Providence Blog: 7-14 Nov 2017
Providence Blog: 7-14 November 2017
We welcomed back the familiar French ‘foreign legion’ headed. Having had a look at the tides for the week we had to think a little outside the box as most of the days resulted in high neap tides with very limited time on the flats. Subsequently, planning sessions revolved around a substantial amount of blue water fishing for Sailfish. What lay ahead was however markedly different to what we initially anticipated and the flats really came to life and produced some really special fishing days.
The first day started with our guests waking up to free jumping sailfish behind the mothership. With pink sailfish flies strewn across every twelve weight on the boat all the skiffs headed out with teasers flaring behind the wake of the skiffs. Between the four boats a total of 18 sails were raised for the morning with only one landed by Christoff. Many sob stories were told that evening about lost sails and missed opportunities. Back to the flats as the water receded, saw Stephan himself getting the ball rolling landing the first fish of the trip. Malik, Alberto, Christian and Louis all followed suit landing a GT a piece. Bertrand was the only flyfisherman to get two fish on this day with one narrowly missing the 1mt mark.
With the tide only shifting an hour later, the skiffs once again set out to catch the now elusive sailfish. Malik did not disappoint and swiftly landed the first and only one for the day. As soon as the tide dropped and allowed the fishermen back onto the atoll the guides were spread from the Northernmost point of the atoll to the Southernmost point of the atoll and neither disappointed. The ball got rolling with Alberto quickly landing the first GT for the day. The ball then lost control as the team in the North laid waste on a school of GTs that frequent the white sand banks on the surf. All together they landed 15 GTs of which Malik continued some fine form and landed 7 while team mates Stefano and Jean Louis landed 4 apiece. The team in the south did not quite find the same numbers, however they did find something very very special by any flyfishermans standard. Bertrand and Louis both managed superior quality GTs but the highlight for the day was Stephan with his remarkable Napoleon Wrasse. Having targeted these fish for several seasons, every single one that has been hooked, has been lost due to a myriad of reasons. This time however, the stars aligned, and Stephan managed to tame an absolute monster on the fly in a tricky coral ridden area. Some huge congratulations to him.
The offshore water still boasted some immaculate blue water and we were once again hopeful that the sails would be around. This time round only the one boat ventured out and made the best of what was put in front of them. Alberto who up till this point had lost six Sails finally managed to bring one to hand. Shortly afterwards Christian also went on and managed to land his first ever Sailfish. Two ecstatic clients. Having identified some of the GT hotspots on the previous day, the skiffs ventured out once again with everyone’s focus primarily on GTs. The team of Stephan, Bertrand and Louis had a stellar day on the surf line, landing 13 GTs of which Stephan really excelled once again and caught 8 while Louis and Bertrand both managed 2 GTs each. Joseph, who is completely new to salt water flyfishing, persisted throughout the day and eventually landed his first ever GT. A memory that will remain with him for a long time to come. Stefano added to his tally landing two GTs for the day. Jean-Louis had the stand out day and caught his first ever Trigger that was found tailing along a finger flat separating two large lagoon systems. As the finger dissipated into the lagoon edge, Jean-Louis found himself casting at a larger than average GT on the back of a Lemon. Upon stripping at a rapid pace, the fish broke off from the shark and broke the surface of the water, mouth fully extended to engulf the fly. 101cm of pure power steamed off into the deep lagoon (#hellobacking – 😊). Having the had the Trigger and the GT, a huge emphasis was put into finding a Bone to complete the slam for Jean Louis, however it was not meant to be.
With the tide approaching a mid-day high, a decision was made to send two boats to the north eastern side of the atoll to explore an area that has probably only been fished by a handful of people. The decision paid off and both boats returned landing 10 and 12 Gts each. Most of these fish were caught out of schools of GTs pilling into the lagoons in the middle of the atoll. Jean-Louis landed 3, Stefano 2, Christian 6, Joseph 5, Alberto 1 and Malik landed 5 of which one of his fish narrowly broke the 1mt mark measuring 101cm. This was GT fishing at its best. The team of Stephan, Bertrand and Louis decided to take a different approach following their 12 GT day the previous day. Their focus shifted primarily onto Triggers. They were rewarded with some epic Trigger fishing seeing more than 50 Triggers for the day. In true Trigger fish fashion, it was easier said than done with some being super spooky, some following all the way to the rod tip and not committing to eating the fly while the others that did eat the fly were lost to coral, smashed up hooks, you name it they experienced it. The team did however manage to land a total of four for the day which was a great feat. In amongst the Trigger pandemonium, Louis got slightly distracted and could not help himself from catching one of the many GTs that swam by them. Louis also found himself in a situation with a group of feeding Milkfish over a white sand flat. A quick change in flies and three casts later he was in the battle of his life. In a fight that lasted almost 45 mins and a good couple of hundred meters later without the aid of a boat, the fish was leadered three times before the hooks pulled, right at the end of the fight.
With the tides reaching prime for Bonefish up in the northern part of the atoll, two boats moved onto flats renowned to hold good numbers of these green slabs. Although their numbers were not as we had hoped, Jean-Louis and Christian both managed to get three and four respectively. After the tide had risen substantially, both Jean-Louis and Christian both switched focus onto GTs and rightfully so as they both managed to get two GTs each. With both on the brink of slams, they switched to targeting Triggers, however as luck would have it, they were both denied slams as the Triggers they did find would not play game. Bertrand also followed suit by catching a Bone and a Trigger, but this time was denied the slam by not being able to land the GT that he did hook. Louis picked up where he left off the previous day on the feeding Milkfish on the flats. He managed to jump a further two only to be denied at the last minute of the fight as the hooks pulled in both instances. Alberto and Stefano kept the GT flag flying high and managed to land 1 and 3 respectively.
