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Featured Image - Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Mar 2023

Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Mar 2023

The 9th of January 2023 saw our team arrive at Sterkfontein Dam in preparation for a 9 week long fly fishing season to start our year off. As we prepped our fleet of Fusion boats during the early evening we were reminded of the beauty of the place, with panoramic views of lush green rolling hills and a skyline littered with puffy clouds illuminated in pastel colours… It was so good to be back at our summertime home!

Preseason Prep

This season saw us make yet more upgrades to our fleet of 3 boats, adding casting platforms to both front and back decks on each of the boats, as well as 2 brand new 4-stroke engines to ensure we traveled quickly and reliably to our chosen fishing areas each day. These new additions, especially the casting platforms made a desirable difference to the average day, raising our guest’s vantage point and allowing them better visibility which increased their chances of success. We also revised our fly selection for the season, adding 5 new patterns to our ever-expanding library of purpose tied dry flies to cover every condition likely encountered. Armed to the hilt with everything a guide team could possibly need we were ready to take on anything Sterkfontein could throw at us.

The fishing

Sterkfontein is, and always has been a challenging and technical fishery, where the margins for error are slim. 2023 turned out to be a testing fishing season due to several factors which included; particularly difficult weather conditions and inconsistent wind directions.

Despite the above, we still managed to deliver a successful fly fishing season. When the weather was bad, we caught fewer fish and when it was good, we caught loads. In tougher seasons one needs to adjust expectations and bank the small wins. This was critical this season, where the windows of opportunity could be a short 2-hour period and if you weren’t on the money, you were left scratching for answers. Planning, teamwork, and experience ensured that we were in the right place, at the right time, and most importantly providing sight fishing opportunities to Smallmouth Yellowfish for our guests. The next thing apparent this season was fly selection and the difference that made to our catch tally at the end of each day. Being a team certainly helped, as we could test several different patterns and if one happened to stand out we would then share this information amongst the team. It became evident certain flies outperformed others and were often the difference between landing 1 or 9 fish for the day. In seasons past we hadn’t had to be quite so selective in our choice of flies or as intentional in our decision-making.

Below are recollections of certain fish and sessions that stood out during our stint at Sterkfontein:

Early season we welcomed old-time friends back to Sterkfontein for the 3rd consecutive year. Zac enjoyed days of fly fishing bliss landing 10 or so Smallmouth Yellowfish each day under perfect bluebird skies with almost no wind to speak of. It was during Zac’s trip that we realized that the old staple fly patterns were not going to be sufficient and we needed to experiment.

Our first international visitor of the season, Gareth Jones, of Airflo Fly Fishing converted his opportunities in front of the Smallmouth Yellowfish. Gareth, a very competent angler, has won 2 silver medals at the Men’s World Fly Fishing Championships and is a master at his craft. He enjoyed a particularly productive morning session hooking and landing loads of powerful Smallies.

Another international visitor, Don, also enjoyed several days of action and reported catch returns in the double figures each every day of his trip with us. Having fished the world, and a lot in the US for trout, he caught onto the rhythm and vibe quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the sight fishing element of the fishery.

Riaan and Alecia joined us for the second consecutive year for an extended period and enjoyed a particularly special day where 9 fish were brought to hand before having to call the day short due to a brewing thunderstorm. The catch of the day went to Alecia, who managed to catch a 6 ½ lbs fish Smallmouth Yellowfish that she expertly sight-fished and threaded through a large weed bed before landing her prize. We’ve landed a fair number of Sterkfontein Yellows during the past 3 seasons and this is a very large fish for the fishery. Well done, Alecia!

Gerhard and Angelika, longtime supporters of our Sterkfontein Dam experience joined us on two separate occasions during our Jan – Mar season. They were lucky enough to experience a large flying ant hatch during 1 of their afternoons and Angelika struck gold and managed to land several powerful Smallies, one of which a real beauty of 4 ½ lb. Great job, Angelika!

The fishing, laughs, and evening shenanigans we shared with our guests this season were special. We enjoyed every moment and although Sterkies showed us her moody side at times, she still shone brightly when conditions lined up favourably. As such, the hope of a strong season next next year has us excited and already hard at work with the preparations!

Till next year,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 25 April – 2 May 2023

Providence Blog: 25 April – 2 May 2023

In what felt like a blink of an eye, the final week of our March – May 2023 season was upon us. Change over day always seems to bring with it bluebird skies and moderate wind, however, the weather forecast for the week was ominous with fierce winds predicted from the south-east. Nevertheless, we were still excited to explore the atoll with our group which included first-time saltwater fly fishermen and a few return guests. After a quick orientation around the mothership and tackle setup, the group made good use of the change-over day to get to know each other on the mid-deck over a few cold beverages.

 
 

Day 1 had our guide team spread out to different corners of the atoll in pursuit of the tailing species, and of course, the atoll’s population of Giant Trevally. Jamie got off the mark early with his first-ever GT on the fly. Well done, Jamie! Mario also got stuck into the action immediately landing his first and best GT for the week on the first morning, a lovely fish measuring 96cm! Meanwhile, in another corner of the atoll, Chris and Steve did very well by landing 4 Triggerfish before lunch. The afternoon however turned out to be tricky, with low clouds causing very difficult sight fishing conditions. Despite this, our team persisted and added another 2 more GTs to the tally.

