Providence: 8-15 Nov 2016
The sixth and final week of our season welcomed a multinational group including guests from Australia, South Africa, England, Scotland, France, New Zealand and the US. Most of the group has fished with us previously; however the experience on Providence that lay ahead would be a novel one for each one of them. Needless to say that everyone was itching to get out onto the flats after some really pleasant weather had arrived, the morning offering flat calm and warm conditions.
The tides we had for the first day indicated Bonefish, Bumpies and Triggers would be our major targets to begin with. Ben got the show on the road and landed a nice Moustache Trigger within minutes of being on the flats. Mike and Ty capitalized on tailing Bones in super skinny water, all of which averaged between 6 and 8 pounds. Both Mike and Ty later went on to land a Bumpy apiece shortly after their great Bonefish session. Gerry took full advantage of two decent Yellow-Margin Triggers that were targeted on narrow finger flats that separated the large lagoon systems in the eastern side. Team France had a solid Bonefish session in the morning, with Chantel our lady angler for the trip later getting our first GT for the week. She narrowly missed her Slam after losing three Triggers in succession.
The second day produced flat calm seas as a result of the lack of wind. As such, the word “Milkfish” screamed out loud as shoals of the open mouthed feeders could be seen from the mothership whilst we enjoyed a coffee from the top deck of the Dugong. Once again Mike and Ty were on top form and started their day off with a double up on Milkfish…..a truly special achievement! Their team mate Ian lost his Milkfish early on in the morning, however made up for it by completing our first “Slam” for the week when he landed a good size Yellow Margin Trigger, a GT and two Bumpies all on the pushing tide. Ben continued his good form on the Triggers and landed a Yellow Margin Trigger this time round. His teammate Andrew followed suit also landing a Yellow Margin Trigger shortly thereafter. The same team including Barry found the Bonefish honey hole, subsequently enjoying some spectacular fishing for the Grey Ghost. Roddy kicked off his week by wracking up a Milkfish right off the bat and soon after a huge Bumpy that went over the meter mark. His companions Dan and Gerry both landed a Bumpy shortly after in a classic double up. With the ever-increasing presence of blue tails flagging across the flats, the French team of Chantel and Laurent managed to land three in the last session of the day with Laurent landing really good-sized specimens. This was an incredible day of fishing to be a part of!
With good weather welcoming the dawn of day three, morale around the breakfast table was high and the talk about GT’s started to loom. With a small change in the daily plans the guides and their teams set out with some strategic plans in mind. Picking up where they left off, Laurent and Chantel started their day off with the ever present Milkfish and Chantel continuing her good form by landing yet another Bumpy. Bern got onto the scorecard landing his first ever GT on fly, a great achievement. Dan also got into some action and landed a good-sized Trigger and soon after his first GT of the trip. Gerry did not miss out on the Trigger action and landed a good size Moustache Trigger. The team of Ian, Mike and Ty went all out and all managed to land a GT a piece. Mike, after numerous misfortunes with Triggers eventually got his revenge and landed a good Yellow Margin. The team with the top honors’ for the day however went to that of Ben, Barry and Andrew. Each landed a Milkfish during the day that is an incredible achievement. Ben and Barry then when onto the flats and enticed some Yellow Margin Triggers to commit to their flies. Andrew then ended off his day by landing two Bumpies in very short succession.
The fourth day saw the tides progressing into a stronger push and drop as we neared the spring part of the tidal cycle. As a result the focus once again was turned to the GTs. Despite this it was very difficult to drive by feeding Milks and a quick stop en route saw Dan land his first ever Milky. Congrats Dan! With a slight increase in the number of GT’s frequenting the flats, our anglers took full advantage and Gerry, Chantel, Ty and Bern all managed a GT apiece. It was Andrew and Laurent that went one up though by landing two good fish each. Andrew did not stop there and tricked a really good Moustache Trigger into eating the fly and after a short run managed to land another high quality fish. Gerry also continued his good form on the Triggers and landed his fourth Trigger for the week. Ben although having tough luck in the initial stages of the week with Bumpies, finally managed to take it home, and in his afternoon session landed two quality fish…..yet another species ticked off the list. With the higher water in the late afternoon, Barry decided to indulge in some blue water fishing. It was not long before they teased up a proper Sailfish and with an efficient bait and switch, the electric blue fish rushed the fly, slashed at it with his bill and quickly sipped the fly off the surface of the water. The shouts of set set set came from the guide and within seconds the prince of billfish was seen tail walking off into the setting sun. It was Barry’s first Sailfish on fly and as such massive smiles ensued!
On the fifth day we once again woke up to large schools of feeding Milkfish alongside the boat. The skiffs were quickly loaded and we were off. Ian took the initiative and with the first pin point cast was on to his first Milky of the trip. After a series of jumps and some hard pulling, the fish was landed. Ben followed suit and also managed to entice the eat from his second Milky of the trip. Later Dan landed another very good quality Yellow Margin Trigger. This particular fish followed the fly from a full cast length all the way to the rod tip before deciding to consume the crab pattern presented to it. Gerry who on previous trips went eleven to one on Bumpies, looked like he had developed a knack for them and went on to land his third for the trip. The fifth day however belonged to the team of Barry, Andrew and Bern. Although the result does not do their day justice, they still managed to land four GT’s for the day. Andrew had two reasonably big fish and Bern and Barry had one a piece. It was however their tales of big fish lost, snapped fly lines and popped leaders that lingered around the dinner table that night. One particular event was after a rather large GT was hooked and lost; a particularly large Napoleon Wrasse took the fly upon retrieval. After a wrestling match that seemed to last an eternity the fly line popped and the Napoleon also got away.
