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 – 24th February to 2nd March
To no surprise, Alphonse Island continued to provide prime catches this week. Even with some strong winds and rainfall, our anglers had a memorable time with lots of excellent catches.
The spring tides provided the opportunity to target all of the species that inhabit the Seychelles Outer Islands. With an early morning high and a dropping tide, our guests generally opted to start the day looking for GTs. As per the norm, they were out and about in good numbers. Angler Alistair Crawford has been to Alphonse Island almost yearly for the past 20 years, but this trip was different; on one special day of the week, he had what he described as his best day over all those years he has been fishing with us.
Alistair was on a mission for plus-sized GTs, and with the advice from his guide Reece, they were poling the top lagoon on the lookout for big fish on coral heads and making blind casts when required. Alistair’s day turned out to be an absolute dream! Within the space of about three hours, he landed three GTs measuring 82, 85, and 93cm. It was an absolute beauty of a morning, and we are thrilled to have been a part of such a special day for Alistair.
Angler John Ravenberg is also no stranger to the flats of St Francois, and he was keen to go for it once again. With his experience to assist him, he went out and had a banger of a day. On his first cast, he caught a beautiful moustache triggerfish, then a GT, and a monster 65cm bonefish, completing an epic flats slam!
Another long-time guest and friend of Alphonse was angler Ross Brawn. He had some tough luck during the week, but on his second last day, it all came together beautifully. His guide suggested a run on the outside to look for milkfish, which were found to be in reasonable numbers. On his fifth cast at the feeding fish, Ross hooked into a beauty, which took a huge run and made multiple massive jumps. Ross overpowered the beast and caught the only milkfish of the week, measuring in at an incredible 91cm. After getting onto the flats, no more than 20 minutes later, he caught a GT and some bonefish to complete a great flats slam.
Angler Ed Aremia topped the standings of the week with a GT that tested him and his tackle. He got stuck into a tug-of-war with a GT and used all of his strength and experience to land it. The fish measured an epic 97cm, just shy of the much-sought-after meter mark.
Notable mention goes out to Matt Fox, who caught four GTs during the week, including three on the same day. Angler Elizabeth Hart topped the standings in the triggerfish department with a monster 54cm moustache trigger – a truly spectacular fish! Angler Matt Prest took it upon himself to tackle with the permit. He managed to catch the only one of the week, coming in at just under 40cm.
A big pat on the back to Tom for fishing the week with three GTs, to Donald for his three, including a lovely 80cm fish, to Meredith for her two GTs, to Elizabeth for catching two GTs along with her massive triggerfish, and to David who caught a beautiful 44cm moustache trigger.
Thank you for the fantastic week to everyone who joined us!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 17th to 24th February
This week turned out to be yet another awesome one on Alphonse and St Francois. The atolls showcased their continuous consistency in providing some phenomenal catches. Whilst a bit of wind and a few small squalls passed our island paradise, the conditions were mostly sunny and pleasant all week.
Anyone who has fished Alphonse and St Francois will know the sheer number of bonefish that frequent the flats. Bonefish are one of the purest fly rod species to target, usually caught in ankle-deep, clear water. They rip huge amounts of line off the reel in mere seconds. Without teeth and being a very clean fighting fish, they are incredible to catch for anglers of all skill levels. We absolutely love them as they are almost always willing to eat a fly.
Angler Brian McLean had an absolute beauty of a week when he managed to land himself not one but two bonefish, which measured in at 66cm. Bonefish this size can be extremely picky and very conscious of fly lines and the splashing made by anglers’ steps. Catching two fish of this magnitude is a serious achievement. Brian did not just show off his skills with bonefish; he managed to land three serious GTs over the course of the week, two of which were 81cm and 90 cm beasts. Huge congratulations on an epic week of fishing, Brian!
For a number of weeks now, the GTs have been out in force and terrorizing smaller fish that inhabit the flats, and this week was no different. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed targeting them as they were readily found just about everywhere across the atolls.
Angler Hugh Langmuir visited Alphonse once again to target our coveted GTs. On his first day, he was teased by a few fish following his fly, attempting to bite but missing. On his second day, he finally landed a 70cm fish! On his last day, Hugh’s guide spotted a big free swimming fish and instructed Hugh to make the cast. Without hesitation Hugh did just that and after a great fight ended up bagging an impressive 94cm GT. This was our biggest GT of the week and an unbelievable reward for Hugh’s hard work. He also managed a tanker of a bonefish, coming in at 60cm.
Big congratulations to Bill Kinney and Kathy Bieler, who each caught a sailfish on the fly. Kathy caught a bonefish to wrap up another bills and bones slam.