Having had a taste for the Bones on the previous day Stephan, Bertrand and Louis picked up where they left off and headed to a similar area. This time however, they found the Bones evenly spread out in singles and doubles over an extensive white sand flat. With the fish measuring between 24 and 27 inches, these solid average 7-8lb slabs rearranged the backing on all the fly reels used to target them, they managed 15 bones in very short succession. Bertrand also made a quick switch of rods and tamed a really solid GT that raced in between the Bones and almost caught him off guard. On a completely different flat, Joseph also got in on the action and managed to land a couple of Bones as well as a GT. The team of Christian, Malik and Jean-Louis ended the trip off on a high and managed to land 5 GTs all of which were plucked from a daisy chain of sting rays pilling up onto the flats on the latter part of a pushing tide.
Another really great week of fishing on this incredible atoll called Providence!
Our third week of the opening season on Farquhar after the cyclone Fantala hit the island in 2016; the newly built guest house has seen two groups of guests enjoy its facilities. This week we welcomed some new comers to the atoll as well as some familiar faces and party of two guests doing an extended trip. After touching down mid-morning on the atoll the guests enjoyed a few welcome drinks and snacks and then a safety briefing on the week’s activities, settled into their rooms and enjoyed lunch. We got right into tackle setup, ensuring everyone was ready for the week. Our guests were then able to have a short afternoon session where a few impressive Geets and Bones were landed around the lodge on the home flat, setting the tone for the week ahead.
Everyone was up early and raring to go, in search of that fish of a lifetime. After a full breakfast our guests jumped on the boats and headed out. As we head into neap tides the sheer amount of water expands the options for the fish as they now have multiple entry and exit points from which to choose from to hunt and ambush prey making the window of opportunity for our guests longer but at the same time finding the right depth and fish holding water the challenge. With the western side of the lagoon holding more clear water some chose to explore this option while others chose to do a surf walk. With a morning high a few guests opted to try their hand at some blue water to try and see if they could raise a Sail fish, there were a few raised but non committed to the fly on the switch. The GTs were around in solid numbers and a few came to hand. Congratulations to Chantel for landing her first Geet of the week at 79cm and to Ferdi for yet another Geet, this one measuring 78cm. The wait was finally over for Eugene who had hooked 6 Bumpies the previous week but hadn’t managed to convert, this day saw him land a fine 78cm specimen. Well done to Christian for his first Farquhar Bumpie, stretching the tape at 103cm. There were really high numbers of Bumpies around on the Atoll with a few more Bumpies hooked but bitten off during the fight. The Triggers were tailing hard and a few hook ups were lost, thankfully a few did come to hand with a first Trigger for Stephanie. There were many Bones landed today and a few big ones. The species count opened with a bang with a whole variety of reef dwelling species coming to hand, including a big 80cm Boha for Andre.
After a solid start to the week some guests were keen to go and seek revenge on the previous day’s missed opportunities while others were in search of something specific. With the day’s fishing plans explained and briefings done we headed out. A midmorning high tide gave our guests the chance to go blue water fishing or frequent a land mass until the tide had receded enough to access the flats. With the eastern side of the atoll experiencing some warmer green water, finding the right conditions, water temperature and depth was going to be crucial. The Geets were around and a few came to hand, huge congratulations to Stephanie who on day one had hook ups with the predatory Geets that just didn’t work out. Today she turned it around and converted to land a fine 81cm Geet and her first ever, this fish was swimming with a shark and another GT over a white sandy bottom on the highway; after making the cast both Geets charged the fly and the smaller of the 2 got to the fly first and engulfed it. The day was an eventful one with the powerful GTs causing havoc – a rod snap during the fight and a rod pulled out of a guest’s hand as the Geet turned on the gas and with it went the rod lost to the ocean. It was an incredible day for Nadine who completed a Grand Slam with a Permit of 50cm, a Trigger of 45cm and a reputable 66cm GT, well done Nadine! The Triggers were around in good numbers with a few being landed but unfortunately more battles being won by the fish at this stage.
Hot and humid with little to no wind was in store for our guests on the third day, finding blue cool water was the way to go. Andre getting it done on a nice Bumpie of 86cm, this fish was the lead fish in a pod of 12 Bumpies tailing over the turtle grass flats. This fish put up a solid tussle and 35min later the fish was landed. The Geets were around in solid numbers and unfortunately for the fishermen won the day with a few hooked but none landed. There were good numbers of Bones landed and an impressive 25inch bone caught by Ferdi off a white sand flat, this fish was swimming alone just off the beach. The species account was especially high today as the high water gives our guests the opportunity to catch some of Farquhar’s incredible species with a nice 67cm Boha landed by Chantel off a coral head.
After a solid breakfast our guests were ready to head out to try and land that fish of a lifetime. As the week progresses some have lost a few battles with fish and some have been won, at this stage of the week specific species are usually targeted by some and one guest who made it happen today with the holy grail of fish was Andre, landing a sizable Permit, this fish fell prey to an accurate presentation and tailed on the fly, charging off after the hook set taking Andre well into his backing a few times, this beautiful fish was 69cm, a fantastic achievement! With there being good volumes of water around the GTs were smashing bait that was packed close to shore in and around the coral ridges making for some exciting eats. There were Geets caught today by Ferdi and son Eugene up to 85cm during a long surf walk. A GT was also hooked and a shark landed as the hooked GT was smashed by a Blacktip and then hooked, after some exciting visuals the shark was landed. The Triggers won the day with the hook ups ending in the fish’s favour while the Bones are keeping our clients’ rods bent and reels screaming.
