Providence Blog: 18 – 25 October 2022

The opening week of our Oct- Dec 2022 Providence fly fishing season saw us welcome a mix of new and familiar faces to kick things off for our end of year stint on the wildest atoll in Seychelles.

The first day began with a bang as the group got stuck into the GTs from the outset. There were 8 GTs landed for the day with Helmut leading the pack with 6 of them. The triggerfish were also out in good numbers and the guests enjoyed great tailing trigger action. Nicolai and Grigory landed 1 each, Vladimir Jr 2, and Vladimir Snr tallying 4 triggers to his name. The day came to an end with some of the group experiencing fantastic bone fishing which capped off a diverse opening day on the flats.

Day 2 saw some weather move in, providing mostly overcast conditions. This did not affect the fishing too much as we saw another 10 GTs landed for the day, Helmut again in the thick of the action with 4 fish. There were great numbers of large bones around, and again our guests managed to land a good number during the morning tide.

The third day saw our guests really capitalize on the favorable tides and weather conditions. Vladimir Snr and Vladimir Jr both continued to enjoy their fishing this week and landed 2 triggerfish each. Justin went one better by landing 3 triggers, while Nicolai also got in on the trigger action with 1. There were good numbers of bones around yet again with several larger specimens brought to hand, the catch for the day going to Chris with his 9,5lb bone which ran him deep into backing on a few occasions. Along with the tailing species showing up in good numbers were the GTs. Our group managed to bring a total of 17 to hand on day 3 with Grigory and Helmut leading the pack landing 4 each, Nicolai and Chris both landed 3, while Sasha landed 2. The action didn’t stop on the flats and group continued the fun prospecting the Prov’s coral gardens for various grouper and snapper species. Helmet landed the most notable catch during this session with a large napoleon wrasse to cap off a productive day on Providence.

The fourth day saw our guests land 19 GTs between them as they all really got into their groove. Justin landed 6 during the day while Helmut and Chris both managed 5 each. Nicolai also got in on the GT action landing 2 of his own. There was some phenomenal trigger fishing on the flats with 7 fish landed and a whole bunch more hooked. Vladimir Snr enjoyed a special day with 4 triggers landed in quick succession.

The fifth day saw us experience slightly bigger tides. The larger tidal variance and water draining off the flats saw us encounter large schools of feeding milkfish in the deeper water just off the flats. Chris and Nicolai both capitalized by hooking and landing one a piece. Nicolai’s fish was a special one as it was one of the bigger specimens that we have seen in recent seasons, and it put up an immense fight at close quarters. The fishing around the larger coral heads was very productive on the high tide, which saw some of our guests land a multitude of interesting reef species. Some notable catches from this session of fishing were 2 napoleon wrasse landed by Maxim and Vladimir Jr, respectively. These impressive fish tested the anglers and their gear to the extreme but in the end there were smiles all round. We also saw large schools of bumphead parrotfish on the flats and Grigory opened the account for the season with the first bumpie landed. There were good numbers of GTs patrolling the flats too which resulted in Vladimir Jnr landing the first GT over the fabled 100cm mark for the season. An immensely powerful 105cm fish caught on a large turtle grass flat, well done Valdimir!

We experienced dark overcast weather on the final day of the week making the fishing rather challenging. We changed our tactics and set about searching for bow waking fish. Justin landed 2 GTs while the standout catch for the day went to Andrey who managed to tame a monster bumpie of 106cm. This fish put up an immense fight which eventually ended with his prized catch firmly in the net, surrounded by smiles and loud celebration. A wonderful way to end a very productive opening week.

Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 61 (1 of 100cm plus)
Triggerfish – 23
Bumphead Parrotfish – 2
Bonefish – 27
Milkfish – 2
Total tally of other species caught – 362

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish in the Seychelles

Fly Fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish is a thrilling experience unique to the Farquhar Group of Atoll’s in Seychelles, specifically Farquhar Atoll and Providence Atoll. Our history targeting the species goes back as far as 2007 when the very first Bumphead Parrotfish was successfully landed using fly fishing gear on Farquhar. Since then, our team has refined the necessary fly fishing techniques and has gained in-depth knowledge of when and how to successfully target the powerful “Bumpie”.

The IGFA All-Tackle World Record Bumphead Parrotfish caught by angler Mark Weeks & FlyCastaway guide Brandan Becker.

Fast Facts:

The IGFA All-Tackle World Record Bumphead Parrotfish was landed by a FlyCastaway guest on Providence Atoll in November 2019 weighing a whopping 46.35kgs (102 lbs.) and was certainly a highlight of that saltwater fly fishing season. We regularly encounter the species between 80 – 110cm on the flats.
Bumphead Parrotfish are a slow-growing species and are thought to live as long as 40 years.
Typically encounters occur while schools of 10 – 30 fish feed in shallow water on soft corals and crustaceans on the hard bottom flats of Farquhar and Providence.
Bumphead Parrotfish accept a range of crab patterns tied on good-quality hooks. The most important element for success while fishing to the species lies in the presentation based on the amount of current or lack thereof, and the kind of substrate you happen to be fishing over.

A Bumphead Parrotfish double caught on Providence Atoll.

