Providence Blog: 22 – 29 April 2025

The last group of the season brought a fantastic mix of youth and experience, with some anglers making their first trip to the Seychelles. With high hopes and favorable weather, the week delivered memorable moments, personal milestones, and impressive catches.

Day 1:
Clear skies welcomed the group, and the action started early. Steve and Charles each landed a GT, with Charles’ fish measuring a solid 93cm. Guy and Ted had a productive day, each landing two bonefish and a trigger. Kohl landed his first GT, while Grant celebrated his first triggerfish. Keith rounded off a strong start with a trigger and his first-ever GT—a remarkable fish measuring 111cm.

Day 2:
Despite strong winds, the anglers pushed through under sunny skies. Kohl added a GT and a trigger, while Keith landed two more triggers. Grant added another to his count. Guy and Ted both landed their first GTs, with Guy bagging two. Phillip also joined the GT club with his first, while Steve added a trigger and a bumphead parrotfish. Rich had an excellent day, landing two GTs (one at 90cm). Charles and Dan also landed GTs, but the highlight of the day was Malik’s pair of GTs, including a standout fish measuring 115cm.

Day 3:
Cloudy, windy conditions made for tricky sight fishing, but perseverance paid off. Steve and Rich teamed up to land seven GTs between them, with Rich also landing an impressive 80cm bluefin trevally. Ted landed his first bumphead parrotfish, and Guy added another GT to his tally. A variety of other species kept the group busy and rods bent throughout the day.

Day 4:
Wind and patchy clouds lingered over Providence, but the catches kept coming. Dan landed his first bumphead and a GT, while Charles caught a beautiful napoleon wrasse. Grant added his first GT, Steve followed up with another, and Guy also brought in a solid napoleon.

Day 5:
Sunny skies and continued wind made for another great fishing day. Steve was on fire, landing three GTs, the largest at 93cm. Rich, Phillip, and Ted each landed GTs, while Dan brought in a quality 90cm fish. Keith and Kohl also caught GTs, and Grant capped off the day with two more, including a 100cm trophy. A fantastic performance across the board.

Day 6:
The final day brought calm winds and bright skies—ideal fishing conditions. Dan got into the action early, landing two GTs, and Charles added another. Keith and Kohl both brought GTs to hand, with Kohl landing two. Grant closed out the week in style with four GTs and a napoleon wrasse.

As the season comes to a close, it’s not just the numbers that stand out, but the shared experiences, laughter, and camaraderie. The final week delivered excellent fishing and memories that will last a lifetime. Until next season…

Weekly Totals:

Giant Trevally (GT): 47 (1 over 1 meter)
Bumphead Parrotfish: 3
Triggerfish: 9
Bonefish: 4
Napoleon Wrasse: 5
Bluefin Trevally: 51
Other: 330

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Providence Blog: 18 – 25 March 2025

Week 5 on Providence saw a mix of familiar and new faces eager to hit the flats. Despite varying weather conditions, the anglers were determined to make the most of each day.

Day 1: The weather was warm and overcast, making fish spotting a challenge, but some solid catches were made. Stephen and Rich each landed a giant trevally (GT), while Mike landed a 93cm GT. Dave M kicked off the week strong with a fantastic 101cm GT.

Day 2: Overcast and windy conditions made for tough fishing, but anglers still managed to land a wide variety of species. Stephen and Fred both caught GTs, while TJ and Jeff C each landed one as well. The highlight of the day was Rich, who hooked an elusive milkfish in overtime after an epic battle—well done to all.

Day 3: The weather shifted to sunny and windless conditions, perfect for sight fishing. Dave M, Stephen, and Rich each landed two bonefish, and both Dave and Stephen also caught GTs. In an exciting moment of mayhem, Mike, TJ, and Brian all tripled up on GTs. TJ had an incredible day, landing four GTs and a triggerfish, while Brian also added a triggerfish to his catch. Elsewhere, Therese landed her first Napoleon wrasse, and Dave B and Fred each caught GTs. Fred’s largest GT was 98cm, and Jeff S wasn’t far behind, landing two GTs with one reaching a remarkable 102cm. To cap off an action-packed day, Stephen landed an epic 114cm GT, finishing a truly memorable day on the flats.

Day 4: Another sunny, windless day greeted the anglers. TJ got things rolling early with a GT and triggerfish. Dave M added another GT to his tally, and both Jeff S and Stephen landed two GTs each. Brian caught two triggerfish, and Fred and Jeff C also added triggers to their lists.