 
 

Everyone was up to speed with the daily program by day 2 and we set off for the flats with high expectations. Catches of note included an energic GT caught by Tom, who managed to convert his fish from a school that had corralled a school of baitfish into a channel. Derek, a wanderer, had made his way into some fishy-looking water when he spotted 3 GTs swimming down a lagoon edge. He presented his fly and watched as the 3 fish made a violent approach towards his baitfish imitation, what followed was a successful hook-up and a short but intense tussle between some coral heads. He eventually landed his first Providence GT. Well done Derek! Jim tasted sweet success on the Bumpie front when he landed the group’s first of the week. Great going Jim!

 
 

The 3rd day brought with it powerful winds blowing out of the southeast. The severe wind made for challenging fly fishing conditions, however, the atoll still delivered a diverse set of fly fishing scenarios for our guests, with a total catch tally of 6 GTs, 15 Bonefish, and 3 Triggerfish. A special mention goes to Mike who managed to land his first ever GT, which was a special moment for all involved as Mike had traveled the world on several occasions without any success. Congratulations, Mike, we can only imagine how good that must have felt!

 
 

We endured wild weather and exceptionally rough seas during the 4th day of the fishing week. The conditions saw us have a delayed start with our team heading for their chosen areas for the day when the weather lightened up a tad. The short delay had little bearing on our catch tally with our group tallying 42 Bones, 3 of which were over 10lb! John, Chris, and Derrek are the lucky anglers to land those hefty Bonefish….way to go guys! Meanwhile, Jim found himself connected to a personal best GT that was picked from a small shoal of GTs that were encountered while they dropped off the flats during the falling tide. His beauty measured an impressive 98cm. Great job Jim! Last, but not least, was Jamie’s Bumphead Parrotfish…CONGRATS!

 
 

Day five saw an improvement in the fishing conditions, with better weather and more good fish encountered across the board. Our total catch tally for the day was 10 GTs, 1 Bumpie, 11 Bones,  2 Triggers, and a single Milkfish. Chris found a rich vein of form and landed 3 GTs, while Steve and Kurt kept the Bonefish numbers ticking over by landing many more good-sized Bones. At the end of the day, Tom stepped into the house of pain when he hooked a monster Milkfish in the early evening, which we’re sure he still regrets. After a brutal one-hour battle, he finally brought the fish into the net. Well done, Tom!

 
 

The 6th and final day of the season saw us enjoy fantastic conditions, with a light south-easterly breeze and good light. Ken, had been unlucky on the GT front, not from any fault of his own, but rather some bad luck. He however managed to rectify this when he made a cast at a school of GTs working across a small finger flat and much to his and the guide’s joy, a bigger fish parted the youngsters and viciously accepted his fly. After a good fight, he landed his best for the week, a specimen measuring 94cm! Well done Ken! Tom, however, landed the top catch for the week, a strong GT that measured 102cm! Well done Tom! As the final whistle blew on the final evening, Jamie landed his first Milkfish, while at the same time Mario hooked but sadly lost a Sailfish.

Thanks for a great week guys, we really appreciate your support and hope to see you back out there in the coming seasons!

 
 

The week’s tally was as follows:

• GT – 32 ( 1 – 102cm )

• Triggerfish – 10

• Milkfish – 3

• Bumphead Parrotfish – 3

• Bonefish – 70 ( 3 of 10lb)

• Other species – 156

A special thank you to all our guests that were a part of this fantastic season, we made memories, shared laughs, and learned yet more about this outlandish fishery. We can’t wait for what October – December has in store for us!

Until then,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 18-25 April 2023

Providence Blog: 18-25 April 2023

We welcomed a full group of guests for the penultimate week of our March – May 2023 fly fishing season. While some of the group were onboard the trusty Maya’s Dugong for their second time, others were first-time visitors of the Seychelles, some even enjoying their debuts in the saltwater.

Having first-timers aboard our mothership was a welcome reminder for our guide team how truly novel the Providence experience is to our guests. The excitement and disbelief that reverberated through the vessel during our routine of catching Yellowfish Tuna during our crossing to our chosen anchorage for the week will put smiles on even the most harden of the guide teams! Once safely anchored and the week’s sushi supplies in check, we bedded down for the evening ready for the upcoming week.

The 1st day saw us focus on all the dos and don’ts pertaining to fly fishing for GTs on the flats. This preparation done right often spells a successful week of fly fishing and despite periods of exceptionally challenging weather our group managed to tally up 5 GTs catches for the day. Our returning guests Bill, Don, and Joe wasted no time and quickly landed decent GTs each. Two new comers, John and Tim also tasted GT success. Great work, gentlemen!

