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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 5 – 15 March 2022

Providence Blog: 5 – 15 March 2022

Greetings and welcome to the opening trip of the Providence March/April 2022 fly fishing season. This week saw us welcome a full group of guests from the US and South Africa for an extended 10 night/9-day expedition. Some of the anglers on board our trusty mothership had visited Providence on several occasions prior and immediately got to work setting the vibe with wild tales of past experiences on the atoll. The feelings and emotions on the boat were mutual amongst our guide team as we settled in for the evening, everyone itching to get out there and explore the saltwater playground that lay before us.

The first day of the trip saw our party experience tricky conditions with intense winds and gloomy skies. Despite this we managed to land a total of 8 GTs with a special mention for Michelle who managed to realize her saltwater fly fishing dream by landing her first ever GT on the fly, well done Michelle!

The second day saw an improvement from the weather gods and the exciting fly fishing action burned red hot with total of 20 GTs landed for the day. John enjoyed the standout catch of the day after spotting a jet-black GT that was in close pursuit of a stingray. He presented a perfect cast and following a few quick strips he was connected to a trophy GT that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 103cm. Congrats John! The tailing fish species were also encountered in good numbers with a total of 2 Triggerfish landed with Michelle ticking off her first Yellow Margin Triggerfish on the fly, well done Michelle. Both Michelle and John went on to land the first few Bonefish of the season with John’s fish rounding off a flats slam…well done! Other firsts on the second day included Mark and Craig’s first ever GT on the fly.

On the third day our group continued to enjoy great fishing on the flats with another 20 GTs landed for the day. The catch of the day went to Chris who managed to hook and land his personal best GT from a school of bow waking of fish. His trophy fish measured an impressive 103cm. Pat had one of those special Providence days and landed a total of 6 GTs himself. Great fishing and well done Pat. The iconic green tails of the Bumphead Parrotfish were encountered in good numbers and our group managed to land a total of 4 Bumpies for the day – Carl, Ron, Jon and Chris all landing their first ever Bumpies… Excellent job gentlemen!

Day four and more fantastic GT action to report with a total of 16 GTs landed. Carl enjoyed a stella day on the flats landing a total of 4 GTs and topped it off with his first Yellow Margin Triggerfish. Congrats Carl! A total of 3 Bumpies were brought to hand for the day with Craig and Scott each landing their firsts on the fly. Only one Bonefish was landed for the day, but it was a special one because it completed a flats slam for Scott! 

The fifth day saw a total of 11 GTs landed. Pat landed the top catch, an incredibly powerful fish of 106cm… Excellent job Pat! The resident Triggerfish population came to the party in a big way providing loads of shots and a total of 8 Triggers were landed for the day – Anglers Mark, Jon, Ron, and Tom all landed their first ever Triggers on the fly. Fantastic job guys.

The sixth day provided our guests with loads of shots to the full flats fishing variety available on the flats. Our group managed to land a total of 10 GTs, 3 Triggers, and a single Bumpie for the day. As is typical of most weeks, on day 6 our guests were well and truly in the flow of things and the opportunities converted were accompanied by that special feeling of self-accomplishment.

The seventh day saw a total of 12 GTs landed with Pat again in the thick of the action on the big fish front. He landed another GT of a meter, this one measuring 100cm on the dot. His trophy came with the last cast of the day after seeing the fish leading a school while they pushed up a lagoon edge… well done Pat. Michelle tasted sweet success while fishig for the bizarre Bumphead Parrotfish and finally managed to land her first on the fly after several close calls during the 6 days prior. Ron, Mark, and Jon had the right kind of Bumpie mojo on their boat, each of them bringing one to hand, great job guys.

The eighth day delivered more fantastic action for GTs with a total of 18 landed. After spotting a school of fish hovering over some mudding stingrays Chris and Carl quickly managed to secure a double up. Well done gentleman, a special moment shared between friends and one we’re sure they will remember fondly for years to come.

The ninth and final day of fishing delivered incredibly tricky fishing conditions with continuous heavy rain and dark skies. Our guests however soldiered on and went onto land an impressive number of 13 GTs for the day. The catch of the day, however, went to Carl who after seeing a pod of tailing Bonefish managed to convince the largest fish of the school. Following several lightning-fast runs Carl went on to land a beautiful 10-pound fish, well done Carl! Pat also ended his trip in style with an incredibly large Bluefin Trevally that measured 83cm, great catch Pat!

