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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 29 Nov- 6 Dec 2022

Providence Blog: 29 Nov- 6 Dec 2022

The 7th week of the October-December 2022 Providence season saw us welcome a full group of new commers to the Providence experience. Brimming with excitement our mothership made short work of the crossing from Farquhar to Prov.

Day 1 was action packed with all of our guests enjoying the various fly. Fishing opportunities available on the flats. Sam and David enjoyed an exciting and rewarding trigger fishing session with each of them managing to bring 1 to hand. The GTs were unfortunately scarce however we were still able to land a total of 3 for the day – Blom, Faf, and Renthia all tasting success on this front. We also happened upon several schools of feeding bumphead parrotfish which provided action for those interested in taming the mighty bumpie. Both Rob and Simone converted their opportunities by landing 1 apiece. Great job, guys! Other highlights worth mentioning included Brett’s first ever napoleon wrasse much to the excitement of his fishing partners onboard his skiff.

The second day of the trip saw our guests treated to loads of shots to the atoll’s various tailing fish species. Will, Sam, and David encountered a good number of   large bonefish and ended their session with 5, 2 and 4 Bones respectively. The bumphead parrotfish were once again out in good numbers which resulted in Renthia landing her first ever bumpie on the fly. We experienced more action on the triggerfish front with both Sam and Will able to bring a colorful trigger to hand. The GT fishing was unfortunately slower than normal again with few shots up for grabs for our guests. That said, Rob and Blom each managed to land 2 apiece to bring the day’s total to 4. The busy action prospecting for the different grouper and snapper continued during day 2 which kept our guests entertained during the periods of the tide that were favorable for this. The standout catches on this front was another large napoleon wrasse, this time for Daniel.

Day 3 delivered another productive session of fly fishing for bonefish. Dan, Brett, and Simone all managed to land their personal best bones while Rob caught the bone of the day landing a trophy fish that was over that magical 10lb mark. He didn’t stop there and went on to land beautiful yellow margin triggerfish. Great fishing and well done, Rob! The tough GT fishing continued with few opportunities presenting themselves during the day. Sam was the only angler to taste success on this front landing a brute of 101cm. Way to go, Sam, great job!

Day 4 brought with it some fantastic conditions to target the tailing fish species available on the atoll with loads of shots had to yellow margin and moustache triggers. Our guests managed to get several fish to eat the fly with quite a few flies coming back destroyed by the trigger’s strong jaws and teeth. Dan and Brett converted their shots landing 2 and 1 respectively. There were a few GTs seen on the flats however those shots just didn’t go our way.

More bones were encountered on day 5 with Rob landing 5, and once again found himself connected to the big fish as he caught his second double digit bonefish for the week highlighting just how good Providence is when it come to producing large and powerful bonefish. A couple more GTs were seen out on the flats during the day and although they weren’t in the numbers that we are used to seeing there were still 2 fish landed. David and Brett made their shots count and each landed 1 of these iconic fish.

The 6th and last day of the fishing week had us all hoping for red hot fishing. The bumpies were around in good numbers and our guests enjoyed exciting fishing for these behemoths of the flats. Dan and Brett had each showed interest in the bumpies all week and their persistence finally paid off on the last day as the each landed their first bumpies ever on the fly. Great job, gentlemen. The GTs that had been elusive all week and finally made a reappearance in good numbers on the last day. There were 4 landed – Brett, Dan, and David all managed to get one to end their week off in great fashion. The GT of the day, however, went to Will who after fishing hard all week was rewarded with a GT of 101cm. A special way to end his time at Providence. Well done, Will! The afternoon gave our guests an opportunity to target some of the bluewater species on offer with large schools of feeding milkfish encountered. David was the lucky angler who had 1 stick, landing his first ever milkfish. Staying offshore some of our guests wanted a crack at the sailfish and several fish were raised on the last day with Faffa making his shot count as he managed to land 1 of these acrobatic speedsters.