The last day saw the return of the wind and overcast conditions that we have become accustomed to this season. Ben however had gone the whole week ticking every single iconic species off the list except for his GT. This was the last species to tick off and he did so in great fashion. Having to wade almost neck deep to get to the fish, a quick presentation of the fly quickly saw the wide gaping bucket mouth of the GT break the surface of the water. A job well done! Ian ended off with a bang landing a respectable GT in the dying moments of the day. Once again however it was the team of Andrew, Barry and Bern that ended off strong all landing respectable GT’s. It was Bern, who before this trip had never experienced any saltwater flyfishing, that ended off with a GT just over the one meter mark and a Bumpy. A great way to end the trip!
All in all a fantastic week….especially from a species point of view. Incredibly eleven out of the twelve anglers caught Bumpies, ten of the twelve caught Milkfish, ten of the twelve caught Triggers, eleven of the twelve caught Bonefish and landed GT’s. An incredible week of fishing and a fitting way to close out our season on Providence!
Until next season
The Providence Guide Team
This week we greeted long time clients Marcel, Patrick, Bill, Tom and Donald, each of whom has fished with us on a fair number of occasions. This would however be their first visit to Providence. Joining them would be new friends and also first time visitors to the atoll Shaker, Joe, Ottavio, Giacomo. Dennis and Rob rounded off the team; they would be exploring the bluewater fishing for the second week in a row.
The tides on the second day allowed us to explore certain areas on the eastern side. This change in scenery didn’t disappoint with guide Tim and clients Donald, Bill and Shaker hooking into 15 GTs during the day, 9 of which came to hand! Donald landed the biggest fish for the day with his beautiful 109cm trophy. Equally special was the fact that it was part of a double up with good friend Bill landing his 95cm fish at the same time. These very special fish along with numerous other species ensured it was a day never to be forgotten by the group. On another boat Rob continued his Milkfish streak, hooking and landing another one of these immensely powerful algae feeders after it put up one of the most spectacular aerial displays one can imagine! The other group who fished the eastern side had an incredibly exciting session as well. Stingrays pored through onto the flats through a white sand channel, most of the rays having GT’s accompanying them. Unfortunately a couple of opportunities went astray, however Joe managed to capitalize on a perfect GT/ray situation. The fly was presented 15 feet in front of the fish and the fish immediately charged in, engulfed the fly and the fight was on. Shortly after a solid fish came to hand!
The third day presented Tom with some great fishing in particular. He firstly subdued our first Bumpie for the week, before landing a good sized GT. An awesome eat, the fish surfed in on a wave before annihilating the fly. Sadly not everything went according to plan after that as Tom went in search of “Slam”. A Trigger and a big single Bonefish felt the sting of his hook but never made it to the net. Bad luck Tom! Donald, Joe and Shaker capitalized on the extraordinary amount of Bluefin Trevally that are still on the flats and managed to bring a large number of these fish to hand.
The fourth day would see a very exciting day out in the surf chasing GTs. Fish after fish surfed in on a wave as they broke across a white sand bar, the memory of which is surely burned into each guest privileged enough to encounter it. Good numbers of GTs were subsequently landed and the biggest fish of the day and for the season so far now belongs to Bill’s 123cm monster…..a fish of a lifetime!!!! The fish had been spotted by guide Warren during lunch and was making its way in and out of a cut. Warren placed Bill in the cut to see if the fish would continue visiting the area. Warren had made no less than ten steps back toward the other guests when he looked back and saw a large fish lift up in the waves. He was about to shout to Bill when he noticed Bill was already attached and the big fish was heading out to deeper water. Maximum drag was applied and the fish was turned just short of the outer reef. The importance of having good gear in these moments cannot be overstated, as the fish would certainly have made it to the reef with inferior gear. This was however not Bill’s first taste of GT fishing and with great skill and loads of pressure he got the fish back onto the sand bar where his guide could land it. An awesome moment!
The fifth day saw much of the same with the clients lined on fish rich banks. This time it was Shaker who got the job done! Despite bad light and rain making spotting tough, a large shark appeared. A quick call from his guide stating there was a GT on the back of the shark was all Shaker needed to get a quick back cast out. Three long strips were made and the grey fish charged the fly, ate and the hook driven home. Textbook!
The last day saw us approaching the neap tide. With the extended amount of time, lower water and less current we enjoyed prime Bumphead Parrotfish fishing. As a result, six Bumpies were hooked, two of which came to hand. Patrick managed to land the brute of the pack that measured a whopping 106 cm. Congrats Patrick! Joe who had made it evident from the start of the week that a Bumpie was high on his list managed to land a quality specimen in injury time. The French team also took full advantage of some quality Bonefishing that the weaker tides dished up. They managed to land a couple of good quality fish that were found tailing in super skinny water. Donald opted to join Rob and Dennis offshore for the day and added a number of quality species to his list, the best of which was a good size Dogtooth Tuna. This fish screamed off with intent and after a good battle he had a magnificent fish at the boat.
Our final trip for the late 2016 period on St Brandon’s had arrived and with it a very excited group of people. Dan “Rooster” Leavens from the Stonefly Inn & Outfitters based out of Twin Rivers, Montana had brought a group of friends out to our tiny piece of paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with new friends Julian and Joris joining them. We were pumped to sign off on a massive high and deliver some world class angling they would never forget!