This ends the opening week of fishing in the wild and exciting waters of Providence Atoll. Despite the variable weather conditions, a very productive week of fly fishing was enjoyed by everyone on the trip. We loved sharing this experience with everyone and can’t wait to welcome this group back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was:

  • GTs – 128 (4 of 100cm plus)
  • Triggerfish – 20
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 12
  • Bonefish – 4 (1 of 10lbs.)
  • Total tally of other species caught – 623

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 30 November – 7 December 2021

Providence Blog: 30 November – 7 December 2021

Welcome to the 8th and final week of the 2021 Providence Atoll fly fishing season. Following a quick yet thorough tackle setup, we steamed towards Providence with an excited expectation of what the atoll had in store for our group which was made up of new and familiar faces. 

The first morning dawned with clear skies and a stiff south-easterly wind. Water conditions were perfect for the atoll’s tailing fish species and our guests managed to convert several opportunities, with Sergey and Maxim landing a colourful Triggerfish each. Jeremy got stuck into the Bones landing 9 himself, one of which was an absolute monster of 10lbs. After seeing a forked tail break the surface on the edge of a turtle grass pancake, Jeremy presented his fly to the fish and after inducing the take, watched as his backing was stripped off his reel at lightning speed. After an intense fight he eventually managed to land a beautiful Bonefish and a genuine trophy…congrats Jeremy! A total of 2 GTs were landed for the day, with Claire and Michael sharing the spoils each landing their first Providence GTs on the fly. The day however belonged to Michael who after landing a Bonefish and a GT, managed to hook and land a large Bumphead Parrotfish to complete an Indian Ocean flats slam on his very first day fly fishing in saltwater! What a way to announce yourself to the Indian Ocean, well done Michael!

Day 2 dealt us challenging conditions which consisted of strong winds and overcast skies for most of the day. This made fly fishing opportunities for the faster moving targets a little trickier to convert, which resulted in just 2 GTs landed for the day. The tailing species, however, were out in full force and our guests managed to bring numerous special catches to hand. Most notable was a large lead fish Bumphead Parrotfish for Claire who expertly  presented her crab and set the hooks on. She kept her composure and after a long tug of war, she managed to land her first ever Bumpie on the fly. Great work Claire. The duo of Claire and Kevin then went to work on the atoll’s Bonefish population landing several fish each during an exciting skinny water walk and stalk fly fishing session. The high tide then allowed us to try our hand for the resident Sailfish population. Sergey took his chance, hooking and landing the first Sailfish of the week. 

Day 3 dawned with clearer skies and a moderate south-easterly wind. The good light and better conditions from a visibility perspective resulted in more convertible opportunities on GTs . A total of 7 were landed for the day. Steve and Jason managed to hook and land their first-ever GTs. Jason’s fish was an extra special one that was caught after he spotted a large stingray mud trail with several GTs feeding in it. Jason closed the distance between himself and the school and made his presentation only managing to get through a few strips before going tight and eventually landing a trophy of 104cm. A well-deserved catch, well done Jason! Jeremy also converted his chance when he saw a big fish bow waking between two deeper potholes on a large turtle grass flat. He made a long cast across the fish’s path and watched as it blasted towards and eventually inhaled his fly. An intense battle ensued with the fish giving several powerful runs before his beauty measuring 103cm was landed… nicely done, Jeremy! The big fish report continued with the fish of day going to Kevin, who after seeing a fish tailing along a mottled turtle grass edge, got into position and presented his fly with long fast strips. The fish covered the distance to the fly in a blink of an eye and engulfed it in the classic GT style. With the hook set the fish proceeded to strip backing with an aggressive first run and after a dogged back and forth he managed to get the fish to hand. The fish pulled the measuring tape to an impressive 116cm. A fish of a lifetime, well done Kevin!

Day 4 saw us enjoy clear skies and conditions favourable for productive Giant Trevally fly fishing. This resulted in a total of 10 brought to hand for the day. Maxim, who was on his first-ever saltwater fly fishing trip, managed to hook and land his first GT on the fly when he encountered a fish following a stingray during the incoming tide. The fish wasted little time charging down his fly in exceptionally shallow water, throwing water 4ft into the air when it turned following the hookset. An exciting moment and wonderful spectacle, congrats Maxim! 

Day 5 and more of the same from a visibility perspective. The great visuals on the flats assisted our group in converting their opportunities, with us landing a total of 15 GTs for the day. The highlight of the day’s exploits went to Claire after she spotted a massive blue shape creeping its way up the edge of a coral pancake flat. Waiting patiently, she delivered an accurate presentation as the fish came into range. The moment the fish spotted her fly, it accelerated forward smashing her baitfish imitation. After the hookset, the game was on to wrestle the fish out of the coral gardens and after successfully doing this her trophy was brought to hand. A new personal best of 113cm!!! Well done on completing a magnificent catch, Claire!

