Providence Atoll: 2017 Head Guide Report
Providence Atoll: March/April 2017 Head Guide Report
“It’s 5:30am. I wake up to the familiar drone of the onboard generator, a sound that initially keeps you awake but over time becomes hard to sleep without. Then there’s the smell of fresh bread and the sound of pots and pans coming from the kitchen. The kitchen is right next to our cabin. No doubt Chef is up! I lie in my bunk for a while and wonder if he ever actually sleeps…I maintain the Chef has the most taxing job on the ship! I slowly navigate my way out of my bunk trying to avoid the bulkhead and all the other obstacles a normal bedroom does without. Locating my toothbrush and toothpaste I make my way into the main passageway replying to a series of “Good Mornings” from crewmembers also getting up and ready for the day.
First priority is coffee, followed by a smoke on the aft deck…I know its a dreadful habit but I’ve convinced myself that I could be doing far worse things! It’s still dark but signs of light are slowly showing towards the east. I am joined by Matt, our French guide, who begins his morning stretches – trying to iron out some of the back pain which is a common problem with Indian Ocean guides. I should be doing the same, but somehow I think I have become numb to the pain. Matt makes mention that the ocean is slick calm this morning. “Dropping tide” I mutter back, my mind already ticking over the day’s plans. The rest of the guide team appears and also make mention of the calm conditions. We shoot the breeze for a bit, revising the fishing plans set out the night before, due to the present conditions. In the process I keep an eye out towards the now rapidly rising sun.
The sound of cooler boxes being packed and the starting of the crane generator break the calm. Like a sleeping giant in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Maya’s Dugong begins to wake. This added noise seems to be the green light for the start of the day. Some guests join us around the table, eager to listen to the discussion and get some insight into how the day will pan out. My eyes are still set on the calm waters beside the Dugong and I scan for the sign of life the calm conditions usually provide. A glimpse of a shining tail appears, followed by another and then another. As suspected – Milkfish 100 yards on the starboard side, and there are a lot of them! Standing up I make my way to one of the side railings of the ship. Pouring out the last remaining drops of my coffee into the deep blue water below, I notice our ever present escorts, three +/- 500lb Bull Sharks and some nice GTs cruising menacingly around the ship. Clients are briefed on Milkfish tactics and some leaders are rebuilt. Breakfast is wolfed down and suncream applied. Boots are next, followed by final gear checks. The tenders boats are lowered into the water, cooler boxes packed and handed down to each guide. There is a hustle on the ship now as I offer a gentle reminder to my fellow guides: “Pushing tide in 3 hours boys – We’ve got 2.5 hours to get stuck into the Milks, but make sure you’re on the flats in time for the push – Good luck and have fun!” I do a quick radio check in with the captain: “Receiving you 5 out 5… Have a good day!” Next is a safety briefing with my guys for the day, along with a brief run through of the fishing plan for our time together and then thankfully it’s time to go fishing!”