Day 5: A dark and rainy day kept the anglers in their raincoats, but it didn’t dampen their spirits. Dave G and Jeff S each caught a GT and a triggerfish, while Jeff C landed three triggerfish. Brian continued his success with two GTs, and Fred, Steven, and TJ also caught one GT each. Mike rounded out the day with two GTs and a triggerfish, making for an impressive catch despite the dreary weather.

Day 6: On the final day of the week, Providence remained dark and rainy, but the anglers pushed through. TJ, Mike, and Jeff C all landed GTs, with TJ catching three. Rich added another GT to his haul, while Fred landed an impressive 99cm GT and a triggerfish. Brian, Dave B, and Jeff S all caught bonefish, with Dave’s breaching the 10lb mark. Brian and Jeff S also added a GT each, finishing off a fantastic week of fishing.

As the neap tides shift to spring, focus will turn more to GT fishing, with excitement building for what the coming weeks will bring on Providence.

Weekly Totals:

GTs: 47 (3 over 1 meter)
Bonefish: 11
Triggerfish: 15
Milkfish: 1
Napoleon Wrasse: 1
Bluefin Trevally: 40
Other species: 175

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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

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Providence Blog: 5 – 12 Dec 2023

Before we knew it, the final week of the Providence October – December 2023 season was here.
Fate would have it that we welcomed back our friends from AOS, Alex and Stephan. They were hosting a full house of guests from Austria, Marco was staying on for another week and our friend from South Africa, Peter, joined the group. A few first-timers to the salt and some guests on their 10th trip to the Seychelles. We were set to finish the week and season strong.

On the first day, we had some patchy light and low winds. Manuel, Gernot, and Chris’s team got straight into the action when they came across a mob of nurse sharks with about 200 GTs with them. Chris and Manuel landed a few GTs immediately, but the day went to Gernot, who landed his first GT and 3 others, including a 112cm. Well done Gernot The husband and wife team of Klaus V and Christina teamed up with Peter. Peter got off the mark early with an excellent GT on a crab. They all landed 1 bonefish each, and Christina got a sizeable yellow margin trigger to hand. Klaus V also landed a nice-sized Napoleon. The new team of Freddy, Klaus and Lucas landed their first GTs for the trip. Alex, Stephan, and Marco also got into the gents and brought 6 to hand. Bring the first day to a close with 17 GTs landed and signs of good things to come.

Sadly, as we often experience on the atoll, the weather can change on a dime, and we woke on the second day to 360 degree glare and rain all day. The teams thus set out to find a few bonefish; Lukas and Klaus landed their first 2 bones each, whilst Freddy caught his first and five more for the day, plus landed his first ever sailfish. Well done gents! Christina and Peter landed the only 2 GTs for the day.

We rose to beautiful weather on day three and set out to try to make up for the previous day’s bad light. Freddy, Klaus, and Lukas kept their momentum going with 1 each and 5 more bonefish. Peter, Christina, and their husband Klaus landed 8 bonefish—five for Peter, 2 for Klaus, and 1 for Christina. Alex, Stephan, and Marco found five lovely bones in the morning, and Stephan landed the first and only bumpy for the week. But the day’s fish went to Marco, who hooked and landed a GT measuring 114cm after a stressful fight involving some coral heads and a few swims. Well done, Marco!

On the 4th day, we had much of the same momentum. The teams kept the GT tally steadily ticking over with many more memorable catches. The trio of Alex, Stephan, and Marco landed 8 GTs, but the most memorable was 1 of Stephan’s fish that ate spectacularly after a long follow-in; the fish also measured 97cm—well done gents! Klaus, Freddy and Lukas also landed 5 GTs, 2 for Freddy and Klaus and one for Lukas, including a nice GT caught by Klaus V. This brought the day’s tally to 13 more GTs.

For the 5th and second to last day of the season, it looked like we would have excellent light and low winds. Peter got off the mark first with an absolute cracker of a fish, which after a short chase and another swim, the fish measuring 115cm was landed. His fishing partners Klaus V and Christina sadly ost a bumpy each shortly after. The other teams used the light well and caught many more GTs. Freddy, big Klaus and Lukas landed 7 GTs between them. The trio of Alex, Stephan and Marco matched this number. Emanuel, Chris and Gernot landed four more, whilst Chris ended the day off with a sailfish. Well done to everyone!

The season’s final day was here and thankfully the weather was going to play fair. We set off with blue skies and high hopes. Big Klaus landed his final GT for the trip which was spotted sitting in a white hole. Marco, Stephan, Klaus V and Peter also finished with a final GT each for their trip. Gernot and Manuel also landed a fish each, but it was Gernot who topped the teams with a second fish in the afternoon. Well done to all on a great week fo fishing and fun to close out our season!

