Bluefin Trevally - FlyCastaway - Page 4

St Brandon Blog: 29 October – 8 November 2024

As we wrapped up our 2024 season at the stunning St Brandon Atoll, we welcomed three eager anglers ready for adventure. Despite facing challenging conditions — strong south-easterly winds, overcast skies, and occasional rain — our guests persisted, and by the end of the week, the weather and fishing improved.

Bonefish were the first to greet us, with healthy numbers found on the flats, coral ridges, and around the islands. The fishing started slower than usual, but our anglers still managed to land a few quality fish. The average size was around 5–6 pounds, with the highlight being a 10.5-pound beauty caught by Mark. Congratulations on a great catch!

Permit were a bit more elusive this week, but the atoll provided some opportunities to cast at tailing fish. We had success twice, with Mike and Tony each landing one.

The Trevally fishing was promising, especially with the Bluefin Trevally, which were seen chasing bait around the islands and sand spits. Our anglers managed to hook a few, landing one Bluefin. We also encountered a number of impressive GTs (Giant Trevally), some of which were particularly large. While we had great opportunities, the timing was often off, and we couldn’t capitalize on some of the bigger fish. However, Mike did land his first-ever GT on the fly, a solid 80cm fish — well done, Mike!

A Golden Trevally also made an appearance, adding to the excitement of the week.

As we conclude our season, we’d like to thank all our guests for joining us in this remarkable corner of the world. It’s hard to believe that another season has ended, but we’re already looking forward to 2025. With an ecosystem as wild and untouched as St Brandon Atoll, we can’t wait for the next chapter of fishing adventures.

Catch Summary for the Week:

Bonefish: 52
Permit: 2
GT: 1
Bluefin Trevally: 1
Golden Trevally: 1

Looking ahead to 2025!

St Brandon Blog: 22 Oct – 1 Nov2024

We started Week 8 of our season by welcoming six new guests to Rafael Island, where they shared this very special atoll with us. As we transitioned from spring tides to neap tides, the water temperature remained nice and cool, which led us to expect more fish feeding on the flats.

This week, we definitely saw more bonefish cruising the flats, both in small pods and as big singles. Many fish were spotted cruising over the flats and feeding in ankle-deep water, making for exciting visuals as the anglers managed to get into some good numbers of fish. The average size of the bonefish this week was between 5 and 7 lbs, with a couple of 8-lb bones making their way into the net.

The permit fishing turned on in a positive way, and the fish were very receptive to the flies thrown their way. Solid numbers were found on the flats, ridges, and around islands, giving all our anglers great shots at the atoll’s permit. Everyone had opportunities to present little morsels to these elusive fish throughout the week. Much to the excitement of both guide Jarryd and guest angler Joerg, the permit obliged more than usual, and Joerg went on to land five permits in one day! A huge congratulations to Joerg for an outstanding day of permit fishing!

On the trevally front, it was a bit slow this week. We did, however, encounter a good number of bluefin around the islands and coral ridges, as well as a couple of GTs hanging around nurse sharks. The guests made some great shots, but unfortunately, only one bluefin made it to hand.

Sadly, we’ve now ticked off Week 7 of the St Brandon 2024 season and are looking forward to our last week of fishing this pristine atoll with our new guests.

The St Brandon Guide Team

Catch tally for the week:

Bonefish: 122
Permit: 11
Bluefin Trevally: 1
Golden Trevally: 5

St Brandon Blog: 15 – 25 Oct 2024

It’s hard to believe that Week 6 has already come and gone, and we’re nearing the end of our St Brandon season and this magical fishery.

Week 7 brought us back to neap tides, with slightly higher water levels and less current throughout the week.

The bonefish were largely schooled up, which made it a bit more challenging to find them in skinny water and on the flats. However, we did manage to locate some tailing bones and land a few real beauties. The average size for the week was a very respectable 6 lbs.

Healthy numbers of Indo-Pacific Permit continued to be seen daily, giving our guests plenty of opportunities throughout the week. As always, however, permit are never easy to convince. Despite many refusals and near-misses, we managed to hook five permit, with one fish making its way into the net before the week came to a close. Congratulations to Chris on landing a solid 8 lb fish that crushed the fly while feeding over small patches of turtle grass on a large white sand flat.

