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Providence Blog: 26 October – 2 November 2021

Welcome to the third week of the 2021/2022 Providence season. Following the previous week’s fishing action we were all chomping at the bit to get back onto the flats and explore Prov’s wild and abundant waters.

Day one dawned with clear skies and a slight south easterly breeze. The GT fishing lived up to our expectations in spectacular fashion and delivered a total of 36 GTs for the day. Catches of note included Chris’s first-ever Giant Trevally caught on the fly, well done Chris! Dave enjoyed the catch of the day while stationed on a likely-looking area of scattered coral and sandy depressions. In no time a large grey shape came swimming past his position, and following a good presentation, the fish rushed forward and engulfed his fly. His trophy stretched the measuring tape to 102cm, the perfect way to start the fishing week, well done Dave!

Day two dawned with a complete glass out and a a mirror-like reflection out piece of on the Indian ocean. A total of 26 GTs were landed for the day with Greg managing to land his first ever GT, well done Greg! The tailing fish species appeared in good numbers as well, with a total of 5 Triggerfish and 4 Bonefish landed. A special mention for Chris who managed to hook and land a Bonefish at the end of the day to complete an Indian Ocean flats slam, well done Chris! Ed also went on to land a Bonefish in the last moments of available daylight, emphatically ending his day with a flats slam that included a GT, Bonefish, and Sailfish. Well done Ed!

Day three and another day of perfect fly fishing conditions on the weather front with clear skies and no wind to speak of. A total of 26 GTs were landed for the day with both Christiaan and John landing the pick of the catches, each landing a GT over the meter mark. The duo also enjoyed exceptional fishing for the atoll’s resident Triggerfish with Christiaan landing 4 and John with 2. Well done gentlemen!

Day four continued with the completely windless conditions and bluebird skies. The GT fishing was again otherworldly, allowing our guests to experience exciting fly fishing opportunities to GTs while they tailed aggressively across the flats. Our guests landed a whopping 55 GTs between them, Ed landing 15 GTs himself while his fishing partner Gary enjoyed similar results and managed to bring 11 GTs to hand. Providence then delivered yet another special catch for Gary, a 10lb. Bonefish caught between all the Giant Trevally action. The fishing on the triggerfish front continued to be particularly good with a total of 6 landed for the day, Greg enjoying his first-ever Triggerfish catch on the flats.

Day five and another day of glassed-off conditions and bright sunshine. A total of 35 GTs were landed for the day, Greg landing his first GT to break the meter mark, well done Greg! Gary experienced a moment of Providence Atoll magic shortly after arriving on the outer edge of a massive turtle grass flat. Gary saw a fish with its entire dorsal and upper parts of its back out of the water and after a quick presentation, he made just two strips before a monstrous mouth exploded out of the water connecting him to the catch of his 2 week trip with us. Gary managed to survive the fish’s first blistering run, eventually turning the fish allowing him to slowly regain some line. After a long tug of war and a few nervous moments while the fish nodded beneath the boat, it was tailed and landed. The GT stretched the measuring tape to 124cm! Well done Gary…truly a fish of a lifetime!

Day 5 had another special moment on the cards, this time for angler Christiaan who had been mentally preparing himself for a shot at the most elusive fish of Providence Atoll, the Indo-Pacific Permit. Christiaan neatly presented his crab to a large tailing Indo and after showing the fish the fly with two long strips, his line came tight and he was firmly connected to a the Indian Ocean’s golden trophy. His beauty of an Indo measured in at 71cm , well done Christiaan….what a great achievement!

Day six dawned with bright skies and a slight easterly breeze. A total of 22 GTs were landed for the day, with Chris enjoying the best day of his trip landing 7 GTs himself…great job Chris! With the wind tapering off and current lines forming during the afternoon, the Milkfish appeared on the surface in tight schools while hoovering along the distinctive compression lines. Dave presented his fly perfectly and managed hook and land a beautiful Milkfish. Nicely done Dave. Christiaan also got into the action capping off an amazing 2-week trip by landing a Milkfish in the dying hours of the day.

This brings us to the end of one of the most memorable fishing weeks in recent history on Providence Atoll. A special thank you to all that joined on this trip and we look forward to welcoming you all back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

GTs – 200 (9 over a meter)
Triggerfish – 19
Sailfish – 1
Permit – 1
Bonefish – 9 (1 over 10lbs.)
Milkfish – 2
Total tally of other species caught – 282

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 19 – 26 October 2021

Welcome to the second week of the 2021/2022 Providence season. This week we welcomed a group of 12 anglers aboard the MV Maya’s Dugong. After a quick orientation of our mothership, we set about getting everyone’s tackle up to GT-proof standard before we hit the high seas on our way to the wild waters of Providence Atoll.

