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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2024

Providence Blog: 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2024

Week seven of our season at Providence Atoll began with a mix of familiar faces and new guests, all eager to explore the flats as we transitioned from neap tides to springs, bringing more water movement through the Atoll.

Day 1 kicked off with wind and cloud cover, making fish spotting challenging. Despite the conditions, there were some great catches. Alex and Harry had a memorable afternoon, landing a double-up of GTs. Mike, Marko, and Dale caught a total of five Bonefish, with Mike’s largest at 7.5lbs. Marko also landed a Yellow Margin Triggerfish, and Chris caught a massive Moustache Triggerfish — great work, everyone!

Day 2 saw more wind and cloud cover, making the fishing tougher. Alex had an exceptional day, landing a Bonefish, Triggerfish, and a 102cm GT for a slam. Marko added another Yellow Margin Triggerfish to his tally, while Chris hooked a massive Barracuda. Mike and Dale each landed a Bonefish, keeping the action going.

Day 3 brought clear skies and good visibility, making fish spotting easier. Mike was on fire, landing three GTs with the largest at 85cm. Dale followed up with a solid 87cm GT. Gernot had a fantastic morning, landing a 102cm GT after a great fight. Alex also landed a nice GT and capped off the day by landing a Milkfish after just 40 minutes of fishing. Well done!

Day 4 started calm with no wind and a bit of cloud cover. Chris made the most of the flat conditions, landing a Milkfish. Mike and Marko had a great session, each landing three GTs, while Harry caught two. Stefan also got his first GT of the week. As the day ended, Manual hooked a stunning 105cm GT, capping off a great day.

Day 5 saw hot conditions with minimal wind, but cooler water in some areas kept the fish active. Gernot kicked off his day with a bang, landing his first Milkfish. As the day progressed, Manual caught a 91cm GT from a school of GTs. Alex had an incredible day, landing three impressive GTs: 89cm, 99cm, and 100cm. John Doe had an unforgettable moment, landing a 112cm GT after an epic fight!

Day 6 started with a westward wind, and the fishing was fantastic, with lots of fish spotted moving in schools. Gernot, Manual, and Chris had an outstanding session, landing 13 GTs between them. Tony also had a great day, catching five GTs, with his largest measuring 91cm. Although a few Triggerfish were spotted, none were successfully landed.

As week seven comes to an end, we’re excited to see what the final week of the season holds. With the tides shifting back to neaps, we’re hopeful for more tailing species on the flats.

Catch Summary for the Week:

  • GTs: 73 (Largest: 100cm Alex, 112cm John Doe, 105cm Manual, 102cm Gernot,  102cm Alex)
  • Triggerfish: 5
  • Grouper & Snapper: 98
  • Bluefin Trevally: 36
  • Bonefish: 9
  • Milkfish: 3

Till next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 19 – 26 November 2024

Providence Blog: 19 – 26 November 2024

Week six of our 2024 season at Providence Atoll kicked off with eager anglers and perfect conditions. As we shifted from spring tides to neaps, we hoped for calmer waters and more opportunities to target tailing species like Bonefish, Triggerfish, and Bumphead Parrotfish.

Day 1 started strong, with good numbers of fish cruising along the flats. Zane had an outstanding start, landing his first-ever GT at 102cm. Throughout the day, several other GTs were caught, averaging around 80-85cm. Ryan and Brent also added some beautiful Yellow Margin Triggerfish to the tally, with Ryan catching one in the morning and Brent landing another during a low tide session.

Day 2 brought nearly perfect conditions, with clear skies and light winds. Rick landed his first-ever Milkfish after a strong fight. Pat then connected with a stunning Yellow Margin Triggerfish while walking a turtle grass flat. The GTs were out in force, and several big fish were seen cruising. Judah landed an impressive 114cm GT, his first-ever meter fish! Ryan also caught a trophy GT at 100cm, followed by Tom, who landed a 101cm GT — great work all around!