The Trevally species on St Brandon were also present throughout the week, with our guests enjoying some great shots at massive GTs. We managed to hook two giants, though one unbuttoned and the other straightened a 6/0 hook. Bluefin Trevally were spotted smashing baitfish on and around coral ridges on most days. Joerg and Chris both landed a couple of quality fish, with the largest of the week measuring 78 cm and 75 cm, respectively.

All in all, it was another successful week on the water with a group of new friends, all of whom we’d like to thank for joining us.

Our catch tally for the week was:

Bonefish: 40
Permit: 1
Bluefin Trevally: 10

Until next week,
The St Brandon Guide Team

St Brandon Blog: 1 – 11 Oct 2024

We’ve moved into week five of our St Brandon season, still surrounded by the same great group of guests as the previous week. Unfortunately, Mike had to leave early due to work commitments, but the rest of the crew was still going strong.

This week, our guests experienced some fantastic bonefishing, with plenty of opportunities to fish to tailing bones in super shallow water. Tench and Ben each landed the largest bonefish of the week, both pulling the scales to 8 pounds—well done, guys!

This unique atoll, which we’re lucky enough to call home for a few months each year, kept producing. All of our guests had plenty of chances to cast at happy permit. While we didn’t convert as many opportunities as we had hoped, we still managed to land three beautiful permit. We found pods of two to five fish regularly, as well as singles along the flats and coral storm ridges. JT saved the best for last, landing a stunning 16-pound permit on his final day. This fish, caught with a ray, was truly a memorable moment. Well done, JT!

The trevally fishing was a bit slower this week compared to last. However, we still had some exciting shots at bluefin and giant trevally (GTs), and we spotted some true giants around the islands and coral ridges. We landed two beautiful bluefin trevally, both measuring 78 cm, and one GT at 63 cm. The GTs proved elusive, and although we had a few opportunities, we couldn’t convert every shot.

Sadly, due to rough sea conditions, our group of anglers had to leave the atoll three days earlier than planned. We did however thoroughly enjoy spending the week on the flats with such a great group of guys and hope to see them all again soon!

Until next week

The St Brandon’s Guide team

Our catch tally for the week was:

Bonefish – 59
Permit – 3
GTs – 1
Bluefin Trevally – 2

Providence Blog: 5 – 12 Nov 2024

Week four of the season kicked off with a mix of familiar faces and new anglers, as three returning clients joined three newcomers for their first taste of Providence Atoll. The tides shifted from spring to neap, focusing more on tailing species as the water movement slowed, offering more opportunities to walk the flats and fish the ridges.

Day 1: Stormy Start, Strong Fishing The first day started with storms and wind gusts, but the weather cleared by the time the guides reached the flats. With the tide high, we focused on higher spots around the flats, staking out near islands and following sharks and stingrays. Our anglers made some excellent casts early on, landing a few nice fish to kickstart the trip. As the tide dropped, GTs became more visible, and some good fish were caught. Vladimir had a memorable morning, landing a Bumphead parrotfish after a solid fight on a turtle grass flat. By the end of the day, our anglers had landed 13 GTs and a Bumphead, setting a positive tone for the week.

Day 2: Wind and Swell, but Plenty of Action Day two brought strong winds from the southeast and big swells, reducing visibility but not stopping the action. With high water in the morning, fish were scarce, but as the tide dropped, the catch rate picked up. Justin landed a 114cm GT after a nurse shark passed, drawing the fish in for an aggressive take. Igor also landed a solid 102cm GT while casting to a wave-surfing fish. On the tailing species front, Vladimir caught two beautiful triggerfish, while Justin and Matt each landed Bumphead parrotfish. Bonefish were spotted in the north, and James and Igor landed a few in the 6lb range.