Notable mentions for the week include Johan, who caught a beasty 65cm bonefish and a GT, Ed who caught a 61cm bonefish, Mike who caught five GTs, Johnathan who caught three GTs, Donald with two GTs, Alistair who landed the only moustache trigger of the week, Robert who bagged a beautiful 81cm GT, Conor who also caught a cracker 81cm GT and Tom, Tryggvi, Kay, and Libby who also caught GTs!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 10th to 17th February
This week was yet another epic week of fishing and weather on Alphonse and St. Francois. Sunny days, light winds, and spring tides ensured that many fish were out and about on the atolls, and the conditions made sight fishing as easy as it could possibly be.
The major highlight of the week was the sheer number of GTs present on the flats. The gangsters of the flats loved the spring tide pushing, and in the early mornings, when the water was still high, these coveted species could be found almost everywhere on St. Francois. Besides the fact they were easily spotted, they were also in a particular feeding mood. From hearing all of the stories after each day’s fishing, our guests had an absolute ball targeting them.
Angler David Goldberg has apparently considered retiring from all forms of fishing after the mind-blowing week he had. He finished the week with a total of eight GTs under his belt. Out of all the days, his final day is the one he will truly not forget. His guide was poling him down the eastern grass line of St. Francois when he noticed a nurse shark cruising the shallows with a big GT trailing it. David cast ahead of the shark and began stripping his black brush fly, which the GT charged and inhaled. After an intense tug-of-war where an overwind caused a line wrap in the reel, David landed an epic 100cm GT!
Roughly nine minutes later, David was back on the bow, and once again, a shark was spotted with a massive geet circling around it. The shark moved over some dark turtle grass and the fish seemed to disappear. David made a cast and began stripping when the geet re-emerged from the darkness, making an epic surface eat, showing the full extent of its bucket-sized mouth. Another huge battle of man vs beast ensued, and David emerged victorious. This giant measured an incredible 109cm! A massive congratulations to David and his guide, Bailey, on a truly unforgettable day. Two metre-long fish in one day is a truly spectacular achievement.
Angler Ron Young also had a very special day out on the flats. He started the day with some bonefish and then walked the beach in a spot known as the “back of the moon”. His guide spotted a nice permit feeding right against the shoreline. Ron cast and let the fly sit on the bottom, and the permit approached. Before he even gave one strip, the fish picked up the fly and made off. Ron set the hook and began fighting the perm with minimal pressure. The fish was landed and measured an awesome 59cm – a cracker of a permit! After this adventurous experience, they decided to head to Alphonse to fish the pushing tide. Right at the end of the day, Ron plucked a GT off a stingray to complete an epic flats slam. Huge congratulations, Ron!
Congratulations also to Darrell, who caught three geets, including an 81cm fish. To Tim, who caught a permit and three geets, the biggest of which was 82cm. To Brian, who caught three geets and a milkfish, and Betsy, who caught a geet and the only moustache trigger for the week. A final congrats to David Derry, Lucien, Mark, and Charlotte, who all caught GTs this week!
We had an absolute blast showing our guests what our beautiful atoll has to offer.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 3rd to 10th February
This week of the season brought a mixture of weather conditions. Many days featured some sunshine, but squalls would build at times, bringing wind and rain. Despite the weather challenges, our guests displayed total commitment and still managed to catch some memorable fish.
The ghosts of the flats were targeted during the dropping tide when they stacked up and moved toward deeper water. Guests were pleasantly surprised not only by the number of fish but also by their size. Fish over 55cm were frequently caught, and a number over the 60cm mark were also added to the tally. The bones provided excitement and screaming reels, resulting in an epic week with nearly 250 bonefish landed.
GT fishing proved slightly more challenging, as many fish had locked jaws and were not easily fooled by the fly. Despite this, Conny, Dave H, David C, Ilya, Valerii, Vlad, and John Miller deserve congratulations for netting some of these impressive species. Most of the catches this week were spotted cruising on the back of stingrays. These fish are often jet black when sitting on the ray and can be spotted from some distance away. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing one of these fish charge off the ray and smash the fly right in front of the boat.
A special mention goes to angler Philip Friesen, who achieved the rare feat of catching both a yellow margin and a moustache triggerfish on the same day! Congratulations on your spectacular day of triggerfishing, Philip!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 27th January to 3rd February
We had another epic week on St Francois and Alphonse Atolls with superb weather and incredible fishing. The fish were eager to play the game, with some really solid, plus-sized GTs making an appearance.
On day one, our man Valerii got it done properly with a monster of a GT. Valerii and his guide arrived at Tam Tam flat a couple of hours into the pushing tide and were instantly greeted by a group of hungry geets feeding on the lagoon edge. A quick cast and some long, slow strips, and Valerii soon hooked the fish of a lifetime. A brutal fight ensued, and after following the fish for a couple of minutes and dodging coral heads, the fish was in the net. An impressive 115cm GT!
