St Brandon’s Blog: 2-12 May 2016
The next group on St. Brandon’s this season arrived on Raphael Island on the evening of the 3rd of May. After a smooth crossing onboard the two sport fishers, everyone including Ryan Hammond (one of the FCA owners) had high spirits and was excited to be there. It was easy to pick up that we had a great group on the atoll this week and we were eager to show them flats fishing of the highest order.
Day 1 started off very well, with the calmer than usual conditions enabling our guests to ease into their casting. Right off the bat, Rich Paini (owner of the Trouthunter situated on the famed Henry’s Fork in Idaho, USA www.trouthunt.com) showed his skill as an angler by making a great cast to a small beautiful Indo-Pacific Permit. The fish reacted to fly immediately and soon he had a prized 4lb Indo-Pacific Permit in his hands. What a way to start a trip! Kevin Despain came close too as he hooked a solid Permit before the fly popped out before the hook had been stuck firm. The rest of the group all cashed in as well, casting to and landing many solid Bones as they fed in super skinny water, some of the fish feeding with their backs out of the water as the flies were delivered. All round there were good shots at more Permit as well as the odd GT and Bluefin but unfortunately they could not be convinced to eat.
With the action of the previous day fresh in their minds and the calm conditions continuing the guests were eager to get onto the water and kick off the second day. Good numbers of Bonefish caught in super skinny water on the low tide provided a great start. It really was a sight to behold as fins and tails broke the oily slick water. Rich Paini continued on his merry way and improved on his Permit from the previous day when he landed a very special 10lb Indo Pacific Permit as it tailed along a coral edge. A St Brandon’s trophy that later that evening earned him the coveted Red Cap. Terry Graham landed a solid 12lb Golden Trevally and there were good numbers of smaller Bluefin Trevally caught throughout the day. Many more opportunities at Permit were seen on the day with three more being hooked but unfortunately the fish had the final say.
The calm conditions persisted on Day 3 and so did the good fishing. The Bonefish were out and about feeding in large numbers, our guests getting stuck into some great action. Kevin Despain landed his largest Bonefish to date with a solid 7lb fish. There were also shots at Permit and Bluefin Trevally but they could not be converted. The GT’s were out in good numbers but sadly no shots within range presented themselves. Amy Roberts had a great day with the highlight undoubtedly being her first Indo-Pacific Permit.
The customary wind however returned to the Atoll on Day 4 with a stiff South Easterly blowing. The good skinny water Bone fishing continued with all the clients getting stuck into it. While fishing to some Bonefish and Permit, Nicole Despain saw a large GT moving up from deeper water. With no 12wt within reach she threw caution to the wind and cast a crab pattern at the fish on her 10wt. As luck would have it the huge fish casually swam up to the fly and engulfed it. The line went tight but sadly soon parted thanks to fish’s superior weight and power. A sad occurrence on one hand but a real treat to witness such a delicate eat from such a ferocious predator.
The wind increased slightly on Day 5 but the great Bone fishing during our low water periods continued. So much so there is no doubt in our minds that St Brandon’s currently offers the finest Bonefishing on the planet! The high tide however also brought with it some of the larger predators on the atoll. Millie Paini got a large GT to take her NYAP fly while fishing to some very large Bluefin Trevally, sadly though the hook never got the right amount of purchase and the just popped out. Our condolences Millie…..next time for sure!
The wind experienced during the previous 2 days picked up heavily during the night and by the morning of Day 6 it was blowing at 35knots and gusting at 40knots. A safety call had to be made and due to the lagoon being so rough, none of the boats could go out. Thankfully our newly revamped guesthouse sits on top of three productive Boneus and Permit flats. These flats may not always offer huge numbers but they are well known for offering 8-10lb Bonefish and some very good Permit fishing. The wind persisted on Day 7 and as such we remained in the north, fishing to large single and double Bones as well as some solid Permit and Bluefin.
As it turned out this would be the theme for the next couple of days as a high-pressure system had developed south of Mauritius making a crossing back to Mauritius impossible. So with the help of some flight changes and a very easy going group, everyone made the most of it by enjoying our peak fishing sessions as well as the island’s local brew for an additional three days whilst we waited for the sea to calm. Some great fish were caught during these ‘bonus days’, Millie Paini landing a bus Bonefish, so too did Kevin who topped his previous personal best. Finally with the light fading fast, Ryan tussled and landed a solid 10lb Permit just above the guesthouse which capped off a truly unforgettable week with our new bunch of great friends!