This brings the week tally and the season to a close as follows:

GT – 63 (3 > 112cm)
Bonefish – 33
Bumphead Parrotfish – 1
Triggerfish – 1
Sailfish – 2
Napoleon – 2
Other – 112

Till next season,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 17 – 24 October 2023

The opening week of the Providence Oct-Dec 23 fly fishing season saw us welcome a few Prov veterans as well as a couple of new faces to the atoll. Excited nerves served as fuel while our team quickly readied everyone’s gear while acclimating to the warm tropical atmosphere, that would be our home for the next 2 months.

The first day was themed by all things with teeth. Dave, Joe, and John set off on a mission for GTs and despite tricky light and strong winds they still managed to land their first GTs of the trip. Drew got on the board with his first and second GT ever while his boat partner, Jean-Christophe managed to tame a beautiful 97 cm specimen. Great work, JC! Over in the lagoons, Joern also got himself on the board with a respectable GT and enjoyed productive fishing for the atoll’s native grouper and snapper which brought a satisfying end to Day 1.

Day 2 and determined to make the most of the tides, we headed to the flats as fast as our boats would take us! There was much more cloud cover than expected, and the teams did very well despite the conditions. Dave, Joe, and John had a couple of good shots at GTs, but were a bit unlucky. Dave, however, landed his first GT on the flats and measured a respectable 80 cm. Well done, Dave. The returning trio of Mike, Keith, and André were hard done by with bad light and a few unlucky shots at GTs. Keith did however manage to get on the board at the end of the day with his first GT of the trip. Well done, Keith. Over in a small drainage, JC, Jacob, and Drew had a stella day on the GT front, coming home with many stories and a few fantastic GTs. Drew landed a monster of 105 cm, Jacob managed to land one of 95 cm as well as a massive fish of 112 cm. Well done, gentleman! Another fish hooked by Jacob was taxed dramatically by a bull shark close near the end of the fight, which got his and his guide’s heart racing and made for a bittersweet victory with just the head coming in to hand. Joern also quietly kept his tally going with another GT, he also sadly lost two bumpies after lengthy fights.

On the third day we arose to terrible conditions including 20-knot winds and total cloud cover. Undeterred, we headed out for the day’s fishing. Joern and Ron kept their good streak going by landing another GT each. Over on a lumpy coral flat, JC, Drew, and Jacob beat the conditions by getting stuck into 9 very large bonefish. They had a triple-up with all 3 bones measuring over 65 cm, 1 of which was a 10-pounder caught by JC. Another excellent catch JC, well done! They didn’t stop there, with Jacob hooking and landing 2 triggerfish, 1 of each species. A little further down the same flat, Drew fished brilliantly to 4 different pairs of Permit but sadly he couldn’t convince any of them to eat his fly. Mike and Keith also did very well to land 2 GTs, 1 apiece and a special moment shared between old friends. Towards the end of the day, everyone got stuck into grouper and snapper, some of which were exceptional in size.

We didn’t think the conditions could get any worse than the day before but they sure did. We endured 30-knot winds and zero sunlight for most of the day. Like true troopers and despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, Jean Christoph, Drew, and André all landed their first sailfish on the fly. Well done, gentlemen! Joern landed a trophy 101 cm Napoleon Wrasse as well as a Bumpy, both terrific fish. Great work, Joern! Elsewhere on the atoll Jacob, John, Ron, and Mike all managed to catch GTs while 2 teams found a couple of bones, landing a total of 11 bonefish for the day.

On day five, the conditions seemed to intensify. Fortunately for us, there were plenty of fish around. The trio of Jacob, Drew, and Jean Christoph added to the GT tally with 4 total for the day. Mike, André, and Keith enjoyed excellent bone fishing and landed 27 for the day between them; Andre tragically lost a permit that changed direction and swam towards him, causing a small loop to wrap around the tip of his rod. Heartbreak! On a happier note while walking along the beach, Joern, sighted a beautiful GT cruising the shallows and made a perfect cast that was graciously accepted by the 95 cm fish, making for a great fight and a beautiful photo. Toward the end of the day, John landed yet another sailfish. Well done, John!

The 6th and final day saw the conditions remain tricky though not quite as severe. Mike managed to land 2 GTs for the day, 1 of which was 111 cm. A terrific fish caught offshore. Well done, Mike! Joern and Ron kept the bonefish numbers growing by landing another 6 for the day. However, the real triumph for the day was a 14-pound permit landed by Ron, a genuinely remarkable fish, and a team victory as many of our group had had shots without managing to convince these picky feeders to accept the fly during the week.

That brings us to the end of an enjoyable opening week. Barring the absenteeism of the Milkfish we enjoyed the full spectrum of fly fishing diversity available in these warm waters. Hopeful and excited for the next week of fly fishing, we bid our guests farewell.