Kevin took a very keen interest in our pristine bone fishery and managed to get over 100 bonefish throughout his week, with a couple of those over the 60cm mark. Kevin also got stuck into some GT action and got himself a healthy 85cm fish at the back of One Palm Island. While wading for bones, Kevin and his guide, Alex, spotted a lemon shark with three good GTs following close behind. A quick drop of the 9wt and an accurate cast with the 12wt did the trick!
One Palm Island seemed to be a hotspot for fish, with John landing a lovely 34cm permit. An epic fish to go along with 20+ bones for the day. Robert did exceptionally well, managing his first-ever GT on fly, and ended his week with a total of three lovely giant trevally under his belt, with the biggest being 70cm.
The trigger fishing was tough this week, but the guys managed a few to hand and also had some very close calls, with some good fish being lost to corals and bitten off. Bill was our top trigger fisherman, with an absolute beast of a moustache trigger stretching the tape to 53cm.
Extraordinary memories for all this week and some insane fish were caught. All in all, it was another successful week on Alphonse and St Francois!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 20th to 27th January
This week was undoubtedly our best GT fishing week and arguably our best all-around fishing week so far. Our guests enjoyed excellent weather, great tidal movement, and heaps of hungry fish, making many dreams come true.
The GTs were the standout feature of the week, and no matter where you found yourself around St. Francois, you were only ever a few minutes away from spotting one or more. Plenty of GTs were sighted and caught off the back of stingrays and sharks. Packs of GTs were seen in the surf on the pushing tide, with plenty of free-swimming fish in between.
Angler Bo Ribaudo has fished the outer islands of the Seychelles more than the average angler. She knows what the flats can offer, but even she was pleasantly surprised by how good her week turned out. Bo’s week included four GTs, two moustache triggerfish measuring 41 and 43cm respectively, a flats slam composed of a 42cm yellowmargin triggerfish, a GT, and a bonefish. She later caught another fantastic yellowmargin trigger and, to cap it all off, bagged a fantastic 63cm permit. Congratulations on your epic week of fishing, Bo!
Similar fortunes awaited another returning guest, Kasja Larsson. Her first day on the flats yielded three GTs, the biggest being an epic 107cm! The big GT was spotted following closely behind a nurse shark when it was hooked. A few days later, Kajsa picked up a superb 41cm yellowmargin trigger and another beautiful 87cm GT. On her final day, not long after her partner Bo caught a massive permit, Kajsa also hooked and landed a gorgeous 57cm permit.
Angler Steven Blackbeard was concerned that he might not get a GT during his trip with us, but this magnificent Atoll did not disappoint. In his last week, he caught a good-sized GT at 81cm. He went from strength to strength with GT fishing and had a tremendous five GT day where he could not do a thing wrong. With his fantastic momentum, it only went up from there. In addition to these five fish in one day, he caught four more, finishing his week with a total catch of 10 GTs!
On one of his days, he said to his guide that he had his eyes set on a triggerfish after hearing all the stories from the guides and fellow anglers about how tricky they can be — he was up for the challenge! Steven would go on to catch two 51cm moustache triggers and a 46cm moustache trigger in one afternoon!
Clearly, all the rumours about how difficult triggers can be did not matter to Steven.
Angler Julian Anntes also had a top-tier week of GT fishing, ending with a total of seven GTs under the belt, and most notably, on his final day, he landed a massive 100cm GT.
Notable mentions must also be extended to Patty, who caught three GTs during the week and also managed a flats slam with a GT, a 46cm yellowmargin trigger, and a bonefish.
Big congratulations to Avron, who caught a phenomenal 91cm GT. To Per and Marcus for catching two GTs each, and to John, Ferdinando, Paul, Staffan, and Michael, who all caught GTs over the week.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 19
Week 19 started off with a bang, and multiple GTs sighted. The ever-present shoals of bonefish provided great entertainment despite some challenging wind conditions throughout the week.
John Eames, an experienced angler, had a spectacular first day, catching two beautiful GTs. He then targeted a yellowmargin triggerfish that eagerly raced to eat the fly; after a short battle, he landed a massive 50cm specimen and completed the slam with a bonefish. John didn’t stop there and had an awesome week, adding two more GTs later on.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 18
St. Francois showcased exceptional fishing despite variable weather. As neap tides gave way to springs, abundant water movement attracted a flurry of fish activity.
Returning angler Chris Griffith achieved memorable flats slam within an hour, starting with a 59cm Indo-Pacific permit, followed by a 51cm moustache triggerfish and a cruising GT measuring an undisclosed size. Using an 8/0 hook meant for GTs, Chris skilfully landed the trigger.
