ENQUIRE NOW
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

Older posts
Newer posts
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

Older posts
Newer posts
Featured Image - Providence Blog: 5-12 April 2022

Providence Blog: 5-12 April 2022

Another mixed group of anglers from around the world joined us aboard our mothership for the fifth week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season. Some of the group were first time visitors to Seychelles, while others were about to begin their second week of fishing with us. We had set our expectations for a diverse 6 days of fishing and this is how it went…

The first day of the fishing week saw our guests experience a picture-perfect day on the flats with little wind and bluebird skies. These conditions allowed for several sight fishing opportunities for GTs on the flats which resulted in our group amassing a total of 12 GTs for the day. The highlights included first time GT success for both Jim and David. David however, hit the ground running in a big way landing a total of 4 GTs and a Triggerfish on his first ever day on the flats in Seychelles. Well done, David, a wonderful way to start your Providence adventure!

The second day provided plenty of action on the GT front with a total of 12 landed for the day. A special mention for both Joe and Paul who managed to complete their first ever GT catches on the fly, while Jim enjoyed success, hooking and landing his first ever and mighty powerful Bumpie.

The third day brought with it wide variety on the flats with a total of 10 GTs, 2 Triggerfish, 1 Bumphead Parrotifsh, and a Milkfish landed. The GT catch of the day went to Dom who expertly fished a large bow waking fish that pulled the measuring tape to 101cm… excellent job Dom! Watts enjoyed first time success for the atoll’s beautiful Yellow Margin Triggerfish, landing not 1 but 2 for the day. Well done Watts. Nico found himself in the thick of the action first thing on the third morning when his second presentation to a school of Milkfish saw him go tight and eventually land his first ever Milkfish catch. Nico then went onto to tame a monster of a Bumpie measuring 110cm. Well done gents, a momentous day on the flats with several first-time successes!

The fourth day produced a full house of catches on the flats with several of the atoll’s iconic species brought to hand for the day. Our group made their most of their opportunities in front of the GTs and landed a total of 18. Nico and John both enjoyed stella days landing 3 and 4 GTs respectively. David and Peter also found themselves in the right place at the right time with each of them landing 2 Bumpies, well done guys! The atoll’s large Bonefish made an appearance late on in the afternoon providing great skinny water flats fishing for Watts, Paul and David. Paul’s Bonefish was a special fish as it completed his flats slam consisting of a Bonefish, GT, and Triggerfish… great work Paul!

The fifth day saw a total of 5 GTs landed. The fish of the day was caught by David after it was spotted crossing a shallow flat with its back out of the water. Once David’s presentation was acknowledged by the fish it blasted towards his fly, inhaling it with a violent splash which was followed by a powerful fight. David eventually managed to reel in a beauty which measured an impressive 101cm. David’s run of good form continued and he went on land his first Triggerfish and first Bumpie to complete a flats slam… great work David! The Bumpies were encountered in substantial numbers with large schools frequently seen on the flats. Ian, Paul, and Watts all tasted success on this front with each of them landing their first Bumpies on the fly. Well done gentleman!

The sixth day dawned with dark clouds and rolling banks of rain. The tricky weather conditions deteriorated with the addition of lightning resulting in our group losing half of the fishing day. Despite this, our group still managed to land a total of 3 GTs and 6 bonefish.

This wraps up a wonderful week of fishing the flats of Providence. As always, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring this outlandish atoll with those that joined us and we look forward to welcoming you all back soon.

Our catch tally for the week was:

  • GTs – 60 (2 of 100cm plus)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 11
  • Triggerfish – 13
  • Bonefish – 16
  • Milkfish – 2

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

Older posts
Newer posts
Featured Image - Providence Blog: 29 March-5 April 2022

Providence Blog: 29 March-5 April 2022

The fourth week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season saw us welcome another mixed group of anglers from all over the world including South Africa, England, and the USA. The mix of personalities aboard the Maya’s Dugong made for a festive first evening as we chatted with eager anticipation about the exciting fishing we were all in for over the course of the 6 days to come…

The first fishing day delivered a total of 13 GTs with both John and Derrick landing their first ever GTs on the fly, well done gents! The atoll’s resident Milkfish population were encountered in good numbers in the late afternoon, providing Matt with the perfect opportunity to try his hand for these turbocharged speedsters of the deep blue. In just a few casts Matt found himself in the thick of the action when hooked up and eventually landed his first ever Milkfish! A great way to start the week, well done Matt!

The second day saw similar returns on the GT front with a total of 13 landed for the day. The standout catch, however, came after Watts saw the fabled sickled tail of a Permit working its way down a sandy beach. He then presented his fly ahead of his golden quarry and waited for the fish to get within a few inches of it before enticing the eat with a quick strip causing a reaction bite. After a short fight the fish came to hand and the first Indo Pacific Permit of the season was landed…. well done Watts, a truly special moment!

