Listopedia: Matt Watson’s fishing bucket list
I’ve had the astonishing fortune to fish my way around the globe, seeking the biggest fish, the most challenging catch and the perfect day’s fishing.
To rank the destinations is difficult, as the experience of each is unique and my favourites can change as quickly as the tides – depending on whether I’m in the mood for exploration, excitement or relaxation. But as of right now, here’s a listopedia of my top ten fishing destinations around the world:
Nova-Scotia, Canada
Aitutaki and Aitu, Cook Islands
The Three Kings Islands, New Zealand
Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
Excursion Inlet, Alaska
Tuamotu Atolls, Tahiti
The Wanganella Banks, Norfolk Island
Bom Bom Island, São Tomé & Príncipe
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Each has a unique allure, and each I’ll someday try to get back to. Let me tell you about Nova Scotia – for Giant tuna, it has no rival.
Nova Scotia – Land of Giants
While Canada is popular on ‘I’d like to go there someday’ lists, Nova Scotia, in the North East corner of Canada, probably doesn’t get a look in. It doesn’t get the hoards of tourists, postcard snaps of ice capped peaks, the metropolitan vibe of the West Coast, or the deep glacial waterways framed with impossibly perfect spruce forests that look like miles of giant plastic Christmas trees, but it does have the biggest tuna in the world. In fact the smallest tuna we caught (and released) while fishing there was 800lb (360kg), the biggest 1100lb (500kg) and there were plenty of them.
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