Until next time
St. Brandon’s Guide Team
We were hugely excited to welcome our first group of guests for 2016 onto St Brandon’s. Whilst it goes without saying we were eager to show the group the world class fishing on offer, we were equally excited to show them home base for the week and the future of the project, a recently refurbished guesthouse situated on Raphael Island. An added bonus was the fact that the sport fisher transport vessel had made good time and as such we were able to take the group out for a very enjoyable bonus afternoon session of fishing, with some really nice Bones amongst the group and a good sized Golden Trevally courtesy of William Bland kicking us off!
After a good nights sleep and a great breakfast, the guests rigged up in the new ‘mudroom’ following which the first day on the flats was soon underway. There were some good opportunities to get GT’s as well as solid shots at Permit but unfortunately the fish came out on top, the stiff St Brandon’s breeze still being adjusted to. Everyone did however have a good day chasing Bones and despite shaking off some “rust” there was a serious element of excitement in the group as the sunk below the horizon and a few cold drinks were enjoyed back at the guesthouse.
Day two was spent mainly targeting Bonefish and all the anglers enjoyed a great day out on the flats. Stories were shared around the dinner table of fish caught and lost, the common topic being how privileged we are to watch large Bonefish tail on a fly in a few inches of water. Everyone agreed that St Brandon’s is certainly a special place!
Day three brought with it some excellent Bonefishing, the majority of the fish coming weighing between 6-8lbs. The fish of the day was however a beautiful Bluefin Trevally of 73cm caught by William Bland while fishing to a pack of hungry fish cruising on the back of a large Nurse Shark. The fish demolished the Brush fly a few feet from him, instantly charging away as it made a burst for freedom. The immensely talented Bryan Gregson on assignment for FlyCastaway and Yellow Dog Fly Fishing 
Day four started off with an early morning tailing Bonefish session, many of the fish sight cast to in ankle deep water. It was the classic story, singles and doubles snaking their way slowly across the shallow flat in search of any crustacean brave or stupid enough to remain unhidden. Some spectacularly marked Bluefin Trevally were also landed, so too some large Spangled Emperors and the diminutive but aptly named Picasso Triggerfish. The guests were astonished at the remarkable colors and shapes of these fish, as for many of them it was their first encounter with these species. William Bland once again stepped up and landed a 76cm Bluefin Trevally, outdoing his fish from the previous day. This brought a fitting day to an outstanding day on the atoll.
were landed in the morning session alone, with Murray Low landing a beautiful 28-inch fish. There was also a quadruple hook up with John and Selena Mitchell, Shamal Malik and Jeremy Stewart all landing good sized Bonefish within minutes of each other, the four of them sharing a great moment together before releasing their fish. During the same session some Golden Trevally, Needlescale Queenfish and Bluefin Trevally were landed, showcasing the variety of species and quality of fishing St Brandon’s has to offer. Good numbers of GT’s were also seen, but despite a few chasing down the flies no solid connection was made. Nonetheless the fish had grabbed hold of our guests attention for sure, the mere sight of a 100cm plus GT chasing down a fly is more than enough to leave a last impression.
Day six was a cracker for large Bonefish. All the anglers caught a number of fish ranging between 6lbs and 8lbs, the best fish of the day going to Jeremy who got 2 fish just over 9lbs, John too featuring with a 9lb slab of muscle of his own. There were a number of good shots at Permit and Bluefin Trevally but these were unfortunately not converted. Shamal landed a good-sized Golden Trevally amongst others and there were many Blue Spangled Emperors eager to eat a fly.
The final day brought some of the best fishing of the week. Many large Golden Trevally were seen tailing on the flats and although two of these brutes were hooked, the end result was not in our anglers favor. The Permit were out in good numbers but were skittish and sadly we were unable to connect. Large Bonefish were however the order of the day and Murray Low landed the biggest Bonefish of the week with a very fat 9,5lb. brute. The highlight of the day and perhaps the week was however the 108cm GT landed by John. The fish ate the fly almost next to the boat and proceeded to head straight into coral. Craig his guide jumped into the water to free the fly line from the coral and by some miracle the line held and John was rewarded with a prize he will soon not forget. After a measurement to confirm the size and a few photos of this magnificent creature, the fish was released capping off an amazing opening week of the 2016 St. Brandon’s season.