The 2nd day brought with it moments of magic on the GT front, with 6 GTs landed, one of which a real monster that measured 109cm! Our team set to work in their quest to find the hot zones on the atoll, which resulted in each boat travelling to completely different areas of the atoll. Randy, Joe, and John experienced the chaos that is GT fishing when they encountered several brutes during an exciting surf session. The chaos unfortunately saw most of these larger fish lost due to a number of different reasons, however, Randy managed to stay connected to one of his which measured an impressive 90cm… well done, Randy. The catch of the day however went to Adam when he opened his GT account for the week in the most emphatic manor, landing an alarmingly strong 109 cm specimen. Way to go Adam!

Day 3 delivered a reality check for reasons we will never know, as we can only speculate. The atoll went on strike, but not from a lack of effort from our group. We limped our way back to our mothership with just 1 GT landed for the day. On a brighter note, we enjoyed phenomenal bommie bashing catching loads of colourful and interesting species between the numerous coral heads distributed throughout the atoll.

Day 4 was much better by Providence standards and provided Don and Hardy the kind of fly fishing entertainment that the atoll is renowned, the  pair bagging a total 9 GTs between them! Hardy landed the fish of the day and his personal best measuring 103 cm. Great work, Hardy. The wild deep blue offered action too, as we added more Tuna to our rapidly-dwindling sushi stocks thanks to Mike, when he landed a good Yellowfin Tuna on the fly. Thanks, Mike!

Day 5 saw our group enjoy their best day on the flats yet, with a total of 14 GTs brought to hand. The standout catches included a beautiful 108 cm GT landed by Bill after it was hooked in a thin channel and subsequently required some nifty boat work by his guide to weave it out of the nearby coral garden. Jim also found himself in the right place at the right time converting 4 GTs consecutively during a very busy session in the surf. The largest of the 4 was a handsome 95 cm fish that fought well above its weight class, well done Jim!

We set out for the final day with hopes of building on the momentum of the previous day. By now, our guests were all familiar and comfortable with what they needed to do. Given the less than desirable conditions, our group did very well with a total of 6 GTs and 2 Bumpies landed for the day. Don enjoyed the perfect send off when he landed a fantastic fish that measured 108cm; this fish had to be chased down through a network of channels in the boat to get to a place where it could be safely landed…well done gents! The action didn’t stop there for Don! He and Sekhar hooked 6 Bumpies during a busy session on a large turtle grass flat. Unfortunately, most of these large flats dwellers managed to get the better of us, though when it was all said and done, each were proud anglers with a Bumpie to each of their names. Hardy was in the thik of the action again and ended his time with us on Providence in style when he landed a 102 cm GT!

And so ends another week on Providence. Despite the challenging conditions our group enjoyed a successful week of fishing and we can’t wait to welcome them back in the not so distant future!

The total tally for the week was as follows:

  • GTs – 42 (5 of 100cm plus)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 2
  • Napoleon Wrasse – 3
  • Tally of other species landed – 247

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 11 – 18 April 2023

Providence Blog: 11 – 18 April 2023

We welcomed eight new guests onboard our mothership for the 6th week of our season, as Paul, Dan, Bill, and Tom were lucky enough to have another week of fly fishing bliss ahead of them on Providence. We quickly set up our 8 new guest’s gear and set for the open ocean with a few large conas in tow hopeful of an encounter with the large schools of Yellowfish Tuna seen on the outskirts of the atoll.

 
 
 

The first day of the fishing week provided high-quality action with a total of 22 GTs and 7 Triggerfish landed for the day. The trio of Dan, Bill, and Paul enjoyed a particularly special day sharing 10 GTs between them, with old-time buddies Dan and Bill landing a 100cm and 102cm GT respectively. Well done, chaps! The Triggerfish were out and about in good numbers which provided our guests with numerous sight fishing opportunities to these charismatic flats dwellers. Tom, Rex, Rio, Bryan, Mike, and Chris all tasted success on this front. A strong opening day, great work, guys.

 
 

On day 2 we were dealt with tricky conditions with heavy cloud cover and diminished visibly.  Despite this, our group persevered and managed to convert 1 Barracuda and 8 GT encounters into catches. Catches of note during this day included first-time GT success for the father-son combo of Rex and Rio, well done, gents! Meanwhile, Mike and Dave enjoyed excellent success while fly fishing in the teeming coral gardens, landing loads of new and interesting Grouper and Snapper species. This being the duo’s first-ever saltwater fly fishing experience, it made it that much more exciting!

 
 

The tricky conditions continued into day 3 and made for challenging fly fishing conditions on the flats. Nevertheless, 5 GTs, 6 Bonefish, and 2 Triggers were still brought to hand for the day. Highlights were a slam for Dan consisting of a Bonefish, Triggerfish and GT. Bryan got stuck into the action on the GT front and landed a very respectable 92 cm specimen while Mike managed to land a monster 9ft Lemon shark.