This brings us to the end a diverse week of fly fishing on Providence. Although the GT fishing was difficult our group made the most of their time exploring the atoll and still managed to land good numbers of all the various targets up for grabs.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

  • GT: 14 (2 over 100cm)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish: 5
  • 10lb Bonefish: 2
  • Milkfish: 1
  • Sailfish: 1
  • Total number of other species caught: 289

Until next week

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 22-29 November 2022

Providence Blog: 22-29 November 2022

The 6th week of our season saw us welcome a group hosted by our friends from Mavungana in South Africa. After a short crossing over from Farquhar our guests were ready to get their week in this outlandish place off to a running start and that is exactly what they did…

Day 1 delivered opportunities for the atoll’s giant trevally and although not all of the shots ended in success 3 of our guests – Nick, Rob, and Chris all managed to land a giant trevally for the day. Action was had on the offshore front too, Johan caught the standout catch here landing an immensely powerful 119cm dogtooth tuna. The day was rounded off with some exceptional fishing over the deeper coral bommies providing our group with exciting entertainment to end the day.

Day 2 brought with it an improvement on the GT front with our guests tasting success on 7 occasions for the day. Nick, Chris, Calum, Craig, and Jono all managed to land a fish each while Rob went one better with 2 for the day. The infamous bumphead parrotfish were also out in good numbers and Jono made his shots count landing a large bumpie. This was no mean feat as it was done using a dry fly imitation that our team had been working on for some time. The very first bumphead parrotfish ever caught on off the surface and a very special moment for both head guide Tim Babich and Jonathan. The fishing off the coral heads was on fire and apart from all the weird and wonderful grouper and snapper species landed there were also 2 napoleon wrasse landed by Jono and Craig, respectively. We had seen some sailfish activity offshore in the days prior and this led to Henk and Johan both landing their first sailfish on fly. Well done, guys!

Day 3 saw yet another improvement in the GT fishing with a total of 11 landed for the day. Craig and Calum continued from where they left off on the previous day landing a GT each. Nick also got in on the action but went one better with 2 GTs. The day, however, belonged to Rob who enjoyed a very busy session of fishing converting 6 GTs to cap off a productive day on the flats.

Day 4 brought with it several opportunities for the atoll’s resident bumphead parrotfish. Henk and Johan’s efforts paid dividend with both managing to land their first ever bumpies. Well done, guys! The sailfish were around again in good numbers – Rob, Roland, and Calum all came right with these acrobats of the open ocean. Back to the flats and the GT action provided our guests with multiple shots to these impressive predators with our group tallying a total of 6 for the day. Craig, Calum, Chris, Nick, Henk, and Jono shared the spoils between them.

We experience tough conditions on day 5 with high winds and limited visibility due to thick cloud cover. Henk found a couple of bonefish on a sand flat and the second fish he caught stretched the tape past the 26.5 Inch mark making it a 10 lber, well done, Henk! The tricky conditions resulted in a single GT brought to hand for the day, a feisty fish caught by Roland.

The last day of the week saw the weather improve slightly and our guests were all itching to end the week on a high. Jono ended his time at Providence in style by landing a powerful trophy GT that measured 100cm. Rob enjoyed success too and landed a triggerfish and another Sailfish. Roland’s persistence paid off as he finally managed to land his first bumphead parrotfish after being fascinated by these fish all week. This brings us to the end of a challenging week’s fishing on the flats of Providence. Tough conditions certainly didn’t help our cause however we thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with the Mavungana group. We look forward to exploring these flats with you all again in the near future.

Our catch tally for week 5 was:

  • GT: 28 (1 of a 100cm)
  • Sailfish: 6
  • Bumphead Parrotfish: 4
  • Triggerfish: 1
  • Napoleon Wrasse: 2
  • Bonefish: 9 (1 of 10lbs.)

