Farquhar Blog: 22-29 Nov 2017
Despite some really warm water providing tricky conditions for our group of Farquhar regulars, they still enjoyed some terrific fishing for a broad range of species. We’ll let the images doing the talking!
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- Farquhar Atoll – Seychelles www.flycastaway.com info@flycastaway.com
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- Farquhar Atoll – Seychelles www.flycastaway.com info@flycastaway.com
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- Farquhar Atoll – Seychelles www.flycastaway.com info@flycastaway.com
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- Farquhar Atoll – Seychelles www.flycastaway.com info@flycastaway.com
Our first day of a new week and we were greeted with tough conditions. Squalls throughout the day meant any break in the weather needed to be utilized. There were however a number of GTs around and a good few charged and ate the fly, with some epic eats and tussles. Sadly none ended in our guests favor with some leaders parting snapped and a fly line or two being corralled causing some heartbreak as a few trophy specimens were hooked and lost. We did however enjoy some great Bonefishing, with numerous double-ups as well a couple of 8lb fish coming to hand.
Our 4th day out and the GTs were around in solid numbers and some good size fish coming to hand. Chris managed to land a solid 94cm fish after an unlucky week to date. The GT was a single fish cruising alone, Chris made a long cast and a few strips later the GT accelerated and smashed the fly! The fish headed for the lagoon and had to be chased by the boat, but after a lengthy fight his prize was landed. Another GT for Jed today and after loosing a fish in the morning it all came together for him in the afternoon. The Geets started popping up from the lagoon onto the turtle grass, smashing bait that had accumulated during the low. This fish was another lone rider and didn’t hesitate to eat the fly after a short cast and a few strips. Mike managed a spectacularly beautiful Napoleon Wrasse and after an epic battle he landed a solid 82cm specimen. There were really high numbers of Triggers seen on the atoll today and the Bones still being landed in high numbers with a few big ones in-between. There were a couple of nice size Bluefins also landed and the species account keeps growing!
The final day and our guests were eager to end the trip on a high. After a few tussles and missed opportunities Michael was determined to get his hands on a Geet before he left us. He got it done in fine form with a solid 80cm fish after the shape was spotted coming onto white sandy flat. He made the cast and a few big strips and the fish exploded on the fly. GT fishing at it’s best. There were solid amounts of Geets all over the atoll today; sadly the fish won more of the battles than us. Jason experienced the power of one that ended in a broken 12wt. Jed did however manage to land a Napoleon Wrasse of 76cm, whilst the Bonefish continued to bring about bent rods, screaming reels and loads of smiles! These fish on top of a range of species which included a handful of 15lb plus Grouper and Bohar’s topped off a fantastic week, with a great range of diversity and some special moments out on the water.
Our third week of the opening season on Farquhar after the cyclone Fantala hit the island in 2016; the newly built guest house has seen two groups of guests enjoy its facilities. This week we welcomed some new comers to the atoll as well as some familiar faces and party of two guests doing an extended trip. After touching down mid-morning on the atoll the guests enjoyed a few welcome drinks and snacks and then a safety briefing on the week’s activities, settled into their rooms and enjoyed lunch. We got right into tackle setup, ensuring everyone was ready for the week. Our guests were then able to have a short afternoon session where a few impressive Geets and Bones were landed around the lodge on the home flat, setting the tone for the week ahead.