Day 1 – The first morning of the fishing week dawned with bright sunshine and a southeasterly breeze. A mid-morning low tide and loads of water movement experienced throughout the day provided favourable fly fishing conditions for Giant Trevally. A total of 7 GTs were brought to hand with angler Christiaan landing the standout fish for the day. His 119cm GT was sighted as it crossed a small white patch on the edge of extensive turtle grass rolling bank. He made a quick short cast and began retrieving the fly with a long medium stripping action when a monstrous mouth exploded out of the water engulfing his fly just 10ft from the tip of the fly rod. An intense fight ensued and after reeling in tons of backing finally got his trophy to hand. A special way to get his 2 weeks on Providence underway, well done Chris!

Day 2 – Conditions proved tricky with black clouds and continuous rolling sheets of rain. The inclement weather made the fishing tricky with a total of 6 GTs landed for the day. Fortunately, the large tails of the Bumphead Parrotfish are a welcome and easy-to-spot target, even when conditions prove difficult. Anglers Steve and John both went on to hook and land their first Bumpies on the fly, well done guys!

Day 3 – Sunshine! A fast-dropping tide in the morning provided ideal feeding conditions for the atoll’s resident Milkfish population. Angler Jeff got straight into the action and after making the perfect presentation came tight on his first-ever Milkfish on the fly. A titanic fight of an hour followed and finally to Jeff’s relief his Milkfish was firmly secured in the net. Well done, Jeff! The improvement from the weather gods showed in the catch tally with our group landing a total of 13 GTs for the day. Ed took the limelight in this regard landing a massive GT of 122cm. His fish was spotted while perched on a coral outcrop, overlooking some deeper channels. Following a long cast, the fish wasted little time closing the distance to the fly and hoovered the fly down without hesitation. A mammoth fight ensued and though there was a fair bit of coral in the area Ed managed to keep the fish clear of any unwelcome snags and eventually landed his dream catch. Well done, Ed, certainly a fish of a lifetime!

Day 4 – A continuation of the good weather and tides that allowed us access to the far-flung corners of the atoll delivered some unbelievable fly fishing action on the Giant Trevally front with 32 landed for the day. The high water experienced in the afternoon allowed for time spent searching for the pelagic species of the deep blue. After successfully teasing up a pack of Sailfish, Tim, and Greg both went tight and had to perform the comical Sailfish dance! Unfortunately, Tim’s fish came unbuttoned in the dying moments of the fight and right next to the boat. Greg however, managed to stay connected land his first Sailfish on the fly, well done Greg!

Day 5 – Providence delivered another day of red-hot GT action with our group managing to land a whopping 42 GTs between them. The 3 ball of Ed, Gary, and John were in the thick of the action on one particular turtle grass flat and landed a total of 31 of the 42 GTs, a day of GT fishing we’re sure these anglers will remember for years to come! Well done, gents!

Day 6 – The final day of the week saw overcast skies and a stiff south-easterly wind blowing. A total of 22 GTs were landed for the day. Angler Ed enjoyed yet another outstanding day on the flats landing 2 beautiful fish that stretched the measuring tape well past that magical meter mark. Well done, Ed!

That brings us to the close of the second week of fly fishing action on Providence, this week’s fishing delivered several moments that our guests and guides will remember for a long time. The distinct influx of GTs encountered on flats has us all excited for the fishing potential of the next fishing week.

Our catch tally for Week 2 was as follows:

GTs – 122 (11 over a meter)
Bumphead Parrotfish – 5
Milkfish – 1
Sailfish – 2

Until next time,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 10 – 19 October 2021

Welcome to the Providence Atoll blog and our end-of-year season opener. Week 1 is always filled with a special mix of expectation and excitement and this week was no different as a regular group of friends from the US and some new ones joined us for an extended 9-night/8-day trip to kick off our season. As our captain dropped anchor on the shallow periphery of the atoll on the eve of day one, we settled in for the evening with our bags packed, cameras charged, and fly fishing gear primed for the flats fishing magic that lay ahead.

Day 1 – The flats fishing action experienced during day 1 was accompanied by clear blue skies and a familiar stiff south-easterly breeze. A total of 11 GTs were landed for the day with Dave and Allen wasting little time both landing their first GTs on the fly. Allen went one step further following a sighting of those fabled giant green tails waving gently across the flats, and after a measured stalk he managed to hook and land his first-ever Bumphead Parrotfish on the fly. A special way to begin your Providence Atoll fly fishing adventure, well done Allen!

Day 2 – With conditions stable and similar to that of Day 1, a total of 17 GTs were landed. The standout catch of the day went to angler Dave who encountered a monster GT while stationed upon one of the atoll’s several white sand drainages. After spotting the familiar electric blue silhouette crossing the flat, he presented his fly and after a few quick strips watched his fly get engulfed by the first meter-long Giant Trevally of the season. Well done Dave! Angler Kyle went on to land his first Bumphead Parrotfish on the fly, adding to the tailing fish tally and providing him with a new experience conquered on the flats.