Logan Hitchins, accompanied by her husband Aaron, showed exceptional angling skills despite challenging weather conditions. Logan, pregnant with their first child, out-fished Aaron, landing a massive 47cm yellowmargin triggerfish and a stunning 45cm yellowmargin, along with three GTs for the week.
Will Harris, a first-time Seychelles angler, faced overcast conditions but persevered. He bagged an epic
92cm GT catch during a massive feeding frenzy known as ‘the Capel Shoal.’
Former head guide Alec Gerbec returned for big GTs, successfully landing the week’s largest GT at 96cm in the top lagoon, showcasing his expertise and connection with the atoll. Notable mentions for joining the GT scoreboard go to David, Chris, Harry, Konstantin, Harris, John, and Aaron.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 17
Anglers had some weather challenges to deal with this week due to a passing tropical cyclone that brought higher winds and rain, making sight fishing difficult. Despite these conditions, determined anglers achieved some noteworthy catches.
The wet and rainy days cooled the water of the flats, attracting hungry permit. Markus senior, fresh from a week of GT fishing on Cosmoledo, skilfully hooked a beast of a permit, measuring an impressive 62cm. His success continued with another 55cm permit later in the week. Markus Junior landed himself two permits during the week, a commendable achievement for the family.
While it seemed that the milkfish were moving on, they could still be found in the channels on the slow drop. Anglers Otto, Gary, Olli, Sterling, and John took on the physical challenge of hooking and landing these powerful fish, with catches ranging from 100cm to 104cm.
GT fishing faced its own challenges with poor lighting, but this did not stop the anglers. Otto, Olli, Markus, Gary, Jack, Matt, and Mike demonstrated patience and skill, successfully landing GTs during the week.
Congratulations to all the anglers for their remarkable achievements in the face of challenging conditions!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 16
The anglers and fishing sure didn’t slow down in week 16 which showcased epic fishing, with the atoll providing a variety of species, as we shifted towards springs, creating the perfect conditions.
Konstantin Sherbovich, aiming to add a GT to his record, achieved success with a 102cm giant trevally after a thrilling battle in Rattray’s Channel. John Miller had his sights set on milkfish and ended up landing one each day for five consecutive days, with the largest measuring an impressive 111cm. John completed a flats slam on the same day by also landing a GT and a bonefish.
John Linen had a phenomenal week, catching all but one of the big five species, including a rare 147cm barracuda without a wire trace. Ilya Sherbovich focused on Indo-Pacific permit. Challenging conditions did not stop him as he ended up landing a 57cm beauty after an unusual episode of the permit lying flat on the bottom and then jumping over the guide’s head!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 15
Our week started with a diverse number of species taking centre stage, with hot and sunny neap tides providing tough conditions for our anglers. Hot and green water means one thing on St Francois: epic milkfish, and this week was no different with an abundance of milkfish in the lagoon, where John Miller landed an impressive 111cm fish. Hooking this fish in the lagoon’s confines made for a thrilling fight.
Epic stories unfolded as anglers achieved milestones, with Spencer Thorington catching a stunning triggerfish and an 81cm GT. Matt Naber’s phenomenal performance featured the biggest GT of the week at 93cm and a massive 101m milkfish, securing a memorable flats slam.
Anglers Harry Thornburn and John Miller scored flats slams each. A special mention goes to Yousuf Shaikh, who guided three consecutive slams, making history in the Blue Safari Fly Fishing community.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – week 14
This week started with stormy weather, but with spring tides, there was still great potential to find the sought-after GT. Nikita Mishin led the group with an impressive seven GTs, while Mark Holme claimed the title for the biggest fish, landing a 95cm GT. We welcomed newcomers, Jack, Graham, Dinah, Renzo, and Adam, who marked their entry into GT fishing with their first-ever GTs on fly.
The spring tides provided prime opportunities for milkfish. Young anglers Lilly, Holly, and Emma showed their stellar teamwork, hooking and landing a 95cm milkfish, Lilly’s brother Adam also got involved in the milkfish action landing himself a beautiful 93cm fish. Nikita’s skills bagged him a monstrous 110cm milkfish. Special mention to Adam Collins for his beautiful 93cm milkfish.
A standout performance came from Feo Mishin, earning the title of Angler of the Week with back-to-back flats slams featuring GTs, a yellowmargin, and bonefish.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 2nd to 9th December
Another exceptional week of fishing unfolded on St Francois Atoll, characterised by favourable neap tides that ensured ample water throughout the fishing days. The triggerfish, in particular, made a notable appearance in abundant numbers, adding to the excitement. Despite intermittent storms, the overall weather featured calm winds and sunshine.