 
 

The fourth day had our guests enjoying some exceptional fishing for large skinny water Bonefish, with a total of 41 brought to hand during a very busy session on the flats that included personal bests for most of our group. A special mention for young Rio, only 12 years old, and already a proud member of the Providence 10lb Bonefish Club! As for the other iconic species available on Providence, there were 3 Triggers and 4 GTs landed for the day, with John landing a slam consisting of a Bonefish, Trigger, and GT. Great work, lads!

 
 

The fifth day of the week delivered slightly more challenging opportunities for Prov’s iconic fish species with just 6 GTs and several Grouper and Snapper landed for the day. Paul did however experience a moment of GT fly fishing magic when he hooked a powerful fish of 89cm in water no deeper than the shin. His fish rooster tailed its way down the flat towards deeper water taking loads of backing in the process. Eventually, the fish succumbed to the pressure of the drag and Paul had his beauty firmly in his hands… a moment and memory we’re sure Paul will remember for a long time to come.

 
 

The 6th and final day of the fishing week saw us wake up to glorious conditions. The catch of the day went to Chris, who encountered a pair of large GTs while they slowly patrolled down the edge of a lagoon. One cast and as many strips is all it took for him to connect to his beautiful 96cm GT! The boat team of John, Dave, and Mike enjoyed Prov’s diversity scenarios, with plenty of Grouper and Snapper species landed. They also got stuck into the action on the flats with Dave converting his first-ever Bumphead Parrotfish catch, as well as his first GT catch on the flats. Great job, Mike! Dan also concluded his 2 weeks of fly fishing in style with a feisty GT.

 

That brings us to the end of the 6th week of our season. Memories were made and smiles were shared during a wonderful week of exploring and fishing. We look forward to welcoming our new and old friends back to Prov soon!

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

  • • GTs – 50

  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 1

  • • Triggerfish – 12

  • • Bonefish – 47 (1x 10lb)

  • • Barracuda – 3

  • • Other species – 202

Until next week,

The providence guide team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 4 – 11 April 2023

Providence Blog: 4 – 11 April 2023

The 5th week of our season had us welcome a full group of guests from the US constituting of a mix of new and familiar faces hosted by Brian of Fly Water Travel.

Day 1 saw us enjoy perfect weather which complemented the fishing and resulted in 9 GT catches. A special mention goes to Paul and Brian, who both managed to land trophy GTs measuring 102cm, which they each skillfully fought out of a large coral garden. What a wonderful way to start the week, well done, gents!

The good weather continued for the second day and so did the action on the GT front, with a total of 14 GTs brought to hand for the day. The standout catch went to Tim who managed to land a brute of 108cm! Great job, Tim. The first Milkfish of the trip was also landed late in the day after an intense one-hour battle. Well done, Dan!

Day 3 was one to write home about for Paul, Andy, and Brian. They experienced both the euphoric excitement of taming trophy GTs as well as the gut-wrenching disappointment of losing them. This was brought about by the astonishing amount of tackle that was donated to the Indian Ocean in the battles that took place during the day. A note-worthy disaster that can only be described as “that’s GT fishing” happened between Andy and Brian when they both hooked up into monster GTs. While trying to clear their running line, each of their running lines managed to get sucked up into the other’s rods! Sending a cluster of lines and the majority of each other’s rods flying off the boats as the two fish dashed in opposite directions. They both looked to head guide, Tim for wisdom, to which he had nothing to offer. Although both the fish were eventually lost, the rods and now eternally fused fly lines were recovered. On a happier note, both Brian and Paul eventually landed GTs of 102 and 100cm respectively while Andy landed an absolute monster, measuring 126cm! Well done, Andy.

Day 4 produced numerous catches of all things toothy, with loads of Bohar Snapper, Grouper, and Bluefin Trevally brought to had during the day. Highlights on the iconic species front included GT returns for Andy, Tom, Brian, and Gene. Each angler brought a single fish to hand, adding 4 to the group’s tally for the week.

The 5th day provided our guests with more of the same action on the flats with a diverse fly fishing experience enjoyed by all. Loads of Snapper and Grouper of varying shapes and sizes were landed, as well as a couple of GTs for Andy and Tim before a very large weather system settled in for the afternoon.

The 6th and final day saw conditions deteriorate even further with hazy overcast skies and sporadic cloud bursts endured for most of the day. Undeterred, our group headed out with the same intensity as day 1, determined to make the most of their final few hours on the flats. Despite the conditions, the fishing gods looked favourably upon us and delivered some action. Catches of note went to Brian landed a 10lb bonefish, his personal best. Bill left things late and eventually landed his first GT of the trip, a powerful fish that measured 104cm! Great job, Bill, while Drew had his hands full as he fought and landed a 60lb Dogtooth Tuna offshore. The catch of the day, however, went to Brian while fishing for Sailfish he managed to hook and eventually land a Black Marlin that was estimated to be +- 200lb! An exceptionally special catch on fly fishing gear in Seychelles. Hats off to you, Brian…. well done!

