St Brandon Blog: 14 – 24 May 2024
Our 7th week of the season is here and we greet our new guests arriving from Zimbabwe and Germany with Terry entering his second of three weeks with us. The week started off with very high winds blowing out of the south east accompanied with heavy rain. The tidal cycle moves from neaps into springs as we expect to spend more time around the islands, ridges and higher lying areas.
The Bonefishing proved to be slightly tougher than the previous week, with not as many fish seen on the flats and more fish schooled up in the deeper sections. The rough, choppy weather due to the high winds resulted in the Bones being a bit more spooky and reluctant to move up into shallower water making it challenging for the anglers to get close to them to make a good presentation. This did not deter the guests however as they made the best of the conditions still landing some good fish throughout the week. The average Bonefish landed for the week was between 5lb and 7lb with some fish reaching the 8lb mark.
The wild conditions also had an impact on our Permit fishing. There were fish seen around the islands and ridges as we moved into the spring tides but they were on high alert and were acting similar to the bonefish often staying just out of reach. As the week proceeded and the weather improved there were more opportunities to cast at happy, tailing fish. Some guests did have a couple of great shots at fish resulting in follows and even the odd eat from a Permit but unfortunately there were no conversions.
The GT and Bluefin fishing was again tough this week with only a couple of trevallies seen around the Atoll. The fish that were seen during the week were big but unfortunately the opportunities to make a good presentation to them were very few and far between. Even though the fishing was tough for the GT’s and Bluefin it is still exciting to watch as they crash into baitfish and terrorise the bonefish schools on the flats.
The conditions this week proved to be very challenging due to the unsettled weather. On a positive note this has kept the flats cool and once the weather settles down a bit we expect the fish to be hungry and moving back up onto the flats,ridges and around the islands. The prevailing south easter is in full swing as is standard for this time of year increasing the chances of finding some larger bonefish. Let’s see what’s to come…
Our catch tally for the week:
- Bonefish- 31
- Bluefin Trevally- 2
Yours in fishing,
The St Brandon’s guide team.
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- KODAK Digital Still Camera
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- KODAK Digital Still Camera
Our first day on the flats proved to be tricky due to dark clouds, severe wind, and torrential rain. The shorts we were afforded for the GTs were often last minute as the fish snuck up on us out of the dark light and unfortunately resulted in a blank day for our group. Nevertheless, we made the most of the time we had on the water and went to town on the various Grouper and Snapper found throughout the atoll’s coral gardens. A tough day for the atoll’s iconic species but still a fun one on the species front. 
The second day saw us enjoy a marked improvement on the weather front with mild wind and decent sunlight for most of the day. Ben got things underway on the flats early on, and although this was his first-ever saltwater fly fishing experience, he managed to hook and land his first Bumphead Parrotfish. A fantastic achievement, well done, Ben! Jim found himself in the action, converting a feisty GT that was found while it swam alongside a stingray. Natalie and Sergey happened upon a rich vein of life in another area of the atoll and managed to land 2 & 1 GTs respectively. Great job, everyone! 
The third day treated us to patches of decent sunlight and the odd cloud burst. We encountered several large GTs during our time on the flats but unfortunately, these fish didn’t come to hand. Jim, again in the action, this time fooling a decent GT as it bow waked along a turtle grass flat. Gene, top rod on day 3, had an exciting scenario unfold while waiting in ambush during the early stages of the incoming tide… A school of roughly 15 GTs swimming high and jet black in colour slowly drifted into his position. His fly went down and all hell broke loose when the school recognised his fly as food. After a massive explosion of mud and water, he was tight and following a long battle, he eventually landed a powerful 90cm GT! A little later in the day, Gene found himself in the action again, this time pinning a lively GT off a stingray. 
The fifth day delivered the kind of action that we’re used to seeing on the flats of Providence. With schools of tailing GTs as well as large single fish encountered during all hours of the day. Mike enjoyed a stellar day on the flats landing 3 GTs himself. The largest of these an impressive 101cm was fooled into eating his fly as a large school of 30 or so GTs tore past him on the falling tide. This powerful fish took loads of backing and gave an exceptional account for itself before it was eventually landed. Josh and his brother, Jack, enjoyed a special moment together, landing a decent GT each. Natalie, while fishing for Bumpies, noticed an imposter in the middle of the school. A quick change of rods, s1 cast and a few strips resulted in success, this time a trophy GT of 106cm! A great catch and another moment of magic from our favourite flats in Seychelles. On the tailing species front, Jim landed the only Bonefish for the day. 
The sixth and final day of our fly fishing season saw the weather take a turn for the worse, with an incredible amount of rain. These blankets of water fell on us for hours at a time and made things tricky, to say the least. We weren’t deterred though and with our spirits still high we persisted and the catches came in droves. Brothers, Josh and Ben, enjoyed a flurry of action with fish tailing and bow waking all over their flat. They eventually managed to land 2 each. The team fishing team of Watts, Jim, and Mike enjoyed action for most of the day and eventually managed to end with returns of 2, 2, & 1 respectively. Gene finished his trip with us in style by bringing 2 GTs to hand while his boat partner John enjoyed a moment that we all dream of experiencing ourselves… While waiting on the end of a lagoon, a large GT happened upon his position and with a quick cast and a couple of strips he managed to hook and eventually land a GT of 116cm! A fantastic catch to close off our season on Providence for the first half of 2024. Great Job, John! 