Day 1 – Anchored at midway for our first day out, the groups set out to the areas carefully chosen by the guides in terrific conditions. 8 hours later all returned back to the boat safely, with stories of great fish caught as well as a fair few lost, broken rods and fly lines, but most importantly eveyone being in very high spirits.
Day 2 – An overcast sky and a some wind greeted us on our second morning, but for those who know the atoll this is nothing to be feared…far from it in fact. Head guide Tim found some deep drainage channels full of fish life. His avid anglers got stuck into some GT’s and a mixture of reef fish which were targeted by sight casting and swinging flies down to fish holding in the current waiting to attack an easy meal which drifted down.
A memorable session indeed, which included some great double ups on GT’s for his group. Warren went on the long run north and got his guests into some world-class size Bonefish, along with
Day 4 and 5 – This is where the proverbial “%$#%^%$^ ” hit the fan. Warren found good numbers of GT’s in some surf, his guests casting at them as they rode in on waves. Wesley and his guests soon joined in and fun was had by all even in the deeper water. Plenty of double hook-ups and even a triple hook–up ensued. Guide Matthew and his team hit it big too, fishing on the eastern side with Dave Pienaar and Dan Heiser. Both guests accomplished “Slams” consisting of a GT, a Bumpy and a Triggerfish. Dave Pienaar had a stand out Day 5 landing eight GT’s, the total just for his team on the day reaching seventeen GT’s. Matthew once again headed to a favoured spot on the atoll On Day 5 were they found some very nice GT’s on stingrays during the pushing tide. Basil Yelverton and Robert Tjian landing a double up on GT’s, which was later, followed by another double-up with Basil Yelverton landing another GT and Michael Collins a fantastic Napoleon Wrasse.
Day 6 – Our last day was spent in the South where some fantastic fishing was had. Guide Tim and his team found some big GTs in the coral and deep water, with Dave Goeddel getting a 98cm GT and Basil Yelverton a 95cm amongst the seven fish landed. Matthew and his group ran into one of Providence’s infamous ‘super shoals’, a pack of fifty plus fish marauding their way across the flats. Needless to say they got some really good fish! Wesley and his team took full advantage of the myriad of coral bommies in the area, landing 9 different species including a 20lb Green Job fish.
This week on Farquhar atoll we welcomed a group of eight guests from Russia, one from Scotland and one from the US. It would be a momentous week for everyone on the trip, firstly this would be the first saltwater fly fishing experience for our new friends from Russia, whilst it would be Alex and Brandon’s first time with us on Farquhar. All would catch some truly memorable fish thanks to a bit of wind and the ensuing cold water that has thankfully arrived.
On arriving at the atoll, we quickly set about setting up our guests tackle, following which we spent the rest of the afternoon giving our Russian guests some casting, line management and other essential instruction. Needless to say spirits were high as a delicious dinner and a few ‘cold ones’ were enjoyed by all. As the week went by it became very clear to us our new friends were completely overwhelmed with the fishery and the atoll as a whole. The sheer numbers of fish species and general marine life encountered no doubt changing their perception about a fishing holiday.
The GT’s are still around in good numbers with multiple casting opportunities occurring on a daily basis. This iconic species impresses all fortunate to tussle with it, non more so than Alex who landed three fine fish during his trip which no doubt has given him highly contagious “GT fever”. These were his first three fever GT’s and to cap it off he earned the covered red GT cap with a monster 119 cm fish.
The Bumpies were around in solid numbers this week, with shoals frequently followed by eager anglers throughout the trip. Despite hooking ten of 10 of these blue/green giants luck was against as all ten escaped thanks to their astonishing power. We also managed to get into some really solid Bonefish for the week, the biggest a very respectable fish with a fork length of 64 cm. A big mission was made by all on the species front, to give you an idea of what is possible when visiting Farquhar, Alex managed to rack up 20 different species during the 6 days out on the flats with. Congrats once again Alex!
