs. Tread as lightly as possible. There’s a fine line between being close enough for a comfortable and accurate shot, but not so close that you’ll spook it. Like all flats fishing, this really depends on your abilities. As with permit, your first cast needs to be your best, so gauge the distance by casting in another direction before you cast at the triggerfish. Some days they seem very skittish, others they’re totally emboldened.
Once you are in position, wait for the tail to come up before you make your cast. Not only will this give you the fish’s exact position, but also with its face buried in the flat the fish is less likely to become aware of your presence. You need to deliver the fly as close to its head as you dare and ahead of the direction it is facing. I know this sounds obvious, but when they are tailing they often roll around in the current and it can be very frustrating as they change direction just as you drop the fly. If the fish does not see the fly drop, then wait until the fly has sunk and the tail goes down before giving a long slow strip. This is normally enough for him to see the escaping crustacean and come rushing over to hit it. As soon as it comes over and tails on the fly, the fish is trying to eat it; so you need to give a short, sharp strip strike. The issue arises in trying to find a hook hold in that toothy mouth, so if you don’t go tight the fly will pop out. The big difference with a trigger and a bonefish or permit is that a triggerfish will continue to try and eat the fly, whereas other species will abort quite quickly. This prolonged game of cat and mouse can go on four or five times, sometimes even to the rod tip, which is why it is so exciting.
Continue with the slow draw, and as soon as you feel tension again give a short, sharp strip to try to set the hook. You may find that if you are not hooking up the fish may have destroyed the hook on the first attack, as they can completely mangle flies and even bite hooks in half. It is vital you don’t trout strike, or this will pull the fly away from the fish and leave it bewildered and suspicious. Triggerfish do have an amazing ability to backpedal in the water, so even when you think you have hooked it solidly you might end up with the fly spat back at you as they use the hook as a toothpick. I have had fish that have done this three times before I finally achieved a solid hookup.
If you have not hooked one before, you will be surprised at how powerful triggerfish are and how dirty they fight. They can swim on their sides in shallow water, and their first instinct is to head for deeper water and coral. This can be a depression on the flat or the reef edge. Either way, it’s not going to end well if you let them! As always in coral areas, keep the rod high during the battle, but apply as much side strain as possible to prevent it stuffing you in a hole. If this does happen it might not mean the end, as I have fished with a number of dedicated guides who pull out their goggles and go in after them. Even if they have locked the trigger, by touching the second spine on the dorsal it’s possible to drop the mechanism and pull them out by the tail. Be warned: He is going to come out really angry and will bite anything presented.
So where should you go to hunt for triggerfish? The prime spots are Christmas Island and the Seychelles. Some of the triggers on Christmas Island are the size of footballs, and I have been smoked good and proper on its expansive flats. You will find them on all the atolls of the Indian Ocean, and most guides in that area are well-versed in fishing for them. Some of the very best triggerfishing in the world is on the Nubian Flats of Sudan. Here, with a nearly nonexistent tidal fluctuation, you will find large triggers (some massive) tailing across the flats. Here they are the prime target, where ten shots in a session is not uncommon. You will also find gray triggers on nearly all the reefs of the Caribbean, which have gone largely overlooked, except by a dedicated few, in favor of bonefish and permit. There are also some colossal specimens on the oceanside flats of Los Roques in Venezuela, and there are really good numbers in the southern Bahamas, such as around Acklins and Crooked Island. Here they can be targeted on white sand, which makes it particularly exciting.
So the next time you are wading across a flat in search of bones, permit, or GTs, if you see a waving trigger tail, I would highly recommend you go and have a crack. The visual element and prolonged interaction is highly addictive, and this is yet another species that can get under your skin. I have known many fishermen totally obsessed with them…. I am one of them.
Bio: Peter McLeod began guiding fly anglers for Atlantic salmon in Norway at the age of 16. He is the founder of Aardvark McLeod, international fly fishing specialists. Peter is the author of the acclaimed GT: A Fly-Fisher’s Guide to Giant Trevally (Merlin Unwin Books, 2016). For more information on fly fishing for triggerfish, you can contact Peter through www.aardvarkmcleod.com.