The above scenario is a pretty accurate description of my morning routine this past season on Providence Atoll in the Seychelles. The part you are however no doubt wanting to hear about is what transpired after we headed out fishing. In truth, this past March/April season in those respects is a blur…a blur of spotting fish, a thousand casts, tailing Triggers and Bones, shoal upon shoal of Milkfish, finding new areas which hold fish, the sound of two stroke engines and of course that mixed look of excitement & panic mixed on a guest’s face when a GT screams in towards him. Its impossible to single out one day. Simply put, it was a great season, only the Bumpies not quite around in their usual numbers, but our hooked tally still a respectable 44 fish. We were privileged to experience the most insane Milkfishing I have encountered, with no less than a 110 fish hooked during the short season. It was further evidence that Providence ranks as one of the premier destinations for guests looking to tangle with these incredibly powerful fish. Providence’s tricky Triggers and super chunky Bonefish were also out in full force throughout the season, 105 Bones and 82 Triggers falling to well presented casts. The sad reality is these fish didn’t get fished to as much as they should have this season as the atolls large population of GTs were in fine form. Large numbers of them roamed the flats, both free swimming or shadowing stingrays or sharks. In total 507 GTs were hooked, 485 of these fish on the flats, with the biggest fish measuring 134cm. It was one of the most spectacular GT periods I have seen and testament to the atoll’s health and our guide team’s ever expanding knowledge of it. Not to be outdone was the smorgasbord of species that came to hand…. Bohar Snapper, Grouper of all sizes and colours, Napoleon Wrasse, Bluefin Trevally, Sailfish, Dogtooth and Yellowfin Tuna all were present and accounted for. In total we landed a staggering 1435 fish of varying species on the fly during the four week season. There were many good days, most of which ended in the following manner…
“The run home is a good one, the guys on my boat exhausted but content and upbeat. They are helped back onboard the Dugong by a crew member, their rods and other gear soon following them. A crew member or guide sprays their reels down with freshwater before they’re strung up. Boots are hauled off weary and wrinkled feet as the sound of the crane lifts the last of the tenders back onboard. Guides and guests chat about certain details of their days on the back deck, before hitting the showers to clean the sunblock-encrusted salt and sweat off some weary but satisfied bodies. It was a good day all-round! Making my way up the stairs to the top deck, I can hear some of the other guests already showered chatting about their day over a cold beer or nice dark rum. This chatter carries on until dinner and afterwards, until droopy eyelids force the inevitable. I make my way down the passageway, the chef is in the kitchen prepping for the next day……..I stand for a moment thanking my good fortune I am not the chef!!! As I climb into bed I realise I should have done those backstretches….maybe tomorrow. The drone of the onboard generator instantly settles me into a deep sleep, it had been another good day!”
A big thank you to our clients from this past season. We enjoyed some incredible fishing with you as the images below clearly show. Needless to say, we cannot wait to step back onto the flats later this year. No doubt it’s going to be another exciting stint with some new friends made along the way!
Tim Babich – Head Guide
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.
Welcome to the final report of our March/April 2017 season on Providence. We greeted nine very friendly and excited guests onboard Maya’s Dugong for what could arguably could be the finest saltwater fly fishing tour on the planet, this group booking one of our highly coveted extended 10 night/9 fishing day experiences. Imagine that…9 full days of the most exciting and diverse flats and offshore fishing the planet has to offer. No wonder everyone was excited!
Day 1 – We started on a full moon spring tide, the massive tidal fluctuation on the flats giving us the opportunity to access certain spots of the atoll that are only fishable on these spring tides and focus our attention on the predatory species who enjoy the bigger tides. We had some bad weather for a good chunk of the day which made for some tough sighting but some of the group still managed to capitalise on some of the GTs prowling the flats. Best of all some of the large resident schools were moving around, these fish rampaging across the flats with one thing in mind – to eat anything they come across. A huge congrats to Ismo, who on his first Indian Ocean flats fishing trip, landed a 90cm GT when he and his group came across one of the schools tearing their way across the flat. The fish of the day however went to Michael who on our first day out landed the first fish over a metre, his prize measuring 105cm. Congrats Michael! The Bumpies were around in decent numbers too, but the super strong current associated with the tides made targeting them effectively a bit too difficult. Other than that we enjoyed some great species bashing, with loads of Snapper and Grouper coming to hand during our first day out. A solid start!
Day 3 – The weather was a little up and down during the day, but the group still managed to get stuck into some good fish on the dropping tide. A huge congratulations to David for breaking his first fish over a meter with a 101cm on the wild side of the atoll where head guide Tim Babich decided to risk it for the biscuit! His two guests managed to hook nine GTs through the day, 5 of which were landed. We also enjoyed some great species fishing with loads of big Bohar Snapper and some Grouper coming to hand. Some good Bumpie fishing was thrown in, this time Tom managing to hang onto one, a beautiful specimen which measured 103cm. Congrats Tom!
Day 4 – Most of the group headed off to the wild side to do some more exploring and boy did it pay off! Good numbers of GTs as well a smorgasbord of other species jumped onto our flies, the Bohar Snapper population unreal and making it hard for the GTs to get to the fly in time! A huge congratulation however goes out to long time client and friend Tony for landing his 117cm GT….what a fish!