The guys were also very keen on doing some offshore during the week. All manor of species lurk just off the flats and we got stuck into Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Skipjack Tuna, Jobfish and a variety of other species, not to mention the Dogtooth Tuna that proceeded to give us a serious hiding. The result 7 hooked and 0 landed. There still some Sailfish around which is very unusual, but despite hooking into one good specimen, luck was against us the fly popped out.
We experienced some tough conditions during the third week of the season, the extremely flat conditions and warm temperatures heating up large parts of the lagoon. These conditions stifle the influx of cold and clear water pouring onto the flats, which prohibits certain species frequently encountered from spending time on the atoll’s food rich areas. We were therefore forced to work extremely hard with limited areas available to us, however despite this we still managed to hook into some real trophies.
There were good numbers of GT’s around considering the conditions, some of which were hugging the back sting rays ready to ambush their prey, whilst others were paired up with sharks looking for an easy meal. Congratulations to John on his 110 cm fish, JT for his fish of 108 cm and Pietro on his 105 cm fish. Pietro in fact had a great double when he landed the big one as well as very respectable fish of 86cm on the same day. Kirk landed his first GT ever of 86 cm, so too Paris from 
The Bonefish in particular are affected by the warm water to the point where on some occasions 8lb tippet was needed to get the result. If one considers we generally fish 15lb – 17lb for this species on the atoll, one gets any idea of the sort of conditions we were faced with. Nonetheless we stuck at it and caught some really good fish. Paris in particular again enjoyed a very special 3 hour period on one day where he landed ten fish of between 6-8 pounds.
The Bumphead Parrots were however still around in decent numbers and provided some exciting opportunities. That said, you still need a fair bit of luck when landing the fish and subsequently we had quite a few break-offs. Steve however managed to get one for us for the week so a hearty congratulations to him on this special achievement. Triggers too were still around in good numbers and provided some very exciting skinny water fishing. Congratulations to Brian Hodges 
The calm weather does however produce some excellent Milkfish opportunities and many of our guests had the opportunity cast at shoals of fish feeding on the surface. JT hooked into three fish, while Steve had a solid fish right at the boat that sadly broke free after an epic tussle. Other exciting species included some Saddle Back Groupers and Napoleon Wrasse just to mention a few.
There was no doubt it was a tougher than average week, but thanks to our guests effort we still managed experience some incredible fishing and walk away with a few very special fish!
The week started off with some very stable conditions with not a drop of wind on the first morning. There are a lot of GT’s around on the flats at the moment and we managed to bend some of the 12 weight rods to the max. Congratulations to Cliff, Michael, Christopher, Martin and Paulus on landing their first ever GT’s sight fished on the flats.
A special mention however must go out to Adrianus who successfully landed our biggest GT for the season so far with a prime specimen of 120 cm. A fish of a lifetime for sure and considering it was his first GT on the flats, a very special moment indeed. The fish was lying in a deep hole on a turtle grass flat holding against the tide waiting for any baitfish choosing the wrong path when guide and angler came across it. The cast went out, landing in the perfect spot and the GT charged and ate the fly without any hesitation. It attacked the fly with such ferocity it almost launched itself clear out of the water. The hook was driven home and the fish screamed off, the backing peeling off at a frightening speed. Thankfully everything went to plan and after a solid 15-minute battle his prize was tailed, photographed and set free to fight another day. Another truly epic moment on Farquhar! All in all 9 GT’s were landed during the week, not to mention a further 8 of which were hooked but came off earlier than hoped.
The fair weather continued throughout the week that definitely showed in the fishing. The Triggerfish were therefore around in good numbers, allowing us to hook 7 of the wily critters. Sadly not all were landed but credit goes out to John Giles for making it happen on a real solid Giant Triggerfish, as well as to Paulus who achieved his Grand Slam for the day by landing his Picasso Triggerfish.
The calm offshore conditions provided us with the much-anticipated Milkfish feeding sessions during certain tides. 4 fish were hooked throughout the week, 2 of which sadly came off right at the end. Nonetheless, these sessions and the experience of fishing to these immensely powerful fish will not be easily forgotten by the guests who came into contact with the Chanos Chanos.
The Bones were full up this week and provided constant action when sought out. We managed to get some really good sized fish, so together with these iconic fish and Martin’s flats caught Golden Trevally Farquhar produced a great week of diversity once again. Thank you to all our guests for sharing this incredible place with us. We now look forward to days and weeks ahead!