Rigging up for Bumphead Parrotfish

The best fly rods for Bumphead Parrotfish are 9-foot 10wt fast action saltwater fly rods. – We recommend 9ft 10wt G.Loomis NRX +.
The best fly lines for Bumphead Parrotfish are 10wt Tropical/Warm water fly lines to match the recommended rod – Our choice is the Airflo Superflo Ridge 2.0 flats Universal Taper 10wt fly line.
The best reels for Bumphead Parrotfish should have the following features: fast line retrieval, a drag system designed to handle wet wading in saltwater, and a minimum backing capacity of 250 yards of 60lb gel spun or casting braid. – Our top pick is the WADE Chanos which was designed to handle fish of this nature effectively.
Our leader configuration is unique, although simply put 25 – 30lb 9ft fluorocarbon tapered leaders are acceptable. The leader is joined to the fly line with a loop-to-loop connection, with the Perfection Loop the knot of choice on the leader end. Our knot of choice to the fly is the Improved Homer Rhode Knot which is a non-slip loop knot.
The best flies for Bumphead Parrotfish include Merkin and Flexo crab patterns tied on size #2 Gamakatsu SL12S hooks. Fly colours should be orange, white, or tan and should be tied with weed guards and in varying weights. We recommend packing 4 of each of these patterns as they’ll be used to catch just about all of the iconic tailing fish species available while on your fly fishing trip to Farquhar Atoll or Providence Atoll.

The right fly fishing outfit is essential while fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish.

How to catch more Bumphead Parrotfish on the flats

The positioning

Image supplied by Dave McCoy – FCA guide and guest move to get in the right position on Farquhar Atoll.

To dramatically improve your catch rate while fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish you should take your time to move into the right position before making your first presentation. A head on shot is ideal, this means getting directly in line with the school, so that the Bumphead Parrotfish are feeding directly towards your position on the flats. Take care to do this so that you do not alert the school of your presence.

The presentation

A school of Bumphead Parrotfish feed and move slowly towards a FlyCastaway guest on Providence Atoll.

The school should now be moving slowly toward your position allowing for a head-on shot. Now select a single fish in the school, preferably the closest fish, and aim to present the fly at least 4ft short of it, allowing the fly to settle on the bottom. Should the school’s feeding direction change and your target fish no longer on track to swim past your fly, you should retrieve your fly back quickly, move again, and repeat the presentation.

The retrieve

Image supplied by Dave McCoy – Matching the correct position, presentation, and retrieve will greatly improve your catch rate on the flats.

Bumphead Parrotfish will not actively hunt down a moving fly, therefore you need to present a static fly to the fish. The trick here is to retrieve only the slack out of the fly line so that you are in constant contact with your static fly sitting on the bottom. A feeding Bumpie will pick up your fly and slowly swim off with it in its beak, at this point you will feel a slight pulling sensation through the fly line meaning it’s time to set the hook with a short firm strip strike.

The fight

Image supplied by Dave McCoy – Bumphead Parrotfish are renowned for their explosive first run.

Bumphead Parrotfish are renowned for being one of the hardest fishing shallow water targets in the Indian Ocean. Following a successful hook-up, you will need to survive the initial run which is where your gear will play a critical role. Your drag should be set to roughly 60% of the maximum given the fact that we fish tippets of 25-30lbs. If all goes according to plan and you are still connected to the hooked Bumpie after its initial run, you can now begin applying more pressure on the fish with good rod angles and a slow lift and reel down line retrieval method.

Where is the best Bumphead Parrotfish destination for you?

There are just 2 destinations on the planet that provide consistent and reliable fly fishing opportunities for Bumphead Parrotfish. As the business that pioneered fly fishing in Seychelles, we’ve come to learn which venue is best for your needs and what tides are most likely to provide the experience you are after. If you are looking for the best venues on earth to catch Bumphead Parrotfish then we would strongly suggest the following:

Providence Atoll

Image supplied by Peter McLeod – A school of feeding Bumphead Parrotfish approaches FCA angler and guide.

The best saltwater fly fishing destination on earth – Providence Atoll and its mind-blowing diversity will provide you and your fishing partners multiple opportunities in front of powerful Bumphead Parrotfish. The atoll, which has received fewer than 1000 visitors in written history is possibly the last true saltwater fly fishing wilderness. For a detailed perspective of what to expect on the flats, read our week-by-week catch reports here, visit our website for more information about Providence Atoll, or get in touch with us via email – info@flycastaway.com

We would love to hear from you

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

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Providence Blog: 5-12 April 2022

Another mixed group of anglers from around the world joined us aboard our mothership for the fifth week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season. Some of the group were first time visitors to Seychelles, while others were about to begin their second week of fishing with us. We had set our expectations for a diverse 6 days of fishing and this is how it went…

The first day of the fishing week saw our guests experience a picture-perfect day on the flats with little wind and bluebird skies. These conditions allowed for several sight fishing opportunities for GTs on the flats which resulted in our group amassing a total of 12 GTs for the day. The highlights included first time GT success for both Jim and David. David however, hit the ground running in a big way landing a total of 4 GTs and a Triggerfish on his first ever day on the flats in Seychelles. Well done, David, a wonderful way to start your Providence adventure!

The second day provided plenty of action on the GT front with a total of 12 landed for the day. A special mention for both Joe and Paul who managed to complete their first ever GT catches on the fly, while Jim enjoyed success, hooking and landing his first ever and mighty powerful Bumpie.