Day 5 – We enjoyed some more stable weather and with it a drop in wind speed. This allowed for calmer offshore conditions which provided some nice scum lines for our Milkfish. They were around in huge numbers, feeding off the surface which provided excellent opportunities which four of the group capitalised on. Congratulations to David, Tony, Ismo and Tom for landing their firsts on Providence Atoll. No doubt they won’t forget the incredible power, speed and stamina of the Milk. The GTs were a bit scarce with only a few coming to hand, the pushing tide bringing with it an influx of warm water. The Triggers however made more of an appearance with the weaker tides, with Nicole breaking the ice and landing her first ever Trigger on the fly.
Day 6 – We headed out to make the best of the dropping tide in the morning and Kevin made it count with a bus 113cm GT. The monster was spotted cruising slowly along the edge of a lagoon and Kevin threw the fly well ahead of it. The fish spotted the fly and instantly charged in and engulfed the fly, taking a few hundred meters of string and giving an intense tussle before finally coming to hand. The GTs in generl were around in better numbers today, many of which were spotted on sting rays. We had some great fun! The Bonefish too were around in good numbers and we managed to enjoy some great fishing, the average fish weighing a very respectable 6lbs or 7lbs. The good Triggerfishing continued, Tony really making his shots count by fooling two of the wily little devils! We also enjoyed some great bluewater action during the course of the day with both Dogtooth Tuna and some Sailfish making an appearance. Congratulations to Ismo and Michael for landing their first ever Sailfish on the fly, no doubt they are fish never to be forgotten and were yet another reminder why Providence is so highly regarded as a complete saltwater fishery.
Day 7 – We enjoyed some really great GT fishing during the course of the day, with good numbers landed by all of the teams. Although one can be tempted to become blasé when you’ve encountered fishing of such a standard, days like this should really be appreciated. The spotting, moving into position, the cast, the eat and of course the camaraderie shared with the end result a huge privilege each and every time it occurs. The excellent bluewater fishing continued this time on the GT front. Ismo landed the fish of lifetime when after a long tussle, a 134cm fish was tailed next to the boat. A special mention must also be made of David’s “Grand Slam”, landing a Milkfish, GT and a Bonefish in one day – not something which occurs every day. The Milks were still around and feeding hard, Kevin and Tyler finally landing their first of the trip after a number of them had been lost earlier on during the trip. Well done guys! All in all it was a great day out on the atoll and one we are sure the guests will not forget in a hurry!
Day 8 – The GTs continued to provide opportunities during the day, however some slick calm water and clear visibility made it tough to present the large streamers to the fish without them spooking. Nonetheless we still managed to get a few to eat and enjoyed them as much any other so far. The same could be said for the all species to be honest, good numbers of Bones and Triggers provided consistent targets but the slick conditions requiring some really skilful angling to get the job done. We did however get one of our highly prized Napoleon Wrasse during the day, these incredible colourful and almost clown looking fish never easy to pull away from structure once hooked.
Day 9 – The final day of our stay on Providence Atoll this season had arrived and with it mixed emotions. Although everyone was excited to head out and make a big last effort, a sense of disappointment lingered knowing we only had a few more hours on this very special fishery! Nonethless we went to it and enjoyed some really special moments. Dan landed 107cm GT, the fish taken out of a school, his two team mates also coming tight to smaller fish in the school at the same time. Exquisite chaos! Kevin also managed to get his first Triggerfish and minutes later a second one, with Tony managing another couple before his day came to end. To finish off the day Kevin managed to entice, hook and land a tank Barracuda, the 131cm crocodile putting up an incredible aerial display to close out a truly memorable 9 fishing days!
All in all it was a great trip to end our season. Granted we had enjoyed better GT fishing during earlier weeks, but we still enjoyed some great fishing for them and together with the huge numbers of feeding Milkfish, solid numbers of Triggers, Bones, Bluefin Trevally, Bohars, Napoleon Wrasse, Grouper, the odd Sailfish and Doggie….it would be wrong to want for more. In closing, we would like to thank everyone on this trip as well as everyone who joined us throughout this season for their continued support. We had a blast fishing with you all and hope to do it again in the not too distant future!