Our catch tally for week 1 was:

GT – 32 (3 over 1m and biggest 111 cm)
Bone – 56 (1 of 10lbs.)
Sailfish – 4
Bumpies – 1
Triggers – 2
Napoleon – 6
Wahoo – 1
Permit – 1 (14lbs.)
Total number of other fish landed – 196

Till next week,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Fly Fishing for Bonefish in Seychelles and St Brandon’s Atoll

Bonefish are well known as one of fly fishing’s most famous saltwater targets and are responsible for most anglers’ introduction to the world of fly fishing travel and the thrills of sight fishing. The species’ tendency to feed in shallow water, its fondness for well-presented flies, and its lightning-fast runs make it the perfect fly fishing target. Learn more about fly fishing for bonefish, the best gear, how to improve your chances of success, and where to find the ultimate bonefishing experiences below:

A common sight of schooling bonefish on St Brandon’s Atoll.

Fast Facts:

The All Tackle World Record for bonefish stands at a massive 8.61 kg (19 lb), caught off the South African coastline. Remarkably, a bonefish weighing 17.5 lb was landed on St Brandon’s Atoll during our April – June 2023 fly fishing season which was certainly a highlight of our return to the atoll’s abundant waters. While these catches are extraordinary, typical catches of bonefish in Seychelles and St Brandon’s range between 4 – 6lb.
A micro-migration is witnessed each day as bonefish move in large numbers from deeper reefs and channels onto shallow water flats to feed. This behavior occurs during the incoming and outgoing tide flushes which creates the thrilling shallow water bonefishing experiences synonymous with St Brandon’s Atoll and some of the outer atolls of Seychelles.
The bonefish’s diet primarily consists of crustaceans, small fish, worms, snails, and mollusks. Check out our list of the best bonefish flies in our gear recommendations below.
Renowned as one of the fastest fish in the ocean, bonefish can reach speeds of upwards of 64km/h. Given their lack of major spines, tough scales or scoots, their incredible speed serves as their primary defence against predators.

A 17,5lb bonefish caught on St Brandon’s Atoll, Mauritius.

Rigging up for Bonefish

The best fly rods for bonefish are 9-foot 9wt fast action saltwater fly rods, with the 9ft 9wt G.Loomis NRX+ standing out as our top recommendation.
The best fly line for bonefish is 9wt tropical/warm water fly lines that match the recommended rod. We recommend the Airflo Superflo Ridge 2.0 flats Universal Taper 9wt fly line.
The best reels for bonefish have fast line retrieval, a drag system designed for wet wading in saltwater, and a minimum backing capacity of 250 yards of 50lb gel spun or casting braid. The Wade Albula fly reel is our top pick, designed to handle formidable fish like bonefish with ease.
While the best bonefish leader configuration may vary based on the fishery and flats conditions, we find 9ft 16 lb fluorocarbon tapered leaders to be adequate for most situations. In Seychelles, where various fish species abound, using heavier leaders can better prepare you for any surprises during your flat’s fishing adventure.
The best flies for bonefish vary depending on the destination. Our favourites include patterns that imitate shrimps and crabs such as; merkin crabs, fleeing crabs, spawning shrimps and gotchas tied in various sizes, weights, and colours, on good quality hooks with weed guards. Fly colours should be drab, white, tan, or a mix of these colours. Small pillow talks tied in chartreuse can be effective when dealing with warmer water conditions.

Well stocked bonefish specific fly boxes.

How to Catch More Bonefish in Seychelles and St Brandon’s Atoll

At home

Practice your casting at home before your fly fishing trip to Seychelles or St Brandon’s

Elevate your saltwater fly fishing game by honing your casting skills before embarking on your adventure to Seychelles or St Brandon’s. Success on the flats depends on delivering your fly precisely to the desired target, overcoming challenges like wind, line drag, and moving targets. Remember, distance is not the sole focus; a cast of 40-60 feet (half the length of the average fly line) is usually sufficient. Practice landing your fly accurately in a hula-hoop at 30ft, 40ft, 50ft, and 60ft regularly leading up to your trip. While hiring a casting instructor can help, consistent practice is the key to improving your casting technique and increasing your chances of success.

On the flats

The Presentation

FlyCastaway guide Tim Babich presents his fly towards a St Brandon’s Atoll bonefish.