Day 3: Sailfish and Bumphead Success On day three, the wind decreased and the clouds lifted slightly, improving visibility. The morning focused on deep water, where Matt and Justin trolled for sailfish. They teased up a couple of fish and Justin successfully landed a big one after an intense fight. Later in the day, Vladimir had a fantastic time on the flats, landing two Bumpheads. A few GTs were seen, and some great shots were made, landing a couple of fish.

Day 4: Bumphead Bonanza Day four started with high clouds and strong southwest winds, but fishing remained productive. Yuri had a standout day, landing three Bumphead parrotfish. Justin and Matt also each landed a nice Bumphead, while Igor fought a big one to the net. Vladimir completed a rare slam, landing a GT, a bonefish, and a Yellow-margin triggerfish. It was an excellent day for tailing species, and our anglers made the most of the opportunities.

Day 5: Triggerfish and Bumphead Action The weather on day five was slightly calmer, allowing for better fly presentations. With a high tide just before noon, our anglers focused on tailing species like triggerfish and Bumpheads. Vladimir hooked two beautiful Yellow-margin triggerfish, while James landed a fantastic Bumphead. Yuri had great success with GTs, landing two fish in the north while chasing triggers and Bumpheads. Matt also got into the action, landing a nice GT.

Day 6: Tough Weather, but Resilient Fishing The final day brought tough weather—high winds, clouds, and rain—which made spotting fish and presenting flies a challenge. Despite the conditions, our anglers persevered. Vladimir added another Bumphead to his tally, and Matt and Justin both landed GTs. It was a tough but rewarding end to a great week.

As week four concluded, our guests left with smiles, having landed some impressive fish despite challenging conditions. The week ended with us moving from neap to spring tides, hoping for calmer weather in the days ahead.

Catch Tally for the Week:

GTs: 34 (114cm Justin, 102cm Igor)
Triggerfish: 5
Grouper & Snapper: 78
Sailfish: 1
Bumphead Parrotfish: 13
Bluefin: 21
Bonefish: 3

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

Providence Blog: 29 Oct – 5 Nov 2024

Our third week of the season begins with a new group of guests from the US, alongside father and son duo Judah and Rob, who are returning from New Zealand. As the tides shift from Neaps to Springs, we anticipate more water flushing over the flats, bringing with it an exciting opportunity to target predator fish like GTs cruising the Atoll.

Day 1: A Stormy Start We kick off with eager anglers ready to explore the flats. However, heavy rain and strong winds rolled in, making the morning wet and challenging for sight fishing. Despite the tough conditions, we spotted several big GTs cruising the shallow flats, and Judah landed a nice 87cm fish. Bommy bashing proved successful, with multiple species caught, including Bohar snapper, camouflage grouper, and bluefin. Offshore, our sole Joal angler landed the first Sailfish of the week.

Day 2: Tough Weather, Good Results Day two saw wind gusts of up to 35 knots, combined with heavy rain and clouds, making spotting fish difficult. Still, our anglers caught 11 GTs, the biggest around 85cm. Judah had a standout day, landing two Napoleon wrasse. In the afternoon, we shifted to deeper waters for bommy bashing and sailfish fishing. Though no sailfish appeared, we raised a few big wahoo, but couldn’t convert them.

Day 3: GT Success By day three, the wind had eased, and conditions improved. Our anglers enjoyed more activity on the flats. Mike hooked an impressive 107cm GT while waiting for fish to funnel through a drainage. Throughout the day, we caught a total of 11 GTs, with Richard landing a nice 90cm fish. Although bumphead parrotfish were spotted, no hook-ups occurred. Groupers and Napoleon wrasse continued to provide great action, with Joel landing a massive saddleback grouper and Greta landing a beautiful Napoleon wrasse.

Day 4: Big GTs and Spring Tides On day four, we had a full spring tide, with plenty of water movement on the flats. The weather was pleasant, and fish spotting was easier. Rob landed a massive 113cm GT after a hard-fought battle, marking a highlight of the day. The group landed 11 GTs in total, with Chris catching his first GT at 88cm and another later. As the flats filled with water, we shifted to deeper lagoons and ended the day with some nice groupers and snappers.