Everyone was up early and raring to go, in search of that fish of a lifetime. After a full breakfast our guests jumped on the boats and headed out. As we head into neap tides the sheer amount of water expands the options for the fish as they now have multiple entry and exit points from which to choose from to hunt and ambush prey making the window of opportunity for our guests longer but at the same time finding the right depth and fish holding water the challenge. With the western side of the lagoon holding more clear water some chose to explore this option while others chose to do a surf walk. With a morning high a few guests opted to try their hand at some blue water to try and see if they could raise a Sail fish, there were a few raised but non committed to the fly on the switch. The GTs were around in solid numbers and a few came to hand. Congratulations to Chantel for landing her first Geet of the week at 79cm and to Ferdi for yet another Geet, this one measuring 78cm. The wait was finally over for Eugene who had hooked 6 Bumpies the previous week but hadn’t managed to convert, this day saw him land a fine 78cm specimen. Well done to Christian for his first Farquhar Bumpie, stretching the tape at 103cm. There were really high numbers of Bumpies around on the Atoll with a few more Bumpies hooked but bitten off during the fight. The Triggers were tailing hard and a few hook ups were lost, thankfully a few did come to hand with a first Trigger for Stephanie. There were many Bones landed today and a few big ones. The species count opened with a bang with a whole variety of reef dwelling species coming to hand, including a big 80cm Boha for Andre.
After a solid start to the week some guests were keen to go and seek revenge on the previous day’s missed opportunities while others were in search of something specific. With the day’s fishing plans explained and briefings done we headed out. A midmorning high tide gave our guests the chance to go blue water fishing or frequent a land mass until the tide had receded enough to access the flats. With the eastern side of the atoll experiencing some warmer green water, finding the right conditions, water temperature and depth was going to be crucial. The Geets were around and a few came to hand, huge congratulations to Stephanie who on day one had hook ups with the predatory Geets that just didn’t work out. Today she turned it around and converted to land a fine 81cm Geet and her first ever, this fish was swimming with a shark and another GT over a white sandy bottom on the highway; after making the cast both Geets charged the fly and the smaller of the 2 got to the fly first and engulfed it. The day was an eventful one with the powerful GTs causing havoc – a rod snap during the fight and a rod pulled out of a guest’s hand as the Geet turned on the gas and with it went the rod lost to the ocean. It was an incredible day for Nadine who completed a Grand Slam with a Permit of 50cm, a Trigger of 45cm and a reputable 66cm GT, well done Nadine! The Triggers were around in good numbers with a few being landed but unfortunately more battles being won by the fish at this stage.
Hot and humid with little to no wind was in store for our guests on the third day, finding blue cool water was the way to go. Andre getting it done on a nice Bumpie of 86cm, this fish was the lead fish in a pod of 12 Bumpies tailing over the turtle grass flats. This fish put up a solid tussle and 35min later the fish was landed. The Geets were around in solid numbers and unfortunately for the fishermen won the day with a few hooked but none landed. There were good numbers of Bones landed and an impressive 25inch bone caught by Ferdi off a white sand flat, this fish was swimming alone just off the beach. The species account was especially high today as the high water gives our guests the opportunity to catch some of Farquhar’s incredible species with a nice 67cm Boha landed by Chantel off a coral head.
After a solid breakfast our guests were ready to head out to try and land that fish of a lifetime. As the week progresses some have lost a few battles with fish and some have been won, at this stage of the week specific species are usually targeted by some and one guest who made it happen today with the holy grail of fish was Andre, landing a sizable Permit, this fish fell prey to an accurate presentation and tailed on the fly, charging off after the hook set taking Andre well into his backing a few times, this beautiful fish was 69cm, a fantastic achievement! With there being good volumes of water around the GTs were smashing bait that was packed close to shore in and around the coral ridges making for some exciting eats. There were Geets caught today by Ferdi and son Eugene up to 85cm during a long surf walk. A GT was also hooked and a shark landed as the hooked GT was smashed by a Blacktip and then hooked, after some exciting visuals the shark was landed. The Triggers won the day with the hook ups ending in the fish’s favour while the Bones are keeping our clients’ rods bent and reels screaming.