Till next week,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 8-15 November 2022

Providence Blog: 8-15 November 2022

The fourth week of the season saw us welcome back a few old friends. The group’s excitement was contagious and felt by our guide team providing a little extra motivation to deliver another busy week on the flats.

The first day saw our guests enjoy several shots at the atoll’s GT population, with a total of 8 landed for the day. Dave, Joern, and Keith all managed 1 GT each, while Rob got his trip off to a cracking start adding 5 GTs to his name, 1 of which measured 101cm. Great job, Rob!

The second day delivered similar action to that experienced by our guests the day before, with a total of 7 GTs landed. A special moment was enjoyed by Andre who managed to finally land his first ever GT on the fly.  Mike, Joern, Dave, and Peter all landed a GT each while Tony went one better landing 2 GTs himself for the day. The bluewater provided our guests with several great opportunities for the acrobatic speedsters that frequent the perimeter of the atoll but after a couple of near misses we were unfortunately unable to convert any of these opportunities.

The third day started off with a bang with Dave landing the first bumpie for the trip, a solid 103cm fish and his personal best. The bommie bashing was superb with most of the group landing loads of large bohar snapper, grouper, and bluefin trevally. Our group experienced good fishing on the GT front and landed a total of 11 fish between them. Peter, David, Tony, Andre, and Keith all landed one a piece. Joern went 1 better and managed to land 2 for the day while Rob topped the totals with 3 himself. The fish of the day however, went to Mike who landed a trophy fish of 100cm on the dot. Great job, Mike!

Day 4 saw our guests experience challenging conditions which made for a relatively tough day of fishing. A total of 4 GTs were landed for the day with Rob and Joern both landing 1 each. Peter landed two for the day with one of his fish stretching the tape to 100cm, a special fish and well deserved, Peter! We had seen some sailfish around and it was only a matter of time before one was hooked and that’s just what happened – Dave and Joern both managed to stay connected and eventually land 1 of these bluewater speedsters each.

Day 5 saw a continuation of the tricky weather conditions with strong wind and dark overcast skies. Despite the less than desirable weather, Tony got stuck into the bones and was rewarded with a double-digit bonefish which ran him deep into backing. The sailfish were out in good numbers again and both Rob and Mike made their shots count by landing a sailfish each. The tough light and rough conditions made spotting fish over turtle grass very difficult, but we were still able to land 2 GTs for the day, 1 each for Andre and Rob respectively. Rob’s fish deserving of a special mention pulled the measured tape all the way to 109cm. Great job, Rob!

The last day of the week saw our guests enjoy a mixed bag of catches. Tony picked up where he left off on the bones landing another 2 double-digit fish, a truly remarkable feat and something that doesn’t happen every day. He also landed a triggerfish to end off his week on a high. There were 3 more GTs landed on the last day by Keith, Dave, and Joern to round off a tricky yet enjoyable week on the flats of Providence.

Our catch tally for week 3 was:

  • GTs: 35 (4 over 100cm)
  • Bonefish: 27 (3 of 10lbs)
  • Sailfish: 4
  • Bumpie: 1 (103cm)
  • Triggerfish: 1

Until next time,

The Flycastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 15-22 November 2022

Providence Blog: 15-22 November 2022

The 5th week of our season saw us welcome a familiar group of faces from Austria hosted by AOS. This being their second visit to Providence most of the group had an idea of the adventure that lay before them. This is how it went…

The first day of the week saw our guests enjoy red hot fly fishing from the outset with no less than 5 triggerfish landed for the day – KC landed 1 while MC and Tony managed to get 2 each to hand. The bonefish also showed up to the party with most of the group getting stuck into these powerful flats speedsters. Action was also enjoyed on the GT front with a total of 9 landed on the first day. KC landed 1, while Marko and Stefan both caught 2 each. Alex enjoyed a cracking start to the week by landing 3 GTs himself on the opening day. Well done, Alex! The fish of the day, however, went to Joerg who landed a massive 106 cm GT to get his week underway in the best possible way.