Day 5: Monster Fish Day five brought blue skies and little wind, making for perfect conditions. The drop in the morning saw several anglers hook up early, with Jonathan landing a monster GT measuring 112cm. Joel also hooked a big fish, but it broke him off in the coral. Throughout the day, we saw good action with 9 GTs landed. Joel also made history with the first bumphead parrotfish of the season.

Day 6: A Perfect Finale The final day of the week greeted us with glassy conditions, and we focused on drainages and channels. GTs were spotted, and a few were landed, including one by Lana, who caught her first Providence GT. As the day progressed, milkfish appeared, and Joel hooked one, landing it after a challenging 45-minute fight. The week ended on a high note, with great catches and lasting memories.

Catch Tally for the Week:

GTs: 67 (113cm Rob, 112cm Jonathan, 107cm Mike)
Sailfish: 1
Napoleon Wrasse: 4
Grouper & Snapper: 267
Milkfish: 1
Bumphead Parrotfish: 1
Bluefin: 26

As the week wraps up, we bid farewell to our guests. We now enter Neap tides, where we’ll focus more on tailing species and fishing the flats. Stay tuned for the adventures that lie ahead!

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

Providence Blog: 22 – 29 October 2024

Our second week of the season was filled with excitement as we welcomed guests from around the world to Providence. With neap tides approaching, we aimed to focus on tailing species like Bonefish and Triggerfish, along with the ever-popular GT’s.

The first day saw a strong start despite gusty 25-knot winds. Good visibility allowed our anglers to spot fish, leading to a variety of catches, including Triggerfish, Bonefish, groupers, and some impressive GT’s. Barbara caught her first-ever GT early on, a moment that was clearly special for her. Her boat mates also landed a couple of nice GT’s. Other highlights included Yellow Margin Triggerfish for Rudolf and Mike, and a fantastic 95cm GT for Judah, while Rob landed 11 Bonefish, the largest weighing 8lbs.

Day two brought even higher winds and rain, making conditions challenging. Nevertheless, several anglers celebrated milestones, including Charlie, Michael, Jeffrey, and Paul, who all landed their first GT’s. Judah and Rob also had a fantastic day, landing five GT’s, the largest being 97cm for Judah. The Bluefin Trevally were active, with 11 landed, and a few Bonefish were caught in the 5-6lb range.

On day three, the wind continued, but the cloud cover lightened. Fishing was focused on coral species like groupers and snappers in the morning, with great success. As the tide dropped, we shifted to the flats in search of GT’s and Triggerfish. Nick had an exciting day, landing both his first-ever GT and Yellow Margin Triggerfish. A total of 14 GT’s were caught, with Herold’s 87cm fish being the largest. The Bluefin Trevally were abundant, with nine landed, and while Bonefish were elusive, three were caught, averaging around 7lbs.

Day four brought slightly less wind, but cloud cover remained. Visibility was still challenging, yet the flats offered plenty of action. Our guests landed 15 GT’s, including Paul’s first-ever GT. The afternoon became trickier with more cloud cover, but Judah managed to catch yet another Yellow Margin Triggerfish, continuing his successful run.

By day five, we were greeted with perfect weather—clear skies and little wind. The morning started strong with a few fish seen on the flats. Despite a drop in GT conversions, our anglers managed to land 7 GT’s, with Judah catching a 90cm specimen. Later in the day, we spotted a school of Milkfish, and Jonathan successfully landed the first Milkfish of the season after a 15-minute fight—another memorable moment.

On the final day, the wind picked up again, and cloud cover limited visibility, making the fishing tougher. However, Michael caught a beautiful 8lb Bonefish, and the group landed 5 more GT’s. The offshore fishing was excellent, with 3 Sailfish brought to the boat, including Rudolf’s first-ever Sailfish.

By the end of the week, our anglers had experienced a range of challenges and triumphs. As the neap tides conclude and spring tides begin, we look forward to even more exciting fishing opportunities in the coming weeks.