Nearing the end of the week our guests have enjoyed themselves immensely, sampling the diverse range of species this incredible fishery has to offer. With a mid-morning high we still got to experience an increase in water depth through the morning bringing with it some cooler water and feeding fish. After having racked up all but one of her target species Chantal was determined to land a Bumpie today and she got the job done with an impressive fish of 105cm, this fish was landed off the turtle grass flat and was in a huge pod of around 25 fish. This fish was the lead fish, the pod tailing on the turtle grass, after stalking these fish for 3 hours Chantal got the fish to eat and then the battle began; after a 35min fight the fish was landed much to her delight. She also managed a solid 80cm Geet as well as a few other fish through the day. There was another special fish for our guest Hani today who was hunting his first GT of the week, after hooking and parting ways with a few it all came together with a fish of 81cm. This fish was hooked swimming with another 3 Geets. A well-presented cast and the GT peeled off from the group and smashed the fly. There was a Geet for Christian as well of 72.5cm, this fish on the back of a sting ray on the flats. The fish didn’t hesitate and shot off the ray, charged the fly and took off.
Into the final day and a few of our guests were still in search of that special fish. With an afternoon high, giving our guests a solid morning session getting to fish the entire push and most of the drop the day was looking good, stable weather around, low winds and high humidity made the last day picture perfect. There was still some warm water around on the eastern side of the inside of the lagoon so our guests opted for surf walk and some headed out to the western side of the atoll which had been dropping and pushing blue. In search of yet another special fish, the Bumpie, Christiaan headed out on the final day with high hopes and had a day to remember! He landed 2 Bumpie slams off the turtle grass flats – a solid 95cm and 80cm respectively as well as a few Bones to complete the slam. The Bumpies were landed 20 minutes apart, both from the same school of fish tailing hard on the flats, the first being the lead fish in the school, after epic battles both fish were landed. It didn’t end there for Christian though, he also landed an 80cm Geet that had been spotted cruising with a shark. There were some big Bones hooked and lost in the surf with a few decent specimens landed. The species account increased as most of our guests had caught their targeted species and wanted to catch a variety of the Farquhar species on offer. After a tricky week with high water a solid amount of fish were landed and our guests had a great time . We shared stories over a final dinner and made plans to keep in contact, many of our guests already looking to book for next year, having enjoyed their stay and the comfort of the new guest house as well as the food and hospitality.
Our second day out on the flats saw us moving into the full moon spring tides cycle which cause a lot of water movement throughout the atoll. These tides bring in huge numbers of predatory fish and are ideal conditions for hunting GTs, there was a morning falling tide meaning some solid wading time on the flats. The GTs were around in good numbers and some of the guests managed to capitalize; a huge congratulations must go to Eugene who managed to get a fish of 111cm riding on the back of a big lemon shark! A well presented cast and a slow long strip caught its attention, the fish rushed and engulfed the fly and after a solid tussle the battle was eventually won.
A moderate easterly wind and bright sunshine were the conditions on the fourth day. We were now in the middle of the full moon spring tide cycle with huge volumes of water being pushed on and off the atoll. A 12pm low ensured we got to fish a few solid hours of the dropping tide as well as the following pushing tide. Some guests opted for the white sandy flats and turtle grass areas whilst the more adventurous whose legs were up for the challenge took on the surf. Arriving at the surf they were greeted with milky water but thankfully it was still cool from the night before and the clarity improved as the morning progressed. Congratulations has to go to Jeff for completing his Grand Slam and landing a GT, Trigger and Bone at the runway on the northern tip of the atoll. It took some really impressive and technical fishing to achieve this as conditions were tricky. The Trigger of 50cm was hooked on the dead low in the surf in a foot of water – this fish ran around numerous coral heads before being landed. Then came the Bonefish and to complete the slam an hour into the push Jeff found a GT cruising with a Lemon shark. He made the cast and the GT peeled off the shark and smashed the fly. Congratulations is also due to Gehard for landing a GT of 82cm.
With the week slowly but surely drawing to a close our guests have all had some great shots at a few trophy Farquhar fish. Some came to hand and others caused sleepless nights and nightmares. The latter being the case for Rich who had a few shots at GTs but unfortunately none of them this far worked out. Happily for him, he managed to convert his chance and land his first GT measuring in at 83cm on day 5. This fish was hooked during a surf walk on the runway over the dropping tide. He found the fish cruising in the cuts in the exposed coral reef. After losing a few metre plus fish this week Tony was also eager and driven to get it done. Congratulations to Tony for achieving his personal best GT of 101cm while wading the turtle grass patches near the surf. This GT was spotted cruising against the current during the dropping tide. Tony ran ahead of the fish, made the cast and the fish exploded on the fly with an epic chase and eat.