Our catch tally for the week is as follows:

  • GTs – 54 (6 over 100cm)
  • Golden Trevally – 1 (20lbs plus)
  • Bonefish – 2 (1 of 10lb)
  • Milkfish – 1
  • Dogtooth tuna – 1
  • Black Marlin -1
  • Barracuda – 2
  • Other species – 186

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 28 March – 4 April 2023

Providence Blog: 28 March – 4 April 2023

Week 4 of the Providence March – May 2023 fly fishing season saw us welcome 8 return guests and 4 new additions, all under the care of Justin from The Fly Shop. After a quick orientation of our mothership, we began readying everyone’s gear for another week of flats fishing action.

The predicted weather for the week looked like it would be flat and calm. As it turned out the report was correct… flat and calm is what we got all week. The first day saw our group capitalize on the favourable conditions with 6 GTs, 5 Bumpies, 3 Triggers, and 6 Bonefish landed for the day. A special mention goes out to Steve who managed to complete a slam on his very first day on the flats, landing a Trigger, Bumpie, and GT. A special way to start a Seychelles fly fishing adventure, well done Steve! Brian also enjoyed a red letter day landing not 1… but 2 Bonefish that tipped the scales at 10lbs!

Day 2, and yet more fantastic weather and fishing action! Our group landed a total of 9 GTs between them with 3 slams recorded for the day. Peter, Justin and Otis all slammed with catches of GTs, Triggers, Bumpies, and Bonefish. A very special day was shared between 3 friends and the perfect incentive for a couple of extra celebratory beers that evening. Well done guys!

By day 3 we had begun to feel the effects of the incredibly hot & still conditions. It caused the water temperatures throughout the atoll to rise to a point that made things challenging on the trevally front. Despite this, Providence provided us with numerous opportunities at the tailing species that frequent the atoll. Our shift in focus still produced several catches of GTs, Bumpies, Triggerfish, Bonefish, and a lonesome Permit. Bill was the lucky angler who managed to get the sought-after Indo to hand. Well done Bill!

The sun rose on day 4 producing the same hot and calm conditions! Our group however hit the flats with the same enthusiasm as they did on day 1. It paid off for Ken, who found himself in a rich vein form and went on to land 2 GTs, 1 of which his personal best for the week, sighted and hooked by himself. In addition, Brian landed his third 10lbs bonefish for the week, while Justin and John shared a Bumpie double.

Day 5 saw our group encounter several large schools of Milkfish which resulted in mulitple hookups. Unfortunately however, only 1 was successfully brought to hand, the lucky angler in this case being Steven who did a great job fighting his fish! Brian went on to land a massive Bumpie, his first, while Austin managed to come right on the Trevally front when he landed a spritely GT caught off of a stingray late in the day.

Unfortunately, there was only so much flat and calm weather the atoll could handle, and the fishing action slowed right down during the last day of the week. Despite this, Steve, Ottis, and Ken added to the GT tally which brought our week to a close.

Warm water certainly made fishing tricky by Providence standards, however, it was still an exceptional week from a tailing species point of view. We thoroughly enjoy our time with those who joined us during the 4th week and look forward to welcoming you all back to Providence in the near future.

Our catch tally for the 4th week of our season was:

  • GTs – 34
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 16
  • Triggerfish – 10
  • Bonefish – 24 (3 of 10lbs)
  • Indo-Pacific Permit – 1
  • Barracuda – 1
  • Milkfish – 2
  • Total tally of other species – 96

Until next week,
The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 21-28 March 2023

Providence Blog: 21-28 March 2023

The third week of our season saw us welcome a full group of completely new faces, both to the Indian Ocean and to Providence Atoll. The buzz of excitement reverberated through our mothership as we prepped everyone’s gear for the 6 days of flats fishing nirvana that lay before us.

The first day saw our group exposed to fly fishing for Giant Trevally for the first time and thankfully most were well-versed Tarpon fishermen. This made their learning experience quick and seamless with a return of 10 GTs landed for the day. In addition to the GTs landed during the first day of fishing was a powerful Napoleon Wrasse, which had Paul hanging onto his gear for dear life! A successful first day out for our new friends, well-done guys!

Day 2 and our group took to this new fly fishing environment like a duck to water, landing an impressive 23 GTs, 3 of which trophies measuring 100cm plus for the day. Will converted 4 while his boat partners, Miles and Heath landed 2 and 6 respectively. A special mention to Heath who managed to land 2 massive GTs measuring 111cm and 123cm which is an outstanding achievement. Great job, Heath! Lane also found himself in big fish territory and managed to land a powerful 101cm GT! Paul, the only angler to come right on the tailing species front managed to land an enormous Moustache Triggerfish.

The 3rd day had us all in hot pursuit of Providence’s larger Giant Trevally. Our intentions were clear and although only 8 GTs were landed for the day most of them were of real quality. Paul found himself in the right place at the right time and connected to an absolute brute of a GT that measured 127cm. A very special catch, well done Paul! Heath kept his 100cm breaking streak going with a beautiful 104cm specimen while his boat partner, Tom managed to match this catch with another of 104cm… great job guys! George closed the tally for the day with a powerful GT that fell just shy of the meter mark in the early evening of the 3rd day.