Day One – We enjoyed an early morning pushing tide which allowed immediate access the flats straight off the bat. We were also on neaps which provided ample wading to fish both the push and the drop later in the day. Best of all however was the fact that the fish were around in full force and everyone managed to get stuck into some awesome fish. This was a pretty good effort to be honest as the visibility was not the great which means spotting fish becomes even harder. Nonetheless good numbers of GTs came to hand! Congratulations to Jarod and Christian for tailing their first ever GT’s on fly…always a special achievement. The Bumpies were around in the good numbers on some areas of the atoll, a fair few were hooked and even more impressive that we landed two of these fish on our first day out! Hats off to Hamish and Dom for landing theirs. Dom had a really special day as he landed our first Slam for the trip, with Bonefish, GT and the Bumpy getting his week off to flyer. Speaking of Bones, they were around in good numbers, the tides and water movement allowing for some great tailing action. The Triggers were certainly far from absent but hooking and landing them was not be on what was a superb day out!
Day Two the weather looked promising and on the run out to our spots we ran into loads of hard feeding Milkfish. The fish were feeding high through the scum lines created on the dropping tide but unfortunately despite hooking a couple none made it to the nets. The GTs were around throughout the day and we managed to capitalise on a few of them, whilst the Bonefish continued to provide some superb skinny water tailing action. Jarod opened our Triggerfish account, impressively landing two Yellow-Margins during the course of the day…awesome stuff! The Bumpies were still around in big numbers and we managed to hook quite a few. A huge congratulations and mention must go out to Brandon for landing three…yes three of them during his time on the water!
Day Three provided challenging weather again, much of the day spent battling low light and some squalls. Nonetheless the guys were now into the swing of the GT fishing and managed to take advantage of most of the ones we saw. The Bumpies continued to present themselves in good number, Andre getting an absolute slab of a fish which measured over the meter mark. Opportunities at Triggers were provided despite the tough light, Jarod doing his thing once again landing his third Yellow-Margin for the trip. The low light did however provide some insane Bonefishing which many of the guys revelled in. So despite the tough conditions it was a profitable day out, Andre in particular enjoying our second Slam of the trip, landing a GT, Bumpie and one of the biggest Seychelles Bones you are likely to see. He is a giant of a man so the photo probably does not do the fish justice! Congrats Andre!
Waking up to clear skies on Day Four brought about increased energy levels amongst the group. The GTs were around in big numbers with a late morning pushing tide and good visibility providing some truly memorable fishing. A huge congratulations to Hamish for landing his first GT on fly, surely there’s no better way to feel the raw power and intensity of these amazing fish. The Bumpies continued to provide opportunities, Dom eventually managing to get one to hand after having had some terrible luck in previous encounters. The odd Trigger was still seen although the bigger tides were now providing only small windows to walk and stalk them. The Milkfish had been around on everyone day almost, but few had actually been landed. This changed though when Tarquin, Dom and Hamish each landed their first ever Milks…well done guys! A really productive day out, with countless grouper, snapper and emperors providing those colourful finishing touches to a superb day out on the water.
Day Five kicked off strongly, the Milkfish feeding hard off the current lines. Andre and Zenon continued to wrack up the species on their trip, each of them landing their first Milky. A special mention must go out to long time client and great friend Peter Whitaker who after dozens of Seychelles trips finally had luck go his way and landed his first Milk. Congrats Pete!!!! The GT fishing in truth proved a little slow, although we did manage to tail a handful of our favourite friends. It was clear though that some seriously big fish were now arriving on the flats, although broken fly lines and other misfortunes had their way with us this time round. The weather soured later in the afternoon which made fishing a bit of a challenge for the remainder of the day!
