St Brandon's Atoll, Mauritius

Overview

If wading and sight casting to double digit Bonefish, gloriously finicky Indo-Pacific Permit and a host of Trevally species on powder white sand flats in the Indian Ocean is your thing….then look no further, St Brandon’s Atoll is the destination for you.

St Brandon’s (Cargados Carajos Shoals) is a group of over 50 small islands, coral ridges and vast sand flats which is cut by three major passes and extends 50 km from north to south. Situated 268 nautical miles north-east of Mauritius’s main island this area is rich in fish stocks, flora and fauna. The magnificent condition of the coral and the lobster infested outer reefs is proof that other than a small population of Creole natives who live on Raphael Island in the north this area has had very little human interference.

This magical atoll has quickly risen to iconic status in the world of saltwater fly fishing …..and for good reason. The flats fishing for Bonefish, Indo-Pacific Permit and a host of Trevally species is simply world class! For many years foreigners were banned from visiting her shores, but thankfully the red tape has finally been cleared to legally allow FlyCastaway to use the luxurious MY Gryphon for live aboard trips to St Brandon’s.

There are 12 daily international flights into Mauritius and the airport is 45minutes away from Port Louis, which is the capital. Once everyone has settled into their cabins, the fully rigged and stocked Gryphon departs in a north-easterly direction along the Mascarene ridge on a 24 hour motor for St Brandon.  The trip is a pleasant one as the stabilizers steady the roll and time flies as the card games and DVD’s are paused thanks to the occasional sound of screaming reels.

The Gryphon is a 96 ft motor yacht which is based out of Port Louis and boasts a top speed of 13 knots, has stabilizers, a large indoor and outdoor living area as well as a fully rigged game fishing aft deck. Boasting a 23ft beam and a 7,5ft draft she can accommodate up to 8 fly fishermen, 4 FlyCastaway guides, as well as a crew of 4 who cater for your every. A large and spacious vessel boasting two stabilisers which make her extremely stable, she has a top speed of 13 knots. She is very comfortable and the perfect base with which to explore St Brandon’s in luxury. It would be difficult to find a better boat from which to do the crossing as she has all the extras like a TV, DVD player and card table to help pass the time.

All meals are served in the dining room with the chef preparing a mix of Creole and international food. Although the Gryphon does have a selection of local beer (beer is charged at cost price), wine and spirits on board for sale, we do however recommend all clients bring there own bottle of preferred spirits/wine as we cannot guarantee availability at the time of your trip. All mineral water & softdrinks are included in the price which has been quoted.

The Fishing

On arriving at St Brandon’s no time is wasted as the guides put their vast Indian Ocean experience and planning into practice as you venture out to spend your days exploring the multitude of pure white sand flats and broken coral islands, all of which are infested with naive bonefish.

This most certainly is be the most spectacular bonefishing you will ever encounter as on most tides anglers can expect to see shoals of these shallow water speedsters as well as enormous singles and doubles. Over the past season we have landed Bonefish of up to 87cm fork length and weighing 15lbs.

St Brandon’s is also the most productive Indo-Pacific Permit fishery any of us have witnessed. When specifically targeting these gloriously finicky fish, guests are afforded multiple shots per day. Over the past season our guides have refined their tactics for the Permit of St Brandon’s and enjoy nothing more than watching their clients lean into sizeable specimens. 

The GT fishing can be quite varied. Some days you can see over 100 fish and at other times none at all. St Brandon’s isn’t a place where you are going to get shots at GT’s everyday but it is certainly the place to break the 100 cm mark. The fish are all large and you catch more over a meter than under. We have in fact seen and hooked fish well over the 150cm. Large Bluefin Trevally are also around and we have caught some truly world class specimens.

Other notable fish species one can encounter on the flats include Golden, Yellow Dot and Green Spot Trevally.

Details

Cost:
2011/12 Season: €6700 per person sharing ex Port Louis, Mauritius (9 night, 6.5 day fishing package – price subject to change)

Single supplement:
Available

Max Pax:
8 anglers (2 anglers to 1 guide)

Inclusions:
·         Full board and accommodation on board the MY Gryphon for nine nights based on two people sharing an ensuite bedroom
·         Six and half days fully guided fishing
·         Fishing licenses
·         Tender boats & fuel
·         Soft drinks & water

Exclusions:
·         International flights from your home to Port Louis, Mauritius
·         Ground transfers on Mauritius
·         Meals and accommodation in Port Louis or any other en route cities
·         Beer (charged at cost price) spirits, wine, items of a personal nature
·         Gratuities for guides and boat staff
·         Travel & medical insurance.
·         Tackle & flies

Location:
·         268 nautical miles north-east of Mauritius’s main island

Getting there:
Guests need to fly into the main island of Mauritius and preferably overnight before the Gryphon departs Port Louis for a 24 hour motor to St Brandon’s.

Target Species:
Bonefish, Indo-Pacific Permit, Giant Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Golden Trevally & Greenspot Trevally.

Fishing Season:
October to December and again from April through to June.

Weather:
Temperatures range between 25°C - 30°C. Wind averages 15knots.

Tender Boats:
4 x 17ft locally built mono-hulls which carry 2 x 15 HP 2-Stroke Yamaha engines

Pre Trip

Time Difference:
GMT + 4
Flight time from UK: 12 - 14 hours

Visa Requirements
UK, US, EU, USSR and RSA passport holders do not require a visa for entering into Mauritius for vacation purposes

Medical & Health Requirements:
Mandatory emergency medical evacuation insurance. A Yellow Fever certificate is required is travelling from a Yellow Fever infected area.

Currency:
The currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR). US Dollar or Euro are however widely accepted and are the preferred currency for gratuities and expenditure on the MY Gryphon.

Language:
English is the official language of Mauritius, but the most widely used is French. All FlyCastaway guides and crew of the MY Gryphon speak English.

Satellite Phone & Communications:
The main island is covered by the mobile network; the local mobile phone operators use GSM networks, which are compatible with most international operators.

The MY Gryphon is equipped with a satellite phone which can be used by guests at an additional cost.

Tackle & Gear:
Single-handed 9ft #9wt & #12wt saltwater outfits with matching tropical floating lines. The Gryphon will have 8 x 12 weight G-Loomis Crosscurrent Fly Rods and Shilton SL7 Reels and 8 x 9 weight G-Loomis Crosscurrent Fly Rods and Shilton SL6 Reels which can be rented on a weekly basis.

A comprehensive tackle and gear list along with an order form (should you wish to purchase your tackle through us) is issued after your booking has been confirmed. The guides will also carry limited stock of suitable flies and other terminal tackle, should you run out.

Download

St Brandon's Atoll - Fly Fishing in Saltwater

Here Come The Saints - By Henry Gilbey

Bonefishing Unplugged - By Mark Hatter

St Brandon's Info Pack 2011/2012

St Brandon's Tems & Conditions