Nearing the end of the week our guests have enjoyed themselves immensely, sampling the diverse range of species this incredible fishery has to offer. With a mid-morning high we still got to experience an increase in water depth through the morning bringing with it some cooler water and feeding fish. After having racked up all but one of her target species Chantal was determined to land a Bumpie today and she got the job done with an impressive fish of 105cm, this fish was landed off the turtle grass flat and was in a huge pod of around 25 fish. This fish was the lead fish, the pod tailing on the turtle grass, after stalking these fish for 3 hours Chantal got the fish to eat and then the battle began; after a 35min fight the fish was landed much to her delight. She also managed a solid 80cm Geet as well as a few other fish through the day. There was another special fish for our guest Hani today who was hunting his first GT of the week, after hooking and parting ways with a few it all came together with a fish of 81cm. This fish was hooked swimming with another 3 Geets. A well-presented cast and the GT peeled off from the group and smashed the fly. There was a Geet for Christian as well of 72.5cm, this fish on the back of a sting ray on the flats. The fish didn’t hesitate and shot off the ray, charged the fly and took off.
Into the final day and a few of our guests were still in search of that special fish. With an afternoon high, giving our guests a solid morning session getting to fish the entire push and most of the drop the day was looking good, stable weather around, low winds and high humidity made the last day picture perfect. There was still some warm water around on the eastern side of the inside of the lagoon so our guests opted for surf walk and some headed out to the western side of the atoll which had been dropping and pushing blue. In search of yet another special fish, the Bumpie, Christiaan headed out on the final day with high hopes and had a day to remember! He landed 2 Bumpie slams off the turtle grass flats – a solid 95cm and 80cm respectively as well as a few Bones to complete the slam. The Bumpies were landed 20 minutes apart, both from the same school of fish tailing hard on the flats, the first being the lead fish in the school, after epic battles both fish were landed. It didn’t end there for Christian though, he also landed an 80cm Geet that had been spotted cruising with a shark. There were some big Bones hooked and lost in the surf with a few decent specimens landed. The species account increased as most of our guests had caught their targeted species and wanted to catch a variety of the Farquhar species on offer. After a tricky week with high water a solid amount of fish were landed and our guests had a great time . We shared stories over a final dinner and made plans to keep in contact, many of our guests already looking to book for next year, having enjoyed their stay and the comfort of the new guest house as well as the food and hospitality.
Our second day out on the flats saw us moving into the full moon spring tides cycle which cause a lot of water movement throughout the atoll. These tides bring in huge numbers of predatory fish and are ideal conditions for hunting GTs, there was a morning falling tide meaning some solid wading time on the flats. The GTs were around in good numbers and some of the guests managed to capitalize; a huge congratulations must go to Eugene who managed to get a fish of 111cm riding on the back of a big lemon shark! A well presented cast and a slow long strip caught its attention, the fish rushed and engulfed the fly and after a solid tussle the battle was eventually won.
A moderate easterly wind and bright sunshine were the conditions on the fourth day. We were now in the middle of the full moon spring tide cycle with huge volumes of water being pushed on and off the atoll. A 12pm low ensured we got to fish a few solid hours of the dropping tide as well as the following pushing tide. Some guests opted for the white sandy flats and turtle grass areas whilst the more adventurous whose legs were up for the challenge took on the surf. Arriving at the surf they were greeted with milky water but thankfully it was still cool from the night before and the clarity improved as the morning progressed. Congratulations has to go to Jeff for completing his Grand Slam and landing a GT, Trigger and Bone at the runway on the northern tip of the atoll. It took some really impressive and technical fishing to achieve this as conditions were tricky. The Trigger of 50cm was hooked on the dead low in the surf in a foot of water – this fish ran around numerous coral heads before being landed. Then came the Bonefish and to complete the slam an hour into the push Jeff found a GT cruising with a Lemon shark. He made the cast and the GT peeled off the shark and smashed the fly. Congratulations is also due to Gehard for landing a GT of 82cm.
With the week slowly but surely drawing to a close our guests have all had some great shots at a few trophy Farquhar fish. Some came to hand and others caused sleepless nights and nightmares. The latter being the case for Rich who had a few shots at GTs but unfortunately none of them this far worked out. Happily for him, he managed to convert his chance and land his first GT measuring in at 83cm on day 5. This fish was hooked during a surf walk on the runway over the dropping tide. He found the fish cruising in the cuts in the exposed coral reef. After losing a few metre plus fish this week Tony was also eager and driven to get it done. Congratulations to Tony for achieving his personal best GT of 101cm while wading the turtle grass patches near the surf. This GT was spotted cruising against the current during the dropping tide. Tony ran ahead of the fish, made the cast and the fish exploded on the fly with an epic chase and eat.