The final day of the fishing week saw us experience severe weather conditions, with strong gusts of wind and heavy rain for most of the day. Despite the challenging conditions our group managed to land a total of 9 GTs, the standout catch going to Michael who had been on a mission to land a trophy GT on the fly. His efforts paid off when a shoal of 5 fish was spotted swimming along the edge of a large turtle grass flat. He made a great presentation several yards ahead of the fish, waited for them to swim closer, and then began his retrieve going tight shortly thereafter. He later brought in a powerful 98cm GT,  which was a great catch considering the trying conditions experienced at the time. Well done Michael. 

With the wind at our back, we bring the first half of the Providence 2021 season to a close. Our catch tally for the week was: 

  • GTs – 46 (5 over a meter)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 3 
  • Triggerfish – 2
  • Sailfish – 2
  • Bonefish – 25 (1 of 10lbs.)
  • Total tally of other species caught – 375

We enjoyed so many special moments on the flats this season! Shared smiles, laughs, and the odd moment of heartbreak together. A big thank you from us to the larger FlyCastaway family, we look forward to welcoming you all back in the near future.

Unit next season,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 16 – 23 November 2021

Providence Blog: 16 – 23 November 2021

In what felt like a blink of an eye, we had already reached the start of the 6th week of the season. This week we welcomed a group mostly comprising of Providence regulars onboard our trusty mothership. The routine of tackle setup and safety orientation was at this point running like a well-oiled machine and we made quick work of both before we set sail towards the exciting saltwater wilderness of Providence Atoll. 

Day 1 began with clear skies and a light south-easterly breeze. The conditions allowed our guests to enjoy the full range of diversity available on the atoll landing a total of 3 GTs, 3 Triggerfish, 5 Bones, and 2 Bumphead Parrotfish for the day. A special mention for Guetye who enjoyed a great day that began with a GT, his first Triggerfish, and eventually a large Bonefish that he managed to entice with a shrimp fly imitation which secured his first-ever Indian Ocean flats slam. What a way to get the fishing week started! Great job Guetye.

Weather conditions on day 2 were good, although somewhat windy with a stiff south-easterly blowing. Fly fishing for the Giant Trevally proved to be difficult on this day with a single fish coming to hand. Other catches of note included Guetye’s first-ever Bumphead Parrotfish caught on the fly as well as an absolute monster of Bonefish landed by Miachel. Miachel’s dream catch was encountered while he was wading the interior of a white sand flat when he saw a tailing Bonefish and after perfectly presenting his fly to the fish, he came tight. After surviving several runs into the backing he managed to land his biggest ever Bonefish which measured a staggering 31 inches. Great Job Miachel! 

Day 3 dawned with clear skies and a continuation of the strong easterly wind. A total of 4 GTs, 1 Triggerfish, and several Bonefish were landed for the day. Stephane enjoyed some cracking moments of fly fishing hooking and landing a colourful Triggerfish and later landing a monster Bonefish that pulled the measuring tape all the way to 29 inches. Awesome fishing, well done Stephane.

Day 4 saw a marked improvement in the GT fishing, with a total of 11 landed for the day. Miachel had a great day managing to land a couple of Bonefish in the skinny water surrounding one of the larger white-sand islands of the atoll. Fly fishing for the different Groupers and Snappers available on Providence also turned up a couple of gears and some truly entertaining fishing was had by our guests while drifting over the various carol gardens scattered throughout the atoll. 

Day 5 and we welcomed a break in the strong south-easterly wind that had been blowing for most of the week thus far. Enjoying the somewhat improved conditions our guests went on to capitalize on their opportunities and landed a total of 7 GTs and 1 Bumpie for the day. John landed 2 energetic GTs and Guetye continued his good form with Bumpies landing yet another one for the week. A special mention for Igor who encountered one of his bucket list catches after wading through some deep water and onto a shallow coral head exposed by the spring low tide. Once perched on top of the coral head he saw a magical blue shape appear on the edge of another large coral head just inside casting range. Following the presentation of his brush fly and an energetic retrieve, he came tight to the almost mythical Napoleon Wrasse. After an intense fight trying to keep the fish away from the numerous coral snags in the area, he managed to land his dream saltwater fish. A well-deserved catch, well done Igor!

