Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our catch tally between 7 anglers during week 3 was:

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

Till next time, tight lines from the Providence Guide Team

Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our catch tally for week 2 was:

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

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team.

Providence Blog: 6 – 13 April 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our total catch tally for week 1 was as follows:

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

Yours in fishing,

The FlyCastaway Providence Guide Team.

Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Feb 2021

Early January 2021 saw our team disembark for a month-long season at Sterkfontein Dam, South Africas’ most rewarding and technical sight fishing venue.

Sterkies is renowned in South African fly fishing circles as one of the few local venues where anglers can enjoy consistent sight fishing opportunities. It is also well known as being one of the most technically challenging fisheries available, where its golden targets more often than not, only accept well-tied flies, light tippets and the correct presentation. Anglers and guides are required to up their game if they hope to be successful while fishing for smallmouth yellowfish as they cruise along the banks in search of an easy meal in the form of a surface trapped emerger or struggling terrestrial. In essence its crystal-clear water, hungry yellowfish and a box full of dry flies. You can imagine the excitement as we prepared for a month of dry fly fishing at our favourite high summer fly fishing venue!

This season we explored Sterkfontein Dam with a mix of new and familiar faces. Together we enjoyed some of the finest dry fly fishing sessions we’ve witnessed over the years, with impressive numbers of smallmouth yellows regularly brought to the net. The red hot fishing action included an impressive number of smallies landed in excess of 20 inches, plus the odd largemouth yellowfish, which is always a pleasant and welcome surprise at Sterkies.

With a season so full of action it was hard for us to single out the standout catches, however after some consideration the following are what we consider to be the top catches from our Sterkfontein Jan – Feb 2021 fly fishing season:

#1 – Guest Tom landed what must be one of the most extraordinary catches to have ever come out of Sterkfontein. A sight-fished, 17 lb. largemouth yellowfish on 5X tippet. This fish was spotted cruising in the open water and wasted little time rising to sip the fly off the surface. After setting the hook, Tom did a great job protecting his 5X tippet as the fish took close to 35m of backing off the reel during an explosive first run. A few nervous moments followed while Tom reeled in his largemouth and after what felt like a lifetime the fish was firmly in the net. Everyone on the boat was ecstatic and overjoyed that Tom was able to land this truly special fish. Well done Tom!

#2 Ross’ smallmouth was found slowly swimming along a wind lane in the open water. The shot required a short yet quick cast of roughly 30ft. He presented his fly perfectly, roughly 6 ft ahead of the fish and on the line it was moving along. Once the old girl spotted his fly, she sped up slightly, rose, and gently sipped the fly off the surface. A super catch, well done Ross!

#3 – Russell landed the heaviest smallmouth yellow weighed this season which stretched the scale to 3.94Kgs. This fish was taken on a #16 nymph suspended under a dry fly and following the hook up took loads of backing, wrapping herself in some soft underwater structure in the process. A little patience and some luck meant Russel was able to free his catch from the snags and eventually get it to the net. Great work Russell!

#4 – Henry enjoyed a stellar day landing 8 fish, all of which were longer than 17 inches. The standout catch that day was taken late in the afternoon while drifting along a large verticle cliff. This hefty smallmouth yellowfish fell for a terrestrial pattern and gave a great account for itself before tiring and being brought to the net. A great fish Henry, well done

#5 – Although we thoroughly enjoy it when our guests catch big fish it is not the be-all and end-all to a successful fishing trip. Some of the most rewarding moments for us as guides revolve around introducing new faces to the venue and providing useful, relevant fly fishing guidance. Moments like watching a father and son get a double or simply witnessing our guests improve their skills during their stay with us is what we value most!

Sterkfontein provided us all with an incredibly enjoyable month of guiding and fishing. Our guests caught some very special fish throughout this season and we shared more laughs and smiles than we can remember. A special thanks to all that joined us. We can’t wait for what next year has in store!

For inquires about our 2021/2022 Sterkfontein fly fishing season please get in touch with us via email at info@flycastaway.com. We’ve already begun filling slots for next year and with all the summer rains it looks as though we’re going to enjoy yet another bumper season.

Till next time,

The FlyCastaway guide team

Camp Sterkfontein Sight Fishing Experience

Sterkfontein Dam has long been our favourite high summer fly fishing experience. Consistent quality sight fishing opportunities for smallmouth yellowfish are a rarity during the wet months of the year in South Africa. Fortunately, the dam’s impressive population of smallmouth yellows, crystal clear waters and unique eastern Free State scenery all combine to provide the most consistent sight fishing experience in the country.

Sterkfontein’s location, just +/-3 hours from Johannesburg & Durban respectively makes it the perfect venue to leave the city behind for a few days of presenting dry flies to high riding and hungry yellowfish.