Day 3 – We were now well and truly into the neap tide cycle with the slower water movement offering a change of pace on the GT front. A total of 6 GTs were landed, angler Kyle enjoying the pick of the days fishing landing 4 himself, well done Kyle!

Day 4 – We moved our attention to the areas better suited for fishing to the atoll’s lengthy list of tailing species. Despite the change of focus, the Giant Trevally fishing action continued in red hot fashion with our group landing a total of 9 GTs for the day. The atoll’s resident Bonefish were also encountered in good numbers offering incredible skinny water fly fishing opportunities for our guests. A total of 19 Bones were landed with Kelly managing to surpass that fabled 10lb mark, his trophy accepted a well-presented crab and following the hookset went on several blistering runs. In search of a Providence Atoll slam, Kelly and his guide moved offshore in pursuit of a Sailfish, and in no time Kelly’s rod was bent double with the sight of an energetic Sailfish greyhounding into the horizon. He went on to land the Sailfish, securing a well-deserved slam.

Day 5 – Continuing on the previous day’s antics our group enjoyed yet more outstanding fishing for the atoll’s resident targets with a total of 20 Bonefish and 2 GTs landed for the day. Kelly who has enjoyed everything on Prov’s extensive list of target species managed to land his first ever Bumpie on the fly, the group’s third for the week.

Day 6 – With shots at GTs slim during Day 6, we continued to focus on the tailing species. Our group enjoyed spectacular skinny water Bone fishing with a total of 18 fish landed. Allen landed the standout catch for the day after seeing a large Bone show its tail in a shallow sandy depression. He presented his fly which the fish promptly engulfed and after several long blistering runs, he managed to land a beautiful 10lber, well done Allen!

Day 7 – An early morning low tide allowed us access to the flats immediately while fishing a gradual incoming tide, typically ideal for the tailing fish species. Our group enjoyed exceptional fly fishing opportunities for Triggerfish and Bonefish. In total, we managed to land 5 Triggerfish, 3 of which landed were by angler Allen who then went on to land himself yet another 10lb Bonefish.

Day 8 – The final day of our first week on Providence Atoll produced a total of 4 GTs, one of which would end up as the catch of the trip. A large dark grey shape was spotted moving between an area with white sand and turtle grass patches. Kyle sent out a well-presented cast to the fish and began his retrieve, the GT followed the fly almost to the tip of the rod before accepting the baitfish imitation as prey. Once the hook was set the fish tore off on a blistering first run, luckily Kyle was on the boat and he and his guide managed to follow the fish and keep the fly line clear of any unforeseen snags. The fish was eventually landed and pushed the tape to 122cm! A fish of a lifetime, well done Kyle! With the high water experienced in the afternoon we set about looking for the atoll’s resident Sailfish and after several close calls we eventually ended the day with a total of 2 Sailfish landed concluding the final day of the week.

All too quickly we were done and dusted with an action packed season opener filled with first time catches and memories made that will last a lifetime.

Our catch tally for the week 1 split between 6 anglers was:

• GTs – 48 (2 over a meter)
• Bumphead Parrotfish – 3
• Triggerfish – 6
• Sailfish – 3
• Bonefish – 63 (4 over 10 lbs.)
• Total number of Grouper, Snapper, and other species landed – 382

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Bohar Snapper caught on Providence Atoll.

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Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

Sadly we were already at the beginning of the third and final week of the Providence April 2021 season. With two weeks of hardcore fly fishing action behind us, we were however excited to make the most of the remaining time we had on the atoll’s wild and abundant waters. Following our routine of tackle inspection, boat orientation, and guide’s meeting we settled in for the evening. Our minds whizzing, full of exciting thoughts of scores to settle and fish to be caught.

The first day dawned with dark skies and a stiff easterly wind. An early morning neap pushing tide allowed us to head straight for the flats with expectations of loads of tailing species and GTs following stingrays. The tough light conditions made the fishing tricky, however, we were still able to find the fish and land a total of 12 GTs, 2 Bumpies, and a few jumbo-sized Bonefish for the day. Michael and Tom got into the thick of the action when they encountered a massive school of GTs that were following several Nurse sharks along a shallow finger flat. Following a hurried approach to get into position both angler’s flies were delivered into the mass of boiling water and were exploded upon by two big GTs. Despite the amount of coral in the area both anglers managed to land their fish, Michael’s a monster of 113cm and Tom’s just as impressive measuring 107cm. The chaos continued for the pair when the school of GTs appeared again, this time following Lemon sharks. As before, both flies were delivered to the school and both Tom and Michael hooked up again and eventually completed the pair’s second double within 20mins. An incredible moment of GT fly fishing, well-done guys! The Bumpies were out in full force with large schools upwards of 25 fish encountered on the flats. After a few close calls, Brian’s fly fishing dream turned into reality when he hooked up with his first Bumphead Parrotfish. His dream catch charged across the flat tearing backing from the reel. Following a nervy tug of war, his Bumpie finally came to hand which led to an emotional celebration and a quick few moments in front of the camera. Well done, Brian! Tom, who enjoyed the wild GT action also managed to land his first Bumpie of the week, and a little later a few Bonefish securing his flats slam. Well done Tom! Tony also enjoyed some of the Bonefish action and went on to land a trophy of 10lbs, well done Tony. This concluded a wild day 1 one on Providence’s flats.