Day 1 brought with it some wonderful Bonefishing as the clients all got stuck into good numbers of fish as the fed happily in skinny water. Many Bluefin Trevally were also landed and Joris De Scheeper caught a beautiful 69cm fish that was harassing some baitfish on a coral ridge. The Permit too were around and although we had shots at them the fish ultimately had the final say. A solid start to what would be another outstanding week on St. Brandon’s!
Day 2 proved to be just as action packed as the first. The great Bonefishing continued in the morning whilst we experienced cooler water temperatures on the flats, with everyone revelling in the ideal conditions. There were numerous shots at Permit throughout the day but just as before the fish eluded us. The highlight of the day was however a 96cm GT caught by “ Rooster.” He spotted the two GT’s cruising the back edge of a flat and made the cast. As his fly hit the water the pitch black charged in and smashed the fly. Despite the fish tearing off into a coral garden, “ Rooster” fought the fish like an absolute champion and after a very intense fight his guide tailed the fish and the celebrations began. A couple of great photos were taken of “Rooster” and his prize GT and the fish was released. A great moment and one which he will surely not forget in a hurry!
The third day of the trip started off with more excellent Bonefishing in the morning, the bigger fish seemingly around in greater numbers with their average being in and around 6lbs -8lbs. In addition to the world class Bonefishing on offer, some of the atoll’s more colourful and unique species came out to play. Julian Robertson landed two good sized Golden Trevally along with a very big Green Spot Trevally which measured 69cm.
The larger bones were around again on Day 4, with multiple fish between 7lb-9lbs coming to hand. “Rooster” was on a roll and landed a spectacular double-digit Bonefish, another St. Brandon’s trophy to add to our growing list for the season. With all the Bonefish around there were a few shots at the GT’s have specialised in hunting them. These fish are most often then not massive specimens, with their fork lengths often in the region of 120cm. Having been around the block a few times due to their age and primarily on the look out for 6-8lb Bonefish, getting them to eat five inch Brush or Semper is not as easy as it sounds. Nonetheless they are an impressive sight and fish we are going to get the upper hand on someday soon. The fish of the day was without a doubt Julian Robertson’s massive 16lb Indo Pacific Permit. He fished the fish for over 30mins making multiple fly changes without any response until eventually the Massive Permit tailed on his tan Merkin style fly and he set the hook. After a gruelling 17min fight the fish slid into the net and the biggest Permit caught on St. Brandon’s this season was landed. What a catch and certainly a fish of a lifetime! Cograts Julian!
The Bonefishing proved to be much tougher on day 5 with a lot of warmer water holding on the flats. This warm water did however bring with it a few more shots at the atoll’s elusive GT’s….sadly we could not get them converted. Julian Robertson continued his impressive Permit streak with another two smaller fish! Permit can be tough to fish for on the best of days and to follow his big fish with two more the following day shows some serious angling skill as well as why the atoll is so highly regarded as a Permit destination! After a challenging day out on the flats “Rooster” suggested a joke telling competition over dinner. What ensued was one of the funniest evenings we have enjoyed at the guesthouse to date. Rooster ended up winning the contest with an absolute screamer but I can unfortunately not repeat it in the blog!!!!
Day 6 brought with it better Bonefishing, the atoll once again alive with fish. There were very good numbers of Permit out on the flats again which provided some heart stopping moments. Julian had another cracker and landed his fourth Permit of the week as well as a double digit Bonefish! Well-done Jay! Joris De Scheeper also landed a beautiful Permit that was slowly snaking and tailing in the shallows of a coral ridge thus bringing the Permit tally for the week to five. With the mood amongst the guests and guides really high we returned to Raphael Island for another fun filled evening which can you belive it involved an arm wrestling competition….enough said!
Our final day of the season was filled with some more great Bonefishing, with Julian landing his second double digit Bonefish of the trip. His casting was extremely accurate and he fished the fly to perfection.The fish fought hard and had him into the backing on several occasions. Julian did well to keep the fish out of coral and eventually tired the fish out and got it to hand. Some photos were taken and soon the fish was swimming away from us while Julian’s smile grew bigger and bigger. The Permit were out in good numbers again but they weren’t as accommodating as earlier in the week. Five for the trip is not bad anyway!
his brings an end to another incredible season on St. Brandon’s. A record number of Permit were landed for the season as the fishery continues to deliver incredibly consistent fishing as well as the opportunity of landing that fish of a lifetime! We would like to thank all the guests who joined us over the past season, including our guests this past trip for joining us on the the atoll. We look forward to hosting you all again during the year ahead.
Coming off the neap tides we were excited to get up to the northern part of the atoll in search of some exciting Bonefish and Triggerfish fishing. The first day saw this come to light as good numbers of big Bones and multiple opportunities at tailing Triggers were enjoyed by all. The GTs were still playing slightly hard to get. One memorable fish which did come to hand, was a very nice 87cm fish, which after eating Kerry’s fly managed to remove a section of his rod. Thankfully after some tense moments we managed to reunite the two sections and Kerry’s first ever GT was landed. Congrats Kerry! The Bluefin Trevally are still around in big numbers and provided some exciting chases and eats throughout the day.
Everyone seemed more in tune with the Triggerfish on Day 2 and some really good Yellow Margins and Moustache Triggers made their way in front of the lens. After their absence the week before, our friends the Bumpies were also back on the flats, Craig managing to subdue a large specimen. Awesome fish Craig! On the GT front a few more opportunities presented themselves. Shamal managed to come agonizingly close to our first 1mt GT of the week. Not that the size worried Shamal who gratefully accepted his first ever GT that measured 99cm.