Achieving the perfect fly placement depends on several variables, including the destination, water quality, fishing pressure, depth, and tide stage. Your experienced guide will provide invaluable insights into the fishery and instruct you accordingly. In Seychelles and St Brandon’s, during skinny water fishing periods aim to present the fly much closer to the fish than in other fisheries. Ideally, lead the fish by about 2-4 feet, you’ll know you’ve executed this correctly if you observe the fish acknowledge and swim towards your sinking fly. This expert technique ensures an enticing presentation that triggers a bite.

The Retrieve and Hook-set

Setting the hook while fly fishing for bonefish on a typical St Brandon Atoll flat.

Given the nature of the prey items that form a bonefish’s diet, a slow to medium retrieve is most effective. Always allow the fly to sink to the bottom before starting the retrieve, as most of the bonefish’s prey scurry along the seafloor. Keep your rod tip close to the water, removing any slack in the fly line between you and the fly. Often, anglers mistake a fish nibbling the fly when, in reality, the fish has already eaten the fly, and they are feeling tension only during the last part of the retrieve. To increase your chances of a successful hookset, slow down the retrieve as the fish follows the fly. When you feel pressure through the fly line, keep the rod tip pointed downwards and execute a firm strip strike to set the hook securely.

The Fight

A FCA guest enjoys a long run from a large bonefish on St Brandon’s seemingly endless flats.

Once hooked, be prepared for an adrenaline-pumping battle with the powerful bonefish. As the fish takes off at incredible speed, allow the line to run smoothly through your fingers without any sudden stops to avoid straightening the hook or breaking off the fish. The initial run is exhilarating, watching the bonefish create a rooster tail while taking your fly line and yards of backing across the shallow water flats is a scene commonly witnessed during the average bonefishing session on St Brandon’s and Providence Atoll. Keep your drag set light to medium, maintaining a 45-degree rod angle to apply constant pressure, especially if the fish starts its return journey. Reel in quickly and even walk backward if needed to keep consistent pressure on the fish.

Landing a Bonefish, Handling, and Release

Typical scenes at the end of the fight with a flats caught bonefish.

Landing a bonefish can be a challenge, especially when you are alone on the flats. Ideally, your guide will be nearby with a landing net. To land the fish successfully, guide it towards the net with a slow lift of its head just before it’s ready to be netted. Once in the net, the fish may thrash a bit, but it will eventually calm down. When handling a Bonefish, remember to wet your hands, and have your camera ready to capture the moment. Take a few quick photographs, remove the hook, and allow the fish to recover briefly before releasing.

Where is the Best Bonefishing Destination for You?

Bonefishing experiences vary significantly, and your choice of destination depends on factors such as the diversity of targetable fly fishing species, travel ease, and budget. Among hundreds of lodges, we recommend the following as the ultimate bonefishing destinations:

St Brandon’s Atoll, Mauritius

A trophy 12lb bonefish caught on St Brandon’s Atoll, Mauritius.

St Brandon’s Atoll is renowned as the world’s very best bonefish destination. The sheer number and average size of the bonefish encountered in its waters is nothing short of astonishing. The atoll’s unique structure and prevailing winds provide the perfect mix of conditions for bonefish to grow large and in impressive numbers with the average size of the bonefish caught on the atoll ranging between 5 – 6 lb with 10lb trophies caught regularly. Additionally, the atoll’s bonefish are encountered in a multitude of scenarios depending on the tide and water level allowing anglers to test their sight fishing skills while fly fishing for singles and doubles in as little as 6 inches of water to large schools of fish found during the high period of the tide allowing action anglers of every skill level to enjoy the thrill of fly fishing for bonefish. For a detailed perspective of what to expect on the atoll’s flats read our week-by-week catch reports here, visit our website for more information about St Brandon or get in touch with us via email – info@flycastaway.com

Providence Atoll, Seychelles

An elated FCA guest poses proudly with a large bonefish caught on Providence Atoll, Seychelles.

The best saltwater fly fishing destination on earth – Providence Atoll and its mind-blowing diversity will provide you and your fishing buddies fantastic opportunities to catch trophy bonefish. Providence’s bonefishing is dependent on several factors. It is therefore very important to speak to our team before booking your trip to make sure you are in the right place, at the right time to enjoy the Seychelles’ very best bonefishing. For a detailed perspective of what to expect on the flats, read our week-by-week catch reports here, visit our website for more information about Providence Atoll, or get in touch with us via email – info@flycastaway.com

We would love to hear from you

Choosing the fly fishing destination that caters to your preferences isn’t easy. These venues are often in the far-flung corners of the world and require a great deal of time and energy to get to. FlyCastaway has run successful fly fishing trips with the best guide teams in the Seychelles & St Brandon since 2003. Our knowledgeable team works day and night to ensure you have the trip of your dreams. If you’re planning to visit Seychelles or St Brandon’s Atoll or have any other fly fishing travel-related questions, get in touch with us via email – info@flycastaway.com or stay up to date with the fishing action on Facebook & Instagram.