The third day brought with it wide variety on the flats with a total of 10 GTs, 2 Triggerfish, 1 Bumphead Parrotifsh, and a Milkfish landed. The GT catch of the day went to Dom who expertly fished a large bow waking fish that pulled the measuring tape to 101cm… excellent job Dom! Watts enjoyed first time success for the atoll’s beautiful Yellow Margin Triggerfish, landing not 1 but 2 for the day. Well done Watts. Nico found himself in the thick of the action first thing on the third morning when his second presentation to a school of Milkfish saw him go tight and eventually land his first ever Milkfish catch. Nico then went onto to tame a monster of a Bumpie measuring 110cm. Well done gents, a momentous day on the flats with several first-time successes!

The fourth day produced a full house of catches on the flats with several of the atoll’s iconic species brought to hand for the day. Our group made their most of their opportunities in front of the GTs and landed a total of 18. Nico and John both enjoyed stella days landing 3 and 4 GTs respectively. David and Peter also found themselves in the right place at the right time with each of them landing 2 Bumpies, well done guys! The atoll’s large Bonefish made an appearance late on in the afternoon providing great skinny water flats fishing for Watts, Paul and David. Paul’s Bonefish was a special fish as it completed his flats slam consisting of a Bonefish, GT, and Triggerfish… great work Paul!

The fifth day saw a total of 5 GTs landed. The fish of the day was caught by David after it was spotted crossing a shallow flat with its back out of the water. Once David’s presentation was acknowledged by the fish it blasted towards his fly, inhaling it with a violent splash which was followed by a powerful fight. David eventually managed to reel in a beauty which measured an impressive 101cm. David’s run of good form continued and he went on land his first Triggerfish and first Bumpie to complete a flats slam… great work David! The Bumpies were encountered in substantial numbers with large schools frequently seen on the flats. Ian, Paul, and Watts all tasted success on this front with each of them landing their first Bumpies on the fly. Well done gentleman!

The sixth day dawned with dark clouds and rolling banks of rain. The tricky weather conditions deteriorated with the addition of lightning resulting in our group losing half of the fishing day. Despite this, our group still managed to land a total of 3 GTs and 6 bonefish.

This wraps up a wonderful week of fishing the flats of Providence. As always, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring this outlandish atoll with those that joined us and we look forward to welcoming you all back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 60 (2 of 100cm plus)
Bumphead Parrotfish – 11
Triggerfish – 13
Bonefish – 16
Milkfish – 2

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 29 March-5 April 2022

The fourth week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season saw us welcome another mixed group of anglers from all over the world including South Africa, England, and the USA. The mix of personalities aboard the Maya’s Dugong made for a festive first evening as we chatted with eager anticipation about the exciting fishing we were all in for over the course of the 6 days to come…

The first fishing day delivered a total of 13 GTs with both John and Derrick landing their first ever GTs on the fly, well done gents! The atoll’s resident Milkfish population were encountered in good numbers in the late afternoon, providing Matt with the perfect opportunity to try his hand for these turbocharged speedsters of the deep blue. In just a few casts Matt found himself in the thick of the action when hooked up and eventually landed his first ever Milkfish! A great way to start the week, well done Matt!

The second day saw similar returns on the GT front with a total of 13 landed for the day. The standout catch, however, came after Watts saw the fabled sickled tail of a Permit working its way down a sandy beach. He then presented his fly ahead of his golden quarry and waited for the fish to get within a few inches of it before enticing the eat with a quick strip causing a reaction bite. After a short fight the fish came to hand and the first Indo Pacific Permit of the season was landed…. well done Watts, a truly special moment!

The third day brought with it an incredible day of GT fishing with a total of 20 fish landed, 5 of which breaking the fabled metre mark!!!! Matt enjoyed a cracker of a day and landed a fish of 104cm, followed by a beautiful 105cm giant. Gerhard also enjoyed a couple epic catches being a 101cm and amazing 112cm GT. The fishing gods however had something up their sleeve for him! While he waited patiently in a spot during the incoming tide he saw a large blue shape slide across a white hole in the turtle grass flat. After he presented his fly on the line of the fish, the fish charged, and Gerhard was connected to a fish of a lifetime. Following an intense fight through a coral garden he managed to land a truly special fish that pulled the measuring tape to a jaw dropping 130cm. To hook and land a fish of these proportions on foot is moment of flats fishing magic we are sure Gerhard will remember forever, well done G! Gerhard also managed to land the first Triggerfish for the week while Russ, Peter and Kevin enjoyed a great session fishing for Bonefish in the late afternoon.

The fourth day saw a total of 15 GTs landed. After seeing a massive nurse shark come into the surf zone, Peter worked hard to get into position and presented his fly in front of the school that were following the shark. As his fly hit the water the school raced towards his baitfish presentation and after a huge commotion of energic splashes he was tight with an incredibly powerful GT that measured an impressive 106cm, great job Peter! Matt enjoyed yet more GT success and landed another 2 GTs that broke that magical metre mark. The milkfish were present again and Gerhard, Matt, and Russ all enjoyed success while fishing for this exciting species, well done gents!

The fifth day produced more variety of catches on the flats with a total of 8 GTs landed. Gerhard managed to add to his Triggerfish tally while Matt continued his good form on the flats by landing the first Bumphead Parrotfish of the week, fantastic work Matt! Jari who had been eager to land a Milkfish on the fly finally managed to get it done early on the fifth morning… great job and well deserved Jari!