After a productive week of preparations we welcomed our first group of anglers for the season, a party of 10 guests from France. The group, who has fished with us multiple times, was obviously eager to get stuck into the incredible fishing Farquhar has to offer and so were we.
Sadly however the weather did not seem to get memo and we battled some very overcast conditions and the odd rainsquall throughout. This made sight fishing tougher than normal, which was frustrating indeed as there were clearly some good fish around. There was however some really good Triggerfish fishing to be had, the fact that they were tailing in ankle deep-water allowing the classic walk and stalk we love so dearly. A special mention must go out to Alberto Cafferi for landing his first ever Giant Triggerfish and ours for the season. Certainly one of the toughest fish to land on the flats, it will certainly not be forgot in a hurry.
There were good numbers of GT’s prowling the flats this week, unfortunately the conditions making it difficult for us to capitalize. Nonetheless we stuck at it and were rewarded with some great fish, including Jean Louis Stoffel’s first ever GT on the flats as well as Louis Boutros massive 118 cm fish (sadly no image of this special fish)! The benchmark has therefore been set very high and it’s going to take a special fish to match or top this brute of animal during the next 3 months. Congratulations Louis!
The cool weather did allow for some pretty spectacular Bonefishing, with shoals of these iconic game fish tailing over both the turtle grass and pure white sand flats. Our group took full advantage and we racked up some really good fish as well as numbers throughout their trip. These in addition with some great Snapper, Grouper and a highly prized Napoleon Wrasse made up the bulk of the flats species landed.
Farquhar does however some great offshore fishing at its disposal and so with the tough conditions on the flats we opted to go offshore during certain periods and were rewarded. Two Sailfish came out which is terrific considering it’s not really the season, both fish being tagged before swimming away strongly. In addition to these fine fish, good offshore catches of GT’s, Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Barracuda, together with a 35kg Dogtooth Tuna rounded up the action.
The FlyCastaway Farquhar guide team is back on location and ready to deliver some world class flats fishing and serious fish during the Feb – May 2016 season. Before we could welcome our first group of guests onto the atoll we had some serious work to get through to ensure the level of operation remains at an extremely high standard. We departed the IDC hanger on the 23rd of Feb to allow us 8 full days to work on servicing boats and to scout out the current movements of the different fish species. We were welcomed by K.K and Mona after landing on the atoll and taken directly to the guesthouse and guide house. These two individuals run and manage the guesthouse in fine form and so it was no surprise after inspecting the guesthouse to find everything looking top notch.
Once settled into the guide house, we along with our proficient Yamaha outboard motor mechanic Marcel began servicing the engines for the tenders. First up were the carburettors! We stripped each one in clock work fashion until all were left in mint condition. Working as a team, we then replaced all the battery terminals that were rusted and then cleaned and greased the ones that were still in good shape. Next on the list were the bilge pumps and GPS’s. If there was any damage to the wiring it was replaced immediately. We then started to install all the gearboxes which had recently been refurbished on Mahe, finally attaching the propeller’s to each of them.
We then installed all the steering arms, following which we changed all the spark plugs, checked the wiring and fuel lines, at the same time replacing any small parts which looked they had taken some wear and tear. Last on the list was some fibreglassing (in true island style) on Cerf’s hull. Once dry all 6 boats were launched and moored ready for testing. The following day all boats were run in and we are happy to report all boats are in great working condition for the season ahead! It was now time for some scouting!
We ran all over the atoll, stopping here and there for brief periods to get into the groove and rhythm of the atoll. The good news is the fish are around and the water looks great. Bumpies, GT’s, Triggers and Bones all were seen in positive numbers. In addition there were large schools of Milkfish offshore during periods of warm weather and flat sea conditions. During a brief stint Gerry and Nick both got stuck into fish, sadly Nick’s fish coming off prematurely. Gerry however landed a cracking fish on one of our Wade Chanos fly reels which performed flawlessly! Congrats Gerry!
An added bonus is that it seems there are still good numbers of Sailfish, Wahoo and some Tuna around which no doubt will add to our guests experience during the season. So in closing, all the boats are running smoothly, the guesthouse is ready and waiting, spirits are high and the team is focused. Its time to smash some fish!