The last day of the fishing week dawned with gloomy skies and heavy rain. Fortunately, these conditions were short-lived and we enjoyed clear skies by midmorning. A great day was had by our guests with 11 GTs brought to hand! A special mention goes out to Hugo who managed to land and tame 3 of 11 himself. After landing a beautiful Bumpie, Rodolphe then went on to hook and land his first ever GT on the fly, a great achievement, well done Rodolphe! 

That brings us to the end of a fairly challenging but enjoyable week of fishing on Providence Atoll. The diversity of fly fishing scenarios available to our guests was on full display this week and we made the most of the opportunities presented to us with several epic catches coming to hand.

Our catch tally for the week was: 

  • GTs – 37
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 5
  • Triggerfish – 4
  • Bonefish – 9 (2 over 10lbs.)
  • Napoleon Wrasse – 2
  • Total tally of other species landed – 486  

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 9 – 16 November 2021

Providence Blog: 9 – 16 November 2021

Welcome to the fifth week of the Providence 2021/2022 season. This week we welcomed a group of familiar faces aboard the M.V Maya’s Dugong for the first time since the beginning of the CV-19 pandemic. Following a quick orientation of the mothership, we set to work readying our guest’s gear for all the exciting fly fishing scenarios likely to be encountered out on Providence.

Our guests this week were mostly interested in the tailing species that call Providence home, specifically the Bumphead Parrotfish and Triggerfish. Conditions were favorable for this and several opportunities were enjoyed during the first day of fishing delivering a total of 3 successful Bumphead Parrotfish catches. Grigory caught the standout catch for the day, landing an incredibly powerful 109cm Bumpie. Well done Grigory! Oleksandra experienced the thrill of walk and stalk fly fishing and managed to land her first ever Yellowmargin Triggerfish on the fly while exploring a lagoon edge. The GTs however proved difficult to come by on day 1 of the week with a total of 2 landed for the day, one of which was a trophy caught under unique circumstances. While fishing to a school of Bumphead Parrotfish Vadim presented a cast with his crab fly towards the school, going tight, shortly followed by the traditionally long first run into the backing. After a long battle, the fish was eventually landed and to his surprise, he had hooked and landed a 100cm Giant Trevally on his 9wt. Well done on this special catch Vadim! 

Day 2 dawned with clear skies and a slight south easterly breeze. The tailing species were again on the menu. Grigory managed to land his first Triggerfish of the trip, while Andrei and Gennadiy enjoyed a productive Bonefishing session. A total of 6 Bumphead Parrotfish were landed for the day with John enjoying a truly memorable day on the flats landing 4 Bumpies, one of which a monster measuring a whopping 115cm. Well done John! Justin, an experienced visitor of the outer islands of Seychelles also got into the action and managed to hook and land his first Bumpie, and then followed that with another fish. 

Day 3 dawned with clear skies on the horizon. A total of 2 bumpies were landed for the day with Vadim and Grigory enjoying the spoils by landing one each. The GTs finally began to make a reappearance on the atoll providing several opportunities on the flats for our guests. Gennadiy made the most of his chances after encountering a school of GTs tailing near 3 Nurse sharks. He presented his fly into the school and following just a few strips his fly was engulfed, shortly followed by yards and yards of backing as the fish steamed off. After an intense tussle, the fish was eventually landed pulling the measuring tape to 113cm. A fish of a lifetime… well done Gennadiy! Andrei also managed to land his first GT for the trip along with Vladimir also landing his first GT for the trip after spotting it pushing a bow wave in very shallow water. Vadim had another great day landing 2 Triggerfish.

Day 4 dawned with clear skies and a stiffer south easterly breeze. A great day was had on the tailing species, with no less than 8 triggerfish landed. A special mention goes out to Vladimir who managed to land 3 for the day….well done Vladimir. Vadim managed to land a GT early on in the morning and then followed that up with 2 Triggerfish and then a Bonefish to complete an Indian Ocean grand slam. Great job Vadim! Gennadiy had a great day too, landing both a Bumpie and a GT before the day came to an end.

Day 5 dawned with clear skies and a stiff south easterly breeze. Another great day was had while fishing for the tailing species, with John managing to open his Triggerfish account, following it up with another in quick succession. Justin also enjoyed a great day landing 2 Bumpies, while Vladimir again managed to land himself 3 Triggerfish. He followed that up with his first Bumpie of the trip… well done Vladimir.

Day 6 dawned with a change in weather, the eastern horizon littered with dark storm clouds and rolling banks of rain. A total of 2 GTs were landed for the day with a matching number of Bumpies being landed. John managed to better his first massive Bumpie. After landing his crab in a school of tailing fish, he hooked and tussled with a monster that measured 116cm…awesome fish well John! And finally, late on the final day with the sun nearing the horizon, Nikolai managed to hook and land the first and only sailfish of the week….well done Nikolai.