The sixth and final day saw a total of 12 GT landed. Jari managed to break the fabled metre mark and land a beautiful 103cm GT, well done Jari. The day however, belonged to Dale who after multiple trips to Providence lined up the perfect shot on a really big fish holding in the current. After presenting his fly he watched as the fish charged in and inhaled it. After a strong fight he landed the magnificent 126cm GT…. well done Dale, a fish of a lifetime. Gerhard managed to land another Triggerfish and today G’s Triggerfish success was shared by Russ who managed to land his first ever on the fly, well done Russ!

And so brings a close to the fourth week of the season. With perfect weather conditions and excellent comradery to match our group enjoyed a very special week exploring the azure waters of Providence.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

GTs – 81 (10 GTs over 100cm..2 over 120cm)
Triggerfish – 4
Milkfish – 8
Bumphead Parrotfish – 1
Bonefish – 7
Permit – 1
Total tally of other species caught – 358

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 22 – 29 March 2022

Welcome to the third week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season. This week saw us welcome a mixed group of anglers from the UK and the US. Some of the guys were regulars to the Providence experience while others first time visitors to the wonders of this unique Seychelles atoll. The previous 2 weeks of fishing action had our expectations set sky high, as we completed the final bits of preparation before the first day of week 3 on Prov’s exciting flats.

The first day dawned with a slight breeze and bluebird skies resulting in perfect sight fishing conditions. It turned out to be a day of firsts for our guests who got into swing of things from the moment their feet hit the flats, with Mark, Margaret, Vaughn, Duncan and Will all landing their first GTs on the fly. By the time all our tender boats had returned to the mothership on the first evening, we had amassed a total of 19 GTs for the day…a great start!

The second day saw a total of 12 GTs landed, with a special mention for Will who experienced the thrill of shallow water GT fishing when he connected to a large fish that had been seen tailing on the edge of a lagoon. His beauty stretched the measuring tape to 100cm on the dot… well done Will! Gerry experienced something similar when he managed to entice a massive fish from a school to eat his fly, and following an intense battle the landed fish measured an impressive 109cm… well done Gerry! The tailing fish species were also encountered in good numbers resulting in Kris and Chris each landing their first Triggerfish on the fly. Well done gentlemen!

The third day delivered a truly diverse experience for our guests, with loads exciting opportunities in front of the different iconic flats species available on Providence. By day end our group had landed a total of 17 GTs, 5 Bonefish and a Triggerfish. The Triggerfish landed was a special one as it completed a flats slam of a GT, Bonefish, and Triggerfish for Alexander… excellent job Alexander!

The fourth day saw a total of 16 GTs and another 3 Triggerfish landed. The only Bonefish of the day was landed by Duncan, when he completed his first and the group’s second flats slam of the week… well done Duncan!

The fifth day produced more exciting variety on the flats and in the bluewater, with 7 GTs, 6 Triggerfish, and 3 Milkfish landed. The highlights of the day included Mark and Margaret’s first ever Triggerfish catches. A special mention goes out to Margaret who went on to complete her first flats slam consisting of a GT, Bonefish, and Triggerfish… fantastic Margaret! The conditions proved perfect for fishing for the atoll’s resident Milkfish population, which resulted in Will, Vaughn, and Chris all landing their first Milks on the fly, Great job guys! Chris’s Milkfish success late in the day completed yet another slam… superbly done Chris!

The sixth and final day of the fishing week saw our guests enjoy bluebird skies and very little wind. The conditions, perfect for sight fishing, delivered a total of 19 GTs landed. Margaret enjoyed the standout catch with an incredibly powerful 103cm GT, picked from a school that was found staging up on the edge of the atoll, nicely done Margaret! The Bumphead Parrotfish were encountered in good numbers resulting in both Mark and Vaughn completing there first ever Bumphead catches… Well done gents! The Milkfish were again found feeding heavily on the outer rim of the atoll, Alex and Duncan going on to land one each… their first ever on the fly. Excellent job guys.

Another busy of week of fly fishing for the full assortment of species available at Providence Atoll has come to an end. As always, it was a pleasure to share the ultimate saltwater playground with our guests during week 3 of this season, and we look forward to what the next trip has in store for us.

Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 90 (3 over a 100cm and biggest 109cm)
Bumphead Parrotfish – 2
Triggerfish – 12
Milkfish – 5
Bonefish – 8
Napoleons Wrasse- 1
Total tally of other species landed – 483

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 5 – 15 March 2022

Greetings and welcome to the opening trip of the Providence March/April 2022 fly fishing season. This week saw us welcome a full group of guests from the US and South Africa for an extended 10 night/9-day expedition. Some of the anglers on board our trusty mothership had visited Providence on several occasions prior and immediately got to work setting the vibe with wild tales of past experiences on the atoll. The feelings and emotions on the boat were mutual amongst our guide team as we settled in for the evening, everyone itching to get out there and explore the saltwater playground that lay before us.

The first day of the trip saw our party experience tricky conditions with intense winds and gloomy skies. Despite this we managed to land a total of 8 GTs with a special mention for Michelle who managed to realize her saltwater fly fishing dream by landing her first ever GT on the fly, well done Michelle!