Day 3 provided a change in anchorages and fishing areas which resulted in more good Triggerfish and Bumphead Parrotfish action, Beat and Kerry each landing a Bumpy! Shamal was again in the mix as far as the GT’s went and this time landed our first 1m fish with a beautiful 104cm specimen. In addition he landed a large Moustache Trigger, which capped off another great day for him. The change in mother ship anchorage saw us back in front of feeding shoals of Milkfish every afternoon. Colby got the job done hooking into an awesome Milk no less then a fly lines length away from the mother ship. After screams of encouragement from anglers already back onboard the main vessel his prize came to hand and we had our first Milk for the week. What an awesome moment!
Day 4 saw us experience tough light conditions. As a result most of the guides worked sand or lighter bottomed flats to maximize visibility. This seemed to work as Oliver landed our second 1m GT for the trip despite a barrage of mishaps. The fish was spotted whilst he and his team were enjoying some lunch on the tender. Chaos ensued as often happens with GTs as everything which could go wrong did. The rod fell out of his hand, he fell out of the boat….the list goes on. In the end though he landed a memorable fish and has with it the story to match. Other chaos was happening offshore at the same time, with Mike and Bernard enjoying some frenetic GT and Snapper action. We will leave it at that!
The weather on Day 5 saw us enjoying vastly improved conditions. Clear skies and a limited amount of wind allowed Mike and Bernd to capitalize on their opportunities, the pair landing a 90cm and 87cm GT respectively. Shamal continued his good form and again raised his personal best with a fish of 107cm. The flat seas and clear skies screamed Milkfish and so a big effort was made by all to hook into one of the most powerful fish that swim our seas. Kerry continued his pursuit of new species and managed to subdue a solid Milky after a 45min fight, the last 15 mins of which were with a broken rod. Rob and Dennis took a break from GT fishing and experienced a thrilling session of Milky fishing. They hooked into 8 fish as the schools and pods were daisy-chained on the slick surface. Despite a series of mishaps they finally managed to tame three, the series of grey hounding jumps and the relentless fight in these fish leaving them captivated. Our group’s scorecard for the day did not end there though, a free swimming Sailfish was spotted by Head Guide Tim Babich and after a swift bait and switch technique Colby stared at the electric blue fish which went tail walking across the ocean’s surface. A perfect way to end a rather productive day!
With spirits high, our anglers set out with intent to make their final day count, the southern part surely the area which would deliver the goods. The team of Beat and Shamal continued their good form early on in the day, both managing 90cm GT’s. Unfortunately their good form stopped there as they had shots at exceptionally big fish shortly thereafter. On all three occasions hooks were not set at the crucial moment, sadly the fish swimming off into the abyss without a fly line trailing behind them. Incredibly, one big fish ate both Beat and Shamal’s flies without getting hooked…”LUCKY FISH”! Craig and Oliver also managed a GT a piece on the final day, their fish found hiding out in some pots near the southern storm ridges. This area holds an incredible array of other species as well, including Bohar Snapper, Saddle Back, Napoleon Wrasse, Bluefin Trevally and many more which ensured a busy day for all.
Unfortunately another tough GT week from a numbers point of view, the large presence of swimming crabs offshore clearly attracting the fish away from the flats and offshore for an easy meal. Nonetheless, some cracking fish were landed by the group, including meter plus GT’s, Triggers, Bones, Milkies, Bumpies, a Sailfish and many other flats and offshore species.
We welcomed to Providence a group of seven friends from the UK, along with three from South Africa, all of whom have fished with us multiple times in the past. This would be their first taste of Providence however and we were pumped to show them that all the stories about a wild fishery home to an incredible array of species, were in fact true.
The trip however saw our guests enjoying some of the finest Triggerfish fishing you are likely to encounter anywhere in the world. Both Yellow Margins and Moustache Triggers were frequently seen tailing the edges of the finger flats, surf or reef edges. Hugely challenging due to the accuracy required, they provided hours of challenging but rewarding fishing. Hooks were bent, tippets bitten off but in the end 12 gorgeously marked fish came to hand. Day 5 in particular proved to be a red-letter day for guide Matt Cosson and his guests Gerry, Yves and Alex. Each of the anglers landed a Triggerfish, Bonefish and GT in the session to seal their “Providence Slam”….an outstanding achievement .
Providence’s Bonefish were up on the flats and feeding, the overcast conditions and cooler water, providing ideal cover and water temperatures. Bigger on average then any other Bonefish in the Seychelles we have encountered our guests landed multiple fish in the 6-8lb range. These along with countless grouper, snapper and Bluefin Trevally showcasing the impressive variety of species Providence has to offer
The GT fishing over the first few days on the flats proved quite challenging, groups scratching a couple of the notorious predators here and there. That changed however towards the end of the trip as more and more fish presented themselves and provided some exciting action to close our week off. Andrew and Neil enjoyed a great Double hook up on the final day, Andrew’s fish measuring 101cm. The biggest GT offshore was an impressive fish of 115cm caught by Paul Bullen. Congrats Paul…a great fish! In total we landed 71 GT’s on and off the flats. By no means fireworks by Providence standards, but a number not to be sneezed at that’s for sure.
