About Us
Our Story
Ra Anglers is named after Fiji’s Ra Province, our main fishing destination and a place of significant natural and cultural heritage. Just off the northern coastline sits Nananu-i-Ra, an island so beautiful that it is known as the place where the spirits of Fijian people depart this world for the afterlife. It is widely believed that Fiji’s ancestors originated from the mystical Nakauvadra mountains in Ra. As a result, the local people are respectfully known as Na Qase (i.e., elders). We are privileged to work with them as stewards of the Vatu-i-Ra seascape, a marine wonderland where over 300 types of coral coexist with turtles, dolphins, whales, and more fish species than you can poke a rod at.
The genesis of Ra Anglers can be traced back to June 2014 when our guide, Ryan Keith, first fished the waters around Ra as a guest of Volivoli’s Darling family. The topwater action was hot, but it was the hospitality that made the trip extra special. Fijians are some of the world’s friendliest people, and Volivoli felt like home. Naturally, Ryan returned to Ra whenever he could, bringing groups of friends and family to share the experience. Eventually, Nick Darling—Volivoli’s resident sportfishing enthusiast—moved back to New Zealand with his wife Danielle and three young kids. It was then that Ryan, with the Darlings’ blessing, decided to take up the mantle and share Ra angling with the world. Now you too can become a Ra Angler!
Our Fishing Guide
Ryan started fishing before he could walk and hasn’t stopped since. For him, angling is more than an addiction – it is his lifeblood, both exciting the senses and rejuvenating the soul in equal measure… maybe you can relate? As the son and grandson of travel agents, Ryan grew up traversing the globe, exploring the undersea world as he went. A fascination with sea life led him to study marine biology at The University of Sydney, from which he graduated with first-class honours and the John H. Elliott prize for best thesis in his field. Ryan then applied this knowledge in the zoo and aquarium industry, working as an education officer for seven years before training as a high school teacher. After that, he was awarded a scholarship to commence doctoral research on nature education at his alma mater. Ryan now holds a PhD and is known by fishing friends as “doc.”
By combining angling experience with book smarts and a passion for teaching, Ryan has grown a unique set of skills that lend themselves naturally to guiding. During his time at Sydney Aquarium, he was the go-to guy whenever new exhibits needed to be stocked with wild-caught fish. Understanding the biology, ecology, and behaviours of various species allowed Ryan to know when, where, and how to catch them, meaning no time on the water was wasted. Over the past decade, he has applied this mindset when visiting Fiji with groups of anglers. Holiday time is limited, so it is essential to formulate a sound game plan for targeting bucket list species. Equally important is an ability to read the water, adapt to prevailing conditions, and match the hatch, thereby maximising the chances of landing the fish of a lifetime and—most importantly—having fun in a supportive and safe environment. Ryan gets a huge kick out of helping fellow fishos hone their craft, and that’s what drags him out of bed at ungodly hours of the “morning!”
Over the course of a trip, we aim to impart some key principles of successful angling so clients not only catch fish on holiday but also return home sharper than they left. To paraphrase an old saying, “teach a client to fish and they’ll eat for a lifetime.” Of course, many anglers embarking on a weeklong fishing trip show up with an abundance of knowledge, so we naturally tailor our instruction based on clients’ prior experience and appetite for learning. This begins with a quick pre-trip questionnaire where we get to know you even before you arrive in Fiji. As a third-generation travel professional, Ryan takes a traditional approach to customer service whereby client satisfaction is paramount. He will do everything within his power to put a smile on your face, whether it be coaxing a triggerfish out from a bommie or helping you lift a giant sailfish!
Our Skippers
The Fijian islands are known as the Isles of Smiles for good reason, and friendly local skippers are an integral part of any Ra Anglers experience. The two skippers who work with us most have spent thousands of hours at sea, running fishing and dive boats out of Ra Province. Click on their photos below to learn a little more about them.
Our Commitment to Conservation
Ra Anglers pay more than lip service to conservation. In his longstanding voluntary role as a committee member of the Sydney-based Wild Life Conservation Fund, Ryan governs a charity that raises tens of thousands of dollars each year for organisations such as Rainforest Rescue and Science for Wildlife. This experience informs the Ra Anglers philosophy, which is to actively enrich the ecosystems in which we fish, rather than simply minimise our impacts on them.
For starters, we fish hard but tread lightly. Our marine stewardship involves identifying and respecting tabus (i.e., no-take zones) defined by traditional owners in addition to nationally recognised reserves such as Namena. If our clients want to keep a few fish for dinner, we apply “set sizes,” which improve on antiquated legal size regulations to ensure all species reach maturity before they can be harvested. Napoleon wrasse are legally protected, as are groupers/trout from June through September each year, so we quickly and gently return them to their reefs if they happen to snaffle a lure intended for a GT. Beyond this, we self-designate several other species (e.g., giant trevally) as catch-and-release only. They’re simply too good to encounter just once; using barbless hooks and handling them carefully ensures they can grow even bigger for your next trip.
Fortunately, responsible handling practices are becoming commonplace throughout the sportfishing world. What sets us apart is our efforts to promote ecosystem health rather than just the health of the individual fish we release. Mangroves are essential nursery habitats for many juvenile fish that grow up to populate the reefs we visit. Combatting mangrove degradation by replanting thousands of seedlings is one way we seek to better our surroundings. Another is removing plastic litter from our local mangroves, which we do routinely (and with mass community participation every Environment Day).
Through our accommodation provider, Volivoli Beach Resort, we also proudly support Saving Nemo. The presence of clownfish gives us a good idea of how healthy our coral reefs are – in other words, they are key indicator species. By monitoring an “IC-ANEMONE” snorkel trail, the resort and its guests provide valuable ‘citizen science’ data to marine biologists at Flinders University. The information is used to develop strategies for conserving clownfish and their anemone hosts, thereby promoting reef health in general. When it comes to taking a dip in the warm and inviting South Pacific, any excuse will do. Now you can snorkel for science! But we digress - you came here for the fishing…