More carefully laid out and specific plans were put in place for day two. Vladimir started the day off in fine form and after a long chase got a GT to turn and rush the fly, the fish eating the fly a few inches off the rod tip. The team of Ben, Richard and Thomas had a day which really epitomises what Providence is all about. The start of the pushing tide saw Ben landing two GTs off the bat, Richard following shortly after when he hooked and landed a fish which was hugging the back of a shark. Later Thomas hooked and landed his first ever Bumpy and once the tide pushed them off the flats completely they headed offshore where their team located a school of feeding Milkfish. Richard was the first go tight and after a swift 15 minute battle he landed his first ever Milkfish. Ben then followed suit and in the dying minutes of the day hooked into his MilK. The initial acrobatic behaviour of the fish soon receded and the fish sounded into the depths. Finally after some intense moments circling the boat the fish was finally netted. Mark also took advantage of the feeding Milks and hooked and landed his first ever Milkfish. Tony Hayes became the second guest to narrowly be denied the one-metre mark when he unbelivevably also landed a 99cm GT. Good fishing friends Doug and Tony both caught GTs shortly after each other, whilst Shamal continued his fine form and landed a very nice looking Yellow Margin Trigger. The highlight of the day however had to be the monstrous GT he landed. This fish had his name written all over it! It all started whilst wading a sand drainage area. The free-swimming GT slowly meandered out of the deep right up to the shallow bank he was wading. The cast was set in the right area and the fish charged only to refuse the fly. Two more strips and the fish turned and came again. At this stage, the leader was already through the front eye when the fish ate the fly. After the hook set, the fish sped off taking Shamal’s 12wt rod tip with it. The running line then proceeded to wrap around the mid-section, and before he knew it the mid-section was gone leaving him with only a butt section and screaming reel. Thankfully things improved and despite some nerve wracking moments a 121cm behemoth was brought to hand. Just an incredible moment!
After an action-packed Day 2, the overcast conditions on the third day made fishing pretty tricky from a spotting point of view. The team consisting of Thomas, Richard and Ben however could not put a foot wrong. Ben and Richard quickly found themselves in the thick of it once again, each of them landing two GTs a piece. Thomas hugged an area which was holding some Triggers where he was rewarded with a beautiful Yellow Margin specimen after it pinned his crab hard against the sand. Ben subsequently swapped over to his 9wt and in typical Providence fashion what should apear…a GT swimming on the back of a stingray. Without any time to change back to his 12 weight he had no choice but to pitch the crab fly at the GT. The fish broke off from the stingray and snatched up the crab imitation and the rest is history. Vladimir started the day fishing for the Milkfish daisy chaining literally meters off the back of the mothership. Within a couple of mins he pinned one and off it went. The fish fought like a gladiator and eventually after being towed around for more than a kilometre he landed his prize. Shamal continued his good form when he landed his fourth GT for the trip, Mark also getting in on the action before the end of third day on the flats.
Determined to make up for the tricky fishing previous day, we set out with some seriously promising plans. Shamal stepped up yet again and landed three GTs, the largest being his second metre plus fish at 106cm. Tom, Tony, Tony, Richard and Thomas all made valuable contributions with a GT a piece, whilst Vladimir and Grigori concentrated their efforts on the currently elusive Bumpies for the first half of the day. Unfortunately luck was not on their side when the guys hooked three of the green giants and a Trigger, before becoming unbuttoned. A species focus change of heart ended and with a nice cold water push and they were rewarded with three fish. Besides the good GT fishing the group encountered numerous groupers, snappers as well as some solid Bluefin Trevally. Doug only just missed out on landing his first Sailfish when a really hot sail came tearing through the prop wash and tried multiple times to engulf the fly.
Moving to an area which is renowned for producing big fish during the bigger tides we headed out with plenty of optimism. Mark who thus far had had a reasonably quiet trip went hell for leather to rectify things. His first GT was hooked off a tailing nurse shark, the fish measuring a very respectable 93cm. Moments later he hooked and landed another fish that literally ripped backing off the reel before being subdued. Tony was very unfortunate to lose an absolute brute of a fish after his backing snapped during the fight, this also resulted in half the rod being torn off as the line snapped and disappeared. Shamal capiltised yet again with another three GT haul, including another trophy fish measuring 110cm. His boat partners Tony and Doug also found themselves in the thick of it, Tony landing two and Doug one. Ben and Rich also brought home good news as they both managed to entice two fish sitting in pots to race out and eat their flies. A really exciting day out!
It’s with a great sense of excitement that we write this report from Farquhar Atoll. After nearly 18 months of clearing and rebuilding, the new lodge is now officially up and running and it looks terrific! The new layout offers more privacy for our guests when they want it and the large social dining and bar area is sure to impress all future guests, including those wanting to kick back whilst enjoying a cocktail and a chat about that great day out on the water. It really is so good to be home! Joining us on this momentous week were Rich, Millie and Jon from the Trouthunter along with a group of great friends. Despite some of them having fished St Brandon’s with us, this was to their first trip to Farquhar and they were clearly excited to get stuck into some world class flats fishing and enjoy their own private atoll for a week!
Day one had a strong south easterly wind blowing over the flats which kept the water cool and the fish hungry. Solid numbers of GTs were sighted across the atoll and despite it being the first GT fishing for many of our guests we managed to land a few, John and Ben both landing their firsts. One of the fish proved to be the fish we all dream about! A large fish was spotted cruising away over a white sand flat in the south, and after a few attempts the fish turned towards Robert. Robert made another cast and after two strips the fish tracked and inhaled the fly. It instantly bolted off for deeper water but after an incredibly powerful battle the glorious specimen came to hand. She was all of 120cm and a cracking way to start the week and our season! Congrats Robert! The Bones were around in good numbers on the eastern side of the atoll and provided good sport, whilst the Triggers too offered up some opportunities, it was just our friends the Bumpheads which were a bit scarce, the big tides no doubt keeping them off the shallower flats. All in all a great way to start our season!