The second day saw the skies darker and even more ominous than day 1. Rolling sets of wind and rain hit the atoll constantly from the southeast. Despite the visibility being exceedingly difficult we were fortunate enough to encounter the fish whilst they tailed across the flats, giving us an indication of their whereabouts. A total of 6 GTs, 2 Bumpies, 2 Triggerfish, and several Bonefish were landed during the day. Top honors on the GT front went to Sean who encountered a school of large GTs that had rushed onto a shallow flat. The school then began tailing aggressively which allowed him to catch up and make his presentation. The first fish that spotted his fly raced across and crushed it. It then proceeded to blast off the flats taking loads of backing in the process. Sean eventually brought in his beauty which stretched the measuring tape to 105cm. He later went on to land a Triggerfish and several Bonefish completing another flats slam for the week. Well done Sean! Tony also got into the action and opened his triggerfish account with a beautiful Moustache Triggerfish, while Brian and Chris both made the most of their opportunities in front of Prov’s resident Bumpies landing one each, well-done guys!

Day three and finally we had clear skies, although a stiff southeast wind continued. Although the visuality had improved greatly it turned out to be a relatively tough day of fishing on the flats with 3 GTs, 12 Bonefish, 1 Triggerfish, and 2 Bumphead Parrotfish landed for the day. Tony however, experienced one of those days that only Providence’s diverse flats can deliver landing 4 of Prov’s 7 iconic fly fishing species. His day included a beautiful Moustache Triggerfish, a GT, and Bumpie before ending his special day and super slam with a turbo-charged Bonefish. Well done, Tony!

The fourth day dawned with clear skies and a move of our mothership for easier access to the flats better suited for the approaching spring tides. Our move delivered results on the GT front with a total of 12 landed for the day. Bryan and Chris enjoyed a stellar day landing several GTs between the pair. The largest fish of day 4 also fell to Brian who after spotting a GT moving along a lagoon edge presented a short cast ahead of the fish. Once his fly was spotted the fish wasted little time and after two hard tail beats, engulfed the fly. Following an intense battle, Brian eventually brought his beautiful 98cm fish to hand. Well done, Brian!

The fifth day saw a continuation of the clear skies and a stiff south-easterly wind. A total of 7 GTs were landed for the day with Brian encountering a lagoon-bound monster that attempted to eat his fly three times during the same presentation. The fish took hold of the fly just yards from the lagoon edge and what followed was 20 seconds of incredible power that eventually led to a broken fly line. Heartbreak! Claire and Sean enjoyed a great day taking on the various Grouper and Snapper species that call Prov’s coral gardens home. The pair landed several doubles of large Bohar Snappers, Bluefin Trevally, and grouper species which added numbers to their personal saltwater species tally.

The last day of the week and season dawned with a clear horizon and a full moon spring tide dictating the fishing schedule. The large volume of water moving over the flats resulted in short periods of activity during different stages of the tide. Our group landed 10 GTs in total with loads of shots at trophies throughout the day. Sean was in the thick of the action yet again. This time, while waiting in ambush on the outer rim of the atoll he had 3 trophy GTs approach his position. His presentation caught the attention of the largest fish in the school which unfortunately charged and missed his fly. The remaining two fish then shot towards the fleeing fly and crunched it at his feet. An intense battle ensued and after dodging the odd coral head Sean landed his second trophy Giant Trevally of the week, measuring 108cm. Well done Sean! Tony had a remarkably similar experience, however in a different area of the atoll. While in their ambush position on a bridge finger flat between two lagoons Tony had 3 giants push up onto the flat. He nailed the presentation, and the lead fish wasted no time inhaling the fly. After a long battle, the landed fish stretched the measuring tape to 109cm. Well done Tony!

This brings us to the close of a very exciting and productive 3 weeks of fly fishing Providence Atoll. A special thank you to all of those who made the journey out to join us this April. The fishing action lived up to our expectations and we can’t wait for what our October – December 2021 fly fishing season has in store for us.

Our catch tally between 7 anglers during week 3 was:

GTs – 50 (5 over a meter)
Bumpies – 6
Triggers – 3
Bonefish – 19 (1 of 10lbs)

Till next time, tight lines from the Providence Guide Team

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Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

Week 2 of the Providence Atoll April 2021 fly fishing season saw us welcome a group of 9 anglers, most of whom were Providence regulars. Brimming with the excitement of being some of the first few to visit the atoll in a little over a year, we set to work preparing their gear for the flats fishing action the following 6 days had in store for us.