Catch Tally for the Week:

GT’s: 54
Triggerfish: 7
Bonefish: 16
Bluefin Trevally: 31
Sailfish: 3
Napoleon Wrasse: 1
Grouper & Snapper: 187

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

Providence Blog: 15 – 22 October 2024

And so we began our late 2024 season on Providence Atoll, where we welcomed a group of very eager travelers from Europe and South Africa. Conditions for the week were sunny with gentle winds blowing from a south easterly direction.Tides wise, were heading out of the neaps into springs as the full moon approached.

Our first day of the week provided a good start for the group. The fish were out and about feeding happily and very much in hunting mode. For most of the day the clouds stayed away, providing good spotting conditions for fish cruising the edges and flats. 4 GT’s were landed on the day, the biggest being 84cm caught by Pete. The Sailfish fishing was also on point, with one boat raising up a good amount of fish and converting 1 nice Sailfish to end off a great day.

The second day the fishing was slightly tougher, the odd squall and heavy cloud cover made it tough to see fish cruising over the turtle grass. lan however managed to get into his first ever GT making him a very happy angler. There were a total of 2 GT’s caught on the day, the tough light forcing us to do some bommy bashing to keep things productive. Providence excels in this style of fishing, with Saddle Back Groupers, Bohar Snappers, Bluefin Trevally and other coral hugging species saving the day.

Day three of the week was also slow, with more thick cloud cover making spotting extremely challenging. Ian however was once again rewarded with a great fish after initially hooking a Bluefin Trevally. Whilst fighting the fish, a 114cm Napoleon Wrasse popped out and stole the fly right out of the Bluefin’s mouth. Congrats Ian…what a special catch! There were a couple of good GT’s cruising along the channels but unfortunately none were converted on the day. The rest of the day was spent drifting over coral bommies catching a variety of grouper and snapper between our anglers. As the day ended, heavy rain clouds rolled over the atoll and our thoughts moved towards the hope of better conditions for tomorrow.

Day four and there was a significant improvement in the weather as well as the fishing. With a lot more fish seen cruising the flats and drainages, there were a couple of memorable moments from the day. Early in the morning, Steve managed to hook up to a very nice GT as a pack of 20 or more fish came rushing over the flats, his fish measuring 99 cm…1cm shy of that coveted triple digit number! Later in the day Vaughn managed to make it happen on a beautiful 103 cm GT that gave him a proper scrap in one of the drainages, a truly well deserved trophy fish. There was also good success happening for the boys on the other boat. lan managed yet another nice Napoleon Wrasse while walking along the flats looking for Geets, while Pete had a great day landing three GT’s during the course of his day out…..well fished Pete! Overall day four was a good booster for both clients and guides, the improved sighting conditions certainly lifting the spirits!

Day five and the wind started picking up again making casting tough to say the least ! Thankfully we still had sunlight and some fish swimming. Unfortunately not many were converted, however two nice fish still came out, one fish caught by Pete and the other by Vaughn, well done to both anglers on their beautiful catches from the day. As for the rest of our anglers, good numbers of grouper and Bohar’s got the rods bent and ensured we ended the day looking forward to tomorrow.

As the sun rose on the final day of the week, we were woken by a hard wind blowing out of the south! As the guys set out to the flats, hopes remained high as there was very little cloud cover. As such, we enjoyed some good action out on the flats including a couple of really beautiful fish. Steve managed to hook up to a monster 117cm GT, which showed him their world famous aggression when it charged in and ate the fly right at the rod tip. Truly a fish of a lifetime and well deserved….well done Steve!!! During the day on the other boat, Charlie also managed to get into a decent GT during the day, along with new Prov guide CJ who was training. The boats also enjoyed some exciting Triggerfish and Bonefish fishing just to cap off a really pleasant day out!

We ended our week with smiles all round! The weather had things challenging to say the least but with a terrific group of people it was still a hugely enjoyableweekl. There are signs the fishery is in really good shape for the seasons, so we look forward to the next few weeks!

Catch tally for the week:

⁃ GT’s: 30 ( 103cm Vaughn, 117cm Steve, 108cm CJ)

⁃ Sailfish: 1 (Vaughn)

⁃ Napoleon Wrasse: 2 ( 114cm lan)

⁃ Total tally of Grouper & Snapper: 115

Till next time,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

St Brandon Blog: 24 September – 4 October 2024

Welcome to our 4th week of the season, where we welcomed a group from Westbank Anglers who arrived ready to spend two weeks with us on the atoll.