It’s with a great sense of excitement that we write this report from Farquhar Atoll. After nearly 18 months of clearing and rebuilding, the new lodge is now officially up and running and it looks terrific! The new layout offers more privacy for our guests when they want it and the large social dining and bar area is sure to impress all future guests, including those wanting to kick back whilst enjoying a cocktail and a chat about that great day out on the water. It really is so good to be home! Joining us on this momentous week were Rich, Millie and Jon from the Trouthunter along with a group of great friends. Despite some of them having fished St Brandon’s with us, this was to their first trip to Farquhar and they were clearly excited to get stuck into some world class flats fishing and enjoy their own private atoll for a week!
Day one had a strong south easterly wind blowing over the flats which kept the water cool and the fish hungry. Solid numbers of GTs were sighted across the atoll and despite it being the first GT fishing for many of our guests we managed to land a few, John and Ben both landing their firsts. One of the fish proved to be the fish we all dream about! A large fish was spotted cruising away over a white sand flat in the south, and after a few attempts the fish turned towards Robert. Robert made another cast and after two strips the fish tracked and inhaled the fly. It instantly bolted off for deeper water but after an incredibly powerful battle the glorious specimen came to hand. She was all of 120cm and a cracking way to start the week and our season! Congrats Robert! The Bones were around in good numbers on the eastern side of the atoll and provided good sport, whilst the Triggers too offered up some opportunities, it was just our friends the Bumpheads which were a bit scarce, the big tides no doubt keeping them off the shallower flats. All in all a great way to start our season!
Clear skies greeted us as we head out on day two, the last bit of the drop and the full push providing an extended GT session. This worked a treat and congratulations must go to Richard, Scott and Grant, all three of them landing their first ever GTs on a fly rod..awesome! The Bones were still around in good numbers which provided some great action, however despite multiple shots at our our friends the Triggers, they had the final say on day two. But Farquhar is never to be underestimated in terms of the species options it can deliver, firstly Gerhard landed a couple of Milks from the beach, following which Heidi managed to hook and land a beautiful Indo-Pacific Permit and finally Jeff enticed and most importantly landed a 92cm Napoleon wrasse. It was another really special day out on water!
Sadly day three dawned dark & menacing, the blustery conditions deteriorating as the day progressed. With intermittent cloud bursts and brief patches of sunlight, making the most of opportunities was going to be the key. Our guests took up the challenge and were rewarded with some good fish despite the trying conditions. More GTs were landed, special mention going to Grant and Scott for their double up on a GT and a Napoleon Wrasse. The Bones continued to feed aggressively in the icy cold water, and eventually our first Trigger of the season went to Ben. He didn’t stop there though and managed to land our first “SLAM” for the season by ticking off a GT, Bonefish and Trigger despite the very difficult conditions! Great job Ben!
Sadly the tough conditions did not improve. A dropping tide and extremely high south easterly winds made the lagoon and the outer reaches of the atoll inaccessible by boat, so with our guests still eager to head out we waited for the mid day low tide and took the tractor to the runway flat where we could fish on foot in safety. Conditions however had the final say and despite a few small fish coming to hand, the warm and obviating atmosphere of the lodge proved too great and we headed back!
Conditions improved slightly on day five which at least enabled to us head out across the atoll. The Bumphead Parrots made their first real appearance on the week, large pods being spotted tailing across the atoll. Rich stepped up to the plate and landed our first fish of the season, his 90cm specimen coming in after an epic battle. Good numbers of GTs presented themselves and despite too many departing prematurely, we did land some good ones. Grant in particular landed a great one, his 105cm specimen our second meter plus fish for the week. The fish was spotted hugging the back of a Lemon Shark, this time the bigger fish getting to the fly first thankfully! After a lengthy fight this incredible fish was landed. The Triggers continued to provide opportunities but proved skittish, the Bones however anything but with huge numbers of fish encountered!