Day 4 dawned with ominous cloud banks and sheets of continuous rain which settled in for most of the day. Despite the exceptionally tricky fishing conditions our group still managed to convert a few catches of note including 1 Bumphead Parrotfish and 4 GTs for the day. Health managed to land his very first Bumpie while Scott, Tom, and David shared the spoils on the trevally front.

The penultimate day of the week saw us battle the conditions again, with tricky light and winds circulating around the compass. While the light switched on and off sporadically throughout the day, our guests still managed to make the most of their opportunities with Lane and Tom landing 2 GTs each. Scott had been fascinated by the sightings of Bumphead Parrotfish during the fishing days prior and finally managed to get himself connected to 1 of these powerful creatures. His Bumpie, an absolute monster stretched the measuring tape all the way to 121cm! An epic catch, and a special moment shared on the flats. Well done guys! Will however enjoyed the variety available on Providence and went onto land a slam that consisted of 2 GTs, a Triggerfish, and a Bumphead Parrotfish.

The 6th and final fishing day saw the conditions improve dramatically. Heath had his sights set on the Milkfish which was the last of the species left on his hitlist to tick off, which he did, in fine fashion. The Bumphead Parrotfish were seen in good numbers and our group set out for them with determined vigor. David and Lane were the lucky anglers to taste success on this front landing 1 each for the day. Miles landed the only Triggerfish for the day while Tom, George, and Bo enjoyed a flurry of action for the atoll’s resident Giant Trevally.

This brings another truly enjoyable week of fly fishing on Providence Atoll to an end. It was a pleasure for our team to share this experience with a group of newcomers, who we’re sure will soon become familiar friends in the future.

Our catch tally for the third week was:

  • 65 GTs (6 over 100cm)
  • 7 Bumphead Parrotfish
  • 4 Triggerfish
  • 1 Milkfish
  • 243 other species
  • 2 Napoleon Wrasse

Till next week,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 14-21 March 2023

Providence Blog: 14-21 March 2023

The second week of our March-May 2023 season saw us welcome back the familiar faces that join Aardvark Mcleod on their annual hosted fly fishing trip to Providence. Excited to explore the fishery with our friends from the UK we set about preparing everyone’s gear for the 6 days of fly fishing that lay before us…

Our group landed a total of 10 GTs during the first day of fly fishing as well as loads of action on the tailing species, with 5 Triggers and 7 Bones landed. The standout catch went to Fred who managed to land a trophy Bonefish of 10lbs, well done Fred! Other highlights from the first day included a flats slam for Tom consisting of 2 GTs, a Triggerfish and 3 Bonefish. Peter M also tasted sweet success during his day out landing 2 Triggerfish and 2 GTs.

Day 2 saw our group enjoy jaw-dropping weather conditions with clear skies and a light sea breeze. The group made the most of the favourable conditions landing a total of 13 GTs, 8 Bonefish and a single Trigger for the day. The team of Peter, Fred, and Andrew all enjoyed the action on the flats with Peter converting 4 GTs and 4 Bonefish, Fred managed 4 Bones and a GT, while Andrew landed 4 Bones and a Trigger. Great job guys!

Day 3 delivered a variety of catches under perfect bluebird skies and almost no wind whatsoever. Impressive catches of GTs, Triggers, and Bonefish were shared amongst the group with Mark and Piers landing 2 Triggers each. Joern added 3 GTs to his tally while Brummy came close to a slam landing two GTs and a very large Bone that tipped the scales at 10 lbs! The boat team of Peter O, Tom O, and Fred climbed into the GTs and managed to land 7 between them for the day with the standout catch going to Fred, his trophy GT pulled the measuring tape to 101cm. Awesome job, gentlemen!

The 4th day of the week provided our guests with numerous shots at GTs with a total of 17 brought to hand for the day. Peter M and Jim came into a rich vein of form and managed to bag 4 a piece. Andrew landed the only Triggerfish for the day, a beautiful Mustache Triggerfish that he managed to fool into eating his fly early on during the fishing day. The catch of the day, however, went to Joern who had been hunting his Indian Ocean nemesis for almost 15 years. On this Saturday, he finally found himself and a trophy Napoleon Wrasse in the same image, his trophy measured 94cm. Well done Joern!

Day 5 was filled with action with a slam and 16 GTs caught. Peter McLeod found himself in the land of giants when he hooked and eventually landed a monster GT that measured 116cm. He then went on to add another 4 to his tally, well done Peter! Peter’s boat partners, Jim and Brummy also had their share of the action with the pair landing 3 and 2 GTs respectively. Peter M’s knack of finding himself in all the right places continued as usual bagging a slam that consisted of a GT, a Triggerfish and 4 Bonefish. Great job Pete!

We decided that GTs were going to be the primary focus for the final fishing day. This gamble paid off big time with 25 GTs brought to hand. The father and son pair of Peter O and Tom O managed to land 3 GTs between them while Jim brought a lovely specimen that measured in the high 90s to hand. Peter M continued his rich vein of form and landed 6 GTs while his boat partner Piers managed to convert 5. Mark matched Peter M’s efforts with another 6 including 1 that broke that magical meter mark measuring 101cm. This brought a cracking end to a diverse week of flats fishing on Providence Atoll.