Day 3 was a tougher day, with cloudy skies and wind making conditions more challenging. Despite this, Pat managed two solid GTs, the largest at 95cm. Brent added three decent-sized GTs to the tally, and Zane fought a big fish, eventually landing a beautiful GT that was swimming with a stingray.

Day 4 brought near-perfect conditions with no wind or clouds. Father and son duo Rob and Judah had an incredible morning, landing seven GTs, the largest around 90cm. The Triggerfish were also active, with Tony landing a stunning Yellow Margin Triggerfish. Pat followed suit on the other boat, also catching a Yellow Margin. Later in the day, Tom landed a Napoleon Wrasse while dredging in deeper waters.

Day 5 featured near-ideal conditions again, with minimal wind and clear skies. The GTs were plentiful, with 12 fish caught throughout the day, the largest just under 90cm. Tony had a remarkable day, landing three Yellow Margin Triggerfish, plus a Bonefish and a GT, completing a slam. Zane also caught his first-ever Triggerfish, while Pat and Brent each landed a Yellow Margin Triggerfish. Judah capped the day with another beautiful Yellow Margin.

Day 6 was a bit of a challenge, with low wind but high cloud cover. The fish were skittish, but Pat and Tom adjusted by using thinner leaders and smaller flies, successfully landing a couple of GTs. Rick had a memorable moment, catching a massive Barracuda after a well-placed cast.

As the week came to a close, the weather started to shift back to spring tides, which we hope will bring more water movement across the flats. We’re excited to see what’s in store for the next week at Providence Atoll!

Catch Summary for the Week:

  • GTs: 53 (Largest: 114cm, Judah)
  • Triggerfish: 13
  • Grouper & Snapper: 85
  • Bluefin Trevally: 34
  • Bonefish: 1
  • Milkfish: 1

Till next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - St Brandon Blog: 29 October – 8 November 2024

St Brandon Blog: 29 October – 8 November 2024

As we wrapped up our 2024 season at the stunning St Brandon Atoll, we welcomed three eager anglers ready for adventure. Despite facing challenging conditions — strong south-easterly winds, overcast skies, and occasional rain — our guests persisted, and by the end of the week, the weather and fishing improved.

Bonefish were the first to greet us, with healthy numbers found on the flats, coral ridges, and around the islands. The fishing started slower than usual, but our anglers still managed to land a few quality fish. The average size was around 5–6 pounds, with the highlight being a 10.5-pound beauty caught by Mark. Congratulations on a great catch!

Permit were a bit more elusive this week, but the atoll provided some opportunities to cast at tailing fish. We had success twice, with Mike and Tony each landing one.

The Trevally fishing was promising, especially with the Bluefin Trevally, which were seen chasing bait around the islands and sand spits. Our anglers managed to hook a few, landing one Bluefin. We also encountered a number of impressive GTs (Giant Trevally), some of which were particularly large. While we had great opportunities, the timing was often off, and we couldn’t capitalize on some of the bigger fish. However, Mike did land his first-ever GT on the fly, a solid 80cm fish — well done, Mike!

A Golden Trevally also made an appearance, adding to the excitement of the week.

As we conclude our season, we’d like to thank all our guests for joining us in this remarkable corner of the world. It’s hard to believe that another season has ended, but we’re already looking forward to 2025. With an ecosystem as wild and untouched as St Brandon Atoll, we can’t wait for the next chapter of fishing adventures.

Catch Summary for the Week:

  • Bonefish: 52
  • Permit: 2
  • GT: 1
  • Bluefin Trevally: 1
  • Golden Trevally: 1

Looking ahead to 2025!

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Featured Image - St Brandon Blog: 22 Oct – 1 Nov2024

St Brandon Blog: 22 Oct – 1 Nov2024

We started Week 8 of our season by welcoming six new guests to Rafael Island, where they shared this very special atoll with us. As we transitioned from spring tides to neap tides, the water temperature remained nice and cool, which led us to expect more fish feeding on the flats.