Your Sterkfontein experience with us is hosted by two of our highly experienced professional fly fishing guides, each of whom will be paired with the very best infrastructure available, namely our 17′ Fusion boats. Each boat has been customized with front and rear casting decks and a sneaker motor, ensuring you the very best possible fly fishing experience available at Sterkfontein.

Where to stay? Although there are a few options in the area we highly recommend Little Switzerland Resort: https://www.dreamresorts.co.za/hotels-resorts/little-switzerland-resort/rooms-and-suites/#top. The resort’s close proximity to the access we have secured onto the dam and well managed and comfortable accommodation will add positively to your Sterkfontein experience.

Please get in touch with us if you have questions or queries about our Sterkfontein 2021 experience:

Timothy Babich: Tim@flyCastaway.com / 084 399 6562

or

Nic Isabelle: Nic@FlyCastaway.com / 072 884 8715

In the meantime, please enjoy the short image gallery we have put together below:

Vaal River September 2020 Fly Fishing Report

The month of September is a favourite period of ours to explore and fish the Vaal River system. The change of season brings with it warmer ambient temperatures and a positive effect on the activity of the Vaal’s aquatic life, particularly our two target species – the largemouth yellowfish and smallmouth yellowfish.

Successfully targeting largemouth yellowfish on the fly is a challenge of physical and mental stamina. Early mornings, long days, and an uncountable number of casts made toward likely lies in the river with the hope of a trophy fish obliging our efforts. Although fly fishing for the species requires a degree of determination, when things go our way, there is no sweeter feeling for both guests and guides.

Some of the highlights from the Vaal this September included several personal bests and first-time largemouth yellowfish successes for our guests. Most notably was guest David’s 18 lbs & 16.5 lbs largemouth yellowfish which he enjoyed during one very special morning; these two fish also happened to be David’s first Vaal caught ‘largies’. Other catches of note included a personal best for guest Richard of 10 lbs and first-time largemouth catches for guests Jean and Terrence.

The smallmouth yellowfish are a firm favourite amongst most anglers who live within reasonable travel distances of the Vaal River system. The species’ feeding behaviour changes in accordance with the river’s water temperatures and thus requires anglers to change their approach while riverside. Relatively good visibility and consistent caddis hatches complimented our smallmouth yellowfish sessions and we enjoyed periods of excellent dry fly and dry-dropper fishing (single nymph suspended below a dry fly) for smallmouth yellowfish. Guest Richard landed the standout smallmouth yellowfish which he caught on a streamer fly pattern while fishing for largemouth, while guest Raymond made the most of his opportunities and landed a handful of beautiful smallmouth using a single dry fly. As the temperatures continue to rise we anticipate fantastic smallmouth yellowfish fishing for the next few weeks.

Between the largemouth and smallmouth yellowfish action were a few trophy sharptooth catfish landed, these strong fighters are always a welcome encounter during our days spent on the river.

We look forward to what the month of October has in store for us and our guests on the Vaal River.

Yours in fishing,

The FlyCastaway guide team

Farquhar Blog: 27 Nov – 4 Dec 2019

Farquhar Blog: 27 Nov – 4 Dec 2019

An interesting week of fishing on Farquhar has come to an end. Unfortunately, the weather was definitely a challenge this week with a large system in the Seychelles area providing very unsettled weather throughout the week. High wind speeds and almost permanent cloud cover made seeing and casting to fish a challenge however we made the most of it and still caught some great fish including 30 GT’s!

Guests Charlie and Graham lead the way with 11 and 12 fish respectively. Charlie landed two fish over a meter with a 104 cm and 106 cm. Ken, Toshi, Gerhard, Angelika, Larry, Heinz and Patrick all landed GT’s. A great effort from them and the guides considering the conditions!

In total 38 Bonefish were landed with Graham’s personal best fish of 67 cm topping the list. Larry also caught a personal best Bonefish which measured 63 cm.

Elaine landed her first Triggerfish and Patrick landed a trophy 55 cm Triggerfish. 2 Bumphead Parrots were caught this week, one by Elaine (her first Bumpy) and one by Gerhard, also his first. Both fish were 90 cm plus.

With our weather being so unpredictable there was no blue water fishing possible this week, but some good species angling was had by all anglers. A very impressive 80 cm Bohar Snapper was caught by Charlie.

Thanks to all the guests and guides for an excellent week! With many personal bests, firsts, and triumphs…the week despite the weather was still a very enjoyable one!

Until next week

The Farquhar Guide Team

Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2019

Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our tally for the week was as follows:

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

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

Providence Blog: 19 – 26 Nov 2019

Providence Blog: 19 – 26 November 2019

Welcome to the fourth fishing week of the 2019-2020 Providence Atoll fishing season. We welcomed  a couple of familiar faces and set sail from Farquhar for the north west section of the atoll.