Thankfully the break in the weather arrived on our final day on the water. With a midday low we had the chance to fish and it was phenomenal. Large schools of GTs had arrived in the lagoon from the open ocean, one particular group enjoying some mind blowing GT fishing. Wading the turtle grass flat Rich and Millie saw their flies chased and smashed continuously, some epic battles ending with broken fly lines but at the end of of it 10 fish between them. A special shout out to Millie for her perseverance! During the course of the week she had hooked plenty but things had not gone her way, this changed though with her tally for the day ending at 5, the biggest of which was a gorgeous 97cm fish! Truly a great session to be a part of and a great way to end our first week back.
With the rebuild to Farquhar’s lodge progressing at full steam during the months of March and April, the atoll’s incredible fish population for the most part carried out their daily existence without the presence of anglers or guides. I say for the most part, as we were fortunate to sample at least one week of incredible flats & offshore fishing on Farquhar, albeit from Maya’s Dugong at the end of our Providence atoll season. It was a week I had been really looking forward to, this incredible atoll and fishery holding a very special place in my heart and which thankfully will again become my home for two 3 month stints per year starting October this year. But back to the fishing a bit later.
During every weekly changeover on our Providence season I got to spend an hour or two on Farquhar as we waited for the plane to arrive. I was amazed by the pace at which the IDC building team has worked on Farquhar. To give you an idea, the cleanup of the area between the slipway and the airstrip had been completed in less than 5 months, an incredible achievement considering the size of the area and the amount of fallen trees and other debris that was originally left over from the cyclone. On the building front, the staff have been on top of their game here as well. Every week new buildings were erected whilst others received their finishing touches, in a style and layout that I believe will make a huge impression on our guests. Anglers will now be accommodated in three separate duplex style chalets that overlook the lagoon. Each chalet contains two air-conditioned bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, the new layout certain to provide additional privacy and that finishing touch to a week of incredible flats fishing. The former guesthouse has been converted into a large dining and lounge area, which together with the new bar area is sure to provide an extremely comfortable and relaxed environment for our guests whilst enjoying a cold beer or nice glass of wine with their evening meals. All in all, it looks terrific and I cannot wait to welcome our guests in the new format this coming October!
And now back to the fishing during that one week. Our guests from England, Germany and South Africa had arrived with high expectations, especially considering the atoll hasn’t been fished for nearly five months. The good news is Farquhar did anything but disappoint! Plenty of GT action took place on the outer reefs as well as on the flats inside the lagoon, with all our guests sampling the thrill of GT’s charging in and eating a rapidly stripped streamer. This is clear proof that not only has the cyclone refreshed the system, but also that the rule of zero plugging and teasing for GT’s offshore, as well as on the atoll which has now been in effect for the last two and half seasons is really paying dividends. We are also seeing bigger and bigger GT’s coming onto the flats on a regular basis, so for guests looking for that real trophy GT, Farquhar is tough to look past. Our friends the Triggerfish were also around in good numbers, their colourful tails providing many memorable walk and stalk moments between guests and their guides. The hungry Bonefish were in good numbers and provided superb light tackle sport in some super skinny water. Farquhar’s infamous Bumphead parrotfish are present in good numbers as well, and despite us losing more than we landed provided some intense wade fishing sessions never to be forgotten. I for one cannot wait to spend hours and hours stalking these gentle giants come October! The reef species we encountered really have me excited for the coming season, the group enjoying some superb “Bommie Bashing” for Bohar Snapper, Groupers, Napoleon Wrasse, Bluefin Trevally, Emperors…the list just went on! So as you can tell, the fishing lived up to our expectations….in fact it was great!