The success of the first day carried on into second day of the week as our guests enjoyed some incredible skinny water bonefishing. The colourful triggers were around in good numbers again and tested the accuracy and patients of our guests. Tony landed another 2 triggers to continue his good form. Marko also landed a trigger, which sealed him a Providence slam as he also landed a GT and several bones during the day. On the subject of GTs there were a total of 10 landed for the day. Alex and Marko both landed 1 GT each while Tony, Thomas, and Bernhard all managed 2 GTs a piece. The standout fish of the day, however, were caught by Joerg and MC who both landed trophy GTs. Joerg’s fish measured 101cm and MC’s an absolute brute of a fish that measured 116cm. Fantastic job, guys!

Day 3 brought with it challenging conditions, however our group still managed to complete some fantastic catches for the day. Thomas and KC enjoyed fantastic skinny water fly fishing for triggers each landing a 1 during the morning session. There were multiple shots at GT’s during the day, but the wind made presenting the fly rather tough. A total of 6 GTs were brought to hand for the day with Marko, Stefan, and Tony all landing a fish each, while KC enjoyed a cracking session adding another 3 fish to his name.

The fourth day of the week was action packed from start to finish. Tony landed another triggerfish, although MC clearly had some big fish mojo and found himself connected to a massive Barracuda that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 131cm! This fish engulfed his fly and put up an impressively acrobatic fight before finally coming to hand. The GT fishing improved somewhat as we saw 13 fish landed for the day. Joerg and Alex both landed 3 each, Marko and Thomas 2 apiece, while MC caught 1 GT for the day. The standout fish for the day though went to Stefan and Bernhard who landed a 107cm and a 101cm fish respectively. Great fishing guys, well done.

The fifth day rolled around, and the great GT fishing continued as we saw 17 fish landed. Both Tony and Stefan caught 2 each while Thomas landed 3. Bernhard got well and truly stuck into the GTs landing 4 for the day, which is a great effort considering this was his first ever saltwater fly fishing trip. The day however belonged to Alex who really displayed his skills by landing 5 GTs for the day.

The last day of the trip saw our guests land a total of 8 GTs between them. Marko, Joerg, Stefan, and KC all landed 1 fish each. Thomas and MC however both went 1 better with 2 GTs on the last day. Thomas, not done with a couple GTs added a feisty triggerfish to the tally which ended his and the group’s week on a high note.

Our catch tally for the week was:

  • GTs: 63 (5 of a 100cm plus)
  • Triggerfish: 12
  • Bonefish: 11
  • Tally of other species caught: 321

Till next week,

The Flycastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 1-8 November 2022

Providence Blog: 1-8 November 2022

Our third group during the Providence October- December 2022 season arrived with high hopes for a great week of flats fishing in the Indian Ocean. Spirits were high and that showed in the fish numbers for the first day as the guests landed some impressive fish.

Our guests didn’t have to wait very long to get stuck into the action as Ivar tasted success first thing on day 1 by landing an exceptionally powerful milkfish. As we made our way onto the flats the guests got to experience the variety of species that Providence has to offer. Brian landed the first bumpie for the week that was picked out from a large school of fish found happily tailing away on the flats. Doug, Justin, Christian, and Matt P all landed GTs on the first day of the week. Matt P’s GT was a special one as it was part of a Providence slam as he also landed a triggerfish and bonefish. Great job, Matt! Trent added a splash of colour to the catch report with a beautiful triggerfish on day one. The bone fishing we experienced was nothing short of spectacular as all our guests landed solid numbers of big bonefish late in the day. Carson got stuck into a few bigger fish and managed a double-digit bonefish to end off a very productive first day on the flats.