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St Brandon Blog: 8-18 May 2023

The second week of our St Brandon’s Atoll May-June 2023 fly fishing season saw us welcome 6 new faces to the fishery with the exception of Steven, who was fortunate enough to be beginning the latter half of his 2 week stay with us. This week’s fishing began with full moon neap tides and almost perfect weather conditions which had us anticipating loads of shots to tailing Indo-Pacific Permit and trophy Bonefish in varying fly fishing scenarios.

Our guests enjoyed phenomenal fly fishing for the atoll’s resident Bonefish with favourable conditions aiding our efforts on the flats. Not only were the sheer number of bones encountered impressive but so was the frequency with which we happened upon the real trophies. Our group capitalized on their shots to the larger fish landing several beauties between 7 – 9.5 lb, caught in every Bonefishing scenario available on St Brandon’s. The atoll had more up its sleeve and delivered 4 fish of 10 lb plus, 2 of which went to Daniel who managed to land his first-ever 10lber!, and then another monster of 11.5 lb shortly thereafter. Great job, Dan. The remaining noteworthy catches went to Steven and Rob, who both ended their week’s fishing in the best way possible landing trophies of 10 and 12 lb respectively. Well done gentlemen!

The Permit fishing this week met our expectations with loads of large Indos encountered during the 7 fishing days. Daniel found himself in the thick of the action yet again, this time landing a beautiful Indo-Pacific Permit that tipped the scales at 10 lb. Steven had also adjusted to the rhythm of the fishery nicely and added another energetic 6.5 lb Perm to his tally while Rob managed to bag his first Indo of his 2 week stay with us. Great job, chaps.

The action for the toothy critters was encouraging with our guests enjoying several shots at the lightning-fast Bluefin Trevally as well as the odd encounter with schools of Golden Trevally. Dan landed a beaut of Bluefin that was encountered in St Brandon’s exciting surf zone, while the sole Golden Trevally catch of the week went to Faf and was caught while fishing to a large school of Bonefish. Chance encounters with Baracuda are always exciting, especially when the Barracuda is enormous. Daniel made the most of his shot and managed to tame an absolute monster that was found holding in an ambush position near a small sandspit.

That brings us to the end of the second week’s fishing report. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with this group and look forward to welcoming them all back to our favourite walk and stalk flats fishing program.

Till next time,

The Flycastaway guide team

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St Brandon Blog: 1 – 11 May 2023

Welcome back to our St Brandon’s Atoll blog. It’s been a long 3 years since we last had any fishing action to report from our favourite permit and bonefish fishery in the Indian Ocean. A very well-rested St Brandon’s welcomed 5 guests for the opening week of our season and the level of excitement felt among all involved was at an all-time high as we anticipated phenomenal fly fishing action for both hefty bones and quality shots at Indo-Pacific Permit. This is how it went…

Our guests were treated to perfect conditions for skinny water bonefishing with a typical south-easterly wind resulting in cool ocean water flushing over the flats. With some of the variables on our side, we just needed the fish to swim and swim they did with loads of bonefish encountered in several different fly fishing scenarios. The skinny water bonefishing for large singles and doubles was undoubtedly the highlight of the week and produced multiple bones of the 7-8lb calibre. Matt was lucky enough to enjoy a session that delivered quintessential St Brandon’s style bonefishing where walk and stalk fly fishing for large singles was the order of things. He went on to land several specimens of 8 lb. Well done, Matt. The high tide period of each day also produced the goods as our group racked up impressive numbers while fishing for the large schools of bonefish that congregate in certain areas of the atoll. The sheer volume of fish seen and hooked was encouraging and gave us an indication of a thriving fishery and has us very excited for what the rest of the season might deliver on the bonefishing front!

The permit fishing this week was also red hot with numerous opportunities offered during the 7 days of fishing. After 3 days of near misses, we finally brought the first golden trophy of our season to hand. William opened his and our St Brandon’s permit account with a beautiful 11,5 lb Indo-Pacific Permit! The momentum of this catch was infectious and the rest of our group followed suit with Steve and Steven tasting success during an exciting session where shots presented themselves as the fish were seen tailing along a ridge of broken marl. The pair went on to land fish of 6,5 and 10 lb respectively. Gerhard and Matt also managed to convert catches of Indos in the days that followed with each of them landing fish of 10 and 8 lb. which brought our catch tally to 5 landed for the week. Excellent stuff guys, well done.