So if I consider the fishing we experienced now, together with those three weeks in November last year, it’s little wonder I’m counting down the days until I strap on my wading boots for another gloriously long season on Farquhar. Below is a selection of images taken from the two periods. Myself and the rest of the guide team are really looking forward to this new chapter on Farquhar and hope to see you all out there someday soon!
The new lodge on Farquhar is really coming on nicely, and although we will only begin operating out of it in October this year, it was great to see the progress that has been made. The layout from one central house has changed, whereby our guests will now be accommodated in three duplex style chalets, the large central house being converted into a common area that will include a lounge, dining area and bar. It’s going to be terrific!
Day 1 – We were on neaps and the atoll looked in great shape, cold blue water for as far as you can see. With that came the fish, including good numbers of GT’s and is Farquhar’s way some really big ones! We managed to get stuck into some straight away, including two special fish for Christopher and David, the two of them landing their first ever GT on the fly. Congrats guys! The Triggers were also around in solid numbers during our first day out, but despite a couple of hook ups we were going to have to a little longer before photographing our first for the trip. Strangely enough the Bumpies were a bit scarce, only a handful of shoals spotted during the course of the day. The species fishing was however off the charts and a great sign that the atoll is in fine shape. We subsequently landed good numbers of Bohar Snapper, various species of emperors, groupers and the ever-exciting Bluefin Trevally. A really positive start!
Day 2 – Weather wise we enjoyed text book conditions, the clear sky and a light breeze providing optimal conditions. The GT’s were around in good numbers again and some of our guests managed to capitalize, another first on fly going to Robyn who has fished other Seychelles atolls previously. Congrats Robyn! As if that wasn’t enough, he then managed to break the magical meter mark on the same day with his second GT stretching the tape to 108cm. The fish was spotted cruising around a small coral island on the western side of the atoll and after a well presented cast and dedicated strip, it picked up speed in a split second and smashed the fly. After taking a good amount of string Robyn put the breaks on and the fish was eventually landed. Congrats sir! Although not mentioned previously, the Bonefishing has been nothing but spectacular and today was no exception. Often overlooked by guests coming to Farquhar, it is a reminder that Farquhar is certainly more than a GT fishery. The Triggers too presented themselves in good numbers but still seem to be winning the battle…at this stage! The species fishing continued to impress all our guests, the coral heads and other structure teaming with life! Another great day of fishing!
Day 3 – We headed out on a morning dropping tide and a bit more wind blowing throughout the atoll. The GTs presented themselves again in good numbers and the guys managed to get a few to hand. Sadly we hooked some really big fish in the surf but the end results were not in our favor. The Bones were still around in good numbers and were there for the taking for any guest who was in the mood to target them. The Bumpies also started to show themselves in better numbers and were often seen feeding lazily over the flats. A huge congrats to Ivan on his outstanding day of fishing, his Bumphead Parrotfish, Bonefish and GT earning him a coveted Farquhar Slam. Needless to say spirits were high as everyone relaxed onboard after yet a another great day out on the water.
Day 4 – The fishing continued to impress, with good numbers of GTs prowling the flats ready to smash any well-presented baitfish imitation. We managed to land a couple for the day which is all you can ever ask for, but today will be remembered for an enormous fish lost (one of the biggest we have ever seen) whist guide an angler were fishing the surf section on the Eastern side of the atoll. Heartbreak…but further evidence that Farquhar is fishing well and it remains one of the best places to encounter monster GT’s on foot! The Bonefishing remains outstanding and with good numbers of Triggers around as well provided some superb light tackle action.
Day 5 – The weather continued to hold and with it so did the GT fishing GT, individuals and small pods feeding hard when the opportunities presented themselves. Congrats to Jeremy for getting our second slam of the week, his GT, Bonefish and Triggerfish rounding off a day he will not forget! After some really near misses during the first few days we made it count on the Trigger front. Jeremy, Christopher, David and Agostino each landed one during another superb day of fishing!