The conditions we were dealt were slightly challenging at times, but we were back into the neap tides with a fair bit of wind, cloud and minimal rain.

On the Bonefish front, we unfortunately only had sporadic glimpses of what St Brandon is known for i.e big skinny water tailing bones. For the most part they are still schooled up and holding in deeper sections, which is highly unusual for this time of the year. Our guests did however manage to get their presentations where they needed to be when some opportunities presented themselves, coaxing a fair number of bones to the net. Well done to Tench with the biggest of the week, a very respectable fish of 8,5lbs.

The Permit fishing this week was however way more impressive, and despite the fact the total landed during their first week was 5, there were regular opportunities daily, both on the flats and around the islands. Congratulations to anglers Mike, Ben and JT on getting their yellow Permits, who landed the biggest for the week. Three of the fish netted were over 10 lbs,Ben opening his Permit account on the first day with a beauty that pulled the scale to 15lbs, Mike with an incredible specimen of 16lbs the day after and JT’s respectable 10.5lbs prize.

On the Trevally front, we saw lots of Bluefin patrolling the flats and the coral ridges, but for some reason most wanted nothing to do with what we had to offer. We managed to connect with 5 however, the average size ranging between 60cm and 70cm. We also ran into some large GT’s and hooked a couple, but unfortunately only none made it to hand. We are all very excited for the Trevally times that lie ahead and no doubt our numbers will improve as the season moves on and the weather warms up.

To summarise, we only saw glimpses of what the fishery can produce but believe the group enjoyed their first week and were looking forward to their second.

Until then

The St Brandon guide team.

Our catch tally for the week was:

Bonefish – 54

Permit – 5

Bluefin Trevally – 5

St Brandon Blog: 17 – 27 Sept 2024

Anticipation was high as we headed into our third week of the season, and our guests were already on the atoll eager and ready to start their second week. Tides wise we were moving into neaps which would allow us more time wading the submerged flats and in a more relaxed fashion.

Our guests enjoyed some exciting fishing during their week out on the atol, although the bonefishing sessions we experienced remained a little tougher than we are accustomed to. This was not due to a lack in numbers as everyone had plenty of targets to cast at, but the fish just seemed off for some reason…especially in skinny water. We found some big schools however and managed to get into them during the course of the week. Our largest fish netted was 7lbs, although we did see some really big bones during the 7 days. These big fish are for the most part really smart, most often requiring long and accurate casts along with a little luck.

The Permit numbers we witnessed once again impressed, all the guests having great shots at them. As is their way, Permit are however never easy to convince and despite many refusals and near misses, three fish did make it to the net before the week came to a close. There were some nail biting moments included in these sessions, with fish following the fly for long periods and just not committing….aaaagghhhh! Mark and guide Jarryd however landed a true trophy in the first ten minutes of his last day out on the flat, the fish weighing in at an impressive 16lbs. Congratulations on an exceptional fish Mark!!!!!

The Trevally fishing was somewhat interesting over the last few days. The Bluefin Trevally were few and far between compared with the week before, however the GTs had well and truly come out to play. We encountered a fair number of GT`s during the week, both around the islands as well as the flats, with most, if not all of our guests having opportunities at these ultimate predators. By the end of the week we had managed to hook 5 x GTs and land 4. Congratulations to Scott and Brian on the biggest of the bunch, both 98cm brutes….just falling short of the magical metre mark. All in all though, we had some great shots and saw some really big fish smashing bait which is always thrilling and a great experience to be a part of out on the water.

To summarise the week, we thoroughly enjoyed the time spent on the flats, as well as the camaraderie around the dinner table with our new friends. At times we had to push through some challenging weather conditions, but our anglers still managed to land some cracking fish. Thank you to all our guests for the great time on and off the water. We really hope we get to fish together again in the near future.

The St Brandon Guide team

Our catch tally for the week

Bonefish – 105
Permit – 3
GTs – 4