This week, we definitely saw more bonefish cruising the flats, both in small pods and as big singles. Many fish were spotted cruising over the flats and feeding in ankle-deep water, making for exciting visuals as the anglers managed to get into some good numbers of fish. The average size of the bonefish this week was between 5 and 7 lbs, with a couple of 8-lb bones making their way into the net.

The permit fishing turned on in a positive way, and the fish were very receptive to the flies thrown their way. Solid numbers were found on the flats, ridges, and around islands, giving all our anglers great shots at the atoll’s permit. Everyone had opportunities to present little morsels to these elusive fish throughout the week. Much to the excitement of both guide Jarryd and guest angler Joerg, the permit obliged more than usual, and Joerg went on to land five permits in one day! A huge congratulations to Joerg for an outstanding day of permit fishing!

On the trevally front, it was a bit slow this week. We did, however, encounter a good number of bluefin around the islands and coral ridges, as well as a couple of GTs hanging around nurse sharks. The guests made some great shots, but unfortunately, only one bluefin made it to hand.

Sadly, we’ve now ticked off Week 7 of the St Brandon 2024 season and are looking forward to our last week of fishing this pristine atoll with our new guests.

The St Brandon Guide Team

Catch tally for the week:

  • Bonefish: 122
  • Permit: 11
  • Bluefin Trevally: 1
  • Golden Trevally: 5
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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 5 – 12 Nov 2024

Providence Blog: 5 – 12 Nov 2024

Week four of the season kicked off with a mix of familiar faces and new anglers, as three returning clients joined three newcomers for their first taste of Providence Atoll. The tides shifted from spring to neap, focusing more on tailing species as the water movement slowed, offering more opportunities to walk the flats and fish the ridges.

Day 1: Stormy Start, Strong Fishing The first day started with storms and wind gusts, but the weather cleared by the time the guides reached the flats. With the tide high, we focused on higher spots around the flats, staking out near islands and following sharks and stingrays. Our anglers made some excellent casts early on, landing a few nice fish to kickstart the trip. As the tide dropped, GTs became more visible, and some good fish were caught. Vladimir had a memorable morning, landing a Bumphead parrotfish after a solid fight on a turtle grass flat. By the end of the day, our anglers had landed 13 GTs and a Bumphead, setting a positive tone for the week.

Day 2: Wind and Swell, but Plenty of Action Day two brought strong winds from the southeast and big swells, reducing visibility but not stopping the action. With high water in the morning, fish were scarce, but as the tide dropped, the catch rate picked up. Justin landed a 114cm GT after a nurse shark passed, drawing the fish in for an aggressive take. Igor also landed a solid 102cm GT while casting to a wave-surfing fish. On the tailing species front, Vladimir caught two beautiful triggerfish, while Justin and Matt each landed Bumphead parrotfish. Bonefish were spotted in the north, and James and Igor landed a few in the 6lb range.

Day 3: Sailfish and Bumphead Success On day three, the wind decreased and the clouds lifted slightly, improving visibility. The morning focused on deep water, where Matt and Justin trolled for sailfish. They teased up a couple of fish and Justin successfully landed a big one after an intense fight. Later in the day, Vladimir had a fantastic time on the flats, landing two Bumpheads. A few GTs were seen, and some great shots were made, landing a couple of fish.

Day 4: Bumphead Bonanza Day four started with high clouds and strong southwest winds, but fishing remained productive. Yuri had a standout day, landing three Bumphead parrotfish. Justin and Matt also each landed a nice Bumphead, while Igor fought a big one to the net. Vladimir completed a rare slam, landing a GT, a bonefish, and a Yellow-margin triggerfish. It was an excellent day for tailing species, and our anglers made the most of the opportunities.

Day 5: Triggerfish and Bumphead Action The weather on day five was slightly calmer, allowing for better fly presentations. With a high tide just before noon, our anglers focused on tailing species like triggerfish and Bumpheads. Vladimir hooked two beautiful Yellow-margin triggerfish, while James landed a fantastic Bumphead. Yuri had great success with GTs, landing two fish in the north while chasing triggers and Bumpheads. Matt also got into the action, landing a nice GT.