Day 2 saw our guests pick up from where they left off landing 4 triggers for the day. Lars, Christian, and Ivar all getting a yellow margin each, while Doug managed a moustache trigger. The GTs were also out on the flats in good numbers providing everyone in the group with numerous shots. Justin, Brian, Matt, and Rob all landed a GT each. The bone fishing was once again something to write home about with several large specimens brought to hand. 

By the third day of the week our guests were well and truly in the swing of things and this showed as Doug, who was busy with his second week on Providence, landed 3 GTs for the day – one of which stretched the measuring tape past the magical 100 cm mark, measuring 103cm! Dave and Justin also got stuck into the GTs landing 2 each while Matt G joined the party with another GT to complete a great day on the GT front. Justin added to his 2 GTs for the day with a solid yellow margin triggerfish.

The fourth day of the week saw our guests enjoy several phenomenal catches. Ivar kept his impressive streak going on the triggerfish front by adding another 2 to his tally for the week. We also saw 2 more bumpies caught with Rob and Matt G each landing one of these bizarre and exciting creatures. The diversity of Providence shone bright yet again treating our guests to exceptional fishing for the plethora of resident groupers, snappers, and wrasse. The standout catch on this front was a large napoleon wrasse landed by Carson. The GT fishing continued to impress with our guests converting 7 fish for the day. Brian, Dave, Doug, Carson, Justin, and Ivar all landed these iconic flats fish with the catch of the day going to Matt P who landed his first GT over a meter with a respectable fish of 101cm. Well done, Matt!

Day 5 saw more impressive catches of the various groupers, snappers and trevally that frequent providence’s wild waters. We experienced good fishing on the flats as Brian landed his first ever bumphead parrotfish on the fly. Our group also encountered good numbers of giant trevally on the flats during the day although the shots proved tricky due to less than desirable weather conditions. Rob and Ivar landed one apiece while Christian ended the day with 2 GT’s to his name rounding off another successful and exciting day.

The last day of the week had our group chomping at the bit to get out and make the most of their final day’s fishing on Providence. The focus was on GTs and a total of 7 were caught for the day. Matt G and Brian both landed 1 GT each while Carson went 1 better with 2 GTs to his name. Christian continued his good form and went onto land a total of 3 for the day closing off a challenging yet exciting week of fishing on Providence. 

Our catch tally for week 3 was as follows: 

  • GTs: 35 (2 of 100cm plus)
  • Triggerfish: 9
  • Bumpies: 3
  • Milkfish: 1
  • Bonefish: 42 (1 of 10lbs.)
  • Total number of other species landed: 268

Until next week, 

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 25 Oct – 1 Nov 2022

Providence Blog: 25 Oct – 1 Nov 2022

The second week of our season saw us welcome a mixed group of anglers from all over the globe, most regulars to our Providence fly fishing program. Following a thorough tackle inspection and set-up, we set sail with excited anticipation towards the wild waters surrounding Providence. 

Day 1 started with a bang delivering a total of 9 GTs for the day. Andre, Doug, and Rob all landed 1 each – Rob’s fish measured an impressive 101cm. The team of Chris C, Chris W, and Peter went one better and landed 2 GTs each. Not to be outdone, Chris W also managed to break the magical 1-meter mark by taming a powerful 101cm GT adding another to the trophy tally for the day. Over and above the great GT fishing was the exciting fishing enjoyed around the coral gardens found throughout the atoll. The highlights on this front were numerous large bluefin trevally and 2 napoleon wrasse which capped off another diverse day of fishing on Providence.

Day 2 was filled with action from the get-go and despite adverse weather conditions, our guests still enjoyed impressive catches for the day. We experienced wild action around the coral gardens again and our guests landed a multitude of species during the high-water periods of the day. Prov’s flats fired too, providing fantastic opportunities to target GT’s and Bones. Andre, Rob, and Chris W made the most of their chances and all landed a couple solid GTs. 