Clear skies greeted us as we head out on day two, the last bit of the drop and the full push providing an extended GT session. This worked a treat and congratulations must go to Richard, Scott and Grant, all three of them landing their first ever GTs on a fly rod..awesome! The Bones were still around in good numbers which provided some great action, however despite multiple shots at our our friends the Triggers, they had the final say on day two. But Farquhar is never to be underestimated in terms of the species options it can deliver, firstly Gerhard landed a couple of Milks from the beach, following which Heidi managed to hook and land a beautiful Indo-Pacific Permit and finally Jeff enticed and most importantly landed a 92cm Napoleon wrasse. It was another really special day out on water!
Sadly day three dawned dark & menacing, the blustery conditions deteriorating as the day progressed. With intermittent cloud bursts and brief patches of sunlight, making the most of opportunities was going to be the key. Our guests took up the challenge and were rewarded with some good fish despite the trying conditions. More GTs were landed, special mention going to Grant and Scott for their double up on a GT and a Napoleon Wrasse. The Bones continued to feed aggressively in the icy cold water, and eventually our first Trigger of the season went to Ben. He didn’t stop there though and managed to land our first “SLAM” for the season by ticking off a GT, Bonefish and Trigger despite the very difficult conditions! Great job Ben!
Sadly the tough conditions did not improve. A dropping tide and extremely high south easterly winds made the lagoon and the outer reaches of the atoll inaccessible by boat, so with our guests still eager to head out we waited for the mid day low tide and took the tractor to the runway flat where we could fish on foot in safety. Conditions however had the final say and despite a few small fish coming to hand, the warm and obviating atmosphere of the lodge proved too great and we headed back!
Conditions improved slightly on day five which at least enabled to us head out across the atoll. The Bumphead Parrots made their first real appearance on the week, large pods being spotted tailing across the atoll. Rich stepped up to the plate and landed our first fish of the season, his 90cm specimen coming in after an epic battle. Good numbers of GTs presented themselves and despite too many departing prematurely, we did land some good ones. Grant in particular landed a great one, his 105cm specimen our second meter plus fish for the week. The fish was spotted hugging the back of a Lemon Shark, this time the bigger fish getting to the fly first thankfully! After a lengthy fight this incredible fish was landed. The Triggers continued to provide opportunities but proved skittish, the Bones however anything but with huge numbers of fish encountered!
Thankfully the break in the weather arrived on our final day on the water. With a midday low we had the chance to fish and it was phenomenal. Large schools of GTs had arrived in the lagoon from the open ocean, one particular group enjoying some mind blowing GT fishing. Wading the turtle grass flat Rich and Millie saw their flies chased and smashed continuously, some epic battles ending with broken fly lines but at the end of of it 10 fish between them. A special shout out to Millie for her perseverance! During the course of the week she had hooked plenty but things had not gone her way, this changed though with her tally for the day ending at 5, the biggest of which was a gorgeous 97cm fish! Truly a great session to be a part of and a great way to end our first week back.
With the rebuild to Farquhar’s lodge progressing at full steam during the months of March and April, the atoll’s incredible fish population for the most part carried out their daily existence without the presence of anglers or guides. I say for the most part, as we were fortunate to sample at least one week of incredible flats & offshore fishing on Farquhar, albeit from Maya’s Dugong at the end of our Providence atoll season. It was a week I had been really looking forward to, this incredible atoll and fishery holding a very special place in my heart and which thankfully will again become my home for two 3 month stints per year starting October this year. But back to the fishing a bit later.
During every weekly changeover on our Providence season I got to spend an hour or two on Farquhar as we waited for the plane to arrive. I was amazed by the pace at which the IDC building team has worked on Farquhar. To give you an idea, the cleanup of the area between the slipway and the airstrip had been completed in less than 5 months, an incredible achievement considering the size of the area and the amount of fallen trees and other debris that was originally left over from the cyclone. On the building front, the staff have been on top of their game here as well. Every week new buildings were erected whilst others received their finishing touches, in a style and layout that I believe will make a huge impression on our guests. Anglers will now be accommodated in three separate duplex style chalets that overlook the lagoon. Each chalet contains two air-conditioned bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, the new layout certain to provide additional privacy and that finishing touch to a week of incredible flats fishing. The former guesthouse has been converted into a large dining and lounge area, which together with the new bar area is sure to provide an extremely comfortable and relaxed environment for our guests whilst enjoying a cold beer or nice glass of wine with their evening meals. All in all, it looks terrific and I cannot wait to welcome our guests in the new format this coming October!
And now back to the fishing during that one week. Our guests from England, Germany and South Africa had arrived with high expectations, especially considering the atoll hasn’t been fished for nearly five months. The good news is Farquhar did anything but disappoint! Plenty of GT action took place on the outer reefs as well as on the flats inside the lagoon, with all our guests sampling the thrill of GT’s charging in and eating a rapidly stripped streamer. This is clear proof that not only has the cyclone refreshed the system, but also that the rule of zero plugging and teasing for GT’s offshore, as well as on the atoll which has now been in effect for the last two and half seasons is really paying dividends. We are also seeing bigger and bigger GT’s coming onto the flats on a regular basis, so for guests looking for that real trophy GT, Farquhar is tough to look past. Our friends the Triggerfish were also around in good numbers, their colourful tails providing many memorable walk and stalk moments between guests and their guides. The hungry Bonefish were in good numbers and provided superb light tackle sport in some super skinny water. Farquhar’s infamous Bumphead parrotfish are present in good numbers as well, and despite us losing more than we landed provided some intense wade fishing sessions never to be forgotten. I for one cannot wait to spend hours and hours stalking these gentle giants come October! The reef species we encountered really have me excited for the coming season, the group enjoying some superb “Bommie Bashing” for Bohar Snapper, Groupers, Napoleon Wrasse, Bluefin Trevally, Emperors…the list just went on! So as you can tell, the fishing lived up to our expectations….in fact it was great!