Day 6: Tough Weather, but Resilient Fishing The final day brought tough weather—high winds, clouds, and rain—which made spotting fish and presenting flies a challenge. Despite the conditions, our anglers persevered. Vladimir added another Bumphead to his tally, and Matt and Justin both landed GTs. It was a tough but rewarding end to a great week.

As week four concluded, our guests left with smiles, having landed some impressive fish despite challenging conditions. The week ended with us moving from neap to spring tides, hoping for calmer weather in the days ahead.

Catch Tally for the Week:

  • GTs: 34 (114cm Justin, 102cm Igor)
  • Triggerfish: 5
  • Grouper & Snapper: 78
  • Sailfish: 1
  • Bumphead Parrotfish: 13
  • Bluefin: 21
  • Bonefish: 3

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 29 Oct – 5 Nov 2024

Providence Blog: 29 Oct – 5 Nov 2024

Our third week of the season begins with a new group of guests from the US, alongside father and son duo Judah and Rob, who are returning from New Zealand. As the tides shift from Neaps to Springs, we anticipate more water flushing over the flats, bringing with it an exciting opportunity to target predator fish like GTs cruising the Atoll.

Day 1: A Stormy Start We kick off with eager anglers ready to explore the flats. However, heavy rain and strong winds rolled in, making the morning wet and challenging for sight fishing. Despite the tough conditions, we spotted several big GTs cruising the shallow flats, and Judah landed a nice 87cm fish. Bommy bashing proved successful, with multiple species caught, including Bohar snapper, camouflage grouper, and bluefin. Offshore, our sole Joal angler landed the first Sailfish of the week.

Day 2: Tough Weather, Good Results Day two saw wind gusts of up to 35 knots, combined with heavy rain and clouds, making spotting fish difficult. Still, our anglers caught 11 GTs, the biggest around 85cm. Judah had a standout day, landing two Napoleon wrasse. In the afternoon, we shifted to deeper waters for bommy bashing and sailfish fishing. Though no sailfish appeared, we raised a few big wahoo, but couldn’t convert them.

Day 3: GT Success By day three, the wind had eased, and conditions improved. Our anglers enjoyed more activity on the flats. Mike hooked an impressive 107cm GT while waiting for fish to funnel through a drainage. Throughout the day, we caught a total of 11 GTs, with Richard landing a nice 90cm fish. Although bumphead parrotfish were spotted, no hook-ups occurred. Groupers and Napoleon wrasse continued to provide great action, with Joel landing a massive saddleback grouper and Greta landing a beautiful Napoleon wrasse.

Day 4: Big GTs and Spring Tides On day four, we had a full spring tide, with plenty of water movement on the flats. The weather was pleasant, and fish spotting was easier. Rob landed a massive 113cm GT after a hard-fought battle, marking a highlight of the day. The group landed 11 GTs in total, with Chris catching his first GT at 88cm and another later. As the flats filled with water, we shifted to deeper lagoons and ended the day with some nice groupers and snappers.

Day 5: Monster Fish Day five brought blue skies and little wind, making for perfect conditions. The drop in the morning saw several anglers hook up early, with Jonathan landing a monster GT measuring 112cm. Joel also hooked a big fish, but it broke him off in the coral. Throughout the day, we saw good action with 9 GTs landed. Joel also made history with the first bumphead parrotfish of the season.

Day 6: A Perfect Finale The final day of the week greeted us with glassy conditions, and we focused on drainages and channels. GTs were spotted, and a few were landed, including one by Lana, who caught her first Providence GT. As the day progressed, milkfish appeared, and Joel hooked one, landing it after a challenging 45-minute fight. The week ended on a high note, with great catches and lasting memories.

Catch Tally for the Week:

  • GTs: 67 (113cm Rob, 112cm Jonathan, 107cm Mike)
  • Sailfish: 1
  • Napoleon Wrasse: 4
  • Grouper & Snapper: 267
  • Milkfish: 1
  • Bumphead Parrotfish: 1
  • Bluefin: 26

As the week wraps up, we bid farewell to our guests. We now enter Neap tides, where we’ll focus more on tailing species and fishing the flats. Stay tuned for the adventures that lie ahead!