Day 3 saw our guests encounter massive bait balls throughout the day which delivered amazing bluefin and giant trevally action. Rob and Chris C both capitalized on their opportunities by landing a GT each, while Peter and Chris W went one better by taming 2 GTs a piece. Some of our favourite tailing species were also found on the flats, resulting in Andre landing a lively moustache triggerfish. Fergus’s persistence paid off as he managed to land the first bumphead parrotfish of the week. Well done, Fergus! 

Day 4 began with a break in the weather which complimented the fishing favorably. Gerald got stuck into the bluefin trevally and landed an absolute brute of a fish that stretched the measuring tape to an impressive 83cm! The flats fishing for GTs was phenomenal, treating our guests to some of the most incredible action we’ve ever witnessed. Doug, Scott, and Phillip all landed a GT each. A special mention for Phillip whose fish was just 5cm short of the magical 100cm mark. Rob enjoyed some exciting GT fishing as well, bringing 2 fish to hand while Andre went one better with 3 GTs. The standout catch of day 4 went to Miles who managed to land a trophy bumpie that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 106cm. Well done, Miles! 

The 5th day of the week could only be described in one word, mayhem. Our guests all experienced amazing fishing early in the morning. Lines were stretched by various species including bohar snapper, serval different grouper, bluefin trevally, bonito, and even rainbow runner. A total of 26 GTs landed for the day with Rob, Scott, Doug, and Sam all landing a fish each, with Sam’s catch a special one as it was his first ever successful GT catch. There were also fish for Phillip, Miles, Chris C, and Peter who all landed 2 GTs each. Peter added another trophy GT to the tally with a fish of 102cm. The largest fish of the day, however, went to Chris W who apart from landing 3 GTs managed to stick a solid 104cm GT. Great job, Chris! Gerald had a fantastic day landing 5 GTs as well as number of other reef species while Fergus went one better landing 6 GTs himself for the day. The mood was jovial after such an incredible day out on the flats, with excited stories of the day’s exploits shared over a round of drinks on the back deck of the Dugong that evening. 

The sixth and final day of the week brought with it clear skies and higher winds making casting in some scenarios challenging. Nevertheless, our guests still enjoyed some incredible fishing to round off another special week on Providence. Fergus, Gerald and Rob landed a GT a piece although Fergus’ fish was bittersweet as he had unfortunately lost a massive fish earlier in the day. Doug and Andre also got stuck into the GTs with 2 fish each. There was a multitude of species landed on the last day as we again saw large numbers of bluefin trevally, bohar snapper, and grouper. Gerald finished his trip with a special catch landing a napoleon wrasse to cap off another very successful week on Providence.

Our total catch tally for week 2 was:

  • GTs – 60 (4 over 100cm)
  • Bumpy- 2 (1 of 106cm)
  • Bonefish- 4
  • Napoleon Wrasse- 6
  • Triggerfish- 1
  • Rainbow Runner- 3
  • Bluefin trevally, Bohar Snapper, Grouper etc. – 726

Until next week, 

The Flycastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 18 – 25 October 2022

Providence Blog: 18 – 25 October 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our catch tally for the week was:

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

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish in the Seychelles

Fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish in the Seychelles

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

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

Fast Facts:

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

A Bumphead Parrotfish double caught on Providence Atoll.

 Rigging up for Bumphead Parrotfish

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

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

How to catch more Bumphead Parrotfish on the flats

The positioning

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

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

The presentation

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

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

The retrieve

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

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

The fight

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

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

Where is the best Bumphead Parrotfish destination for you?

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

Providence Atoll

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

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

We would love to hear from you

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

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 12-19 April 2022

Providence Blog: 12-19 April 2022

Welcome to the 6th week’s fishing report from the Providence Atoll’s March – April 2022 fly fishing season. This week saw us welcome a group of mostly newcomers to the Prov fly fishing experience. Following the usual thorough orientation of our mothership and description of the day-to-day fishing routine we set sail for Providence and its exciting flats. 