Along with all the action on the tailing fish species front was the exciting number trevally encountered during each day on the flats. Although we were unable to convert the opportunities we had for the atoll’s massive GTs, the Bluefin trevally were more obliging with our group landing 5 trophies for the week. The standout catches on this front went to Steven and Matt who both landed fish that stretched the measuring tape to 75cm.

Our key takeaways from the opening week of the season were the impressive quality of the fish we encountered and the exceptional health of the atoll. Everything about St Brandon’s seems to be vibrating at an exciting level and we can’t wait to report on what the following weeks deliver from the world’s very best walk and stalk flats fishery.

Yours in fishing,

The St Brandon’s guide team.

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Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Mar 2023

The 9^th of January 2023 saw our team arrive at Sterkfontein Dam in preparation for a 9 week long fly fishing season to start our year off. As we prepped our fleet of Fusion boats during the early evening we were reminded of the beauty of the place, with panoramic views of lush green rolling hills and a skyline littered with puffy clouds illuminated in pastel colours… It was so good to be back at our summertime home!

Preseason Prep

This season saw us make yet more upgrades to our fleet of 3 boats, adding casting platforms to both front and back decks on each of the boats, as well as 2 brand new 4-stroke engines to ensure we traveled quickly and reliably to our chosen fishing areas each day. These new additions, especially the casting platforms made a desirable difference to the average day, raising our guest’s vantage point and allowing them better visibility which increased their chances of success. We also revised our fly selection for the season, adding 5 new patterns to our ever-expanding library of purpose tied dry flies to cover every condition likely encountered. Armed to the hilt with everything a guide team could possibly need we were ready to take on anything Sterkfontein could throw at us.

The fishing

Sterkfontein is, and always has been a challenging and technical fishery, where the margins for error are slim. 2023 turned out to be a testing fishing season due to several factors which included; particularly difficult weather conditions and inconsistent wind directions.

Despite the above, we still managed to deliver a successful fly fishing season. When the weather was bad, we caught fewer fish and when it was good, we caught loads. In tougher seasons one needs to adjust expectations and bank the small wins. This was critical this season, where the windows of opportunity could be a short 2-hour period and if you weren’t on the money, you were left scratching for answers. Planning, teamwork, and experience ensured that we were in the right place, at the right time, and most importantly providing sight fishing opportunities to Smallmouth Yellowfish for our guests. The next thing apparent this season was fly selection and the difference that made to our catch tally at the end of each day. Being a team certainly helped, as we could test several different patterns and if one happened to stand out we would then share this information amongst the team. It became evident certain flies outperformed others and were often the difference between landing 1 or 9 fish for the day. In seasons past we hadn’t had to be quite so selective in our choice of flies or as intentional in our decision-making.

Below are recollections of certain fish and sessions that stood out during our stint at Sterkfontein:

Early season we welcomed old-time friends back to Sterkfontein for the 3rd consecutive year. Zac enjoyed days of fly fishing bliss landing 10 or so Smallmouth Yellowfish each day under perfect bluebird skies with almost no wind to speak of. It was during Zac’s trip that we realized that the old staple fly patterns were not going to be sufficient and we needed to experiment.

Our first international visitor of the season, Gareth Jones, of Airflo Fly Fishing converted his opportunities in front of the Smallmouth Yellowfish. Gareth, a very competent angler, has won 2 silver medals at the Men’s World Fly Fishing Championships and is a master at his craft. He enjoyed a particularly productive morning session hooking and landing loads of powerful Smallies.

Another international visitor, Don, also enjoyed several days of action and reported catch returns in the double figures each every day of his trip with us. Having fished the world, and a lot in the US for trout, he caught onto the rhythm and vibe quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the sight fishing element of the fishery.

Riaan and Alecia joined us for the second consecutive year for an extended period and enjoyed a particularly special day where 9 fish were brought to hand before having to call the day short due to a brewing thunderstorm. The catch of the day went to Alecia, who managed to catch a 6 ½ lbs fish Smallmouth Yellowfish that she expertly sight-fished and threaded through a large weed bed before landing her prize. We’ve landed a fair number of Sterkfontein Yellows during the past 3 seasons and this is a very large fish for the fishery. Well done, Alecia!

Gerhard and Angelika, longtime supporters of our Sterkfontein Dam experience joined us on two separate occasions during our Jan – Mar season. They were lucky enough to experience a large flying ant hatch during 1 of their afternoons and Angelika struck gold and managed to land several powerful Smallies, one of which a real beauty of 4 ½ lb. Great job, Angelika!

The fishing, laughs, and evening shenanigans we shared with our guests this season were special. We enjoyed every moment and although Sterkies showed us her moody side at times, she still shone brightly when conditions lined up favourably. As such, the hope of a strong season next next year has us excited and already hard at work with the preparations!