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 22 – 29 October 2024

Providence Blog: 22 – 29 October 2024

Our second week of the season was filled with excitement as we welcomed guests from around the world to Providence. With neap tides approaching, we aimed to focus on tailing species like Bonefish and Triggerfish, along with the ever-popular GT’s.

The first day saw a strong start despite gusty 25-knot winds. Good visibility allowed our anglers to spot fish, leading to a variety of catches, including Triggerfish, Bonefish, groupers, and some impressive GT’s. Barbara caught her first-ever GT early on, a moment that was clearly special for her. Her boat mates also landed a couple of nice GT’s. Other highlights included Yellow Margin Triggerfish for Rudolf and Mike, and a fantastic 95cm GT for Judah, while Rob landed 11 Bonefish, the largest weighing 8lbs.

Day two brought even higher winds and rain, making conditions challenging. Nevertheless, several anglers celebrated milestones, including Charlie, Michael, Jeffrey, and Paul, who all landed their first GT’s. Judah and Rob also had a fantastic day, landing five GT’s, the largest being 97cm for Judah. The Bluefin Trevally were active, with 11 landed, and a few Bonefish were caught in the 5-6lb range.

On day three, the wind continued, but the cloud cover lightened. Fishing was focused on coral species like groupers and snappers in the morning, with great success. As the tide dropped, we shifted to the flats in search of GT’s and Triggerfish. Nick had an exciting day, landing both his first-ever GT and Yellow Margin Triggerfish. A total of 14 GT’s were caught, with Herold’s 87cm fish being the largest. The Bluefin Trevally were abundant, with nine landed, and while Bonefish were elusive, three were caught, averaging around 7lbs.

Day four brought slightly less wind, but cloud cover remained. Visibility was still challenging, yet the flats offered plenty of action. Our guests landed 15 GT’s, including Paul’s first-ever GT. The afternoon became trickier with more cloud cover, but Judah managed to catch yet another Yellow Margin Triggerfish, continuing his successful run.

By day five, we were greeted with perfect weather—clear skies and little wind. The morning started strong with a few fish seen on the flats. Despite a drop in GT conversions, our anglers managed to land 7 GT’s, with Judah catching a 90cm specimen. Later in the day, we spotted a school of Milkfish, and Jonathan successfully landed the first Milkfish of the season after a 15-minute fight—another memorable moment.

On the final day, the wind picked up again, and cloud cover limited visibility, making the fishing tougher. However, Michael caught a beautiful 8lb Bonefish, and the group landed 5 more GT’s. The offshore fishing was excellent, with 3 Sailfish brought to the boat, including Rudolf’s first-ever Sailfish.

By the end of the week, our anglers had experienced a range of challenges and triumphs. As the neap tides conclude and spring tides begin, we look forward to even more exciting fishing opportunities in the coming weeks.

Catch Tally for the Week:

  • GT’s: 54
  • Triggerfish: 7
  • Bonefish: 16
  • Bluefin Trevally: 31
  • Sailfish: 3
  • Napoleon Wrasse: 1
  • Grouper & Snapper: 187

Until next time,
The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 15 – 22 October 2024

Providence Blog: 15 – 22 October 2024

And so we began our late 2024 season on Providence Atoll, where we welcomed a group of very eager travelers from Europe and South Africa. Conditions for the week were sunny with gentle winds blowing from a south easterly direction.Tides wise, were heading out of the neaps into springs as the full moon approached.

Our first day of the week provided a good start for the group. The fish were out and about feeding happily and very much in hunting mode. For most of the day the clouds stayed away, providing good spotting conditions for fish cruising the edges and flats. 4 GT’s were landed on the day, the biggest being 84cm caught by Pete. The Sailfish fishing was also on point, with one boat raising up a good amount of fish and converting 1 nice Sailfish to end off a great day. 