While triggerfish can be pursued on any tide on St Francois, the preference for neap tides was evident among both guides and guests. The slower drops and pushes resulted in weaker currents, allowing triggerfish to feed more comfortably along grass lines and finger flats. Right from the start of the week, it was evident that the triggers were in a feeding frenzy, providing our guests with an exhilarating experience. Even in their fired-up state, triggerfish present a formidable challenge to fly fishermen with their robust jaws, sharp teeth, incredible speed, and a knack for seeking refuge in coral. Despite the challenges, the allure of these fish kept anglers returning for more.
Returning angler, Alan Olivier, showcased his expertise in targeting triggerfish. His patience faced a stern test on the first day when he hooked up and lost 15 fish! Undeterred, he returned the next day with renewed determination. Guided by Reece, Alan spotted a massive yellowmargin trigger tailing and feeding in deep water. A well-placed cast led to an electrifying moment as the fish charged the fly, only to wedge itself in a nearby coral head. Reece, with his skill and experience, dove into action, making several attempts to free the fish. Eventually, success prevailed, and both angler and guide erupted in celebration as they realized the magnitude of the catch—an astounding 54cm yellowmargin trigger, the largest of the season. Congratulations to Alan and Reece for this remarkable achievement.
Alan’s stellar week continued as he went on to catch a moustache triggerfish and three GTs, with his biggest giant trevally measuring an impressive 94cm, the largest of the week. Well done to Alan on an incredible week of fishing.
Chris Burgess, journeying from Australia to Alphonse Island for the first time, was awe-struck by the abundance of fish. He chose triggerfish as his primary target and made a remarkable impact. On day one, Chris landed the largest moustache triggerfish of the season, an enormous 56cm specimen. The following day, he achieved almost the same feat with another giant, a 55cm triggerfish. Not to be outdone, Chris’ wife, Este, joined the action and landed her first moustache trigger. Congratulations to Chris and Este on these extraordinary catches!
Special congratulations are also in order for James, Edward, Rafael, Mark, Mia, and Abbey for their successful GT catches during the week. Roman and Adam also had their share of triumphs, landing moustache triggers.
The sailfish remained cooperative for those venturing into the deep blue with a fly rod. Five anglers targeted these high-speed predators, and all five managed to land a sailfish on the fly. Edward, David, James, and Phil deserve special mention, with an extra nod to Mark for achieving a ‘Bills and Bones’ slam, a feat rarely accomplished in any other part of the world—catching both a sailfish and a bonefish in the same day.
Anticipation is high for another epic week of fishing, and we’re looking forward to sharing upcoming stories in next week’s report.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 18th to 25th November
Another unforgettable week on Alphonse with some incredible bone fishing and some extremely noteworthy GTs. The weather and fish both played their part, with multiple fish caught on clear windless days, just what the Seychelles is known for.
The neap tides meant that there was lots of water on the flats and with that came massive shoals of Alphonse bonefish. The majority of the anglers were keen to get stuck in and our guides knew exactly where to take them, this led to our best bonefish week of the season so far by some margin. With a total of 379 bones netted during the week, you can just imagine how reels were screaming non-stop every single day.
The highlight of the week was no doubt a massive GT caught by angler Mike Nowak. Mike and the newest guide to join the AFC team, Josh, were fishing the top lagoon late on Tuesday afternoon, casting at one of the many coral heads within the lagoon. With fading light and some slightly dirty water, Mike’s fly was smashed by a monstrous fish which immediately peeled line and began threading its way through the surrounding coral. With only 80lb monofilament leader, Josh had to delicately unstitch leader and fly line from the corals as he frantically chased down the fish and tried to get on top of it.
After some stressful moments the fish was bought to the side of the boat and both angler and guide were completely shocked at the massive proportions of the fish. The fish was measured and came to a staggering 128cm, a true dinosaur of the top lagoon! Congratulations to Mike and his guide Josh who managed to catch our biggest GT of the 2023/2024 season on Alphonse so far. Mike also managed to catch another beautiful specimen measuring 89cm later in the week, a very memorable trip for Mike indeed!
Robert Smith had a very special first visit to the atoll. He arrived with very clear intentions to catch a giant trevally and made it happen, managing to land his first of the sought after species. Although his primary goal had been achieved, he didn’t kick his feet up, and went after our Indo-Pacific permit and managed to catch the only golden nugget of the week.
Well done to anglers Paul, Tom, Bruce and Mike Timms who also managed to catch geets and again to all the anglers for making the most of the incredible bonefish population out here!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 11th to 18th November
Hungry fish and excellent conditions led to one of the best weeks’ fishing of the northeast season so far. It was certainly one for the books and we are thrilled for the guests who were here to experience it.
The talk of the week was a massive resurgence of GTs on the flats. After a fairly tough week prior, with eight being brought to hand, both guides and guests were very pleased to see great numbers of geets out and about. A very special mention must go out to angler Sarah who jumped onto her father’s boat for the day and landed an incredible 100cm GT, an unforgettable first of the species. Congratulations Sarah that is a catch of a lifetime!