Day 6 – Our final day on Farquhar and our season had arrived and sadly so to had the weather. High winds and tough light made sighting and presenting to fish a bit more challenging, but some of the guests still managed to get stuck into some great fish. Congrats to Christopher on landing our second GT over a meter mark for the trip, his 102cm prize something he had been chasing the entire week. Another hugely special fish was landed by Jeremy, his 117cm Bumphead Parrotfish certainly being a fish of a lifetime and without doubt one of the largest fish you can tussle with on a 9wt.
The guide team had been frothing at the mouth to step back onto Farquhar Atoll after an extended break! The devastation left by Cyclone Fantala in April 2016 meant we had to halt operations on the atoll with immediate effect. Given the remoteness of the location rebuilding the infrastructure on the atoll is a mammoth task, so much so the guesthouse will only be operational as of October 2017. This means that for a period of almost 18 months there would have been very little fishing presume on the atoll…and we are happy to say that the “little” pressure that it did receive came from some very fortunate FlyCastaway guests!
Weather: Weather wise it was business as usual for this time of the year, at least for the first two weeks with a fairly light South-Easterly wind blowing across the atoll and lagoon for much of our stay. Conditions were subsequently very pleasant, the odd short rain burst helping to cool us and keep the lagoon water temperature down and allow for productive pushing tide sessions. Our third week was unusually calm with almost no wind or current for 3 days. This made the GT fishing pretty tricky on the final week, however the atoll’s diversity once again shone through and provided some exceptional angling for the other notorious species.
Bonefish: Cyclone Fantala has pushed large amounts of sand into certain areas inside the lagoon as well as on some of the outer reef’s flats. This extended habitat produced some great Bonefishing for our guests, most notably on the outside reef flats. The same conditions are also evident on the South Island’s inner flats. So much so that for the first time since I started guiding on Farquhar, we guided guests into a large number of Bonefish schools on the North to South East reefs. Most of the fish averaged between 2-3lbs which indicates there will be some very good Bonefishing on the atoll in the next few seasons as these fish grow larger on their newly productive grounds.
GT’s: We were certainly pleased to find our beloved GT fishery alive and well back to normal after Fantala. All the usual areas were producing the goods with a few new ambush points adding to our excitement. We also witnessed a tremendous amount of baitfish on the flats this season, the juvenile Big Eye Trevally in particular being present in massive numbers. These shoals of bait attracted large numbers of GT’s during certain periods and watching these GT’s and large Bluefin Trevally tearing into the hapless bait was a sight we will never forget. To give you an idea of some of the special GT fishing we encountered, the first fish landed during the short season was a 1.19 meter GT that swam gently at me and my guest! An incredible fish and another reminder that Farquhar’s GT fishery is alive and well.
Triggerfish: The reefs, pancakes and some sneaky special spots produced great Triggerfishing during the 3 weeks stint. Some guests hooked into three fish in one session, as such good numbers of our guests landed these toothy creatures provided. There were however some hugely frustrating moments as we experienced large numbers of Blue Spangled or Yellow Lip Emperors on the flats this season. After a careful stalk and approach towards the tailing Trigger an accurate cast was sent out only for the fly to be snapped up by the snappers!
Bumpies: After some amazing Bumpy fishing sessions on Providence, I was anxious to see how the fish on Farquhar were behaving! Knowing their habits well, our guide team put our guests in the right areas during the right tides and showed them why these enormous tailing fish are now well and truly one of the most prized species in the fly fishing fraternity. The fish were around in good numbers and willing to eat the fly when properly presented and as such we hooked our fair share during our short stint.
Undoubtedly many people have been waiting to hear how the actual atoll is recovering after Cyclone Fantala. The truth is the vegetation will take some time to regain it’s lushness. Impressively though, the work done by the IDC and its staff to rebuild and tidy things up has been impressive to witness. Also, the bird life seems to be as healthy as ever, the Red Footed Booby as well as the Masked Booby were in full nesting mode, their numbers (judging by the eye) seemingly the same as previous seasons. The Terns also appear to be in the same numbers as per previous seasons. All this indicates the ecosystem in which the GTs, Bumpies, Triggers and other species that we all love, is in good shape and we can look forward to some very exciting fishing on the atoll for years to come.