The second day the fishing was slightly tougher, the odd squall and heavy cloud cover made it tough to see fish cruising over the turtle grass. lan however managed to get into his first ever GT making him a very happy angler. There were a total of 2 GT’s caught on the day, the tough light forcing us to do some bommy bashing to keep things productive. Providence excels in this style of fishing, with Saddle Back Groupers, Bohar Snappers, Bluefin Trevally and other coral hugging species saving the day.

Day three of the week was also slow, with more thick cloud cover making spotting extremely challenging. Ian however was once again rewarded with a great fish after initially hooking a Bluefin Trevally. Whilst fighting the fish, a 114cm Napoleon Wrasse popped out and stole the fly right out of the Bluefin’s mouth. Congrats Ian…what a special catch! There were a couple of good GT’s cruising along the channels but unfortunately none were converted on the day. The rest of the day was spent drifting over coral bommies catching a variety of grouper and snapper between our anglers. As the day ended, heavy rain clouds rolled over the atoll and our thoughts moved towards the hope of better conditions for tomorrow.

Day four and there was a significant improvement in the  weather as well as the fishing. With a lot more fish seen cruising the flats and drainages, there were a couple of memorable moments from the day. Early in the morning, Steve managed to hook up to a very nice GT as a pack of 20 or more fish came rushing over the flats, his fish measuring 99 cm…1cm shy of that coveted triple digit number! Later in the day Vaughn managed to make it happen on a beautiful 103 cm GT that gave him a proper scrap in one of the drainages, a truly well deserved trophy fish. There was also good success happening for the boys on the other boat. lan managed yet another nice Napoleon Wrasse while walking along the flats looking for Geets, while Pete had a great day landing three GT’s during the course of his day out…..well fished Pete! Overall day four was a good booster for both clients and guides, the improved sighting conditions certainly lifting the spirits!

Day five and the wind started picking up again making casting tough to say the least ! Thankfully we still had sunlight and some fish swimming. Unfortunately not many were converted, however  two nice fish still came out, one fish caught by Pete and the other by Vaughn, well done to both anglers on their beautiful catches from the day. As for the rest of our anglers, good numbers of grouper and Bohar’s got the rods bent and ensured we ended the day looking forward to tomorrow.

As the sun rose on the final day of the week, we were woken by a hard wind blowing out of the south! As the guys set out to the flats, hopes remained high as there was very little cloud cover.  As such, we enjoyed some good action out on the flats including a couple of really beautiful fish. Steve managed to hook up to a monster 117cm GT, which showed him their world famous aggression when it charged in and ate the fly right at the rod tip. Truly a fish of a lifetime  and well deserved….well done Steve!!! During the day on the other boat,  Charlie also managed to get into a decent GT during the day, along with new Prov guide CJ who was training. The  boats also enjoyed some exciting Triggerfish and Bonefish fishing just to cap off a really pleasant day out! 

We ended our week with smiles all round! The weather had things challenging to say the least but with a terrific group of people it was still a hugely enjoyableweekl. There are signs the fishery is in really good shape for the seasons, so we look forward to the next few weeks!

Catch tally for the week:

⁃ GT’s: 30 ( 103cm Vaughn, 117cm Steve, 108cm CJ)

⁃ Sailfish: 1 (Vaughn)

⁃ Napoleon Wrasse: 2 ( 114cm lan)

⁃ Total tally of Grouper & Snapper: 115

Till next time,

The FlyCastaway Guide Team

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Featured Image - St Brandon Blog: 17 – 27 Sept 2024

St Brandon Blog: 17 – 27 Sept 2024

Anticipation was high as we headed into our third week of the season, and our guests were already on the atoll eager and ready to start their second week. Tides wise we were moving into neaps which would allow us more time wading the submerged flats and in a more relaxed fashion. 

Our guests enjoyed some exciting fishing during their week out on the atol, although the bonefishing sessions we experienced remained a little tougher than we are accustomed to. This was not due to a lack in numbers as everyone had plenty of targets to cast at, but the fish just seemed off for some reason…especially in skinny water. We found some big schools however and managed to get into them during the course of the week. Our largest fish netted was 7lbs, although we did see some really big bones during the 7 days. These big fish are for the most part really smart, most often requiring long and accurate casts along with a little luck.