Day 1 had us endure severe wind from the southeast, gusting north of 30 knots from time to time certainly made fishing challenging. Our team of anglers and guides somehow managed to make the most of a tricky wicket and picked up loads of GT catches to start the week off with a bang! The fishing trio of John, Watts, and Dave got straight into the action from the moment their feet hit the flats… GTs tailing and bow waking all over the place resulted in returns of 2, 1, and 1 respectively. Good job, boys! The action carried on in other areas of the atoll with Chris C and Bruce chipping in with 2 and 1 GTs while Paul kept up his good form landing 2 GTs himself. Kris and Tim closed off the catch tally for the day with a single GT each. Well done to everyone for soldiering on through the tough fishing conditions. 
Day 2 delivered an improvement in the weather and a bit more variety on the flats. On the tailing species front Dave, John, and Watts enjoyed some classic Providence Bonefishing with the trio each landing a Bonefish each. Joe added a bit of colour to the days catch report with the only Triggerfish landed for the day. John, who had spent 2 weeks with us in 2022 without any success was determined to land a Bumpie, and that exactly what he did. On the second day of trip with us this year he managed to tame a respectable Bumphead Parrotfish to settle the score with Providence. Attaboy John! Meanwhile the Sage team of Kris and Peter each landed a single GT while Watts, Jim, and Chris C followed suit each getting their hands on lively Giant Trevally. 
The third day saw a continuation of the slightly improved weather conditions with stiff breeze from the southeast and the odd squall passing by every so often. Chris W got the GT catch report going early on landing a small fish that passed through a channel. A little while later he added another to his name and shortly after that, his fishing partner Bruce crossed paths with a powerful fish that was following a large shark across the flat. Good job chaps! The Bonefishing continued to be good with Paul landing 4 Bones himself, the biggest in the region of 8lbs and his fishing partner Kris managed to get 3 to hand for the day. 
Day 4 saw us enjoy some of the impressive grouper and snapper fishing available at Providence with most of the fishing teams catching loads of large line ripping fish. Chris C, John, and Paul all managed a single GT. It was however to be Watts’s day in the limelight. While waiting at a drainage channel, and during a heavy downpour 3 large GTs appeared at his feet. A single cast ahead of them resulted in a massive bust-up and line ripping from his reel at a frighting speed. He was quickly put onto the boat and through a bit of good fortune his fish was landed in a large coral garden! A special fish of 105cm, a genuine trophy… Well done Watts!
Day 5 saw us enjoy the best weather conditions yet, with perfect sunlight and a slight breeze from the southeast. It however turned out to be a tricky one on flats with most of the anglers struggling to put numbers of the board. Bruce managed to land 1 GT while his fishing buddy, Chris W, landed 3. 1 of which a fish that Chris had been hunting for several years… a beaut of 118cm that was encountered late into the pushing tide in the surf. A long battle fulled with nerves eventually resulted in his prized catch resting firmly in his hands. A moment that we’re sure he, his fishing mates, and his guide will remember for a long time to come. Great work chaps!! 
The first day of the week saw us experience a mild breeze from the southeast and high-altitude cloud which made for tricky visibility on the flats. On the fishing front, we still had several opportunities with some of them turning into catches. Tim got things underway early on and managed to get 2 GTs to hand on his first day, well done Timo! Andy also managed to open and eventually close the GT catch report with a single fish caught during the incoming tide. The boat team of Carlos & Patricio were very interested in the atoll’s Bumphead Parrotfish and they made the most of their opportunities each bringing 1 to hand. Great Job gents! Bryan, managed to sneak alongside a large school of these strange green creatures and after a couple of good presentations he felt tension through the line and set the hook. Chaos ensued and he was tight to a massive Bumpie, after a long battle he eventually landed his prized fish. That concludes the first days catch report. 
The second day saw a marked improvement on the GT front with loads of fish encountered in varied scenarios. Edgard managed to live his fly fishing dream, which was to catch a Giant Trevally in shallow water on the fly. While walking along an extensive turtle grass finger flat he was treated to several opportunities. Eventually, one of the bow wakes accepted the challenge and jumped on his fly. A moment we’re sure he’ll remember for the rest of his life. Well done, Edgard! Then, as if things couldn’t get any better, Dennis, on his first Indian Ocean fly fishing experience, managed to hook an absolute monster of a GT. The fish took loads of backing and eventually got wrapped around a large coral head and got stuck. Miraculously, his guide managed to unstitch the fish and eventually bring it to hand. Dennis’s fish pulled the measuring tape all the way to 109cm! His first ever GT and a moment of magic from Providence! Tim also got into the big fish action when hook and landed a beaut 106cm GT. Well done. Paul enjoyed some action too, hooking a monster but unfortunately losing it to a coral head, he later landed 2 GTs. Carlos, landed another Bumpie and Brian landed a particularly large Bluefin Trevally that measured 78cm. 
The 4
Day 5 and yet more blue skies but with a little more wind than the previous 2 days. Dennis finally managed to convince a Triggerfish to accept his fly, landing his first Yellow Margin which made him very happy. Brian and Andy enjoyed more action on the Giant Trevally front landing 3 and 1 GTs respectively while Tim had his way with the atoll’s Bonefish, bringing 4 to hand as well as a single GT. Patricio managed taste sweet success when he went tight on his first ever meter GT which was powerful fish of 104cm. His boat partner, who had been quietly going about his business did one better by landing a monster of 112cm! A special catch, Carlos, great job! 