The skies were clear on Day Six and everyone was ready to make the most of their last day out on the flats. The GT fishing was particularly productive with quite a few coming to hand including some good ones. Dom managed to break the meter mark with a 101cm fish. The fish was spotted sitting in a white sand pot in a series of deep depressions. After the guide and angler swum across some deep holes to get into range the fish actually starting moving towards them, slowly lifting up over the lip of the depression. The fly went out and the cast landed two meters short. The fish noticed the fly and after a couple of short strips cruised up and sipped in the fly. The fish tore off off but Dom held firm and gave it a jolly good hiding – his backing not even seeing the light of day. Well done! Andre was again on the money and on his last day landed a true trophy, his GT measuring 112cm. Awesome 
fish Andre. The Triggers seemed to have all but disappeared, but Jarod was on their case as usual. With his fourth cast at this species of sin he hooked and landed his fourth, this time our first Giant for the trip. Not many guys get to cast once at a Trigger and land it, let alone make 4 casts and land all four targets. Great job! The Milks were still around and we hooked a few on our last day out, sadly most came off prematurely except for Jeff who held firm by landing his first for the trip. The guys also enjoyed a huge variety of species on the day, one truly special fish and moment belonging to Hamish when he landed the Barracuda he had been dreaming of.
All in all it was a great week to be a part of and we would like to thank the entire group for travelling out to fish with us. We had some tough weather to contend with for sure, but we caught some incredible fish and ticked many species off the list. Providence is such a special place….we cannot wait for more!
Welcome to the opening week report from our first trip on Providence Atoll for 2017. We welcomed a group of 12 extremely excited anglers from Aardvark McLeod on the 19th of March for an extended stay with us, their trip including 9 nights and 8 full days of fishing on one of the most remote and untouched fisheries on the planet. To say spirits were high would be understatement, the camaraderie and excitement amongst the group and guides as we set up tackle, tested knots and tied on flies indicating we had great group onboard. Little did we know just how special a trip we would have even by Providence standards.
We based ourselves in the centre of the atoll on day one, so we could explore various areas and see which sections held clean water and high fish concentrations. By the end of the day we knew were in for a good week GT wise. High numbers had been encountered throughout most of the areas we prospected and to sweeten the day our guests capitalised on many of the chances they had. The Bonefish and Triggerfish were also around in great numbers with some solid specimens of both species being converted. Strangely enough our friends the Bumpies were the only fish species not really encountered in good numbers on Day 1, but we had another 7 sessions to tick these highly sought after critters from our list. All in all it was a very promising start to the trip, the great day of fishing ensuring our guests could enjoy a cold beer at the end of the day knowing that all the waiting and preparation had been worth it.
Day two continued to produce the goods on the GT front, with huge numbers of fish seen throughout the day. As far as I can remember all our guests had landed at least one GT before the day was done! The Bonefishing too continued to impress. Congratulations must go out “Brummie” for landing his personal best Bonefish of 64.5cm. The fish was spotted slowly draining its way down a white sand flat in shin deep water and after seeing the well presented crab pattern tailed hard on the fly. It took loads of string during the tussle before eventually coming to hand. This was just one of many Bonefish landed during the session. The Triggers were also around in good numbers, happy tailing and readily chasing down a well presented crustacean pattern. The Bumpies however were still not around but we had a feeling it was just a matter of time until we saw them happily feeding on the flats again.
The GTs were full up on the turtle grass flats on day three, most of which were ready to attack anything in their path as they came in on stingrays, sharks or free swimming packs. It was text book stuff and we enjoyed sessions one dreams about. The Bonefishing slowed down a bit on day three but there were some Permit around, two of which were narrowly missed as they tailed hard on the fly but no connection could be made. Nail biting stuff and the reason this species is so highly sought after. The Milkfish have also been around in great numbers but we were not able to capitalise just yet. There were also a lot of Bluefin Trevally, Spangled and Yellow Lipped Emperors all of which got the reels singing and showed why Providence is so highly regarded as a species venue. The Triggerfish presented themselves in good numbers in certain sections of the atoll and as such our guests had been fortunate enough to land both Yellow-Margin and Giant during the first three days of fishing. Considering how technical these fish can be they offered a nice variation to the combat style GT fishing. The Bumpies did make a small appearance finally, with small pods spotted on the midway turtle grass sections of the atoll.