The third day brought with it an incredible day of GT fishing with a total of 20 fish landed, 5 of which breaking the fabled metre mark!!!! Matt enjoyed a cracker of a day and landed a fish of 104cm, followed by a beautiful 105cm giant. Gerhard also enjoyed a couple epic catches being a 101cm and amazing 112cm GT. The fishing gods however had something up their sleeve for him! While he waited patiently in a spot during the incoming tide he saw a large blue shape slide across a white hole in the turtle grass flat. After he presented his fly on the line of the fish, the fish charged, and Gerhard was connected to a fish of a lifetime. Following an intense fight through a coral garden he managed to land a truly special fish that pulled the measuring tape to a jaw dropping 130cm. To hook and land a fish of these proportions on foot is moment of flats fishing magic we are sure Gerhard will remember forever, well done G! Gerhard also managed to land the first Triggerfish for the week while Russ, Peter and Kevin enjoyed a great session fishing for Bonefish in the late afternoon.

The fourth day saw a total of 15 GTs landed. After seeing a massive nurse shark come into the surf zone, Peter worked hard to get into position and presented his fly in front of the school that were following the shark. As his fly hit the water the school raced towards his baitfish presentation and after a huge commotion of energic splashes he was tight with an incredibly powerful GT that measured an impressive 106cm, great job Peter! Matt enjoyed yet more GT success and landed another 2 GTs that broke that magical metre mark. The milkfish were present again and Gerhard, Matt, and Russ all enjoyed success while fishing for this exciting species, well done gents!

The fifth day produced more variety of catches on the flats with a total of 8 GTs landed. Gerhard managed to add to his Triggerfish tally while Matt continued his good form on the flats by landing the first Bumphead Parrotfish of the week, fantastic work Matt! Jari who had been eager to land a Milkfish on the fly finally managed to get it done early on the fifth morning… great job and well deserved Jari!

The sixth and final day saw a total of 12 GT landed. Jari managed to break the fabled metre mark and land a beautiful 103cm GT, well done Jari. The day however, belonged to Dale who after multiple trips to Providence lined up the perfect shot on a really big fish holding in the current. After presenting his fly he watched as the fish charged in and inhaled it. After a strong fight he landed the magnificent 126cm GT…. well done Dale, a fish of a lifetime. Gerhard managed to land another Triggerfish and today G’s Triggerfish success was shared by Russ who managed to land his first ever on the fly, well done Russ!

And so brings a close to the fourth week of the season. With perfect weather conditions and excellent comradery to match our group enjoyed a very special week exploring the azure waters of Providence.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

  • GTs – 81 (10 GTs over 100cm..2 over 120cm)
  • Triggerfish – 4
  • Milkfish – 8
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 1
  • Bonefish – 7
  • Permit – 1
  • Total tally of other species caught – 358

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

Older posts
Newer posts
Featured Image - Providence Blog: 22 – 29 March 2022

Providence Blog: 22 – 29 March 2022

Welcome to the third week of the Providence March – April 2022 fly fishing season. This week saw us welcome a mixed group of anglers from the UK and the US. Some of the guys were regulars to the Providence experience while others first time visitors to the wonders of this unique Seychelles atoll. The previous 2 weeks of fishing action had our expectations set sky high, as we completed the final bits of preparation before the first day of week 3 on Prov’s exciting flats.

The first day dawned with a slight breeze and bluebird skies resulting in perfect sight fishing conditions. It turned out to be a day of firsts for our guests who got into swing of things from the moment their feet hit the flats, with Mark, Margaret, Vaughn, Duncan and Will all landing their first GTs on the fly. By the time all our tender boats had returned to the mothership on the first evening, we had amassed a total of 19 GTs for the day…a great start! 

The second day saw a total of 12 GTs landed, with a special mention for Will who experienced the thrill of shallow water GT fishing when he connected to a large fish that had been seen tailing on the edge of a lagoon. His beauty stretched the measuring tape to 100cm on the dot… well done Will! Gerry experienced something similar when he managed to entice a massive fish from a school to eat his fly, and following an intense battle the landed fish measured an impressive 109cm… well done Gerry! The tailing fish species were also encountered in good numbers resulting in Kris and Chris each landing their first Triggerfish on the fly. Well done gentlemen!

The third day delivered a truly diverse experience for our guests, with loads exciting opportunities in front of the different iconic flats species available on Providence. By day end our group had landed a total of 17 GTs, 5 Bonefish and a Triggerfish. The Triggerfish landed was a special one as it completed a flats slam of a GT, Bonefish, and Triggerfish for Alexander… excellent job Alexander!

The fourth day saw a total of 16 GTs and another 3 Triggerfish landed. The only Bonefish of the day was landed by Duncan, when he completed his first and the group’s second flats slam of the week… well done Duncan!

The fifth day produced more exciting variety on the flats and in the bluewater, with 7 GTs, 6 Triggerfish, and 3 Milkfish landed. The highlights of the day included Mark and Margaret’s first ever Triggerfish catches. A special mention goes out to Margaret who went on to complete her first flats slam consisting of a GT, Bonefish, and Triggerfish… fantastic Margaret! The conditions proved perfect for fishing for the atoll’s resident Milkfish population, which resulted in Will, Vaughn, and Chris all landing their first Milks on the fly, Great job guys! Chris’s Milkfish success late in the day completed yet another slam… superbly done Chris!

The sixth and final day of the fishing week saw our guests enjoy bluebird skies and very little wind. The conditions, perfect for sight fishing,  delivered a total of 19 GTs landed. Margaret enjoyed the standout catch with an incredibly powerful 103cm GT, picked from a school that was found staging up on the edge of the atoll, nicely done Margaret! The Bumphead Parrotfish were encountered in good numbers resulting in both Mark and Vaughn completing there first ever Bumphead catches… Well done gents! The Milkfish were again found feeding heavily on the outer rim of the atoll, Alex and Duncan going on to land one each… their first ever on the fly. Excellent job guys.

Another busy of week of fly fishing for the full assortment of species available at Providence Atoll has come to an end. As always, it was a pleasure to share the ultimate saltwater playground with our guests during week 3 of this season, and we look forward to what the next trip has in store for us.

Our catch tally for the week was:

  • GTs – 90 (3 over a 100cm and biggest 109cm)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 2
  • Triggerfish – 12
  • Milkfish – 5
  • Bonefish – 8
  • Napoleons Wrasse- 1
  • Total tally of other species landed – 483

Yours in fishing,

The Providence Guide Team

Older posts
Newer posts
Featured Image - Providence Blog: 15 – 22 March 2022

Providence Blog: 15 – 22 March 2022

Trip 2 of the Providence March – May 2022 fly fishing season saw us welcome a full group from the UK, with most of the group regulars to the Prov experience. After a quick orientation of our mothership, we set to work readying everyone’s gear for another week of worldclass flats fishing action.

The first day of the week dealt us calm seas, despite challenging light conditions with periods of overcast skies. Our group hit the ground running and went on to land a total of 11 GTs for the day. Andrew, a newcomer to the Providence experience wasted little time and landed his first ever GT on the fly, great job Andrew! Another first-time experience was enjoyed during the course of the first day. This time for Piers, who after spotting the distinctive green tails of a school of feeding Bumphead Parrotfish sent out a perfect presentation and immediately went tight. Everything went Piers’s way and following an intense fight he had his first ever Bumpie firmly in his grasp. Great job Piers!

The second day saw a total of 12 GTs landed. Brummie found himself in the right place at the right time and managed to land 3 himself, excellent job Brummie! Other catches to write home about included a Triggerfish a piece for Fred and Andrew,  and a beautiful Napoleon Wrasse for Peter M. Well done guys!

The third day of fishing delivered impressive action on the GT front with a total of 16 landed. A special mention goes out to to Peter, who after presenting his fly to a large blue fish holding stationary on a coral head, came tight and following an epic battle, eventually landed a trophy GT of 104cm. Great job and well-deserved Pete! The tailing species were encountered sporadically, however our group still managed to land 2 Bumphead Parrotfish for the day, Fred with his first ever on the fly and Piers repeated his first day heroics with his second Bumpie for the week. Great job guys!

The fourth day dawned with flat calm seas and windless conditions. Our group managed to land 9 GTs for the day with a special mention going out to Andrew, who once again found himself in the thick of the action while waiting in ambush near a surf side cut. His patience paid off when several blue shapes came drifting past his position. All it took was a quick cast ahead of the school and a few strips before the lead fish engulfed his fly and tore off into the horizon. Following an epic battle and loads of reeling in, he eventually landed a real trophy GT of 103cm. Impressive catch Andrew!

We experienced similar conditions and catches on the fifth day of the week with a total of 9 GTs landed. Piers and Peter Opperman shared the spoils by landing 2 GTs each….well done gents!

The sixth and final day of the fishing week saw a total of 15 GTs landed. The standout catch of the day and week went to Steve who happened upon a school of GTs leading a large shark. The two lead fish were both absolute giants and once the fly hit the water both fish wasted no time at all and rushed towards, with the slightly lazier fish smashing his baitfish pattern. A mammoth battle ensued and eventually his trophy was landed. A whopping 119cm and superb fish Steve. Well done!

With that, we finished off another fantastic week of fishing the untamed waters of Providence Atoll. The weather was sublime, the company and resulting humour even better. We look forward to welcoming the Aardvark McLeod group back in the near future.

Our catch tally for the week was as follows:

  • GTs – 72 (3 of 100cm plus and biggest 119cm)
  • Bumphead Parrotfish – 3
  • Triggerfish – 2
  • Napoleon Wrasse – 2
  • Total tally of other species – 426

Until next week,

The Providence Guide Team

Older posts
Newer posts
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

Older posts
Newer posts
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

Older posts
Newer posts
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

Older posts
Newer posts
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

Older posts
Newer posts