One of the highlights of this week was a rather special and unique catch, which all of us will be enjoying for the next week or two. Looking for some dinner towards the end of the day we got attached to an enormous Yellowfin Tuna. The fish’s incredible strength and speed delivered up a 2-hour battle on spinning gear before finally it came aboard. Nose to tail it measured 163cm, with the girth of the fish 114.5cm. These measurements suggest the impressive fish would weigh in the region of 110kg….almost unheard of in the Seychelles. Another offshore highlight included Duncan’s first Sailfish on fly, a fish he has dreamed of catching during his past two Seychelles trips with us whilst on Farquhar. Congrats Duncan!
The third group of clients arrived on Raphael Island after a relatively smooth crossing. It was a pleasure to host Tony Hayes and Shaun McCain from Tongariro River Lodge on the North Island of New Zealand, and Matt McHugh and Toby Clarke from Fly Odyssey Travel. They had all been traveling for the better part of 2 days to get to the atoll so they were relieved to finally be on St. Brandon’s and to have a good rest ahead of the action packed week of fishing to come.
The first day started off in textbook St Brandon’s fashion and the reason why this atoll is rightly regarded as the finest Bonefish destination on the planet. We enjoyed some great skinny water Bonefishing to start off the day, many fish landed during the early morning low tide period. Our first Indo-Pacific Permit was also hooked by Tony Hayes who fought it perfectly only for the hook to pull a few agonizing feet from the net. As the tide pushed we went off in search of some ‘big nasty’s”, our plans working out perfectly with Tony getting a shot at a massive GT hugging a sand spit. His cast was spot on and after 3 long strips the fish ate his tan Semper and tore off into the lagoon. The fish pulled with incredible speed and power to the point where his fly line snapped. A sickening result but a reminder as to why fishing for trophy GT’s is not for the faint hearted. The rest of the day went to plan as the Bluefin Trevally were out in huge number smashing baitfish at will. Matt McHugh landed a solid 73cm fish and Shaun McCain also landed two very big Bluefin, one of 81cm and one of 82cm. Tony then got his own back by landing a stunning 83cm Bluefin that was wreaking havoc on a school of small mullet.
The Bonefish proved to be slightly tougher on Day 2 with the bigger fish slightly cautious out on the flats. The great Bluefin fishing however continued and a number of big fish came to hand. Matt McHugh caught the biggest fish of the day with a huge Bluefin weighing in at 17lbs. The fish did not hesitate when it saw his articulated popper and took the fly with a gentle sip. Matt had to fight the fish very carefully due to the lighter leader used to trick the fish into eating, not to mention the mine field of coral around where it was hooked. The fish of the day however undoubtedly belonged to Tony Hayes, who after the disappointment of losing an Indo-Pacific Permit the previous day, landed a stunning 15lb Indo-Pacific Permit that was tailing on a coral ridge. After a grueling 37minute fight Tony kept his nerve and the fish slid into Brendan’s net. The huge sense of relief was quickly eclipsed by ecstatic celebration and congratulations from all involved. It is truly a fish of a lifetime and a fitting way to get your own back on the tricky St. Brandon’s Permit!
Some superb Bonefishing resumed on Day 3, with all the clients all enjoying picking silver targets in ankle-deep water during our morning session. A number of good fish came to hand, the average around 6lbs. Along with the many Bonefish landed there were a few big Bluefin around, the guys managing to get a few to eat a well presented fly. Some big GT’s were also sighted but unfortunately the stars didn’t align and we never connected.
The awesome Bonefishing continued into Day 5 with Tony Hayes and Matt McHugh both landing very respectable 8lb fish. Many fish could be seen tailing across the flats and all the guys enjoyed picking individual fish to cast at. The Bluefin Trevally were out once again and although they seemed to be much more picky when it came to eating a fly, Shaun did manage to land a 70cm Bluefin that was once again smashing schools of mullet.
Good numbers of Bones were landed on Day 6, however the day belonged to the monster GT’s St Brandon’s has to offer. Sighting and opportunities presented themselves throughout and the day and although on the scorecard we did not make much of an impact it was a thoroughly thrilling day hunting down the alpha predators of the atoll. The Permit too were around in solid numbers and despite Matt McHugh hooking into one of the yellow tailed devils, the hook lost purchase and the fish swam away %$#^$%^%#$^! The Golden Trevally were also out, our guests landing 5 in the day and together with Shaun huge10lb Yellow Dot Trevally we wrapped up another thrilling day out on the flats.
Day 7 and Day 8 provided great Bonefishing as per usual, Shaun McCain land his personal best Bonefish with gorgeous a 9,5lbs specimen coming to the net and being weighed. In addition we had numerous opportunities at Permit throughout the two days but ultimately the fish had the final say.
The second week of our season welcomed a new group of friends hosted by Travis and Rance from Patagonia River Guides. Also joining the group from PRG were Alex and Ernst who have fished St Brandon’s with us previously. Considering many of the group had done very little saltwater flats fishing before, especially in the Indian Ocean we could not wait to get them out onto the vast array of flats, channels, lagoons and offshore options Providence has to offer.
Carrying on from the neap tides at the end of the previous week, the flats were accessible for most of the day. These tides typically make for excellent Bonefish, Triggerfish and Bumphead Parrotfish fishing. As it turned out this is exactly what we experienced. Most groups were met with tailing Bonefish in super skinny water on the first morning; the team of Rance, Yatin and Carl taking no prisoners as they plucked fish after fish out of schools of good sized Seychelles Bones that kept moving through their allocated flat. Double ups and triple ups were not a rarity, with most of these fish coming in between the 6lb-8lb pound range. Sadly the GT’s were unusually scarce during these first three days so a move with the mother ship was made to see if they weren’t on another area of the atoll.