Day four brought with it our first GT over a meter. Congratulations to Peter Opperman for getting it done on a slab 103 cm fish! This fish was moving from lagoon to lagoon on the dropping tide in low light conditions. He made the cast ahead of the fish and enticed it with one slow long strip, following which the fish’s behaviour changed immediately extending its pectoral fins out and rushing the fly. After engulfing the fly the fish took a serious first run through the lagoon systems, with Peter having to run after the fish through these sections to stop it from getting him in the coral. After a few intense minutes the fight was done and he held his prize. The Triggers were still around in good numbers on the northern turtle grass sections, so too were the Bumpies which were seen feeding happily in knee deep water. We managed to hook a good number of them during the day and in the end we had netted and photographed four…a stellar effort. Congratulations to Thomas Haskins and Jonathan Murray for landing their first Bumpies, and to Tim Pike for landing his first and second…. what an achievement.
Day Five saw us heading into Spring Tides which meant an increase in water movement. Added to which the flats were really looking good with only a small build up of warm water. Although the Bumpies were still around, opportunities were limited as they fed at speed over the flats, making it tough to target them effectively. The GTs were still around in good numbers with some bigger fish moving across the flats during the day. Congratulations to Peter Opperman again for landing our second meter fish of the trip. His fish of 108cm was spotted dropping out of a depression off a white sand flat in the midway area section. The fish didn’t see his first presentation but he quickly made another cast, this time waiting for the fish to start approaching the fly before he made two small strips. The fish saw the fly and began tracking, eventually rushing in. Peter kept low and stripped hard as the fish ate, instantly peeling line off the reel as it powered away. A good battle was eventually won before the fish was tailed. The Milkfish continued to feed high and happily off the surface during the day and we enjoyed multiple hook ups. Thankfully this time round we managed to get two to hand during a short session targeting them as they sucked heavily off the surface. All in all we had a cracking day with some really special fish coming to hand.
Although the GT numbers slowed a bit on day six, we still managed to get some really good sized fish. Big congratulations to Jonathan Murray landing our third fish over the meter mark with his 101cm prize. This fish was in super skinny water with its dorsal fin and back out of the water when first spotted. It didn’t react to the first couple of casts but fell for the third attempt, pushing a huge bow wave as it charged in to destroy the fly. James Bramwell and Marcus Beale followed suit and soon we had our 5th and 6th fish over the meter, their 103cm and 101cm providing for a truly memorable day of GT angling. The Milkies continue to present themselves in good numbers, we landed more of these incredibly powerful fish before the close of play.
The GTs continued to present themselves to us on the seventh day, the bottom of the dropping tide and initial stages of the pushing tide producing some very exciting fishing in certain sections of the atoll. We started to see some warmer water pushing in with the tide which curbed prolonged action, but the Milkies were still around in huge numbers and we managed to land a couple. This is the beauty of this the atoll, one always has options species wise!
Our final day started off in insane fashion; Marcus Beale getting a grand slam before 10am by landing a Milkfish, Bonefish and a GT during his brief time on the flats. The GTs were full up in one particular spot, with one group enjoying some great surf GT action. Another huge congratulations to Jonathan Murray for banking his second GT over a meter on the trip, his huge 118cm fish the largest for the trip and quite certainly the fish a lifetime. The fishing in other areas of the atoll proved a little tougher, with a fair amount of warm water pushing in on certain areas. There were some good schools of Bumpies around but sadly we didn’t manage to tame any for the day. All in all tough, one could not wish for a better trip as we landed huge numbers of fish. GT’s wise alone we brought over 130 fish to hand, so with good numbers of Triggers, Milkfish, Bones, Bumpies and all the other sideline species our guests got a real taste for why we rate this atoll so highly. A huge thank you to each and every member of the group from Aardvark McLeoud for joining us…we really hope to have you out on the flats sometime soon!
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.