The first morning dawned calm and still. A midday spring tide low provided us the rare opportunity of exploring the eastern side of the atoll. Our plan paid dividends as the group enjoyed a great day on the flats with everyone opening their Giant Trevally account for the week and a total of 23 GTs landed on day 1. Rod managed to land our first meter plus fish of the week, a beautiful GT that measured 102cm. A special mention must also go to Stephane who experienced a cracking first day out, landing 14 GTs during the day. As always, the various grouper and snapper species added to the diverse flats fishing experience with most of the group enjoying the raw power of these beautifully colored powerhouses.

The second morning dawned with a slightly stiffer south-easterly breeze and with another midday low tide. The boats set off for the day with the focus on working the outer rim of the atoll. A total of 13 GTs were landed for the day, Valter landing his biggest GT on the fly of 103cm. Well done, Valter! Tony danced with one of the atoll’s fabled jumbo-sized GTs, unfortunately an inconveniently placed coral head meant that the fight was over in mere seconds, fly line, and all lost in the chaos that followed the hook set.

The third morning saw darkened skies, rain, and a stiff south-easterly. The reduced visibility meant we had to focus on areas that would provide visuals in the way of bow waking or tailing GTs on the flats. A total of 11 GTs came to hand with Tony landing a brute of 106cm. Tony’s trophy was spotted as it tailed hard on the flat thus marking its position. Following a well-placed cast, a massive bow wake whizzed through the shallow water to take his fly. Well done Tony! The late afternoon Milkfish action continued and this time it was Mark’s turn to go 12 rounds with the incredibly powerful Milkfish. After acrobatic leaps, fast runs, and some fancy footwork around the skiff, Mark successfully landed his first-ever Milk on the fly, well done Mark!

The fourth day continued with darkened skies and persistent rolling squalls which made spotting fish over dark turtle grass challenging. The limited visibility on the flats resulted in just 4 GTs landed for the day. Stephane did however manage to land the first triggerfish for the week after shooting a precise cast to an energetic Yellow Margin. Upon seeing the fly, the fish wiggled and danced on it, eventually pinning it to the bottom resulting in a successful hookup.

The fifth day saw a move of the mothership to allow for easier access to the flats better suited for the neap tides and the tailing species that prefer a reduced amount of current over the flats. A total of 5 GTs were also landed for the day. Steve landed his biggest GT on the fly while drifting the edge of a lagoon. The shot required a short, fast presentation which Steve nailed. Two strips and the fish blasted forward and engulfed his fly. Following a tug of war that only GTs can offer, Steve’s fish finally came to hand and measured 105cm. Well done, Steve! The tailing fish species were about in good numbers and provided good fishing during the late afternoon incoming tide. A total of 13 Bones were landed, the average size in the 6-7lb range. Tony and Stephane both landed triggerfish late in the day bringing an end to day 5 on the flats.

The final day of the fishing week saw a return to relative normality on the weather front with clear skies and a strong south-easterly. We experienced an afternoon neap tide low which resulted in a consistent covering of water on the flats. A total of 10 GTs were landed on the final day. Michael managed to tame the biggest of the week that measured 109cm. His fish was hooked after 3 black shapes were spotted moving with purpose over a turtle grass flat. Michael placed the fly ahead of the lead fish, causing all three fish to charge the fly, fortunately, the largest of the pack getting to the fly first. A wonderful way to close out the week on the GT front. Well done, Mike! The neap tides provided another day of productive fishing for the tailing species with a total of 25 bonefish landed for the day. Steve enjoyed a particularly golden streak landing 11 bonefish himself with an average of 7 pounds. 2 wily Triggerfish were brought to hand with one completing a slam for Peter, well done Peter! Michael riding high after his big GT in the morning went onto land his first Bumphead Parrotfish and a few Bonefish completing a flats slam in the process. Talk about closing out the week in style, well done Mike!

A busy week on the flats of Providence provided us all with moments of flats fishing magic. Although the weather made conditions tricky at times, we enjoyed several special catches and busy sessions with our guests. As always, it was a pleasure to share the wild adventure that is Providence with all who joined us for week 2 of the season.

Our catch tally for week 2 was:

GTs – 66 (4 meter plus fish)
Bumpies – 2
Triggerfish – 4
Milkfish – 1
Bonefish – 38

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team.

Fly fishing Providence Atoll in Seychelles

Giant Trevally caught on Providence Atoll in Seychelles

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Fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish in Seychelles

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A trophy GT caught on the flats of Providence Atoll

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Providence Blog: 6 – 13 April 2021

Providence Blog: 6 – 13 April 2021

After 13 months of COVID-induced limbo, the MV Maya’s Dugong finally dropped her anchor on the shallow exterior of Providence Atoll. Ahead of us lay 419km² of pristine flats, wild lagoons, and all the iconic fly fishing targets that frequent its waters. Aboard our mothership for the opening week of the April 2021 Providence fly fishing season was a group of 10 anglers from the United States, all but 2 were newcomers to Seychelles and its abundant waters. The excited chatter around the dinner table on the eve of day 1 fitted the occasion – the fly fishing playground that we had all been dreaming of for just over a year was now a reality. It was well and truly go-time!