As always, we enjoyed our time with the good folks hosted by Aardvark McLeod. Thanks for joining us and we look forward to welcoming you all back to the atoll again next year.

Our catch tally for the 2nd week of the season was:

  • 97 – GTs (3 over 1m)
  • 13 – Triggerfish
  • 25 – Bonefish (2 over 10lbs)
  • 1 – Napoleon wrasse

Till next week,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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    Featured Image - Providence Blog: 5 – 14 March 2023

    Providence Blog: 5 – 14 March 2023

    The opening week of our March – May 2023 fly fishing season saw us welcome a group of guests to our favorite fly fishing destination in Seychelles for the third consecutive year. Following a round of excited hello’s and a quick tender boat run from Providence Island to our trusty mothership, we set about readying our everyone’s gear for their customary extended 9-night/8-day trip with us.

    Day 1 saw us treated to excellent weather with clear skies and a slight breeze originating from the west. Our group which consisted of eight anglers got stuck into the action immediately landing 23 GTs for the day. Scott opened his account in style landing an impressive 6 GTs while Charlie, a newcomer to the group brought his first-ever Seychelles GT and Milkfish to hand. Ivan followed suit by landing a powerful Milkfish and 5 GTs to close off a very productive day of fly fishing on Providence Atoll.

    The pleasant weather continued during day 2 and provided our guests with the perfect conditions to tackle the larger GTs found throughout the atoll. Scott, who is no stranger to landing big fish on Providence managed to find himself in the right place at the right time bagging a monster 117cm GT. His fish was picked from a school that was following a large shark. Great job, Scott! The father and son team of Jeronimo and Camillo made hay while the sun shone and managed to land 3 GTs respectively. Kyle enjoyed a stellar day adding 6 GTs to the tally which clocked 23 by day end. Well done guys!

    Day 3 and no change in the conditions, still perfect. Our group enjoyed excellent fishing with Juan landing 4 GTs himself while brother Jeronimo went on to land the first Triggerfish of the season and another 2 GTs. Scott continued to enjoy the action on the big fish front. This time he found himself attached to an immensely strong 113cm GT which had his reel working overtime before it was tamed. Kelly however landed the standout catch of the day when he hooked a massive 118cm GT that was found in a large lagoon. Our end-of-day tally saw us land another 23 GTs…incredible fishing!

    The 4th day saw our team explore areas of the atoll known to deliver a variety of grouper, snapper, and wrasse species. The plan paid dividends with the standout catch of this session going to Jeronimo who managed to bag himself the iconic Napoleon Wrasse that measured over the 1-meter mark. Kyle maintained his streak of good fortune on the flats taming 5 GTs, however, the top rod for the day was Charlie who managed an impressive 7 GTs bringing the total count for the day to 18 GTs landed.

    Day 5 and we were beginning to encounter more and more of the tailing fish species that frequent the atoll. Juan and Kelly enjoyed great fishing for both Bonefish and GTs landing 4 GTs and 6 Bonefish between them. One of Kelly’s bones measured 28,5 inches which put it in the region of 10lbs… Great catch Kelly! The GTs were still around in great numbers with a total of 18 landed for the day. The standout catches on this front went to Ivan and Charlie, a 107cm & 106cm fish respectively.

    Day 6 saw a change in conditions with a strong draft and a bank of clouds hanging above the atoll. Despite the conditions, every flyfisherman in the group managed to land at least one GT. Kelly landed yet another 4 GTs, one of which stretched the tape to 115cm! Camillo, Kelly’s boat partner for the day also managed to land 3 GTs which brought the total of GTs for the day to 13.

    Day 7 and the weather conditions were as they were the previous day. Despite the variable conditions, everyone in the group managed to land a GT with a total of 14 landed for the day. Charlie enjoyed the bulk of the action landing 5 GTs, one of which broke the meter mark measuring 103cm. It did not stop there for Charlie, while walking one of the lagoon edges, a very large blue shape emerged and tailed on a tapered turtle grass bank. It was quickly identified as a very large Napoleon Wrasse and after a couple of presentations, the wrasse charged the fly and engulfed it. Panic ensued as the fish sped off for his coral bommie home and after an intense tug of war Charlie managed to break the fish’s will to get to the coral and eventually landed. Great catch Charlie!

    The weather finally broke for the final day of the trip and we were treated to clear skies and a light breeze prevailing from the southeast. It was decided that the family affair of Camillo, Juan, and Jeronimo would partner and fish together. They made the most of their day together with Juan landing a slam that included a Trigger, 3 GTs, and a 10lbs Bonefish. Jeronimo narrowly missed his slam landing a Milkfish and 2 GTs, 1 of which broke the 1-meter mark measuring 101cm. Camillo finally landed his Trigger bagging himself a beautiful Yellow Margin. Kyle came in hot again landing himself 4 GTs for the day. Charlie also kept up his good form saving the best for last managing 6 GTs for the day, two of which broke the 100cm mark measuring 109cm and 115cm.