Till next year,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 25 April – 2 May 2023

In what felt like a blink of an eye, the final week of our March – May 2023 season was upon us. Change over day always seems to bring with it bluebird skies and moderate wind, however, the weather forecast for the week was ominous with fierce winds predicted from the south-east. Nevertheless, we were still excited to explore the atoll with our group which included first-time saltwater fly fishermen and a few return guests. After a quick orientation around the mothership and tackle setup, the group made good use of the change-over day to get to know each other on the mid-deck over a few cold beverages.

Day 1 had our guide team spread out to different corners of the atoll in pursuit of the tailing species, and of course, the atoll’s population of Giant Trevally. Jamie got off the mark early with his first-ever GT on the fly. Well done, Jamie! Mario also got stuck into the action immediately landing his first and best GT for the week on the first morning, a lovely fish measuring 96cm! Meanwhile, in another corner of the atoll, Chris and Steve did very well by landing 4 Triggerfish before lunch. The afternoon however turned out to be tricky, with low clouds causing very difficult sight fishing conditions. Despite this, our team persisted and added another 2 more GTs to the tally.

Everyone was up to speed with the daily program by day 2 and we set off for the flats with high expectations. Catches of note included an energic GT caught by Tom, who managed to convert his fish from a school that had corralled a school of baitfish into a channel. Derek, a wanderer, had made his way into some fishy-looking water when he spotted 3 GTs swimming down a lagoon edge. He presented his fly and watched as the 3 fish made a violent approach towards his baitfish imitation, what followed was a successful hook-up and a short but intense tussle between some coral heads. He eventually landed his first Providence GT. Well done Derek! Jim tasted sweet success on the Bumpie front when he landed the group’s first of the week. Great going Jim!

The 3rd day brought with it powerful winds blowing out of the southeast. The severe wind made for challenging fly fishing conditions, however, the atoll still delivered a diverse set of fly fishing scenarios for our guests, with a total catch tally of 6 GTs, 15 Bonefish, and 3 Triggerfish. A special mention goes to Mike who managed to land his first ever GT, which was a special moment for all involved as Mike had traveled the world on several occasions without any success. Congratulations, Mike, we can only imagine how good that must have felt!

We endured wild weather and exceptionally rough seas during the 4th day of the fishing week. The conditions saw us have a delayed start with our team heading for their chosen areas for the day when the weather lightened up a tad. The short delay had little bearing on our catch tally with our group tallying 42 Bones, 3 of which were over 10lb! John, Chris, and Derrek are the lucky anglers to land those hefty Bonefish….way to go guys! Meanwhile, Jim found himself connected to a personal best GT that was picked from a small shoal of GTs that were encountered while they dropped off the flats during the falling tide. His beauty measured an impressive 98cm. Great job Jim! Last, but not least, was Jamie’s Bumphead Parrotfish…CONGRATS!

Day five saw an improvement in the fishing conditions, with better weather and more good fish encountered across the board. Our total catch tally for the day was 10 GTs, 1 Bumpie, 11 Bones, 2 Triggers, and a single Milkfish. Chris found a rich vein of form and landed 3 GTs, while Steve and Kurt kept the Bonefish numbers ticking over by landing many more good-sized Bones. At the end of the day, Tom stepped into the house of pain when he hooked a monster Milkfish in the early evening, which we’re sure he still regrets. After a brutal one-hour battle, he finally brought the fish into the net. Well done, Tom!

The 6th and final day of the season saw us enjoy fantastic conditions, with a light south-easterly breeze and good light. Ken, had been unlucky on the GT front, not from any fault of his own, but rather some bad luck. He however managed to rectify this when he made a cast at a school of GTs working across a small finger flat and much to his and the guide’s joy, a bigger fish parted the youngsters and viciously accepted his fly. After a good fight, he landed his best for the week, a specimen measuring 94cm! Well done Ken! Tom, however, landed the top catch for the week, a strong GT that measured 102cm! Well done Tom! As the final whistle blew on the final evening, Jamie landed his first Milkfish, while at the same time Mario hooked but sadly lost a Sailfish.

Thanks for a great week guys, we really appreciate your support and hope to see you back out there in the coming seasons!

The week’s tally was as follows:

• GT – 32 ( 1 – 102cm )

• Triggerfish – 10

• Milkfish – 3

• Bumphead Parrotfish – 3

• Bonefish – 70 ( 3 of 10lb)

• Other species – 156

A special thank you to all our guests that were a part of this fantastic season, we made memories, shared laughs, and learned yet more about this outlandish fishery. We can’t wait for what October – December has in store for us!

Until then,

The Providence Guide Team