Jun 16, 2024
Awesome time - We had a great time on our private fishing trip through the lagoon with Sam. We may not have caught a ton of fish but that's what happens with fishing. Sometimes you catch a lot sometimes none at all. Our first catch was done while trolling and we were shocked at how fast we caught one as we were not even 30 minutes into the trip. The second 2 were smaller and happened in spurts but it was still a relaxing enjoyable trip. Sam was amazing as he told us history about the island and how it was made, as well as explained things about how the schools work and houses are built. We learned a lot of history from him and he kept the whole trip enjoyable. We are not a huge fan of eating fish so we told Sam to take the large one we caught and eat and share with friends which he thanked us for.
We truly could not be more happy with our experience and cannot thank Sam enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 15, 2020
Awesome time with a great guide. - Can't say enough good things about our guide Naki. We split the time on our trip between jigging and popping. We ended up catching way too many fish for us to eat. Naki took us to a shallow area to clean the fish and we were able to get into the water with the rays and sharks as well. Amazing time and delicious fish.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 2, 2018
My father and I went out for a... - <p>My father and I went out for a hal-day of deep sea fishing, and it was super fun. We were able to catch a nice pair of yellow fin tuna. The captain knew just where to go and knew a lot about the area.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jun 13, 2017
We fished with George and Robert in... - <p>We fished with George and Robert in the lagoon around Bora Bora in a 17' Boston Whaler. The boat had a cover that allowed for shade when we wanted it. We trolled using small squid artificial lures. We caught 4 different types of fish, probably caught 7 fish and enjoyed the guides. The fish were small, but I understand that you need to go outside the barrier reef to catch bigger fish. The weather was nice, but we just wanted to enjoy smaller surf and see the island while fishing. Next time we will go outside the reef. </p>
<p>George and Robert took us to a place where another guide friend they knew was feeding a stingray with man and his wife. There were about 30 small blacktip Sharks swimming around in the shallow water and I got some great underwater shots with my GoPro on a GoPro stick. If you want to catch big fish, go outside the reef. I would use these guides again.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jul 15, 2016
It was wonderful! Bob did a great... - <p>It was wonderful! Bob did a great job brining us around the island where the fish were. My husband got two fish and was really happy with the experience.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jan 2, 2023
Great time and beautiful views! - Even with the slow fishing the tour of the island by boat was fantastic. The boat was nice and our guide did not skip any water, we fished it all!
Review provided by Viator
Jul 16, 2018
Small boat but we were able to catch... - <p>Small boat but we were able to catch 3 nice size fish, a mahi mahi, a tuna and a baracuda I think. My wife got a lil sick on the small boat. We were able to give most of the fish to a local and his family after they cleaned the fish for us.</p>
Review provided by Viator
May 19, 2023
Casting Shadows of Disappointment: Moana Tours' Unfulfilling Fishing Experience in Bora Bora - I recently booked the 4-hour Private Lagoon fishing experience with Moana Tours in Bora Bora, having had great experiences with them on two previous occasions. However, this time around, the trip turned out to be a major disappointment and fell far short of my expectations.
To begin with, our tour guide arrived approximately 10 minutes late, which immediately set a negative tone for the experience. We started with what was referred to as "fly" fishing, although it was quite different from the fly fishing I have experienced in other locations. Instead, we found ourselves fishing in shallower waters with top-water lures for a mere 10 minutes before transitioning to trolling.
During our brief trolling session, we had an exciting moment when we managed to hook a shark. However, our excitement quickly turned into disappointment as the line broke, and we were unable to land the shark. We then switched to jigging, hoping for better results. Unfortunately, the experience turned into continuous frustration as we kept snagging on what seemed to be coral rather than actually catching fish. Despite the guide's persistent claims that we were indeed hooked up to fish, I began to doubt the validity of the catches. Our doubts were reinforced by the consistent line breaks and hooks breaking free. It became increasingly apparent that if there were actually fish biting, the equipment provided was inadequate, leaving us ill-equipped to handle such encounters.
This pattern of unsuccessful fishing continued for the majority of the tour, lasting approximately three hours. We were left with a sense of disappointment and dissatisfaction, as our primary goal of catching a fish remained unfulfilled. With only 15 minutes remaining, I expressed my desire to try another spot in hopes of landing a fish. The guide took us to an area where we observed a significant number of fish, but unfortunately, we had barely any time to fish before being called back.
Throughout the entire trip, we never managed to catch a fish, contrary to the claims made on the Moana Tours website. The promised opportunity to catch popular lagoon fish such as jackfish, rainbow fish, small barracudas, and lagoon bonito seemed elusive as if we were inadvertently targeting 100-pound plus fish that kept breaking the lines and hooks the entire time. We returned empty-handed, except for a single small grouper caught by the guide. Our butler expressed surprise at the lack of our catch, further emphasizing the underwhelming nature of the experience.
We did see a large group of dolphins while fishing which was definitely the highlight of the trip.
Given my previous positive encounters with Moana Tours, this fishing trip was a significant letdown. The late arrival, misrepresentation of fishing techniques, inadequate equipment, lack of successful catches, and limited fishing time all contributed to a highly dissatisfying experience. I strongly advise others to explore alternative fishing tour options in Bora Bora to avoid similar disappointment.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 28, 2016
Disappointed that we did not each have... - <p>Disappointed that we did not each have a fishing pole. Beautiful day. Pleasant host.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jun 15, 2017
The boat that showed up for a Deep... - <p>The boat that showed up for a Deep Sea Fishing tour was a small single engine boat with a sunshade. It was not a boat anyone would want to take out past the reef, especially on a windy day. The swells were 10-12 feet high, and there were no life jackets in sight. The small boat was tossed around like piece of driftwood. After a short frightening interval, the captain suggested we go back to the lagoon. There were 2 fishing rods that had no reels, we were told to wrap the fishing line with our fingers. We caught 3 small fish, 2 of which we kept and had prepared at the restaurant at our hotel for lunch. It was not a professional tour, and I should have waited till I got to Bora Bora to hire a boat that was suitable for deep sea fishing. I think the boat captain had no intention of deep sea fishing and was not prepared to do so. Meanwhile, others in our party rented a suitable boat during the week we were there and caught a 200 lb marlin.</p>
Review provided by Viator