The second day saw an improvement from the weather gods and the exciting fly fishing action burned red hot with total of 20 GTs landed for the day. John enjoyed the standout catch of the day after spotting a jet-black GT that was in close pursuit of a stingray. He presented a perfect cast and following a few quick strips he was connected to a trophy GT that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 103cm. Congrats John! The tailing fish species were also encountered in good numbers with a total of 2 Triggerfish landed with Michelle ticking off her first Yellow Margin Triggerfish on the fly, well done Michelle. Both Michelle and John went on to land the first few Bonefish of the season with John’s fish rounding off a flats slam…well done! Other firsts on the second day included Mark and Craig’s first ever GT on the fly.

On the third day our group continued to enjoy great fishing on the flats with another 20 GTs landed for the day. The catch of the day went to Chris who managed to hook and land his personal best GT from a school of bow waking of fish. His trophy fish measured an impressive 103cm. Pat had one of those special Providence days and landed a total of 6 GTs himself. Great fishing and well done Pat. The iconic green tails of the Bumphead Parrotfish were encountered in good numbers and our group managed to land a total of 4 Bumpies for the day – Carl, Ron, Jon and Chris all landing their first ever Bumpies… Excellent job gentlemen!

Day four and more fantastic GT action to report with a total of 16 GTs landed. Carl enjoyed a stella day on the flats landing a total of 4 GTs and topped it off with his first Yellow Margin Triggerfish. Congrats Carl! A total of 3 Bumpies were brought to hand for the day with Craig and Scott each landing their firsts on the fly. Only one Bonefish was landed for the day, but it was a special one because it completed a flats slam for Scott!

The fifth day saw a total of 11 GTs landed. Pat landed the top catch, an incredibly powerful fish of 106cm… Excellent job Pat! The resident Triggerfish population came to the party in a big way providing loads of shots and a total of 8 Triggers were landed for the day – Anglers Mark, Jon, Ron, and Tom all landed their first ever Triggers on the fly. Fantastic job guys.

The sixth day provided our guests with loads of shots to the full flats fishing variety available on the flats. Our group managed to land a total of 10 GTs, 3 Triggers, and a single Bumpie for the day. As is typical of most weeks, on day 6 our guests were well and truly in the flow of things and the opportunities converted were accompanied by that special feeling of self-accomplishment.

The seventh day saw a total of 12 GTs landed with Pat again in the thick of the action on the big fish front. He landed another GT of a meter, this one measuring 100cm on the dot. His trophy came with the last cast of the day after seeing the fish leading a school while they pushed up a lagoon edge… well done Pat. Michelle tasted sweet success while fishig for the bizarre Bumphead Parrotfish and finally managed to land her first on the fly after several close calls during the 6 days prior. Ron, Mark, and Jon had the right kind of Bumpie mojo on their boat, each of them bringing one to hand, great job guys.

The eighth day delivered more fantastic action for GTs with a total of 18 landed. After spotting a school of fish hovering over some mudding stingrays Chris and Carl quickly managed to secure a double up. Well done gentleman, a special moment shared between friends and one we’re sure they will remember fondly for years to come.

The ninth and final day of fishing delivered incredibly tricky fishing conditions with continuous heavy rain and dark skies. Our guests however soldiered on and went onto land an impressive number of 13 GTs for the day. The catch of the day, however, went to Carl who after seeing a pod of tailing Bonefish managed to convince the largest fish of the school. Following several lightning-fast runs Carl went on to land a beautiful 10-pound fish, well done Carl! Pat also ended his trip in style with an incredibly large Bluefin Trevally that measured 83cm, great catch Pat!

This ends the opening week of fishing in the wild and exciting waters of Providence Atoll. Despite the variable weather conditions, a very productive week of fly fishing was enjoyed by everyone on the trip. We loved sharing this experience with everyone and can’t wait to welcome this group back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 128 (4 of 100cm plus)
Triggerfish – 20
Bumphead Parrotfish – 12
Bonefish – 4 (1 of 10lbs.)
Total tally of other species caught – 623

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 30 November – 7 December 2021

Welcome to the 8th and final week of the 2021 Providence Atoll fly fishing season. Following a quick yet thorough tackle setup, we steamed towards Providence with an excited expectation of what the atoll had in store for our group which was made up of new and familiar faces.

The first morning dawned with clear skies and a stiff south-easterly wind. Water conditions were perfect for the atoll’s tailing fish species and our guests managed to convert several opportunities, with Sergey and Maxim landing a colourful Triggerfish each. Jeremy got stuck into the Bones landing 9 himself, one of which was an absolute monster of 10lbs. After seeing a forked tail break the surface on the edge of a turtle grass pancake, Jeremy presented his fly to the fish and after inducing the take, watched as his backing was stripped off his reel at lightning speed. After an intense fight he eventually managed to land a beautiful Bonefish and a genuine trophy…congrats Jeremy! A total of 2 GTs were landed for the day, with Claire and Michael sharing the spoils each landing their first Providence GTs on the fly. The day however belonged to Michael who after landing a Bonefish and a GT, managed to hook and land a large Bumphead Parrotfish to complete an Indian Ocean flats slam on his very first day fly fishing in saltwater! What a way to announce yourself to the Indian Ocean, well done Michael!