With the gangsters of the flats around in healthy numbers, everyone was eager to have a crack at catching one. We had a hat-rick of anglers who managed four giant trevally each throughout their stay. Congratulations to Peter Rippin who’s biggest GT was an awesome 84cm, Dan Christensen with his biggest at 74cm, and Mark Turley who caught three of the species in a single day, the biggest being 77cm. Further congratulations also go out to Bill, Niall, Harry, Tom, Greg, Henrik, Bruce and Paul who also joined the party and caught GTs over the week. An epic week of GT fishing.
Whilst the GTs provided plenty of excitement on the flats, the milkfish showed up in their masses on the outside of the atoll. With tons of water moving off of the flats on the large spring drops, the milkfish fed aggressively in the scum lines almost every morning of the week. Gary Neil was stretched to the limit in an intense 55 minute fight with a milkfish, he fought back hard and ended up landing a specimen of 105cm. A serious catch, well done Gary! Congratulations to Peter who caught three milks during the week and to Dan, Mike, Chantal and Tom who also landed milkfish.
Niall Turley had a memorable week, taking full advantage of all St Francois Atoll has to offer. In addition to his GT, he landed two fantastic moustache triggerfish measuring 47 and 45cm as well as a beautiful 55cm Indo-Pacific permit! That’s an epic week Niall, well done!
Dave Robinson joined us for some bluewater fishing. He had a super productive week and caught 16 wahoo, nine sailfish and eight yellowfin tuna! Dave nearly ended the week with a black marlin, which are very rare in our waters. Unfortunately the hook pulled and the fish escaped. What a week Dave, we look forward to having you back to get that marlin next time.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 4th to 11th November
Another great week of fishing for the nine anglers who stepped into the diverse fisheries of Alphonse Island and St Francois Atoll. All of our recognised ‘Big 5’ species were caught, and plenty of opportunities were presented. In the true nature of fly fishing, some were lucrative, while others were missed.
With calming winds and strong currents on account of the neap tides, massive shoals of milkfish continued to pop up almost every morning outside St Francois Atoll and in the Alphonse channel. It’s hard to say no to such a feeding frenzy, which led to most of our guests having a crack at catching one of the powerful beasts. Returning angler David Powter found himself in a battle of endurance against an impressive 95cm fish, he emerged victorious and was rightfully stoked with his efforts. Anglers Noah and Gary also managed to tame the mighty milkfish during the course of the week. Catching these fish requires a skilful and accurate cast, so a big well done to these anglers.
The fishing headlines were again dominated by Noah Ramos, who showed off his tremendous fly fishing skills. In addition to his milkfish, Noah added another yellowmargin triggerfish, moustache triggerfish, a couple of GTs, including the biggest of the week at 79cm, and the only permit of the week to his impressive tally. Just when we thought his Farquhar week couldn’t be topped, Noah made easy work of St Francois Atoll during his stay.
Congratulations must be extended to Theo Hoffs, David Menten, and Kathy Bieler who all caught their first GTs on fly – an awesome achievement and experiences we are sure they will never forget! David Powter, still reeling from his milkfish earlier in the week, also worked his magic on the giant trevally, managing to catch three during his stay.
Our bonefish very seldom disappoint, with all the anglers dabbling in their fair share of these ghosty fish. Angler Bernard Bailey put the bonefish populations to test and caught over 20 fish on his first day out on the flats.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 28th October to 4th November
What a few days it was for the anglers who found themselves on our little island paradise this week. The northwest season is now in full swing with lots of hungry and willing fish around.
We welcomed the return of surface-feeding milkfish to the outside of the atoll. Father and son, Noah and Fernando took full advantage and each landed quality fish, the biggest of the two stretching the tape to an impressive 97cm.
Noah didn’t stop at the milkfish, and proceeded to put on a GT fishing masterclass, bagging himself a total of five geets for the week, the biggest coming in at a cracking 96cm. In addition to this, Noah bought to hand an epic 51cm yellowmargin triggerfish, a monster by any standards and a serious challenge just to hook, let alone land. This trigger did not come easy, and in typical triggerfish fashion it charged into a hole in the coral once hooked. After a dive and recovery attempt by both guide and angler the fish was eventually landed. Congratulations on some epic fishing Noah.
Angler Ashley, who is still getting into fly fishing, certainly will not forget her time fishing the flats of St Francois. Amongst some bonefish, Ash caught herself two beautiful geets and a massive 53cm moustache triggerfish! Congratulations on your awesome week Ash and we look forward to having you back again soon.
