Farquhar Blog: 10 – 17 November 2012

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about a strange phenomenon in the form of a plague of swimming crabs. These crabs, so abundant that a pilot geo-mapping the atoll for the government said there was a long reddish brown oil slicks extending far off shore, have now all left. The current has dispersed them, and the fish that were gorging on them offshore have had to resume their feeding habits i.e. the GT’s are back on the flats.

 

The score was 11 GT’s landed this week, with 27 others managing to escape capture by breaking lines, spitting the fly or other scenarios that might have been amusing if they weren’t so heartbreaking for both clients and guides alike. In all, the numbers are extremely encouraging, although it would have been nice to have landed a larger percentage.

 

Farquhar is well known for its species, and although the primary target this week were GT’s, the anglers concerned found time to have a throw at a few other offerings. Both the Moustache and Yellow Margin triggers were landed. After throwing every crab pattern under the sun at the Triggers and getting no reward, we thought the fish had stopped feeding entirely and were simply tailing just to provoke us. To say there was some celebration when those two triggers were finally landed would be somewhat of an understatement.

 A Bumphead Parrotfish was also landed, sadly however in the usual fashion of fishing for Bumpies, many many fish were lost. Fishing for a very large fish with a 9wt and 17 – 20lb is always going to be a challenge, add to the fact that this large powerful fish has bolt cutters for a mouth, and feeds in close proximity to corral gardens and you begin to understand the odds are most certainly stacked against you. The reward when you land one does however makes it all worth it, and you can be sure not many other fly fisherman around the world have held such a magnificent fish.

In true Farquhar style, there were hundreds of other fish landed, and some big ones too… large Bohar snapper, Grouper of ever shape and colour, large Bluefin and Bigeye Trevally were all landed in profusion. Another good week on Farquhar!

Cheers

James