The first day offered up plenty of opportunities on the GT front with a total of 13 brought to hand by days end. Tom C, James E, Gerald, John A, and Jeremy all managed to land their first-ever GTs on the fly, well done gentlemen! The tailing fish species were also encountered at times, which allowed James O and Chad to add a splash of color to the catch report when they managed to hook and land a Triggerfish each on the opening day of the week. The standout catch, however, went to Gerald who after spotting a large olive shape move across a white sand flat, made a good presentation and a couple of strips, before he was connected to his first-ever Bonefish on the fly. Following a long battle consisting of long runs into his backing, he was rewarded with a Bone of 10lbs… Well done Gerald, a special way to end the opening day of fishing!

The second day saw our guests enjoy another great day of GT fishing with a total of 19 landed during the day. Catches of note included John L’s first-ever GT and Bumphead Parrotfish on the fly, well done John! James E also managed to land his first-ever Bumpie, while Jeremy went on to hook and land his first-ever Bonefish. Well done guys, a great day with loads of first-time experiences enjoyed by our guests. 

The third day provided yet more productive flats fishing for GTs with a total of 15 landed. The day’s highlights included two special catches, the first for Chad who had been waiting in ambush on a coral head when he spotted a blue shape sneaking past his position. After presenting his fly and following a couple of fast strips he hooked and landed a monster GT that measured 113cm, well done Chad! His boat partner, however, enjoyed a moment of flats fishing magic while wading an exposed ridge on the low tide when he saw a massive black fish holding in the current. Tom presented his fly in the perfect spot and watched as a giant mouth exploded out of the water and over his fly. After an intense fight the landed fish measured an amazing 121cm. Well done Tom P, undoubtedly a fish of a lifetime! Chad continued his good form and eventually landed a Triggerfish late in the day. Well-done gentleman, a special day on the flats shared between good mates is about as good as it can get. 

The fourth day saw a total of 5 GTs landed with the fish of the day caught by John A. His trophy was encountered while wading on the edge of the flat when he saw a fish charge towards him from the deep water. After a quick snap cast, he watched as the fish inhaled the fly at his feet. An intense fight followed, and the landed fish measured an impressive 110cm…. well done John A! Chad managed to land yet another Triggerfish, to cap off a other great day.

The fifth day’s GT catch tallied up to 7 for the day. The fish of the day went again to Chad who after waiting patiently on an exposed set of coral heads saw a school of large black fish move into the area. He presented his fly in front of the school before all hell broke loose as several fish rushed forward to eat his helpless baitfish imitation. After an intense fight and a bit of luck, he managed to land another trophy specimen of 118cm, well done Chad!

The sixth and final day of the fishing week saw a total of 14 GTs landed for the day. The largest GT on the final day went to James O who hooked and landed an incredibly strong 97cm fish surrounded by beautiful azure water and white crashing surf. The Milkfish also made an appearance on the final day which provided an opportunity for John L and John A to fish and eventually land their first-ever Milks on the fly. Well done, Gentlemen! 

This brings a close to a week full of first-time experiences for our guests. We enjoyed every moment we spent on the flats this week and we look forward to welcoming you all back again soon. 

Our catch tally for the week was:

  • GTs- 74 (5 over a 100cm)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 2
  • Triggerfish – 4
  • Bonefish – 3
  • Milkfish – 2
  • Total tally of species landed – 189

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Feb 2022

Sterkfontein Dam Blog: Jan – Feb 2022

2022 saw South Africa experience one of the wettest summers in our recent history. The shear amount of water and variable weather conditions experienced between January & February can make fly fishing a challenge, particularly in South Africa. This was not the case during our 2022 Sterkfontein fly fishing season and again proved why “Sterkies” is our favourite high summer fly fishing destination, it just keeps producing the goods regardless of the variables!