On the permit front, Fernando can be very proud of his fantastic 63cm permit. The only permit for the week and an absolute beauty of a fish. Dennis claimed the bonefish angler of the week awards, catching a massive 64cm bone which gave a proper account of itself on the nine weight setup. Well done Fernando and Dennis.
The blue water fishing continues to remain consistently action packed. Anglers William and Kathy went out for a morning session and each landed a sailfish and wahoo on the fly. These powerful pelagics are a serious physical challenge on fly and we are stoked that William and Kathy were able to get it done.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 21st to 28th October
This week proved slightly tougher than the weeks prior. Whilst many fish were spotted out on the flats, the bite was definitely a bit slower than expected, some inclement weather at the start of the week most likely contributing to this. However, this didn’t stop our group of determined anglers who still managed to bring some excellent fish to hand.
By far the most notable catch of the week was caught by Dudley. After winning an epic battle with a beautiful 90cm GT earlier in the week, Dudley’s quest for fishing greatness bought him to a spot known as ‘back of the moon’. After some walking along the beach, Dudley and his guide, Jason, spotted a massive permit tailing in the shore break. The fish swam towards the pair, coming so close that Dudley was forced to make a roll cast. As soon as his Alphlexo crab hit the bottom the perm showed interest, and after stripping his fly almost to the rod tip the fish ate and a nervy 35 minute fight ensued. Measuring an incredible 67cm, this permit will not be forgotten by either angler or guide. Congratulations Dudley.
Returning guest Ray was also eager to make his mark on the scoreboard. He opened his week with a phenomenal 49cm yellowmargin triggerfish, notoriously skittish and difficult to catch. He also managed to catch a GT and some bonefish on the same day to cap off an awesome Flats Slam. Later in the week Ray managed to further improve his triggerfish count by landing a massive 51cm moustache triggerfish. Well done Ray!
Ray wasn’t the only one who had a hold on the tricky triggers, Hanley also managed to land an awesome yellowmargin measuring in at 43cm. Gabon bagged his first moustache triggerfish. Congratulations to both Hanley and Gabon, any angler who has fished for them knows that those triggers don’t come easy.
The second biggest geet of the week was caught by returning guest Paul who added a magnificent 85cm fish to his already impressive tally of giant trevally over the years. Congratulations Paul.
As always, we are grateful for the famed bonefish population on Alphonse which provided plenty of entertainment when the weather made fishing for other species challenging. The big bones made their presence felt with a number of fish over the 60cm trophy mark being caught.
We look forward to another exciting week of fishing, the sun looks set to shine and we expect the fish to come join the party. Stay tuned for next week’s report.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 14th to 21st October
An awesome group of anglers was welcomed to the world class fishery that is The Alphonse Group for an exciting week. With decreasing wind speeds and sunny days, our anglers were treated to excellent conditions out on the flats and in the deep blue. The spring tides meant plenty of water movement and options to fish sand flats, fingers, channels and the surf.
Each of the anglers enjoyed some spectacular bonefishing to get warmed up for the week, many of whom were pleasantly surprised at the extraordinary number of the species. Particularly on the spring drop, the bonefish stack up and move in large shoals off the flats. Making the most of this, the anglers got stuck into them and a few managed to land more than 20 fish in a session.
As expected, the permit fishing has remained consistent for this time of the year with many fish being seen. Two permits were landed this week with the biggest measuring 62cm, well done to Gareth George on landing this beauty.
No one comes to Seychelles to fly fish without a burning desire to land the fabled giant trevally, and this week’s guests were well and truly up for the challenge. Nine geets were landed in the week, and a number of these were firsts. A special mention to angler Pete who opened his GT account with an epic 92cm fish, and then went on to catch two more to prove his quality fly fishing skills.
Another angler who showed his angling versatility was Albert, who brought to hand a beautiful 84cm GT. Eager to add more fish to his tally, Albert turned his attention towards sailfish on the fly rod. In an action-packed day, where equipment was tested, and in excess of 30 sailfish were raised, Albert managed to land a total of five sailfish on fly. Well done, Albert!
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 30th September to 7th October
It’s been a tough week on Alphonse Island with gusting winds and unpredictable rain making fishing conditions harder than usual. Despite the weather, the small group of anglers for the week persevered and managed to get some good fish to the net.
Every cloud has a silver lining, and the less favourable weather conditions, strong winds and high tides meant fresh, cold, and clean water was constantly moving over the flats and into the lagoon. This made ideal conditions for big GTs with anglers being spoilt daily for opportunities at them. A total of four giant trevally were landed, all of which measuring more than 80cm.
The permit fishing was also quite exciting, but at the same time a bit heartbreaking. Anyone who has fished for these fish know that they are up there as the toughest to convince to eat a fly. There were a lot of them around during the week, many following thorny-back rays. A few were missed, some lost, but one lucky angler managed his first permit.