That brings us to the end of a very enjoyable week of fly fishing for Providence’s full assortment of tailing species. Our catch tally for the week was as follows: 

  • GTs – 9 (2 over a meter)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 17 (Biggest 116cm)
  • Triggerfish – 19
  • Bonefish – 12
  • Sailfish – 1
  • Total tally of other species landed – 387

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 2 – 9 November 2021

Providence Blog: 2 – 9 November 2021

Welcome to the fourth week of the Providence 2021/2022 season. After picking up our new group of guests and welcoming them all aboard the Maya’s Dugong we set sail for Providence with an energised expectation of what the atoll had in store for us and our group of 12 new friends.

The first day dawned with clear skies and a southeasterly breeze. A great day of GT fishing was had with a total of 34 GTs landed. Al, Hal, and Bryan all managed to land their first GTs on the fly while Chris enjoyed fantastic success on his first day on Prov’s flats landing 12 GTs by himself, two of which broke the magical meter mark!

Day 2 saw a strengthing of the south-easterly breeze which had been absent for the previous week. Nevertheless, our group enjoyed yet another cracking day on the flats on the GT front with a total of 26 landed. Bryan enjoyed a moment of Providence magic while wading onto an exposed sandbank. He saw a large dark shape come into range and following a great presentation and a few quick strips he went tight and eventually landed a beautiful Giant Trevally of 102cm. Bryan didn’t stop there and went on to land an incredibly strong Bumphead Parrotfish, his first and the first landed by our group for the week. Well done Bryan!

Day 3 dawned with a stiff south-easterly breeze and conditions that allowed us access to the difficult-to-reach areas of the atoll. A total of 19 GTs were landed for the day with Dave and Tom managing to open their accounts for the week.

Day 4 dawned with clear skies and another opportunity to explore the far corners of the atoll which resulted in our group landing a total of 13 GTs for the day. While wading the edge of an exposed flat, Ken spotted two fish cruising the edge heading in his direction. He presented the fly with a good lead on the fish, stripped and watched as his fly was engulfed. After a long first run he landed a beautiful fish of 102cm, well done Ken! Whilst watching a massive school of tailing Bumpies wave their tails in front of him, Al made a perfect cast, came tight, and landed his first ever Bumpie on the fly!

Day 5 saw the south-easterly stiffen again with the eastern horizon remaining clear of cloud cover and rain. A total of 7 GTs were landed by our group for the day. Catches of note included Dave realising one of his dreams by connecting with a real trophy GT in the surf zone. His trophy was spotted surfing in behind a school of Bumpies, and following a pinpoint cast, the fish rushed forward and engulfed his fly. A long fight ensued and eventually, Dave had his dream catch firmly in his hands. This powerful fish measured an impressive 113cm…well done Dave! Bryan continued with his good form from the previous few days of fishing and hooked and landed his first ever Triggerfish, which was soon followed up with his second Bumpie of the week. With the potential of that elusive flats slam on both his and guide’s minds, the hunt was on for the GT. He eventually went on to hook and land a lively GT that was spotted pushing a wake in very shallow water. Congratulations on a well-deserved slam Bryan! Hal also enjoyed success on the Bumpie front, ticking off the fish he had been most interested in from the start of his trip. Nicely done! 

Day 6 dawned with a darker horizon and a continuation of the stiff south-easterly breeze. Tricky conditions from a visibility point of view resulted in a total of 4 GTs landed for the day. Ken enjoyed the highlight of the day when he found himself in the right place at the right time. A very large black shape suddenly appeared in front of him, he shot out a quick cast and after several strips, a huge mouth exploded out of the water connecting him to a turbocharged Giant Trevally. After a blistering first run and a nervy battle to the end he eventually landed a monstrous fish that measured 122cm…..another fish of lifetime! Bryan then found himself amongst the Bumpies yet again and managed to land his third for the week, closing his weeks fishing on Providence in style. 

Another week of tremendous fishing was enjoyed on Providence Atoll. A special thanks to all our guests who joined us this week, we had a blast exploring Prov’s flats with you all and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows: 

  • GTs – 101 (6 over a meter)
  • Triggerfish – 1
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 6
  • Total tally of other species landed – 285

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 26 October – 2 November 2021

Providence Blog: 26 October – 2 November 2021

Welcome to the third week of the 2021/2022 Providence season. Following the previous week’s fishing action we were all chomping at the bit to get back onto the flats and explore Prov’s wild and abundant waters.