So if I consider the fishing we experienced now, together with those three weeks in November last year, it’s little wonder I’m counting down the days until I strap on my wading boots for another gloriously long season on Farquhar. Below is a selection of images taken from the two periods. Myself and the rest of the guide team are really looking forward to this new chapter on Farquhar and hope to see you all out there someday soon!
The new lodge on Farquhar is really coming on nicely, and although we will only begin operating out of it in October this year, it was great to see the progress that has been made. The layout from one central house has changed, whereby our guests will now be accommodated in three duplex style chalets, the large central house being converted into a common area that will include a lounge, dining area and bar. It’s going to be terrific!
Day 1 – We were on neaps and the atoll looked in great shape, cold blue water for as far as you can see. With that came the fish, including good numbers of GT’s and is Farquhar’s way some really big ones! We managed to get stuck into some straight away, including two special fish for Christopher and David, the two of them landing their first ever GT on the fly. Congrats guys! The Triggers were also around in solid numbers during our first day out, but despite a couple of hook ups we were going to have to a little longer before photographing our first for the trip. Strangely enough the Bumpies were a bit scarce, only a handful of shoals spotted during the course of the day. The species fishing was however off the charts and a great sign that the atoll is in fine shape. We subsequently landed good numbers of Bohar Snapper, various species of emperors, groupers and the ever-exciting Bluefin Trevally. A really positive start!
Day 2 – Weather wise we enjoyed text book conditions, the clear sky and a light breeze providing optimal conditions. The GT’s were around in good numbers again and some of our guests managed to capitalize, another first on fly going to Robyn who has fished other Seychelles atolls previously. Congrats Robyn! As if that wasn’t enough, he then managed to break the magical meter mark on the same day with his second GT stretching the tape to 108cm. The fish was spotted cruising around a small coral island on the western side of the atoll and after a well presented cast and dedicated strip, it picked up speed in a split second and smashed the fly. After taking a good amount of string Robyn put the breaks on and the fish was eventually landed. Congrats sir! Although not mentioned previously, the Bonefishing has been nothing but spectacular and today was no exception. Often overlooked by guests coming to Farquhar, it is a reminder that Farquhar is certainly more than a GT fishery. The Triggers too presented themselves in good numbers but still seem to be winning the battle…at this stage! The species fishing continued to impress all our guests, the coral heads and other structure teaming with life! Another great day of fishing!
Day 3 – We headed out on a morning dropping tide and a bit more wind blowing throughout the atoll. The GTs presented themselves again in good numbers and the guys managed to get a few to hand. Sadly we hooked some really big fish in the surf but the end results were not in our favor. The Bones were still around in good numbers and were there for the taking for any guest who was in the mood to target them. The Bumpies also started to show themselves in better numbers and were often seen feeding lazily over the flats. A huge congrats to Ivan on his outstanding day of fishing, his Bumphead Parrotfish, Bonefish and GT earning him a coveted Farquhar Slam. Needless to say spirits were high as everyone relaxed onboard after yet a another great day out on the water.
Day 4 – The fishing continued to impress, with good numbers of GTs prowling the flats ready to smash any well-presented baitfish imitation. We managed to land a couple for the day which is all you can ever ask for, but today will be remembered for an enormous fish lost (one of the biggest we have ever seen) whist guide an angler were fishing the surf section on the Eastern side of the atoll. Heartbreak…but further evidence that Farquhar is fishing well and it remains one of the best places to encounter monster GT’s on foot! The Bonefishing remains outstanding and with good numbers of Triggers around as well provided some superb light tackle action.
Day 5 – The weather continued to hold and with it so did the GT fishing GT, individuals and small pods feeding hard when the opportunities presented themselves. Congrats to Jeremy for getting our second slam of the week, his GT, Bonefish and Triggerfish rounding off a day he will not forget! After some really near misses during the first few days we made it count on the Trigger front. Jeremy, Christopher, David and Agostino each landed one during another superb day of fishing!
Day 6 – Our final day on Farquhar and our season had arrived and sadly so to had the weather. High winds and tough light made sighting and presenting to fish a bit more challenging, but some of the guests still managed to get stuck into some great fish. Congrats to Christopher on landing our second GT over a meter mark for the trip, his 102cm prize something he had been chasing the entire week. Another hugely special fish was landed by Jeremy, his 117cm Bumphead Parrotfish certainly being a fish of a lifetime and without doubt one of the largest fish you can tussle with on a 9wt.
Welcome to the final report of our March/April 2017 season on Providence. We greeted nine very friendly and excited guests onboard Maya’s Dugong for what could arguably could be the finest saltwater fly fishing tour on the planet, this group booking one of our highly coveted extended 10 night/9 fishing day experiences. Imagine that…9 full days of the most exciting and diverse flats and offshore fishing the planet has to offer. No wonder everyone was excited!