Day 1 – Providence welcomed us to its abundant waters with clear skies and an early morning neap tide low. Conditions were just right for us to access the flats immediately and fish for a wide range of targets including, GTs, bonefish, triggers, and bumpies. Our expectations were met emphatically with 21 GTs, 7 Bonefish, and 2 Triggerfish landed for the day. Highlights from day 1 included guest Brian’s first ever GT on the fly and the first meter GT of the season, which stretched the measuring tape to 102cm. Peter’s feisty Moustache Triggerfish and David’s beautiful Yellow Margin Triggerfish added a splash of color and a change of pace to the day’s antics.

Day 2 – Bright sunshine and a gentle south-easterly breeze made for yet another day of saltwater fly fishing bliss on the flats with 16 GTs, 3 Triggerfish, and a handful of Bonefish landed. Brian broke the meter mark for the second time in 2 days by landing an incredibly strong 107cm GT. Malik landed his first Moustache Triggerfish of the week while Mark and Justin both landed their first Yellow Margin Triggerfish on the fly. Steven, Dave, and Charles all managed to land both Bonefish and GTs during day 2.

Day 3 – The third morning saw a move of our mothership to an area that provided us more convenient access to the flats better suited for the looming spring tides. A total of 17 GTs, 1 Milkfish, and a few Bonefish were brought to hand for the day. Steven and David made quick work of the bonefish as they waded the beautiful white sand flats of Cerf Island. The pair also managed to hook into a Milkfish each in the last hour of the day. Unfortunately, any thoughts of a double were quickly squashed as David’s fish came unbuttoned early into the fight. Steven however, managed to stay connected and after a titanic battle and with just a few minutes of sunlight remaining, brought his first-ever Milkfish on the fly to hand. A beautiful catch and the best way to end a busy day on Providence Atoll.

Day 4 – The spring tides were now in full swing resulting in a change of pace on the flats for our guests. Our group managed to land 13 GTs for the day with Malik’s GT measuring 93cm, the largest on day 4. This fish was picked from a large school of GTs as they pushed onto a shallow finger flat in hot pursuit of a shoal of baitfish. Stephen ended his day by taking on the atoll’s resident Milkfish and following a few close calls he finally managed to get a good hook set on an absolute monster that fought into the early evening. After what felt like a lifetime and in just about total darkness, Stephen’s fish was finally brought to hand completing his first-ever Milkfish catch. Well done, Stephen!

Day 5 – The fifth day dawned with a couple of ominous squalls coming from the southeast on a light breeze. A total of 13 GTs were landed for the day with Charles becoming the second guest for the week to break the meter mark, landing a beautiful 101cm GT after a titanic tussle in a shallow coral garden. Justin experienced a stellar day on the flats landing 4 GTs before tasting success on the Milkfish front, landing his first Milk, and bringing the week’s tally to 3 for the week.

Day 6 – Our guests were treated to some of the finest saltwater fly fishing action available in Seychelles on the final day of the fishing week. Our group landed 33 GTs, of which angler Mark landed 13 himself. Well done, Mark! Although the bumphead parrotfish action had been scarce by Providence’s standards, father and son, Brian and Stephen managed to land one each, at the same time, in different areas of the atoll. Angler Peter also enjoyed a stellar day on the flats, landing 8 GTs and a powerful bumphead parrotfish which brought our first week of fly fishing action of Providence Atoll to an epic end.

Week 1 on the flats of Providence Atoll was a resounding success. We enjoyed a slice of solitude from a complicated and uncertain world together. We shared smiles, laughter and made memories that’ll last a lifetime. A special thanks to all of those who made the long journey to join us. We had a blast!

Our total catch tally for week 1 was as follows:

GTs – 113 (3 over a meter)
Bumpies – 3
Milkfish – 3
Bonefish – 16
Triggerfish – 5
Species – 287

Yours in fishing,

The FlyCastaway Providence Guide Team

Fly fishing for Triggerfish on Providence Atoll, Seychelles

Fly fishing the beautiful flats of Providence Atoll in Seychelles

Fly fishing for Bluefin Trevally on Providence Atoll in Seychelles

Milkfish caught on fly on Providence Atoll in Seychelles

Flats fishing for Giant Trevally in Seychelles

Fly fishing for Giant Trevally in Seychelles

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Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2019

Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2019

Despite dark stormy skies we began our fishing week in style with a total of 12 GTs landed on Day 1. Igor, Rob, Steve and Chris all managed to open their accounts with the fish of the day going to Rob. His fish was fooled into eating the fly while he waited on a turtle grass finger in a large lagoon, after a quick presentation the fish inhaled the fly and following an intense fight the fish was brought to hand, measuring 108cm, well done Rob! A special mention for Steve whose first GT on fly broke the meter mark, well done Steve. The large green tails of the Bumphead Parrotfish were seen waving their way across the flats resulting in several great opportunities in front of these green giants. Igor converted his chance and landed a fin perfect Bumpie to end day 1.