Day one dawned with clear skies and a slight south easterly breeze. The GT fishing lived up to our expectations in spectacular fashion and delivered a total of 36 GTs for the day. Catches of note included Chris’s first-ever Giant Trevally caught on the fly, well done Chris! Dave enjoyed the catch of the day while stationed on a likely-looking area of scattered coral and sandy depressions. In no time a large grey shape came swimming past his position, and following a good presentation, the fish rushed forward and engulfed his fly. His trophy stretched the measuring tape to 102cm, the perfect way to start the fishing week, well done Dave!

Day two dawned with a complete glass out and a a mirror-like reflection out piece of on the Indian ocean. A total of 26 GTs were landed for the day with Greg managing to land his first ever GT, well done Greg! The tailing fish species appeared in good numbers as well, with a total of 5 Triggerfish and 4 Bonefish landed. A special mention for Chris who managed to hook and land a Bonefish at the end of the day to complete an Indian Ocean flats slam, well done Chris! Ed also went on to land a Bonefish in the last moments of available daylight, emphatically ending his day with a flats slam that included a GT, Bonefish, and Sailfish. Well done Ed!

Day three and another day of perfect fly fishing conditions on the weather front with clear skies and no wind to speak of. A total of 26 GTs were landed for the day with both Christiaan and John landing the pick of the catches, each landing a GT over the meter mark. The duo also enjoyed exceptional fishing for the atoll’s resident Triggerfish with Christiaan landing 4 and John with 2. Well done gentlemen! 

Day four continued with the completely windless conditions and bluebird skies. The GT fishing was again otherworldly, allowing our guests to experience exciting fly fishing opportunities to GTs while they tailed aggressively across the flats. Our guests landed a whopping 55 GTs between them, Ed landing 15 GTs himself while his fishing partner Gary enjoyed similar results and managed to bring 11 GTs to hand. Providence then delivered yet another special catch for Gary, a 10lb. Bonefish caught between all the Giant Trevally action. The fishing on the triggerfish front continued to be particularly good with a total of 6 landed for the day, Greg enjoying his first-ever Triggerfish catch on the flats. 

Day five and another day of glassed-off conditions and bright sunshine. A total of 35 GTs were landed for the day, Greg landing his first GT to break the meter mark, well done Greg! Gary experienced a moment of Providence Atoll magic shortly after arriving on the outer edge of a massive turtle grass flat. Gary saw a fish with its entire dorsal and upper parts of its back out of the water and after a quick presentation, he made just two strips before a monstrous mouth exploded out of the water connecting him to the catch of his 2 week trip with us. Gary managed to survive the fish’s first blistering run, eventually turning the fish allowing him to slowly regain some line. After a long tug of war and a few nervous moments while the fish nodded beneath the boat, it was tailed and landed. The GT stretched the measuring tape to 124cm! Well done Gary…truly a fish of a lifetime!

Day 5 had another special moment on the cards, this time for angler Christiaan who had been mentally preparing himself for a shot at the most elusive fish of Providence Atoll, the Indo-Pacific Permit. Christiaan neatly presented his crab to a large tailing Indo and after showing the fish the fly with two long strips, his line came tight and he was firmly connected to a the Indian Ocean’s golden trophy. His beauty of an Indo measured in at 71cm , well done Christiaan….what a great achievement!

Day six dawned with bright skies and a slight easterly breeze. A total of 22 GTs were landed for the day, with Chris enjoying the best day of his trip landing 7 GTs himself…great job Chris! With the wind tapering off and current lines forming during the afternoon, the Milkfish appeared on the surface in tight schools while hoovering along the distinctive compression lines. Dave presented his fly perfectly and managed hook and land a beautiful Milkfish. Nicely done Dave. Christiaan also got into the action capping off an amazing 2-week trip by landing a Milkfish in the dying hours of the day.

This brings us to the end of one of the most memorable fishing weeks in recent history on Providence Atoll. A special thank you to all that joined on this trip and we look forward to welcoming you all back soon. 

Our catch tally for the week was as follows: 

  • GTs – 200 (9 over a meter)
  • Triggerfish – 19
  • Sailfish – 1
  • Permit – 1
  • Bonefish – 9 (1 over 10lbs.)
  • Milkfish – 2
  • Total tally of other species caught – 282

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 19 – 26 October 2021

Providence Blog: 19 – 26 October 2021

Welcome to the second week of the 2021/2022 Providence season. This week we welcomed a group of 12 anglers aboard the MV Maya’s Dugong. After a quick orientation of our mothership, we set about getting everyone’s tackle up to GT-proof standard before we hit the high seas on our way to the wild waters of Providence Atoll.