Day 1 – We started on a full moon spring tide, the massive tidal fluctuation on the flats giving us the opportunity to access certain spots of the atoll that are only fishable on these spring tides and focus our attention on the predatory species who enjoy the bigger tides. We had some bad weather for a good chunk of the day which made for some tough sighting but some of the group still managed to capitalise on some of the GTs prowling the flats. Best of all some of the large resident schools were moving around, these fish rampaging across the flats with one thing in mind – to eat anything they come across. A huge congrats to Ismo, who on his first Indian Ocean flats fishing trip, landed a 90cm GT when he and his group came across one of the schools tearing their way across the flat. The fish of the day however went to Michael who on our first day out landed the first fish over a metre, his prize measuring 105cm. Congrats Michael! The Bumpies were around in decent numbers too, but the super strong current associated with the tides made targeting them effectively a bit too difficult. Other than that we enjoyed some great species bashing, with loads of Snapper and Grouper coming to hand during our first day out. A solid start!
Day 3 – The weather was a little up and down during the day, but the group still managed to get stuck into some good fish on the dropping tide. A huge congratulations to David for breaking his first fish over a meter with a 101cm on the wild side of the atoll where head guide Tim Babich decided to risk it for the biscuit! His two guests managed to hook nine GTs through the day, 5 of which were landed. We also enjoyed some great species fishing with loads of big Bohar Snapper and some Grouper coming to hand. Some good Bumpie fishing was thrown in, this time Tom managing to hang onto one, a beautiful specimen which measured 103cm. Congrats Tom!
Day 4 – Most of the group headed off to the wild side to do some more exploring and boy did it pay off! Good numbers of GTs as well a smorgasbord of other species jumped onto our flies, the Bohar Snapper population unreal and making it hard for the GTs to get to the fly in time! A huge congratulation however goes out to long time client and friend Tony for landing his 117cm GT….what a fish!
Day 5 – We enjoyed some more stable weather and with it a drop in wind speed. This allowed for calmer offshore conditions which provided some nice scum lines for our Milkfish. They were around in huge numbers, feeding off the surface which provided excellent opportunities which four of the group capitalised on. Congratulations to David, Tony, Ismo and Tom for landing their firsts on Providence Atoll. No doubt they won’t forget the incredible power, speed and stamina of the Milk. The GTs were a bit scarce with only a few coming to hand, the pushing tide bringing with it an influx of warm water. The Triggers however made more of an appearance with the weaker tides, with Nicole breaking the ice and landing her first ever Trigger on the fly.
Day 6 – We headed out to make the best of the dropping tide in the morning and Kevin made it count with a bus 113cm GT. The monster was spotted cruising slowly along the edge of a lagoon and Kevin threw the fly well ahead of it. The fish spotted the fly and instantly charged in and engulfed the fly, taking a few hundred meters of string and giving an intense tussle before finally coming to hand. The GTs in generl were around in better numbers today, many of which were spotted on sting rays. We had some great fun! The Bonefish too were around in good numbers and we managed to enjoy some great fishing, the average fish weighing a very respectable 6lbs or 7lbs. The good Triggerfishing continued, Tony really making his shots count by fooling two of the wily little devils! We also enjoyed some great bluewater action during the course of the day with both Dogtooth Tuna and some Sailfish making an appearance. Congratulations to Ismo and Michael for landing their first ever Sailfish on the fly, no doubt they are fish never to be forgotten and were yet another reminder why Providence is so highly regarded as a complete saltwater fishery.
Day 7 – We enjoyed some really great GT fishing during the course of the day, with good numbers landed by all of the teams. Although one can be tempted to become blasé when you’ve encountered fishing of such a standard, days like this should really be appreciated. The spotting, moving into position, the cast, the eat and of course the camaraderie shared with the end result a huge privilege each and every time it occurs. The excellent bluewater fishing continued this time on the GT front. Ismo landed the fish of lifetime when after a long tussle, a 134cm fish was tailed next to the boat. A special mention must also be made of David’s “Grand Slam”, landing a Milkfish, GT and a Bonefish in one day – not something which occurs every day. The Milks were still around and feeding hard, Kevin and Tyler finally landing their first of the trip after a number of them had been lost earlier on during the trip. Well done guys! All in all it was a great day out on the atoll and one we are sure the guests will not forget in a hurry!
Day 8 – The GTs continued to provide opportunities during the day, however some slick calm water and clear visibility made it tough to present the large streamers to the fish without them spooking. Nonetheless we still managed to get a few to eat and enjoyed them as much any other so far. The same could be said for the all species to be honest, good numbers of Bones and Triggers provided consistent targets but the slick conditions requiring some really skilful angling to get the job done. We did however get one of our highly prized Napoleon Wrasse during the day, these incredible colourful and almost clown looking fish never easy to pull away from structure once hooked.
Day 9 – The final day of our stay on Providence Atoll this season had arrived and with it mixed emotions. Although everyone was excited to head out and make a big last effort, a sense of disappointment lingered knowing we only had a few more hours on this very special fishery! Nonethless we went to it and enjoyed some really special moments. Dan landed 107cm GT, the fish taken out of a school, his two team mates also coming tight to smaller fish in the school at the same time. Exquisite chaos! Kevin also managed to get his first Triggerfish and minutes later a second one, with Tony managing another couple before his day came to end. To finish off the day Kevin managed to entice, hook and land a tank Barracuda, the 131cm crocodile putting up an incredible aerial display to close out a truly memorable 9 fishing days!