The second morning brought with it difficult conditions with strong winds and heavy rain for most of the day. Despite the tough conditions, it turned out to be an incredible day of GT fishing with 30 fish landed. Chris, Alex, Peter, Serhiy, Slava, Igor and Vadim all landed fish. The standout catch for the day went to Slava who managed to successfully steer it out of a coral garden and land a monster of 120cm, a fish of a lifetime. Igor also managed to land a brute coming in at 118cm. Vadim managed to the tame a proverbial unicorn of the flats landing a Napoleon Wrasse of a meter off the edge of a turtle grass pancake, well done!

Day 3 continued in similar fashion with less than ideal weather conditions and yet still fantastic fishing on the GT front with 28 fish landed. Rob, Vadim, Slava, Igor, Nataliya, Alex, Chris and Peter got into the action. Alex, Chris, Peter, Vadim and Rob all managed to land fish over the meter mark with the fish of the day belonging to Alex, who managed to fool his brute 111cm fish while waiting in ambush on a sandbar. Serhiy managed to land the first Triggerfish of the week, hooking and landing an energetic Yellow Margin Triggerfish.

The fourth day saw a continuation of the prevailing heavy cloud cover and rolling squalls. With the GT fishing slowing down ever so slightly, 19 fish were landed. Igor, Nataliya, Serhiy and Chris all got GTs to hand while Rob managed to land another fish over the meter mark. After working hard through the first half of the week, Serhiy managed to hook and land a truly memorable GT of 127cm which was hooked while waiting patiently on the incoming tide. Slava got into the action yet again, after swimming through some deeper water he got onto an isolated turtle grass pancake and saw the blue tail of a Napoleon Wrasse waving on the edge. After presenting the fly the fish wasted no time and inhaled his baitfish imitation, he somehow managed to keep the fish from the coral and landed a trophy Napoleon of 100cm on foot on the flats, a very special catch!

Day 5 brought with it an increase in the intensity of the weather with a stiff south easterly wind blowing and large banks of rolling squalls. A total of 5 GTs were landed for the day with Vadim, Nataliya, Serhiy, Alex and Chris all getting fish to hand. With the bumpier seas the Sailfish once again presented themselves and Rob and Vadim managed to land our first Sailfish for the week.

Day 6 and another tough weather day with the wind picking up dramatically overnight. The boats headed out to the midway sections of the atoll. A total of 3 GTs were landed by Serhiy, Vadim and Slava. Rob managed to find himself drifting onto a large school of feeding Milkfish and didn’t hesitate to land the first Milkfish of the week. Steve had a stellar day landing his first Sailfish on fly and then a 115cm Dogtooth Tuna that was successfully teased in on the Sailfish teaser. After seeing the fish at the back of the boat he shot out the cast and the Dogtooth Tuna smashed the fly, well done Steve! Vadim rounded off his week by landing the second Yellow Margin Triggerfish for the week. With that we concluded an incredible week of fishing, despite the tough weather conditions we were still able to land a number of very special fish.

Our tally for the week was as follows:

GTs – 97
Triggerfish – 2
Bumpies – 1
Sailfish – 3
Milkfish – 1
Napoleons – 2
Species – 422

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

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Farquhar Blog: 13-20 Nov 2019

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Farquhar Blog: 13 – 20 November 2019
Another week of fantastic flats fishing on Farquhar has just come to an end. The weather this week was just about perfect, with light winds and mostly sunny skies providing ideal sight fishing conditions. Our tides this week started out on full spring tides which tapered off into neaps as the week went by.

A total of 13 GTs were landed. Peter landed 3 fish as did Piers. Kelvin landed two fish including his first ever GT. Chantel, Louis, Piers, James, and Rod all landed one GT each. Well done everyone!

38 Bonefish were landed, including Charles’s first fish on fly and the largest Bonefish, a 62 cm trophy class fish! One Triggerfish was landed by James. Peter managed to catch his first Bumphead Parrot fish, a massive fish of 94 cm. Well done Peter!

Fishing partners Charles and Kelvin combined to land 21 species of fish this week, whilst Chantel landed a rare and beautiful saddle back grouper of 75 cm.The bluewater fishing also provided some great action, with 4 Yellowfin and 3 Skipjack Tuna being caught. In addition, 1 Wahoo was landed by Piers, this was his first of this species.

Thanks to everyone for another great week!

The Farquhar Guide Team

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Farquhar Blog: 6 – 13 Nov 2019

Farquhar Blog: 6 – 13 November 2019

Another fun week of flats fishing has come to an end out on Farquhar. Weather conditions this week were tough early in the week which certainly made things challenging, but things did improve and we ended on a good note. At the start of the week we had generally windy conditions with some cloud cover. The wind tapered off thankfully towards the end of the week and the last day was absolutely perfect.