The Triggerfish had all the anglers fascinated with the level of skill and finesse that is required to catch them. Follow after follow eventually led to a number of fish being hooked and landed. Rance managed a two in one, one of which was an exceptional Yellow Margin. After a pinpoint cast, the fish followed with intent and just a couple of feet away from the rod tip, finally chomped down on the fly and the fish was on. Fortunately for Rance there was no coral head in sight and the beautiful fish was subdued without any complications. Yatin on the other hand hooked a Moustache Trigger that headed directly back to his home in a big coral garden. The worry in the guide’s eyes said it all, as angler and guide both feared the leader would give way at any moment. After relentlessly chasing the Trigger through the coral, Warren (the guide) managed to wrestle the fish from within its hole to bring the fish to hand. It’s moments like these that make fishing for Triggers such a valued experience!
The weather, apart from a day or two of tough light, was pretty lenient on us. With flat seas, our friends the Milkfish were seen all over the western edge with gaping mouths breaking the water surface. On the high tides when the flats were no longer wadeable, the flats skiffs were seen scattered along the drop off of the atoll in search of the mighty Milkies. Alex, Travis, Baker and Ernst all managed to fool, tussle and land big Milkfish, each with all these fights taking in the region of an hour. Furthermore, two of the fights yielded broken rods that complicated the fights to a large degree. Ernst’s fish was at the end of its fight, holding up on the surface, when a large Hammerhead Shark came in looking for an easy meal. After a few intense moments however and a little bit of excessive pressure, the fish was brought to hand before being safely released.
As mentioned, we were struggling on the GT front, the fishing very much below average for Providence standards, due we think to the high number of swimming crabs sitting offshore. That said we still managed to sneak a couple. Alex had a stand out day under the circumstances and managed to land three fish on a single day, one of which was a fish just over the 1m mark. The team of Yatin and Carl got off to a slow start but finished really strong. Yatin managed two GTs while Carl managed four. The stand out fish for the trip however was Carl’s 113cm fish. This particular fish was holding out in a large pot just on the edge of a storm ridge. A short cast and a few quick strips enticed the fish into a very calculated eat. The fish screamed off into the backing and the fight that ensued was nerve racking as the endless amount of coral bommies had to be dodged before the fish could be landed. Well done Carl!
The Bommie Bashing fired this week, with the vast array of species keeping our guests royally entertained. In total, 23 species of fish were caught (or rather manhandled!) out of the “Coral Gardens”. This hand-to-hand combat entails a hit and hold technique as anglers try to stop these fish instantly before they reach the coral heads. The Boha Snapper were the most obliging of the species and never put down an opportunity to charge and engulf the fly. The myriad of Grouper species made up a large number of the catches as well and always made for a good tussle.
So despite a slow GT week, we enjoyed the diversity the atoll has to offer and ended up with some incredible species; Bonefish, Triggers, Bumpies Milkfish, GT’s and many more all playing their part in a highly enjoyable week with a new bunch of friends, a group we would love to fish with again!
After a highly productive and energetic open trip of the season, we were eager to give our new guests an equally enjoyable experience on the atoll which consistently produces some of the finest wade fishing for Bonefish and Permit the world has to offer. Day 1 produced some outstanding Bonefishing with many good sized fish in shallow water coming to hand, whilst on the species front Matthew Clarke landed a solid 55cm Bluefin Trevally while fishing to some much larger specimens on a coral ridge in the east of the atoll. A few good-sized Golden Trevally were also landed and although no double digit Bones or Permit were landed our guest were in the swing of things and our week was off to a positive start.
The excellent fishing continued on Day 2 with everyone getting stuck into a good number of fish averaging between 5-7lbs. Our fish are currently spread out across the atoll which provides guests and guides and multitude of flats and wading scenarios to target fish after fish which regularly see your backing knot exposed. Some of the other species came out to play as well, the Bluefin Trevally in particular found in high numbers with very impressive sizes. The GT’s are also starting to make more of an appearance and although none were landed their massive size ensured everyone secretly hoped to do battle with one of the St B monsters. Another great day in a very special place!
The Bonefishing on Day 3 continued in much the same manner, with everyone getting stuck into some solid fish throughout. On top of the Bonefish we also landed a few good-sized Bluefin Trevally and as luck would have it a rather large Yellow Lipped Emperor, a species that is never easy to land out here. Frikkie Botha landed a big Bluefin of 57cm that put up a very determined fight after it was found smashing into baitfish trapped against a coral ridge. The day however went from strength to strength with Frikkie Maartens landing his first ever GT, a beautiful fish of 90cm. He spotted one very large black fish from a long way off and sprinted ahead of it to get the shot. He sent out a pinpoint cast but there were 2 other GTs behind the lead fish and after one long strip a fish broke off from the pack and smashed the fly. The fish proceeded to tear off into the distance with Frik in hot pursuit behind it. After a solid fight and a quick boat chase the fish was landed. Landing a GT on St. Brandon’s is never an easy thing to get right, so to do so on your first flats fishing trip is an unbelievable achievement. Well-done Frikkie!