The Permit numbers we witnessed once again impressed, all the guests having great shots at them. As is their way, Permit are however never easy to convince and despite many refusals and near misses, three fish did make it to the net before the week came to a close. There were some nail biting moments included in these sessions, with fish following the fly for long periods and just not committing….aaaagghhhh! Mark and guide Jarryd however landed a true trophy in the first ten minutes of his last day out on the flat, the fish weighing in at an impressive 16lbs. Congratulations on an exceptional fish Mark!!!!!

The Trevally fishing was somewhat interesting over the last few days. The Bluefin Trevally were few and far between compared with the week before, however the GTs had well and truly come out to play. We encountered a fair number of GT`s during the week, both around the islands as well as the flats, with most, if not all of our guests having opportunities at these ultimate predators. By the end of the week we had managed to hook 5 x GTs and land 4. Congratulations to Scott and Brian on the biggest of the bunch, both 98cm brutes….just falling short of the magical metre mark. All in all though, we had some great shots and saw some really big fish smashing bait which is always thrilling and a great experience to be a part of out on the water.

To summarise the week, we thoroughly enjoyed the time spent on the flats, as well as the camaraderie around the dinner table with our new friends. At times we had to push through some challenging weather conditions, but our anglers still managed to land some cracking fish. Thank you to all our guests for the great time on and off the water. We really hope we get to fish together again in the near future.

The St Brandon Guide team 

Our catch tally for the week

  • Bonefish – 105
  • Permit – 3
  • GTs –  4
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Featured Image - St Brandon Blog: 10 – 20 Sept 2024

St Brandon Blog: 10 – 20 Sept 2024

So we headed into week two on what is surely one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. Joining us were a group of fresh and very excited anglers who would spend and share two weeks with us on this world class fishery, having opted for our two week package option. We unfortunately faced challenging conditions at the start of the week, with strong south easterly winds and rain. Tough conditions for sure, but the guests stuck at it and as the week progressed the weather improved and so did the fishing.

On the bonefishing front, we found good numbers of fish. Schooled up fish as well as quality singles and doubles. Our anglers managed to land a fair number of fish presenting to the schools around the landmasses on the atoll, however the singles and doubles we encountered on the submerged flats were a bit more weary and on the spooky side. As such, long, accurate casts were the order of the day. The biggest Bonefish for the week was a beauty, pulling the scale to 11.5lbs. Congratulations to guest angler Sonya on a magnificent specimen.!!!!

The permit fishing was nothing short of world class, both in terms of overall numbers as well as fish tailing.The flats as well as the islands presented us with a great number of solid opportunities at pods of 3 to 6 fish, and although the catch records don’t suggest it, we enjoyed some of the finest Permit fishing one could hope for. We did however manage to trick a few and get them into the net. A very well done to anglers Mark and Alan on landing their coveted Indo-Pacific Permit.

The trevally fishing this week was very exciting and maybe somewhat of an improvement from the previous week. We saw good quantities of big Bluefin cruising and slamming into bait fish on the flats as well the coral edges, and despite big Bluefin being some of the smartest fish going around we managed to land a few good ones between 60 and 70cm. Some rather large GT’s were seen on the flats and around the islands but none were converted and others did not hang around long enough to have a good shot at them.  The only real physical GT interaction this week was a brief one, when angler Scott hooked an emperor which was almost at our feet, when a big GT came out of nowhere and decided he wanted it a lot more than more than we did…..

Overall, conditions were a little tough and at times unsettled, but on a positive note the water is cool and everyone is super excited about what the atoll has in store for us for next week and the rest of the season.  All of us here on St Brandon had a great week, had loads of fun and established some new terrific friendships.

Until next week

The St Brandon Guide Team

Our catch tally for the week:

Bonefish – 88 (largest 11.5lbs)

Permit –  2

Bluefin Trevally – 7

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