Day 1 – The first morning of the fishing week dawned with bright sunshine and a southeasterly breeze. A mid-morning low tide and loads of water movement experienced throughout the day provided favourable fly fishing conditions for Giant Trevally. A total of 7 GTs were brought to hand with angler Christiaan landing the standout fish for the day. His 119cm GT was sighted as it crossed a small white patch on the edge of extensive turtle grass rolling bank. He made a quick short cast and began retrieving the fly with a long medium stripping action when a monstrous mouth exploded out of the water engulfing his fly just 10ft from the tip of the fly rod. An intense fight ensued and after reeling in tons of backing finally got his trophy to hand. A special way to get his 2 weeks on Providence underway, well done Chris!

Day 2 – Conditions proved tricky with black clouds and continuous rolling sheets of rain. The inclement weather made the fishing tricky with a total of 6 GTs landed for the day. Fortunately, the large tails of the Bumphead Parrotfish are a welcome and easy-to-spot target, even when conditions prove difficult. Anglers Steve and John both went on to hook and land their first Bumpies on the fly, well done guys!

Day 3 – Sunshine! A fast-dropping tide in the morning provided ideal feeding conditions for the atoll’s resident Milkfish population. Angler Jeff got straight into the action and after making the perfect presentation came tight on his first-ever Milkfish on the fly. A titanic fight of an hour followed and finally to Jeff’s relief his Milkfish was firmly secured in the net. Well done, Jeff! The improvement from the weather gods showed in the catch tally with our group landing a total of 13 GTs for the day. Ed took the limelight in this regard landing a massive GT of 122cm. His fish was spotted while perched on a coral outcrop, overlooking some deeper channels. Following a long cast, the fish wasted little time closing the distance to the fly and hoovered the fly down without hesitation. A mammoth fight ensued and though there was a fair bit of coral in the area Ed managed to keep the fish clear of any unwelcome snags and eventually landed his dream catch. Well done, Ed, certainly a fish of a lifetime!

Day 4 – A continuation of the good weather and tides that allowed us access to the far-flung corners of the atoll delivered some unbelievable fly fishing action on the Giant Trevally front with 32 landed for the day. The high water experienced in the afternoon allowed for time spent searching for the pelagic species of the deep blue. After successfully teasing up a pack of Sailfish, Tim, and Greg both went tight and had to perform the comical Sailfish dance! Unfortunately, Tim’s fish came unbuttoned in the dying moments of the fight and right next to the boat. Greg however, managed to stay connected land his first Sailfish on the fly, well done Greg!

Day 5 – Providence delivered another day of red-hot GT action with our group managing to land a whopping 42 GTs between them. The 3 ball of Ed, Gary, and John were in the thick of the action on one particular turtle grass flat and landed a total of 31 of the 42 GTs, a day of GT fishing we’re sure these anglers will remember for years to come! Well done, gents!

Day 6 – The final day of the week saw overcast skies and a stiff south-easterly wind blowing. A total of 22 GTs were landed for the day. Angler Ed enjoyed yet another outstanding day on the flats landing 2 beautiful fish that stretched the measuring tape well past that magical meter mark. Well done, Ed!

That brings us to the close of the second week of fly fishing action on Providence, this week’s fishing delivered several moments that our guests and guides will remember for a long time. The distinct influx of GTs encountered on flats has us all excited for the fishing potential of the next fishing week.

Our catch tally for Week 2 was as follows:

  • GTs – 122 (11 over a meter)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 5
  • Milkfish – 1
  • Sailfish – 2

Until next time,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 10 – 19 October 2021

Providence Blog: 10 – 19 October 2021

Welcome to the Providence Atoll blog and our end-of-year season opener. Week 1 is always filled with a special mix of expectation and excitement and this week was no different as a regular group of friends from the US and some new ones joined us for an extended 9-night/8-day trip to kick off our season. As our captain dropped anchor on the shallow periphery of the atoll on the eve of day one, we settled in for the evening with our bags packed, cameras charged, and fly fishing gear primed for the flats fishing magic that lay ahead.

Day 1 – The flats fishing action experienced during day 1 was accompanied by clear blue skies and a familiar stiff south-easterly breeze. A total of 11 GTs were landed for the day with Dave and Allen wasting little time both landing their first GTs on the fly. Allen went one step further following a sighting of those fabled giant green tails waving gently across the flats, and after a measured stalk he managed to hook and land his first-ever Bumphead Parrotfish on the fly. A special way to begin your Providence Atoll fly fishing adventure, well done Allen!