Day 4 brought with it some more variety. The superb Bonefishing continued with cold water pulling onto the flats keeping the fish happy and relaxed. A few Permit were spotted but the fish on this particular would day would not be fooled. Frikkie Maartens continued his good form from the day before and landed a 65cm Greenspot Trevally, a solid solid fish for the species. Some of other guests found a few tailing Golden Trevally scattered across the atoll, best of all these beautifully marked and charismatic fish were more than happy to eat a well presented fly. St Brandon’s once again reminded us that although the Bonefish are certainly the major target species, there is certainly enough diversity to keep you on the look out for something unique.
Day 5 was an action packed day. There were many bones landed, the fish averaging between 6-8lbs. Frikkie Maartens landed the largest fish of the day, a beast of a Bonefish tipping the scales at 9.5lbs. Matthew Clarke landed another solid 55cm Greenspot Trevally amongst some other very good sized Bluefin. GTs wise we are starting to see more and more fish, so despite no hook ups we are confident the next brute is just around the corner. More Permit were seen on Day 5 compared with any other day this week, however they continued to allude us.
The cooler water was a bit harder to find on day 6 but there were still areas holding good concentrations of Bonefish, the patchy overcast conditions enticing some really big fish out onto the flats. With some warmer water around some big Bluefin were out a smashing the client’s flies. Jules Fantarella started his morning with a big 57cm Golden Trevally. He then upped the stakes with a 9.5lb Bonefish before landing the Biggest Bonefish of the week, a huge and powerful double-digit fish that did its best to run him into the coral on more than one occasion. A few quick photos were taken before Jules enjoyed a memory special moment not many anglers get to experience during a lifetime. What a fish Jules!
The 7th and final day was once again dominated by some outstanding Bonefishing. Many fish between 6-8lbs were caught whilst tailing in some super skinny water. It never gets old watching a seriously big Bonefish see the fly and crush it before tearing off into the distance as it feels the prick of the hook. The Golden Trevally once again made a their way onto the flats and along with the Bluefin Trevally they kept reels screaming. One of the groups also encountered one of the great sights St Brandon’s is known to produce. A shoal of some very large GTs were witnessed feeding on a school of terrified Bonefish and although we nearly had our second fish for the week, the fish decided to refuse the fly just feet away from the rod tip.
With the trip drawing to a close, guests and guides had a chance to reflect on the past week over a great final dinner. This was a group of people from all of over the globe who had never met before the trip, in the end though St Brandon’s left it’s mark not only with the incredible fishing it produced but also with it’s ability to draw some adventurous and incredibly nice human beings together. Thank you to each of you for a superb week, we enjoyed spending time with you immensely and hope to do it again soon.
Joining us for the season opener was a group of familiar faces and friends from our St Brandon’s program. It would however be their first experience with us on Providence so we were eager to show them the array of species and intense sessions of fishing Providence produces….best of all we had nine days to do it in!
The trip kicked off with a pleasant surprise when we woke to large schools of feeding Milkfish at the back of the mothership on morning one. Excitement mounted even further as it was clear we had another species option for the group during the trip. After a strong cup of coffee and a solid Dugong breakfast, the skiffs shot off in different directions to get an idea which areas and flats were holding high concentrations of fish. It didn’t take long to see the GT’s were around in solid numbers, with singles, pairs and schools being encountered on day one.Father and son, Camillo and Juan capitalised early managing a nice double off the bat and Juan managing another three fish shortly thereafter. This sort of action was experienced by all the groups, most of the guests landing one if not a couple of GT’s during their first day out!
Juan’s good fortune did not end there though. After the tide pushed them off the flat they went in search of the Milkfish that had been seen feeding a current line close to the Dugong. A shoal that consisted of daisy chaining fish was located and five casts later Juan’s line went tight and a mammoth fish went greyhounding off into the sunset. Unfortunately technical issues with the fly reel meant that Juan had to battle it out for a further two hours, however with great patience and resolve a really big Milk was landed and photographed as the sun set at the end of Day 1. This set the tone for the next five days as numerous shoals of Milkfish were fished to in the morning and the afternoon sessions. Cast after cast resulted in a further dozen or so fish being hooked and lost by almost all the fisherman. Granted we didn’t we have a ton load of luck in landing the fish, but great action never to be forgotten was had by all.
The weather got progressively better throughout the week, with slick calm conditions making for very pleasant wading. All the species made regular appearances and despite our major focus aimed at GT’s, we encounterd some great Bonefish, Triggerfish, Bumphead Parrotfish sessions in between wielding the 12wt rods. On one particular afternoon Pat managed to hook and land four Moustache Triggers within an hour of wading time…incredible action for one of the most technical fish one can cast a fly to!
On the later part of the dropping tide, tailing Bones were spread unevenly across the flats. Ron took full advantage of the shots presented and managed to land a handful of fish that stretched in excess of 27 inches. Incidentally, while fishing for Triggers and Bones, the elusive Indo-Pacific Permit showed up regularly. On one particular morning, Dick had a shot at two of the biggest Permit we have seen on the atoll, both fish certainly in the 20lbs range and are now right in our cross hairs.
The GT’s were however at the forefront of our guests target species, and it is safe to say no one was left empty handed. Although everyone got great fish, special mention must go out to the following individuals and their impressive catches. Firstly to Scott who on consecutive days managed to land two fish over the metre mark. Pat who took full advantage of the opportunities that he had at bigger fish and landed a 103cm, 107cm, 110cm and a 116cm fish during his time on the atoll. And finally to Juan who landed the biggest fish of the trip, with a brute 120cm fish. This particular fish was a single fish that was seen cruising down a narrow gutter in the fading light on the second last afternoon. After a pin point cast, the fish with a very calculated approach engulfed the fly and sped off across the flat. After a solid tussle the fish of a lifetime came to hand. Congrats Juan!