Despite last year being my 11th year of guiding in the Indian Ocean, I still kick myself knowing I get to spend extended periods of time in these remote saltwater wildernesses…none more so than Providence Atoll – arguably the wildest of them all! Reflecting back on the Oct/Nov season I am bombarded with images of teeth, tails and bills. Trying to put into words what a day or week is like out on this enormous atoll is damn near impossible, but what I can tell you is that it’s a place of extremes; a place that doesn’t care who you are or where you are from. It’s wild, unpredictable, but best of all it delivers fishing moments and sessions which, as far as i’m aware, are not found anywhere else on this planet!
Well known for its incredible diversity, specifically the number of species which can be encountered in a single day by an angler, this season delivered record numbers of Bones, Triggers, Milkfish, Bluefin Trevally and Bumphead Parrotfish. There wasn’t a day where these species did not feature, which is a true testament to what a special fishery Providence really is. On top of these more highly documented species our guests also tangled with countless other reef species including Marble and Saddle Back Grouper, Bohar Snapper, Napoleon Wrasse and many more….all of which added colour, depth and new experiences to our guests’ angling. On top of this it provided some exceptional bluewater fly fishing for Milkfish, Yellowfin and Dogtooth Tuna, Wahoo, Sailfish and others. Only very unique and special places allow anglers to cast a #2 crab pattern at tailing Triggerfish and five minutes later throw a cast at busting tuna or a slashing billfish in the deep water. To give you an idea we landed 28 different species of fish on fly during one of the weeks this past season. Incredible…yes…but that’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as what Providence can deliver.
For most people however, there is one species which draws them to travel to these wild places in the Indian Ocean more so than any other…GTs. They are a big attraction for most who fish Providence with us due to the numbers the atoll plays home to and the large average size we encounter there. There were times this past season however which were tricky for us when it came to our famous friends; some weeks we encountered large numbers of GTs and other weeks less so. This was due to an unusually extended off-shore swimming crab migration which pulled large numbers of fish into deeper water where they could gorge themselves on the abundant and easy food source. In saying that, we still encountered some incredible GT fishing and managed to land over 30 GT’s on every single week (a feat most other fisheries would be proud of). The best week, numbers wise, was an impressive 90. Size wise we landed a high number of un-teased metre plus fish on the flats, on one particular week we landed no less than 7 of these magnificent creatures. Congratulations must go out to Bill Harris and guide Warren Deysel who together landed our largest fish of the season which measured 127cm!
Other thoughts regarding the season lie with the operations which revolve around the Maya’s Dugong, her captain and crew and last but not least my fellow guides. The Dugong and her crew as always provided us with a reliable, safe and efficient platform for us to work from and no large amount of effort or small request was ever too much trouble. This allowed us to head out every morning for over two months on time, well fed and rested, on tender boats which ran smoothly and uninterrupted, thus allowing our guests and the guides to focus solely on the reason we were all there…to experience the wildest saltwater fishing on the planet. The same goes to my fellow guides who put in 110% day in and day out throughout a long season, something I am extremely proud of and which I look forward to doing again in March this year.
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.
After almost unbearable anticipation, we are finally back out on Farquhar Atoll after Cyclone Fantalla’s arrival in April earlier this year. Although one is left with no doubt as to the strength of mother nature when you first land on the atoll, equally impressive is the strides which have already been made in rebuilding certain key infrastructure and general clearing, as well as signs of new life as the islands vegetation is visibly rebounding. Most importantly the lagoon and ocean water both look alive, with little if any signs of stagnant green water….things were looking good! Joining us on our return were six highly excited guests who were equally anxious to get out on the flats to see who was around! After the clients settled into their rooms on the Maya’s Dugong we were straight into business as we headed out onto the flats for a quick afternoon session.