This season at Sterkies saw us run our full fleet of customised Fusion 17ft boats for a period of 7 weeks. Our team rose the bar another couple of notches with days full of opportunities, even during the most challenging of conditions. Week in and week out we felt a great deal of pride seeing the excited grins on the faces of our guests who had either just tasted their first ever Smallmouth Yellowfish success, or veterans of the experience expressing a sense of satisfaction closely resembling one’s face after enjoying a delicious meal. The fish swam high and happy, and we were in the right place at the right time. A success in so many ways, we’ve highlighted the top 5 moments from our 2022 season below:

1. Ant Fall

Sterkfontein is comparatively devoid of aquatic hatches. Despite this, the reservoir experiences prolific ant falls with hundreds, if not thousands of these terrestrials losing their way and eventually falling into the dam. Our quarry, the Smallmouth Yellowfish have cottoned onto this phenomenon and lock onto them. At times they become very selective, only accepting profiles that closely resemble the ants in the water. A simple fly change is often all it takes and then the action begins in ernest. Guests Tom Lewin & Dean Riphagen of Frontier Fly Fishing experienced this exact scenario and managed to make the most of their opportunities as the fish swam just a few inches below the surface picking off the struggling ants. Although these hatches are not guaranteed, when they do happen the dry fly sight fishing action can only be described as superb. See the video below of a brief snippet of this experience.

2. First Time Success

Welcoming first-time visitors to Sterkfontein is always an exciting occasion, and an opportunity for us to unlock the full fishing potential of the fishery immediately for our guests. Keegan Kennedy of Xplorer fly fishing and friend Matt joined us for a couple of days on the dam. Their second day produced one of the most productive sessions we’ve ever seen, with no fewer than 36 x Smallmouth Yellowfish brought to hand, all sight fished under bluebird skies. Keegan caught 3 specimens of 50cm (20 inches) plus, which are large enough to be considered as trophies at Sterkfontein. Well done, Keegan!

3. Veteran’s Redemption

Long-time friends of FlyCastaway, John and Paddy enjoyed a stella 4 days of fly fishing with us during our Jan-Feb Sterkfontein season. The duo was treated to various dry fly fishing scenarios, most notably were the late afternoons where they experienced the thrill of heavy ant falls. On each occasion the team made the most of their opportunities and went on to enjoy double digit days on the dam which is no mean feat… Well done gentlemen!

4. Open water cruisers 

The father and son duo of Ian and Drummond also had their eyes opened to the full fishing potential available at Sterkfontein. They enjoyed an incredibly productive session fishing in the open water, amid a large brewing storm. The sharp change in barometric pressure mixed with the large ant fall meant the duo experienced some of Sterkfontein’s gold standard, the guys landing several large and healthy Smallmouth Yellowfish!

5. Guide’s Day Off

Although there weren’t very many days to spend on the water ourselves, we took the few opportunities we had to explore rarely visited areas of the dam, putting the prior evening’s creative fly tying product through its paces. Fly fishing at Sterkfontein is one of those experiences that you can fully immerse yourself in, where the mind doesn’t wonder about anything other than the task at hand…. finding high riding smallmouth yellowfish and attempting to convince them to eat our new/improved dry fly patterns. One such day stands out above the rest when guides Justin and Milan found a string of fish while drifting along an extended scum line in the middle of the dam. The boys made quick work of the fish and enjoyed an incredibly productive 2-hour session which left them both itching for that next day off!

Our time at Sterkies provided us with another opportunity to scratch that sight fishing itch that we love so dearly, which for the most part we have to travel far and wide to enjoy. There isn’t any doubt in our minds that this experience ranks highly with other top venues around the world, whether it be in the fresh or saltwater. As the saying goes “no rest for the wicked” we have already begun our preseason preparations for our 2023 season where we’ll be extending our season into March. For those of you who fished with us this year, we thank you and we look forward to sharing Southern Africa’s No 1 sight fishing destination with you again soon.

Yours in fishing,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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