Tides this week started off on neaps which progressed to full moon spring tides at the end of the week.

Seven GT were caught this week with the largest fish being a 94cm fish landed by Andrew. Craig landed one GT, as did his brother Mark, whilst Nick landed two. Nick’s first fish was his first ever GT. Nick and Chantel landed a nice Golden Trevally each, whilst Alan and George each landed one GT a piece. Nick and his father Mark also caught some great Bonefish over 60 cm. Well done!

Two Bumpies were landed this week, a huge 103cm fish landed by Mark with Chantel getting our second. Two Sailfish were also landed this week, one by Alan and one by Andrew. In addition to the Sailfish caught offshore, George landed a nice Yellowfin Tuna and Genkel landed a nice big Wahoo.

Thanks to all our guests for the great week!

Tight Lines

The Farquhar Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 5-12 Nov 2019

Providence Blog: 5 – 12 November 2019

A continuing trend of strong south easterly winds greeted us on the first morning with our new group of guests as the boats headed out. It was an eventful day on the flats with six GTs being landed. Congratulations to David, Peter, Peter, Kay and Mark for opening their accounts. With the cooler water being blown onto the flats there were a good number of Bonefish being hooked and landed, with an average of 6lbs for the session.

Day 2 dawned very windy but with clear skies the boats headed out with high hopes. With a slow neap pushing tide in the early morning the triggerfish were out in numbers. Chuan, Rob and Peter W managed to hook and land one of these feisty fish each. The Bumpies too showed us their massive tails and Mark hooked and landed his first Bumpie, well done Mark. The Bonefish were up and tailing hard again, with Dave and Rod managing to catch a Bonefish each to complete their Flats Slams of a GT, Bone and Trigger. Rod’s Bonefish was a monster, the fish weighing 10 pounds…Congrats! 5 GTs were landed, the day belonging to Dave, who after holding up on the apex of the flat with his guide, saw a monstrous commotion coming towards them in the shallow water. After getting in the perfect position the fly was presented in front of the pack of GTs. In unison the fish charged in the direction of the fly and a gargantuan mouth opened, inhaling the brush fly, the hook was set and after a massive tussle through a lagoon the fish was landed. With a fork length of 127cm, it was truly the GT of a lifetime, well done Dave!

Day 3 saw a shift in the weather conditions with high altitude cloud cover rolling in, obscuring the direct sunlight, making the fishing a little bit trickier. Due to the light conditions the Bumpies highlighted themselves as the targets for the day. A total of 6 Bumpies were landed for the day, the happy anglers being Mark, Kay, Chaun, Alfredo, Rod and Dave H. A great Bumpie day!!!! The GTs did manage to present themselves, Pete and Dave capitalizing on their shots. A special mention goes to Dave H whose fish came in at 105cm. With big seas comes great Sailfish fishing and Rob, Rocky and Dave F taking full advantage, Rocky and Dave landed theirs after doubling up from a pack attack.

Day 4 dawned gloomy with lots of cloud cover and high south easterly winds. After making a shift south to the midway point of the atoll the boats set out. A total of 3 GTs came to hand; well done to Peter getting 2 and Alfredo 1. Rocky managed to double down and land 2 Moustache Triggerfish. Kay and Dave R later joined the Sailfish club, landing a fish each. The day however belonged to Dave H who hooked and landed the first Milkfish for the week as the sun was setting, well done Dave H.

Day 5 saw a lessening of the cloud cover and with a mid-morning low tide the boats set out. The day was a well-rounded one on the species side with 5 of our 7 recognized species being landed. Pete E managed to land the Milkfish, whilst Rob and Dave R landed a Bumpie each. Rocky managed to land a Triggerfish of each species and Dave R managed to land a Moustache Triggerfish. Pete W landed a monstrous Sailfish, whilst Kay, Chuan, Dave R, Mark, Pete W, Pete E and Dave R each landed GTs. The day belonged to Dave R though, who after landing a Bumpy and Triggerfish in successive casts, saw a big bow wave coming up onto the flat. Despite a long chase to get into position, the fish dropped back into the deep water. Dave set up patiently above the area the fish had dropped off from. A couple of minutes later the bow wave reappeared and after presenting the fly it was engulfed on the second strip. The hook was set and the fish tore the line off the reel and ran straight back to the lagoon from where it came. After crossing the lagoon and reaching shallower water the fish was landed. At a fork length of 121cm it was another GT of lifetime for the week. Great fishing Dave!

Our sixth and final day of the week dawned with clear skies and dropping south easterly wind. With a morning dropping tide the Milkfish were up in good numbers around the edge of the atoll. Dave R and Pete W managed to land a fish each, bringing the Milkfish tally to 4 for the week. A total of 6 GTs were also landed. Rob and Dave R landed 2 fish each, with Chuan and Pete E landing a fish each. This brought the second week to a close. Some tough conditions, but as per normal some incredible fish and fishing was enjoyed by all!