Day 2 dealt us challenging conditions which consisted of strong winds and overcast skies for most of the day. This made fly fishing opportunities for the faster moving targets a little trickier to convert, which resulted in just 2 GTs landed for the day. The tailing species, however, were out in full force and our guests managed to bring numerous special catches to hand. Most notable was a large lead fish Bumphead Parrotfish for Claire who expertly presented her crab and set the hooks on. She kept her composure and after a long tug of war, she managed to land her first ever Bumpie on the fly. Great work Claire. The duo of Claire and Kevin then went to work on the atoll’s Bonefish population landing several fish each during an exciting skinny water walk and stalk fly fishing session. The high tide then allowed us to try our hand for the resident Sailfish population. Sergey took his chance, hooking and landing the first Sailfish of the week.

Day 3 dawned with clearer skies and a moderate south-easterly wind. The good light and better conditions from a visibility perspective resulted in more convertible opportunities on GTs . A total of 7 were landed for the day. Steve and Jason managed to hook and land their first-ever GTs. Jason’s fish was an extra special one that was caught after he spotted a large stingray mud trail with several GTs feeding in it. Jason closed the distance between himself and the school and made his presentation only managing to get through a few strips before going tight and eventually landing a trophy of 104cm. A well-deserved catch, well done Jason! Jeremy also converted his chance when he saw a big fish bow waking between two deeper potholes on a large turtle grass flat. He made a long cast across the fish’s path and watched as it blasted towards and eventually inhaled his fly. An intense battle ensued with the fish giving several powerful runs before his beauty measuring 103cm was landed… nicely done, Jeremy! The big fish report continued with the fish of day going to Kevin, who after seeing a fish tailing along a mottled turtle grass edge, got into position and presented his fly with long fast strips. The fish covered the distance to the fly in a blink of an eye and engulfed it in the classic GT style. With the hook set the fish proceeded to strip backing with an aggressive first run and after a dogged back and forth he managed to get the fish to hand. The fish pulled the measuring tape to an impressive 116cm. A fish of a lifetime, well done Kevin!

Day 4 saw us enjoy clear skies and conditions favourable for productive Giant Trevally fly fishing. This resulted in a total of 10 brought to hand for the day. Maxim, who was on his first-ever saltwater fly fishing trip, managed to hook and land his first GT on the fly when he encountered a fish following a stingray during the incoming tide. The fish wasted little time charging down his fly in exceptionally shallow water, throwing water 4ft into the air when it turned following the hookset. An exciting moment and wonderful spectacle, congrats Maxim!

Day 5 and more of the same from a visibility perspective. The great visuals on the flats assisted our group in converting their opportunities, with us landing a total of 15 GTs for the day. The highlight of the day’s exploits went to Claire after she spotted a massive blue shape creeping its way up the edge of a coral pancake flat. Waiting patiently, she delivered an accurate presentation as the fish came into range. The moment the fish spotted her fly, it accelerated forward smashing her baitfish imitation. After the hookset, the game was on to wrestle the fish out of the coral gardens and after successfully doing this her trophy was brought to hand. A new personal best of 113cm!!! Well done on completing a magnificent catch, Claire!

The final day of the fishing week saw us experience severe weather conditions, with strong gusts of wind and heavy rain for most of the day. Despite the challenging conditions our group managed to land a total of 9 GTs, the standout catch going to Michael who had been on a mission to land a trophy GT on the fly. His efforts paid off when a shoal of 5 fish was spotted swimming along the edge of a large turtle grass flat. He made a great presentation several yards ahead of the fish, waited for them to swim closer, and then began his retrieve going tight shortly thereafter. He later brought in a powerful 98cm GT, which was a great catch considering the trying conditions experienced at the time. Well done Michael.

With the wind at our back, we bring the first half of the Providence 2021 season to a close. Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 46 (5 over a meter)
Bumphead Parrotfish – 3
Triggerfish – 2
Sailfish – 2
Bonefish – 25 (1 of 10lbs.)
Total tally of other species caught – 375

We enjoyed so many special moments on the flats this season! Shared smiles, laughs, and the odd moment of heartbreak together. A big thank you from us to the larger FlyCastaway family, we look forward to welcoming you all back in the near future.

Unit next season,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 16 – 23 November 2021

In what felt like a blink of an eye, we had already reached the start of the 6th week of the season. This week we welcomed a group mostly comprising of Providence regulars onboard our trusty mothership. The routine of tackle setup and safety orientation was at this point running like a well-oiled machine and we made quick work of both before we set sail towards the exciting saltwater wilderness of Providence Atoll.

Day 1 began with clear skies and a light south-easterly breeze. The conditions allowed our guests to enjoy the full range of diversity available on the atoll landing a total of 3 GTs, 3 Triggerfish, 5 Bones, and 2 Bumphead Parrotfish for the day. A special mention for Guetye who enjoyed a great day that began with a GT, his first Triggerfish, and eventually a large Bonefish that he managed to entice with a shrimp fly imitation which secured his first-ever Indian Ocean flats slam. What a way to get the fishing week started! Great job Guetye.

Weather conditions on day 2 were good, although somewhat windy with a stiff south-easterly blowing. Fly fishing for the Giant Trevally proved to be difficult on this day with a single fish coming to hand. Other catches of note included Guetye’s first-ever Bumphead Parrotfish caught on the fly as well as an absolute monster of Bonefish landed by Miachel. Miachel’s dream catch was encountered while he was wading the interior of a white sand flat when he saw a tailing Bonefish and after perfectly presenting his fly to the fish, he came tight. After surviving several runs into the backing he managed to land his biggest ever Bonefish which measured a staggering 31 inches. Great Job Miachel!