Day 2 – With conditions stable and similar to that of Day 1, a total of 17 GTs were landed. The standout catch of the day went to angler Dave who encountered a monster GT while stationed upon one of the atoll’s several white sand drainages. After spotting the familiar electric blue silhouette crossing the flat, he presented his fly and after a few quick strips watched his fly get engulfed by the first meter-long Giant Trevally of the season. Well done Dave! Angler Kyle went on to land his first Bumphead Parrotfish on the fly, adding to the tailing fish tally and providing him with a new experience conquered on the flats.

Day 3 – We were now well and truly into the neap tide cycle with the slower water movement offering a change of pace on the GT front. A total of 6 GTs were landed, angler Kyle enjoying the pick of the days fishing landing 4 himself, well done Kyle!

Day 4 – We moved our attention to the areas better suited for fishing to the atoll’s lengthy list of tailing species. Despite the change of focus, the Giant Trevally fishing action continued in red hot fashion with our group landing a total of 9 GTs for the day. The atoll’s resident Bonefish were also encountered in good numbers offering incredible skinny water fly fishing opportunities for our guests. A total of 19 Bones were landed with Kelly managing to surpass that fabled 10lb mark, his trophy accepted a well-presented crab and following the hookset went on several blistering runs. In search of a Providence Atoll slam, Kelly and his guide moved offshore in pursuit of a Sailfish, and in no time Kelly’s rod was bent double with the sight of an energetic Sailfish greyhounding into the horizon. He went on to land the Sailfish, securing a well-deserved slam.

Day 5 – Continuing on the previous day’s antics our group enjoyed yet more outstanding fishing for the atoll’s resident targets with a total of 20 Bonefish and 2 GTs landed for the day. Kelly who has enjoyed everything on Prov’s extensive list of target species managed to land his first ever Bumpie on the fly, the group’s third for the week.

Day 6 – With shots at GTs slim during Day 6, we continued to focus on the tailing species. Our group enjoyed spectacular skinny water Bone fishing with a total of 18 fish landed. Allen landed the standout catch for the day after seeing a large Bone show its tail in a shallow sandy depression. He presented his fly which the fish promptly engulfed and after several long blistering runs, he managed to land a beautiful 10lber, well done Allen!

Day 7 – An early morning low tide allowed us access to the flats immediately while fishing a gradual incoming tide, typically ideal for the tailing fish species. Our group enjoyed exceptional fly fishing opportunities for Triggerfish and Bonefish. In total, we managed to land 5 Triggerfish, 3 of which landed were by angler Allen who then went on to land himself yet another 10lb Bonefish.

Day 8 – The final day of our first week on Providence Atoll produced a total of 4 GTs, one of which would end up as the catch of the trip. A large dark grey shape was spotted moving between an area with white sand and turtle grass patches. Kyle sent out a well-presented cast to the fish and began his retrieve, the GT followed the fly almost to the tip of the rod before accepting the baitfish imitation as prey. Once the hook was set the fish tore off on a blistering first run, luckily Kyle was on the boat and he and his guide managed to follow the fish and keep the fly line clear of any unforeseen snags. The fish was eventually landed and pushed the tape to 122cm! A fish of a lifetime, well done Kyle! With the high water experienced in the afternoon we set about looking for the atoll’s resident Sailfish and after several close calls we eventually ended the day with a total of 2 Sailfish landed concluding the final day of the week. 

All too quickly we were done and dusted with an action packed season opener filled with first time catches and memories made that will last a lifetime.

Our catch tally for the week 1 split between 6 anglers was:

• GTs – 48 (2 over a meter)
• Bumphead Parrotfish – 3
• Triggerfish – 6
• Sailfish – 3
• Bonefish – 63 (4 over 10 lbs.)
• Total number of Grouper, Snapper, and other species landed – 382

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

Providence Blog: 20 – 27 April 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our catch tally between 7 anglers during week 3 was:

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

Till next time, tight lines from the Providence Guide Team

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Featured Image - Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

Providence blog: 13 – 20 April 2021

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

Fly Fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish

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

Giant Trevally caught on Providence Atoll in Seychelles

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

A happy angler with a flats caught GT

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

Fly fishing for Milkfish in Seychelles

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

Fly fishing for Triggerfish in Seychelles

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

A trophy GT caught on the flats of Providence Atoll

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

Fly fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish in Seychelles

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

Our catch tally for week 2 was:

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

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team.

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