Considering we only had a few hours out on the water, we saw a considerable amount of fish around with some good sized Bonefish and Triggerfish tailing on certain turtle grass flats. We also saw some good sized GT’s around and boy did we make it count. Louis Kruger hit the ground and our season running in a big way by landing a 119cm fish. A special catch for all of us, but especially for Louis as this enormous animal is now his biggest GT on fly. The massive fish was spotted cruising with a smaller partner in crime on a white sand section near “ the Gaps” and after a well presented cast and a couple strips the fish charged in and engulfed the fly. A solid fight ensued (including Louis’s backing being tested on multiple occasions) before the fish was landed and celebrations began. All in all a very productive start and considering the amount of baitfish around it looked as if we were in for a treat.
We headed out early for our first full day out on the water. As we had hoped there were good numbers of GT’s around and although we probably lost too many for our liking we did make some opportunities count. Stephan and Gustav are now well and truly GT addicts as they each landed their first. There were also huge numbers of Bluefin Trevally around and we managed to get some good numbers to hand. A very enjoyable day!
Our third day started off really well with Chantal getting it done on a solid GT, after a tricky cast into the wind. Next up was Abri who also landed his first ever GT on the fly. Congrats Abri! The fishing was just getting better and better, no doubt the abundance of cold clean water attracting loads of fish onto the flats. Species bashing in particular has been incredible with snappers, groupers and a host of other exciting critters darting out from bommies to eat our flies and in so doing providing some truly thrilling times for our anglers. Only the Bumpies have been a bit shy and that is no doubt due to the fact that they have been hanging around the drop offs due to the strong tides. Some epic surf side Bonefishing was also had on the eastern side of the atoll, with huge schools tailing happily on the expansive turtle grass sections that extend out onto the coral bottoms.
Day 4 looked promising with clear skies and a good south easterly wind helping the cold water flush over the flats. The Bumpies were tailing in big schools over certain turtle grass flats and as such it was no surprise when Chantal landed a big Bumpy measuring 109cm. Congrats Chantal! After a well executed cast ahead of the tailing fish, which allowed the current to move the fly into the perfect position, the big fish tailed on her crab imitation and the rest is history! Shortly after that she also landed a giant Triggerfish, a species which she had been chasing hard over the past few weeks! Overall the fish are still in full feeding mode throughout the atoll. As such more good sized GT’s and Bluefin also came to hand.
We managed to land our second GT over a meter on Day 5. The big fish which had idled across a sandbar on the back of a Blacktip shark had no hesitation in demolishing the ever reliable tan Brush Fly which was perfectly placed. Congratulation’s to Dale on getting his personal best GT, the fish measuring 103 cm! In addition to this special fish, we also managed to land a massive Bluefin which measured 86cm. This particular flat had been on fire throughout the week, with huge shoals of GT’s and Bluefin moving along the sand bank and smashing the bait balls congregating on the side of the main channel. In addition the Bumpies are still feeding happily, sadly though we hooked a few but they became unbuttoned! The Bonefishing on the eastern side of the atoll is still very much on fire.
We headed out in search of a Sailfish during the high water period on Day 6 and managed to raise some good fish! Added to which we got one to stick after it turned away eating the fly on the way out. After a spectacular fight which included some serious airtime, we managed to bill, tag and and safely release the fish. Congratulations to Abri for landing his first Sailfish, a beautiful specimen which measured 186cm. We then headed out onto the flats and landed our 3rd GT over a meter. This was Dale’s second GT over 100cm for the trip and was extremely well deserved as he kept his cool when presenting the fly to the fish. We saw and caught a few more GTs’ during the rest of the day, these hugely adaptable predators sitting on the back of some large sharks or stingrays. Lastly, massive congratulations to Chantal for landing our first Indo-Pacific Permit for the season!
Our 7th and final day saw us heading into the neap tides, with a late afternoon low tide. We headed out in search of more Sailfish during the morning session where we again raised more fish. Although quite a few were pricked and lost, Louis got it done when he landed his first Sailfish that measured 183cm. Once we got onto the flats, the group enjoyed more great Bonefish, GT and Bumpie fishing. All in all it was a great day to end off our first week of the season. Furthermore the atoll looks in great shape, with the high numbers of GT’s and Bluefin being a really good sign Cyclone Fantalla is now well and truly behind us!