All in all it was a great trip to end our season. Granted we had enjoyed better GT fishing during earlier weeks, but we still enjoyed some great fishing for them and together with the huge numbers of feeding Milkfish, solid numbers of Triggers, Bones, Bluefin Trevally, Bohars, Napoleon Wrasse, Grouper, the odd Sailfish and Doggie….it would be wrong to want for more. In closing, we would like to thank everyone on this trip as well as everyone who joined us throughout this season for their continued support. We had a blast fishing with you all and hope to do it again in the not too distant future!
Day One – We enjoyed an early morning pushing tide which allowed immediate access the flats straight off the bat. We were also on neaps which provided ample wading to fish both the push and the drop later in the day. Best of all however was the fact that the fish were around in full force and everyone managed to get stuck into some awesome fish. This was a pretty good effort to be honest as the visibility was not the great which means spotting fish becomes even harder. Nonetheless good numbers of GTs came to hand! Congratulations to Jarod and Christian for tailing their first ever GT’s on fly…always a special achievement. The Bumpies were around in the good numbers on some areas of the atoll, a fair few were hooked and even more impressive that we landed two of these fish on our first day out! Hats off to Hamish and Dom for landing theirs. Dom had a really special day as he landed our first Slam for the trip, with Bonefish, GT and the Bumpy getting his week off to flyer. Speaking of Bones, they were around in good numbers, the tides and water movement allowing for some great tailing action. The Triggers were certainly far from absent but hooking and landing them was not be on what was a superb day out!
Day Two the weather looked promising and on the run out to our spots we ran into loads of hard feeding Milkfish. The fish were feeding high through the scum lines created on the dropping tide but unfortunately despite hooking a couple none made it to the nets. The GTs were around throughout the day and we managed to capitalise on a few of them, whilst the Bonefish continued to provide some superb skinny water tailing action. Jarod opened our Triggerfish account, impressively landing two Yellow-Margins during the course of the day…awesome stuff! The Bumpies were still around in big numbers and we managed to hook quite a few. A huge congratulations and mention must go out to Brandon for landing three…yes three of them during his time on the water!
Day Three provided challenging weather again, much of the day spent battling low light and some squalls. Nonetheless the guys were now into the swing of the GT fishing and managed to take advantage of most of the ones we saw. The Bumpies continued to present themselves in good number, Andre getting an absolute slab of a fish which measured over the meter mark. Opportunities at Triggers were provided despite the tough light, Jarod doing his thing once again landing his third Yellow-Margin for the trip. The low light did however provide some insane Bonefishing which many of the guys revelled in. So despite the tough conditions it was a profitable day out, Andre in particular enjoying our second Slam of the trip, landing a GT, Bumpie and one of the biggest Seychelles Bones you are likely to see. He is a giant of a man so the photo probably does not do the fish justice! Congrats Andre!
Waking up to clear skies on Day Four brought about increased energy levels amongst the group. The GTs were around in big numbers with a late morning pushing tide and good visibility providing some truly memorable fishing. A huge congratulations to Hamish for landing his first GT on fly, surely there’s no better way to feel the raw power and intensity of these amazing fish. The Bumpies continued to provide opportunities, Dom eventually managing to get one to hand after having had some terrible luck in previous encounters. The odd Trigger was still seen although the bigger tides were now providing only small windows to walk and stalk them. The Milkfish had been around on everyone day almost, but few had actually been landed. This changed though when Tarquin, Dom and Hamish each landed their first ever Milks…well done guys! A really productive day out, with countless grouper, snapper and emperors providing those colourful finishing touches to a superb day out on the water.
Day Five kicked off strongly, the Milkfish feeding hard off the current lines. Andre and Zenon continued to wrack up the species on their trip, each of them landing their first Milky. A special mention must go out to long time client and great friend Peter Whitaker who after dozens of Seychelles trips finally had luck go his way and landed his first Milk. Congrats Pete!!!! The GT fishing in truth proved a little slow, although we did manage to tail a handful of our favourite friends. It was clear though that some seriously big fish were now arriving on the flats, although broken fly lines and other misfortunes had their way with us this time round. The weather soured later in the afternoon which made fishing a bit of a challenge for the remainder of the day!
The skies were clear on Day Six and everyone was ready to make the most of their last day out on the flats. The GT fishing was particularly productive with quite a few coming to hand including some good ones. Dom managed to break the meter mark with a 101cm fish. The fish was spotted sitting in a white sand pot in a series of deep depressions. After the guide and angler swum across some deep holes to get into range the fish actually starting moving towards them, slowly lifting up over the lip of the depression. The fly went out and the cast landed two meters short. The fish noticed the fly and after a couple of short strips cruised up and sipped in the fly. The fish tore off off but Dom held firm and gave it a jolly good hiding – his backing not even seeing the light of day. Well done! Andre was again on the money and on his last day landed a true trophy, his GT measuring 112cm. Awesome 
fish Andre. The Triggers seemed to have all but disappeared, but Jarod was on their case as usual. With his fourth cast at this species of sin he hooked and landed his fourth, this time our first Giant for the trip. Not many guys get to cast once at a Trigger and land it, let alone make 4 casts and land all four targets. Great job! The Milks were still around and we hooked a few on our last day out, sadly most came off prematurely except for Jeff who held firm by landing his first for the trip. The guys also enjoyed a huge variety of species on the day, one truly special fish and moment belonging to Hamish when he landed the Barracuda he had been dreaming of.
All in all it was a great week to be a part of and we would like to thank the entire group for travelling out to fish with us. We had some tough weather to contend with for sure, but we caught some incredible fish and ticked many species off the list. Providence is such a special place….we cannot wait for more!