All in all, an unforgettable opening week with some great friends. All the anglers adding new species, new memories and also new personal bests in their flats fishing repertoires. Species wise we landed good numbers of GT’s, Triggers, Bumpies, Bones, Bohar Snapper, Grouper, as well a Milkfish and a Sailfish and more Bluefin Trevally than one can even begin to count.
After a super smooth crossing onboard the two sport fishers, we welcomed our first group for the season, a jovial team from World Cast Anglers. There was plenty of excitement from both guests and guides as rods were rigged, leaders attached and flies strapped on….we were about to kick off the new season on St. Brandon’s with a bang!
The group couldn’t wait to get started and Day One began with legendary guide and angler Alejandro “Sandflea” Vega landing a stunning 8lb Indo-Pacific Permit, instantly making his mark on our beloved fishery! The good fishing continued with many 6lb – 8lb Bonefish showing our guests from the start why the Bonefishing is so highly regarded on St Brandon’s. Other notable species included Stephen Fitzsimon’s and Tim Shanley’s good sized Bluefin Trevally. Judging by the first day we were in for a really good trip!
Day Two proved tougher than expected, although “Sandflea” continued his good form by landing a really big Bluefin Trevally. Although still present, our Bonefish opted for a bit of an off day and proved more challenging than usual. Mike Dawes did however land his first Golden Trevally, which was a great moment to be part of. There were also 2 good shots at big GT’s but unfortunately we could not get them converted.
True to form the Bonefishing did not disappoint for long and on Day Three all our guests got stuck into many large Bones, most of them weighing between 7lb – 9lb. Mike Dawes landed the first double digit for the season, with the fish testing his backing on more than one occasion, congrats Mike! It was now clear to all the guests why St Brandon’s is most likely the finest Bonefish venue on the planet. The Permit too were around and although we had some close calls and near misses they won this particular round.
Incredible numbers of skinny water Bones was the recipe for Day Four. The bigger fish were up on the flats with the average size coming in around 7lb-8lb. The highlight of the day was without a doubt Zack Barrett’s first double digit Bonefish. Congrats Zach! Everyone had a great day – Steve Fitzsimon also managed to improve his previous PB Bonefish on not just one but THREE separate occasions during the day! The large numbers of Bonefish also attracted some big GT’s but they remained cautious by staying just out of reach.
Tim Brune added to the groups Permit tally with a fin perfect 5lb fish caught on a white sand spit on Day Five. The fish hit the fly with tons of aggression and after a nervy fight to keep the fish out of the coral Craig landed the fish. The day also brought with it some more amazing skinny water Bonefishing along with some really good-sized Bluefin Trevally. Often glossed over in favor of their larger cousins, St Brandon’s Bluefin are found in world record sizes are certainly one of the prettiest fish one can tussle with on a fly rod.
With the tidal cycle moving into neaps it allowed us to spend longer sessions wading the flats. Straight off the bat on Day Six Chris Littauer landed a huge 80cm Golden Trevally. The fish smashed his fly before it hit the bottom in ankle deep water. The fish sped off and 20minutes later the beast was landed. Chris was stoked! Tim Brune and “Sandflea” also landed their first Golden Trevallies later in the day. The insanely good Bonefishing continued and despite not landing any, good numbers of Permit were encountered. It was a great day with the Golden Trevally showcasing the atoll’s incredible diversity.
With this being an extended trip, the clients still had two more days of fishing left on St. Brandon’s. This was a great call on their part as the fishing exploded over the final two days! On Day Eight Mike Dawes landed a 70cm GT that was swimming on the back of a very large Thorny Back Stingray. His first cast got the attention of a Bluefin that shot off the back of the ray only for the fish to pull out at the last minute. His second cast was spot on and with a long fast strip of the fly line the GT shot off the ray and smashed into his mullet imitation. The fish headed for the reef but the reel was cranked down and the battle eventually won. The magnificent fish was revived, photographed and set free. As if the day couldn’t get any better, Mike later caught two solid Permit within a few minutes of each other. Both fish were in perfect condition weighing in at 8lbs and 10lbs respectively….a truly amazing achievement and something that will stay with all of us for a long time.
The final day brought with it some incredible fishing, with five Permit and many big Bonefish coming to our nets. First up “Sandflea” Vega landed a fin perfect baby Permit, bringing his tally for the week to three. Soon after Patrick Madden landed his first Indo-Pacific Permit, a great fish of 12lbs. This was a fantastic moment for “Patito” (as he is affectionately known) because during previous days he had hooked three but the fish had the final say. A great way to come back Pat! And finally, Day Nine delivered a hat trick of Permit for Mike Dawes with fish of 8lbs, 12lbs and 15lbs. Not only did he land these amazing fish all within an hour of each other but he did it on a flat that until then had been unnamed. At dinner that evening head guide Craig informed him that he had the naming rights for the new flat and without hesitation he named it “Patito” in honor of Pat and his intense battles with St Brandon’s own Indo-Pacific permit during the trip.
Quite frankly we could not have asked for a better opening week. Our previous record of 7 Permit landed during a trip, was smashed by the 10 caught by our friends from World Cast. These fish, together with many many large Bonefish (including 2 x 10lb fish), a GT, some large Bluefin Trevally and Golden Trevally will surely leave a lasting impression on everyone on the trip. It’s one we will never forget!