The first day dawned gloomy albeit calm and glassy. With an early morning pushing tide the boats set out. A total of 7 GTs was landed for the day with Vadim, Maxim, Sergey G, Mike, Igor and Alex landing a fish each for the day. Vladimir managed to land the first Triggerfish for the week, a large Yellow Margin Triggerfish coming to hand.

The second day dawned clear with a light south easterly breeze. After an exceptional day of GT fishing, 19 fish came to hand. Vladimir, Sergey, Mike, Alex and Igor managed to capitalize on the opportunities presented and landed many fish. After a quick fishing session on feeding Milkfish, Rob managed to hook and land the first Milkfish for the week, well done Rob.

The third day saw clear skies and a slight south easterly breeze. Again, another exceptional day of GT fishing was enjoyed by all, with 14 fish being landed. Sergey G, Mike, Alex, Igor, Vadim, Maxim, Sergey G and Vladimir managed to all catch fish. The fish of the day went to Vladimir who after stationing  up on a cut in the flat, saw a school of six GTs move into the shallow water. After presenting the fly it was hounded down and engulfed by the lead fish. The fish stripped a lot of backing through a lagoon before it was subdued and measured at 111cm. It was a GT of a lifetime, well done Vladimir. Vladimir also had a stellar day on the tailing Triggerfish, landing four fish for the morning. Vadim was not finished either and managed to land his first Triggerfish for the trip. A rare event later unfolded as Mike and his guide managed to hook and land a Milkfish that was tailing in the shallows of the flat, bringing the Milkfish tally to 2 for the week. A very special moment!

The fourth day dawned clear with a stiff south easterly breeze. With the green fan tails of the Bumpies appearing on the flats the group of guests managed to land 4 fish for the day. Vladimir, Sergey, Vadim and Rob managed to land a fish each. A total of 9 GTs were also landed for the day with Alex, Mike and Rob doing the damage. Alex also managed to land his first Triggerfish, netting a Moustache Triggerfish.

The fifth day dawned gloomy and with a stiff south easterly breeze. With an early morning neap low tide the boats set out.  The clients managed to capitalize on the tailing species with 2 Bumpies and 1 Triggerfish being landed. Vladimir and Vadim managed to land a Bumpie each following which Vadim landed a big Moustache Triggerfish as well. The sole GT of the day went to Alex.

The final day of the trip brought again gloomy skies with a stiff south easterly breeze. Dennis managed to land the first Sailfish of the week, his second following shortly afterwards. A total of 2 GTs were landed for the day, one going to Mike and the other going to Vladimir. Vadim managed to land his 3^rd Bumpie for the week. This brought to a close another highly enjoyable and successful week out on Providence!

Stats for the week were as follows:

• GTs – 54
• Milkfish – 6
• Triggerfish – 11
• Sailfish – 2
• Bumpies – 7
• Other species – 263

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

 

Farquhar Blog: 20 – 27 Nov 2019

Farquhar Blog: 20 – 27 November 2019

Another incredible week of flats fishing has come to an end out on Farquhar. Weather conditions were mostly sunny with variable wind direction. Wind speeds ranged between 5 – 15 knots providing ideal flats fishing conditions. We started off on neap tides with the tides increasing up to spring tides by the end of the week.

The GT fishing was fantastic this week, with our best total yet of 37 fish landed. All our anglers landed GT’s this week, which was fantastic! Christian’s (who was on his first saltwater fishing trip), first fish of the trip was a GT….it wasn’t his last! He landed 10 fish during the week, his biggest being 101 cm followed by a 99 cm as well. His fishing partner, (also Christian) landed seven GT’s. Brothers Alex and Stefan also fished really well this week. Eight fish for Alex and four for Stefan. Robert landed three GT’s, with Helmut, Klaus, Marko, Michael and Waltraud all landing one fish a piece.

With great conditions, our anglers were able to land 58 bonefish this week. Alex and Stefan were able to each catch a Moustache Triggerfish, and to top it off each caught a Permit! These Permit were the first Indo-Pacific Permit the brothers have landed…congrats guys! Even more amazing, each brother was able to get a slam this week. Stefan completed a trevally slam with a GT, Bluefin and a Yellowspot Trevally (our first this season). Alex completed a classic slam of GT, Bonefish and a Permit In a day.

The species fishing was also very productive with several monster Bohar Snapper landed including a 75 cm X 56 cm fish landed by Alex. Klaus caught one our highly coveted Napoleon Wrasse, the fish measuring 75cm. In the blue water, two were caught by Sailfish were landing, one each for Marko and Rob. Three beautiful Yellowfin Tuna were also landed this week, Michael, Waldi & Rob the happy anglers.

Thanks to all our guests for a great week!!!!

Until next week

The Farquhar Guide team

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