Day 3 dawned with clear skies and a continuation of the strong easterly wind. A total of 4 GTs, 1 Triggerfish, and several Bonefish were landed for the day. Stephane enjoyed some cracking moments of fly fishing hooking and landing a colourful Triggerfish and later landing a monster Bonefish that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 29 inches. Awesome fishing, well done Stephane.

Day 4 saw a marked improvement in the GT fishing, with a total of 11 landed for the day. Miachel had a great day managing to land a couple of Bonefish in the skinny water surrounding one of the larger white-sand islands of the atoll. Fly fishing for the different Groupers and Snappers available on Providence also turned up a couple of gears and some truly entertaining fishing was had by our guests while drifting over the various carol gardens scattered throughout the atoll.

Day 5 and we welcomed a break in the strong south-easterly wind that had been blowing for most of the week thus far. Enjoying the somewhat improved conditions our guests went on to capitalize on their opportunities and landed a total of 7 GTs and 1 Bumpie for the day. John landed 2 energetic GTs and Guetye continued his good form with Bumpies landing yet another one for the week. A special mention for Igor who encountered one of his bucket list catches after wading through some deep water and onto a shallow coral head exposed by the spring low tide. Once perched on top of the coral head he saw a magical blue shape appear on the edge of another large coral head just inside casting range. Following the presentation of his brush fly and an energetic retrieve, he came tight to the almost mythical Napoleon Wrasse. After an intense fight trying to keep the fish away from the numerous coral snags in the area, he managed to land his dream saltwater fish. A well-deserved catch, well done Igor!

The last day of the fishing week dawned with gloomy skies and heavy rain. Fortunately, these conditions were short-lived and we enjoyed clear skies by midmorning. A great day was had by our guests with 11 GTs brought to hand! A special mention goes out to Hugo who managed to land and tame 3 of 11 himself. After landing a beautiful Bumpie, Rodolphe then went on to hook and land his first ever GT on the fly, a great achievement, well done Rodolphe!

That brings us to the end of a fairly challenging but enjoyable week of fishing on Providence Atoll. The diversity of fly fishing scenarios available to our guests was on full display this week and we made the most of the opportunities presented to us with several epic catches coming to hand.

Our catch tally for the week was:

GTs – 37
Bumphead Parrotfish – 5
Triggerfish – 4
Bonefish – 9 (2 over 10lbs.)
Napoleon Wrasse – 2
Total tally of other species landed – 486

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 9 – 16 November 2021

Welcome to the fifth week of the Providence 2021/2022 season. This week we welcomed a group of familiar faces aboard the M.V Maya’s Dugong for the first time since the beginning of the CV-19 pandemic. Following a quick orientation of the mothership, we set to work readying our guest’s gear for all the exciting fly fishing scenarios likely to be encountered out on Providence.

Our guests this week were mostly interested in the tailing species that call Providence home, specifically the Bumphead Parrotfish and Triggerfish. Conditions were favorable for this and several opportunities were enjoyed during the first day of fishing delivering a total of 3 successful Bumphead Parrotfish catches. Grigory caught the standout catch for the day, landing an incredibly powerful 109cm Bumpie. Well done Grigory! Oleksandra experienced the thrill of walk and stalk fly fishing and managed to land her first ever Yellowmargin Triggerfish on the fly while exploring a lagoon edge. The GTs however proved difficult to come by on day 1 of the week with a total of 2 landed for the day, one of which was a trophy caught under unique circumstances. While fishing to a school of Bumphead Parrotfish Vadim presented a cast with his crab fly towards the school, going tight, shortly followed by the traditionally long first run into the backing. After a long battle, the fish was eventually landed and to his surprise, he had hooked and landed a 100cm Giant Trevally on his 9wt. Well done on this special catch Vadim!

Day 2 dawned with clear skies and a slight south easterly breeze. The tailing species were again on the menu. Grigory managed to land his first Triggerfish of the trip, while Andrei and Gennadiy enjoyed a productive Bonefishing session. A total of 6 Bumphead Parrotfish were landed for the day with John enjoying a truly memorable day on the flats landing 4 Bumpies, one of which a monster measuring a whopping 115cm. Well done John! Justin, an experienced visitor of the outer islands of Seychelles also got into the action and managed to hook and land his first Bumpie, and then followed that with another fish.

Day 3 dawned with clear skies on the horizon. A total of 2 bumpies were landed for the day with Vadim and Grigory enjoying the spoils by landing one each. The GTs finally began to make a reappearance on the atoll providing several opportunities on the flats for our guests. Gennadiy made the most of his chances after encountering a school of GTs tailing near 3 Nurse sharks. He presented his fly into the school and following just a few strips his fly was engulfed, shortly followed by yards and yards of backing as the fish steamed off. After an intense tussle, the fish was eventually landed pulling the measuring tape to 113cm. A fish of a lifetime… well done Gennadiy! Andrei also managed to land his first GT for the trip along with Vladimir also landing his first GT for the trip after spotting it pushing a bow wave in very shallow water. Vadim had another great day landing 2 Triggerfish.