    This brings us to the end of an action-packed season opener on our favourite flats in Seychelles. Our catch tally for the week was:

    • 148 GTs (10 over 100cm)
    • 3 Milkfish
    • 3 Triggerfish
    • 10 Bonefish (2 over 10lbs)
    • 2 Napoleon wrasse (both over 100cm)

    Till next week,
    The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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    Featured Image - Providence Blog: 6-13 December 2022

    Providence Blog: 6-13 December 2022

    We welcomed a full group of 12 anglers comprising of familiar and new faces onboard to the Maya’s Dugong for the 8thand final week of our end of year stint on Providence. Our team was frothing at the bit to end the season on a high and that’s exactly what we did…

    The first day of the fishing week saw loads of action out on the flats as our guests enjoyed favorable weather conditions. Our group landed a total of 9 GTs with Peter, Mike, and Dale all managing to land a single fish each while James, Alex, and Ross went one better with 2 GTs each for the day. We encountered good numbers of bumphead parrotfish on the flats and after some skillful casting Kevin and Paul both managed to hook and land their first ever bumpies on the fly. The conditions we experienced were ideal for the atoll’s resident milkfish providing fantastic opportunities for these powerful creatures.  Ross, the man of the moment managed hook 1 and after a long tussle the fish broke the leader right at the net. Although disappointing, he had done 99% of the work on his part. Still a special day for Ross, being 14 years of age, and experiencing his first GT catch and almost landing a milkfish on his first ever saltwater fly fishing experience.

    The second day of the week saw much of the same conditions as the first. With moderate winds and bright sunlight for most of the day our guests all enjoyed a productive day on the flats. There were once again loads of shots for the infamous Giant Trevally with a total of 8 fish landed for the day with the largest being a 103cm fish landed by Alex, one of 2 fish for him. Paul also landed 2 for the day with his boat partners Peter and Kevin also getting stuck in with 3 and 1 respectively. We bumped into the bumpies consistently throughout the day and after some stealthy stalking and an accurate cast James found himself connected to an absolute monster. Following a long tussle James’ beast was landed, measuring and impressive 108cm!

    Day 3 brought with it exceptionally flat conditions with very little wind and more bright sunlight. We enjoyed yet more productive flats fishing for GTs with our group tallying 6 for the day. The catches were split equally amongst Mike, James, Nico, Peter, Kevin, and Ross. Ross however, enjoyed a moment of Providence magic as his GT measured a massive 106cm! Some of the group encountered tailing bumpies on the flats, Charles converted his shot landing his very first bumpie on the fly. Another impressive catch was the large napoleon wrasse landed on the flats by Peter, the fish was seen feeding on the flats and after an intense fight and some wrangling through coral heads the fish came to hand. The action continued into the early evening with large schools of milkfish seen feeding energetically in certain areas of the atoll. This provided Schalk with the opportunity of finally land his nemesis. Well done, Schalk!

    Day 4 saw a complete change in the conditions with heavily overcast skies and strong wind. We still managed to complete several impressive catches by the with a total of 8 GTs landed for the day. Ross, Paul, Mike, and Alex all landed a GT each while Charles and James went one better with 2 apiece. The milkfish were up in good numbers once again. This time it was both Paul and Kevin’s turn to get taste milky success as they each managed to hook and land 1 of these very highly prized fish.

    The fifth day saw the overcast conditions disappear with the guests experiencing calm winds and great light throughout the day. It turned out to be an incredibly productive day on the GT front as there were large packs of GTs encountered hunting and cruising over the flats of Providence. The fishing was action packed with no less than 19 fish landed for the day. Peter and Mike each managed to land a fish with Peter’s fish just shy of a meter. James, Alex, and Charles however experienced something very few people get to see as they found large packs of GTs bow waving across their flat while feeding off the back of stingrays. They enjoyed a phenomenal session landing 3, 6 and 8 GTs respectively with many more fish seen, hooked, and lost. A great day of flats fishing shared between good friends.

    Providence left the best for last as the 6th day of the week produced a fanstastic day of flats fishing for GTs. Our guests landed a total of 36 GTs between them with Nico, Ross, and Dale each landing one fish each to round off a very successful week for them out here. Mike and Schalk both went out with some unfinished business and managed to land 2 and 3 GTs respectively. The day however would be extra special for Paul, Peter, and Kevin who landed an incredible 28 GTs between them for the day. Paul landed 8, while Peter landed 9. Kevin ended his week in the best possible fashion as he landed 11 GTs on the last day of the week.

    It has been a great pleasure to explore Providence with all of those who joined us this season.  Despite the tricky we conditions we experienced for periods of this season we still had a blast. A special thanks to all of those who joined us during our Oct – Dec 2022 Providence fly fishing season. We can’t wait to share it with you all again in the near future.

    Our catch tally for the week was:

    • GT: 86 (2 over 100cm)
    • Bumpie: 4
    • Milkfish: 4
    • Napoleon: 1

    Until next season

    The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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