Welcome back to another action packed week of fly fishing on Farquhar Atoll! As per normal we were joined by 12 very excited anglers, including a group of six from AOS Fly Fishing hosted by Stephan and Alex Haider of Austria, regular guests and friends Gerhard and Angelika, as well as Mikko, Ville, George and Tim. Their excitement was clearly evident as they disembarked the plane and knowing the atoll is really fishing well we could not wait to get them out onto the water.
Day 1 – We had a promising start when Ville landed a solid Golden Trevally just as the tide had started to push. Never an easy fish to get due to the speed they move across the flats, Ville had done well by getting ahead of them and making a good presentation with his crab pattern before the fish tailed hard onto the fly. The GTs are still around in solid numbers and we managed to capitalise on a few of the shots we had early on. Congratulations to George for landing his first one ever on fly of 84 cm, Stephan for his fish of 96 cm and to Alex on landing our first meter plus fish. The fish which measured 109 cm had come through the surf onto a white sand flat and had no hesitation in charging in and eating a well cast and fished fly. After a few heart stopping moments the prize fish came to hand. So with some good Bluefin Trevally thrown in to the mix, a really great start to the week!
Day 2 – The surf has really been producing some incredible Bonefishing and it was no exception on Day 2. Good numbers, including some tailing fish were enjoyed by the guests who fished these areas. Although we saw good numbers of GTs on the day as well, we didn’t manage to convert the opportunities which did come our way. The Sailfish are still around in solid numbers due to the clear blue water still present on the atoll. We managed to raise a few as well, with Waltraud capitalising and getting her second one on fly. The bommie bashing continued to produce exciting fishing for a range of species, all of whom make Farquhar a species addicts paradise.
Day 3 – We started off with some tough sighting conditions with some early morning rain and cloudy conditions. Despite the weather we still managed to get some good fish to hand. Amongst a host of other species landed during the day we managed to get a couple of good sized GTs after they had been seen smashing baitfish in the surf. The Triggers too continue to provide exciting fishing!
Day 4 – The tricky light conditions continued on our fourth day, but we managed to pull out some good GTs. There were a few more Bumpies around which was nice to see, but despite us hooking a couple their powerful runs and vice like beaks won these battles. The Triggers were also around happily tailing on the flats in the low light and we managed to hook four of these cunning little critters. Some super skinny water Bonefishing rounded off another very productive day on the atoll.
Day 5 – The weather had improved on Day 5 as we woke to clear skies. We were therefore keen to head out to some areas that fish really well on the incoming spring tides. The result was some good GT action! Special mention must go to Michael for landing the second meter plus fish of the week. A special fish in some many ways, his 110 cm is now his personal best and will not be forgotten in a hurry. We also managed to land a cracking Sailfish, Tim’s 190cm specimen thrilling all who witnessed the take and fight before being tagged and safely released. All in all a really enjoyable day out!
Day 6 – Our last day had arrived and with some great tides on offer, we were all excited to end off on a good note. One boat opted to fish offshore for the morning and were nearly rewarded when Gerorge hooked into and witnessed a +/-60kg Striped Marlin tail walking across the ocean. A spectacular event to be a part of no doubt, however hopes were crushed right in the death as the fish slowly neared the boat only for the fly to pop out meters away from it being landed. Robert did however manage to get a good sized Wahoo on the fly which is always cool. Congratulations must however go to to Mikko for landing three GT’s during the day, including our third meter plus fish for the week. Our good news did not stop there though as Tim and Angelika landed their first ever GT’s, with fish of 86 cm and 85 cm respectively. So in the end we enjoyed another week of great fishing on Farquhar. It is really good to be back on this very special place and we look forward to more great fishing during the weeks to follow.