Day 4 dawned with clear skies and a stiffer south easterly breeze. A great day was had on the tailing species, with no less than 8 triggerfish landed. A special mention goes out to Vladimir who managed to land 3 for the day….well done Vladimir. Vadim managed to land a GT early on in the morning and then followed that up with 2 Triggerfish and then a Bonefish to complete an Indian Ocean grand slam. Great job Vadim! Gennadiy had a great day too, landing both a Bumpie and a GT before the day came to an end.

Day 5 dawned with clear skies and a stiff south easterly breeze. Another great day was had while fishing for the tailing species, with John managing to open his Triggerfish account, following it up with another in quick succession. Justin also enjoyed a great day landing 2 Bumpies, while Vladimir again managed to land himself 3 Triggerfish. He followed that up with his first Bumpie of the trip… well done Vladimir.

Day 6 dawned with a change in weather, the eastern horizon littered with dark storm clouds and rolling banks of rain. A total of 2 GTs were landed for the day with a matching number of Bumpies being landed. John managed to better his first massive Bumpie. After landing his crab in a school of tailing fish, he hooked and tussled with a monster that measured 116cm…awesome fish well John! And finally, late on the final day with the sun nearing the horizon, Nikolai managed to hook and land the first and only sailfish of the week….well done Nikolai.

That brings us to the end of a very enjoyable week of fly fishing for Providence’s full assortment of tailing species. Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

GTs – 9 (2 over a meter)
Bumphead Parrotfish – 17 (Biggest 116cm)
Triggerfish – 19
Bonefish – 12
Sailfish – 1
Total tally of other species landed – 387

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Providence Blog: 2 – 9 November 2021

Welcome to the fourth week of the Providence 2021/2022 season. After picking up our new group of guests and welcoming them all aboard the Maya’s Dugong we set sail for Providence with an energised expectation of what the atoll had in store for us and our group of 12 new friends.

The first day dawned with clear skies and a southeasterly breeze. A great day of GT fishing was had with a total of 34 GTs landed. Al, Hal, and Bryan all managed to land their first GTs on the fly while Chris enjoyed fantastic success on his first day on Prov’s flats landing 12 GTs by himself, two of which broke the magical meter mark!

Day 2 saw a strengthing of the south-easterly breeze which had been absent for the previous week. Nevertheless, our group enjoyed yet another cracking day on the flats on the GT front with a total of 26 landed. Bryan enjoyed a moment of Providence magic while wading onto an exposed sandbank. He saw a large dark shape come into range and following a great presentation and a few quick strips he went tight and eventually landed a beautiful Giant Trevally of 102cm. Bryan didn’t stop there and went on to land an incredibly strong Bumphead Parrotfish, his first and the first landed by our group for the week. Well done Bryan!

Day 3 dawned with a stiff south-easterly breeze and conditions that allowed us access to the difficult-to-reach areas of the atoll. A total of 19 GTs were landed for the day with Dave and Tom managing to open their accounts for the week.

Day 4 dawned with clear skies and another opportunity to explore the far corners of the atoll which resulted in our group landing a total of 13 GTs for the day. While wading the edge of an exposed flat, Ken spotted two fish cruising the edge heading in his direction. He presented the fly with a good lead on the fish, stripped and watched as his fly was engulfed. After a long first run he landed a beautiful fish of 102cm, well done Ken! Whilst watching a massive school of tailing Bumpies wave their tails in front of him, Al made a perfect cast, came tight, and landed his first ever Bumpie on the fly!

Day 5 saw the south-easterly stiffen again with the eastern horizon remaining clear of cloud cover and rain. A total of 7 GTs were landed by our group for the day. Catches of note included Dave realising one of his dreams by connecting with a real trophy GT in the surf zone. His trophy was spotted surfing in behind a school of Bumpies, and following a pinpoint cast, the fish rushed forward and engulfed his fly. A long fight ensued and eventually, Dave had his dream catch firmly in his hands. This powerful fish measured an impressive 113cm…well done Dave! Bryan continued with his good form from the previous few days of fishing and hooked and landed his first ever Triggerfish, which was soon followed up with his second Bumpie of the week. With the potential of that elusive flats slam on both his and guide’s minds, the hunt was on for the GT. He eventually went on to hook and land a lively GT that was spotted pushing a wake in very shallow water. Congratulations on a well-deserved slam Bryan! Hal also enjoyed success on the Bumpie front, ticking off the fish he had been most interested in from the start of his trip. Nicely done!

Day 6 dawned with a darker horizon and a continuation of the stiff south-easterly breeze. Tricky conditions from a visibility point of view resulted in a total of 4 GTs landed for the day. Ken enjoyed the highlight of the day when he found himself in the right place at the right time. A very large black shape suddenly appeared in front of him, he shot out a quick cast and after several strips, a huge mouth exploded out of the water connecting him to a turbocharged Giant Trevally. After a blistering first run and a nervy battle to the end he eventually landed a monstrous fish that measured 122cm…..another fish of lifetime! Bryan then found himself amongst the Bumpies yet again and managed to land his third for the week, closing his weeks fishing on Providence in style.

Another week of tremendous fishing was enjoyed on Providence Atoll. A special thanks to all our guests who joined us this week, we had a blast exploring Prov’s flats with you all and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows: