Alphonse Island is open all year round for both fishing and leisure guests. We’ll keep this page of 2023 Alphonse Island fishing news updated with all the latest action from this truly superb spot.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 1st to 8th July 2023
This week held some epic fishing with three anglers out on the water. The weather played to our advantage, and we were lucky enough to get across to St. Francios easily each day. A slight wind meant the fish were feeding happily, making them excited to see a well-presented fly.
The week began with Alan Olivier and Stuart Bird both landing beautiful permit and Alan landing a brute of a moustache trigger. A good number of bonefish were caught between the two anglers and the fishing just seemed to get better as the week went on. Grant van der Walt managed to get to the island a bit later in the week and landed himself three awesome moustache triggers and of course, some trophy bonefish.
Around this time of year, we start to see a lot more permit on the flats due to the southeast winds that blow predominantly throughout the months of May to October. This allows the water temperature to drop to a cooler 20-24 degrees Celsius, favourable for the permit. A large number of porcupine rays were seen on the eastern side of the atoll where the permit start to sit on their backs while the rays feed and ‘mud’ in the sand. We always get very excited by this as it allows for an easier shot at the feeding permit which, as permit anglers know, is never very often. With this, the anglers and guides are given enough time to position themselves up wind and make accurate shots at the feeding fish on rays.
Alan took every chance he could get to go after permit and with his determination and help from our excellent guides, he managed three permit for the week. The biggest was a monster measuring 67cm, caught between east knoll and pompano channel. An absolute fish of a lifetime. He went on to catch a beautiful moustache trigger, trophy bone and ended the day off with a lovely 60cm GT on Milky Way finger. A fantastic super slam for Alan, and his third flats slam for the week!
The GTs were also around this week with Stuart landing two nice fish. Alan managed an 88cm GT in the cosmic lagoon which made for some nice pictures in the mangroves. We saw some very large fish and the guys had some close calls along with some epic shots.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 25th to 30th June 2023
This week began with lots of big bonefish on the flats. It also held many firsts with a number of anglers landing their first bones and plenty of trophy fish caught throughout the week. A nicely sized GT and a moustache triggerfish started the week off on a great note.
The second day saw a yellowmargin triggerfish and some milkfish being landed. Mid-week produced a number of GTs with the biggest one stretching the tape just over the magical 100cm mark. Milkfish were also on the mid-week menu and a couple more were landed, along with the first permit of the week. Despite the permit’s small stature, the golden feeling those fish give you never ceases!
Towards the end of the week, the anglers were still revelling in the feeling and excitement of the first golden nugget, meaning they were keen on targeting more permit. With their eye on the prize, a couple more Indo-Pacifics were landed and contributed to two slams comprising permit, GT and bonefish. The week ended with yet another incredible day of fishing on this remarkable atoll. We reeled in the week with a third slam, more permit and more GTs, one measuring an impressive 107cm in size.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 18th to 21st June 2023
With the south easterly wind picking up during this period, there is a misconception that the fishing opportunities are scarce, but with the water on the flats cooling slightly, the fish come alive in a different way.
This ‘week’ we spent three days on the water with five fishermen who were eager to make the most of the excellent fishing at this time of year. The first day was spent fishing Alphonse with plenty of bonefish being landed, as well as a nice giant trevally caught off the back of a mudding ray.
The following day held more of Alphonse’s well-known specialty. The anglers opted to continue fishing around the island which produced plenty more bonefish and ended with a flats slam consisting of a giant trevally, bonefish, and a beautiful 50cm moustache triggerfish.
The anglers headed to the prolific St. Francois Atoll on the mothership the end their few days fishing. The flats were alive with lots of fish activity and everyone having plenty of opportunities to target all the main species. Another flats slam was landed with both a moustache and yellowmargin triggerfish being caught.
Although no permit were landed, good catch numbers were seen on both Alphonse and St. Francois. There were plenty opportunities narrowly missed, leaving the anglers all very keen to return next year!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 29th April to 5th May 2023
It’s been another action packed week on the flats around Alphonse. Here’s the latest fishing news from this superb fishery.
The permit fishing proved to be phenomenal with the shift in the wind and was undoubtedly the highlight of the week. The eastern flats’ crisp blue waters are showing fish in greater numbers, giving the anglers some nice shots. Three permits were landed this week, including a 61cm donkey caught by Nick Bowles who was being guided by Jason. What a way to kick off the permit season.
The south-easterly has been stronger this week on Alphonse, so poles stayed in the caddies on most days, and the legs worked extra hard! As always, some good fish were landed, despite the challenging conditions.
Big GTs have been seen more frequently in and around the lagoon over the season, but these wise old geets proved rather tricky to land this time around. Some smaller fish were out over this week, giving us something to keep the reels spinning and play around with. A decent yellowmargin and a moustache triggerfish were landed while some bigger fish were hooked on the edge of the finger flats, but all ended in break-offs.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this Alphonse Island fishing news and would like more information and availability on Alphonse Island, please contact Charlotte Chilcott or Peter McLeod or call us on +44 1980 847389. Alternatively click HERE if you would like us to contact you.