A variety of fish species have been around in healthy numbers and the weather is on the cusp of change, with the northwest season imminent, offering different advantages to the southeast trade season we are coming out of. We are looking forward for what is to come in the weeks that follow.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 23rd to 30th September 2023
Another incredible week gone by on Alphonse Island! With a serious case of permit fever amongst the anglers and guides, this week was certainly one to remember and another one for the history books.
The anglers took full advantage of Alphonse’s world-renowned bonefish fishery, targeting the ghostly fighters throughout the week, landing a total of 189. There were also handful of trophy bonefish over the 60cm mark.
The finger flats fished consistently throughout the week, triggers were spotted in abundance and the anglers were met with good opportunities to fool these wise fish. A handful of triggers won the battle, getting the best of the anglers, cutting or biting them off and running into their holes. The losses made the few landed so much more rewarding, with the biggest trigger measuring a massive 53cm. The week ended with a total of seven triggers, four moustache and three yellowmargins!
Friday started off fairly slow, but Flats Lunch along with a pushing tide, seemed to provide some luck. St Francois showed her true colours, and the permit came out to play with a whooping 13 permit landed among four anglers. One of the young anglers, Finley, managed five by himself on the day! A total of 17 permit were landed, another week proving the incredible permit fishing to be had on Alphonse during our southeast trade wind season.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 16th to 23rd September 2023
Our fishing week on Alphonse Island was an absolute hit with 12 eager anglers. Despite the weather playing its mischievous games, we managed to reel in some awe-inspiring catches and create memories that certainly left the anglers and guides grinning.
The southeast trade winds kept the water on St Francois exceptionally clear, which meant we were in for excellent permit and GT fishing. Talk about a sight to behold: the sneaky permit made their presence known, small groups of them indulging in a series of gourmet feasts off the backs of rays on the white sand flats. Neill Katzeff set the bar on the first day of fishing, landing a beautiful 69cm permit with his guide Dean. Justin Kemp, who had the magic touch this week, landed not one, not two, but four permit, including a mesmerising 67cm beauty. Well done Justin and Neill. A total of seven permit were landed for the week.
The giant trevally were out and about with a total of 12 on the tally at the end of the week. Angler Kyle Powter, a newbie to the saltwater fly fishing world, found himself amidst a shoal of colossal GTs. The battle that followed was nothing short of EPIC—an adrenaline-pumping boat chase, a flickering rod battling against the geets strength. Kyle emerged victorious, hauling in a whopping 117cm geet. Well done Kyle!
A couple of the anglers opted to spend a few days blue water fishing and their trips were nothing short of a sailfish extravaganza. These acrobatic marvels are around in large numbers at the moment, flipping and twirling through the air like daredevil circus performers. The best blue water day of the week saw our anglers skilfully catch and release eight majestic sailfish.
Alphonse Island Fishing News – 9th to 16th September 2023
Another successful week of fishing the beautiful St Francois Atoll. With plenty of fish around and five optimistic anglers fishing throughout the week, we managed to bring in a good number of fish with a few trophies in that mix, all in spite of the consistent southeast trade winds which made for trickier conditions.
The week kicked off as usual with what the guides call “bonefish Sundays” where majority of anglers get into the swing of things and find their rhythm for the week targeting bonefish. On St Francois, the bones were abundant in their massive schools and were happy to eat a well-presented fly, the anglers enjoyed the fights these fish put up and a total of 95 bonefish were caught.
The fingers flats were full of life, with plenty of triggers doing their thing, tailing and feeding. Anyone who has fished for triggers knows how meticulous they can be when choosing what flies to go for, even after a perfect presentation, but this week seemed different. The triggers played their part and were more than happy to attack most well-placed flies. The dirty fighters that they are resulted in quite a few being lost, getting bitten off, running into their holes but it ended with two yellow margins and four moustaches on the board, with biggest moustache being a massive 55cm!
Our anglers of the week, Richard and Colin, both managed to catch four of our big five (just missing out on a milkfish each) during their stay. Colin had been searching for his first geet for a while and after coming close on multiple occasions, he was really eager to get it done by Friday. Colin and his guide, Gary, searched hard the whole day, and with the last hour of the day approaching, things were not looking favourable. The last move of the day for the guide was to wait in a channel between One Palm Island and St Francois on the pushing tide, expecting fish to move through the channel pushing up with the tide. A golden opportunity presented itself at 3.15pm when three big geets swam towards the anchored boat, Colin lay out the perfect cast and waited for the fish to swim onto the fly, one strip and the fish lit up and engulfed the fly. The fish measured 100cm, a great catch and even more impressive being a first of the species. Shortly after the GT was landed and tagged, the day sweetened as a shoal of permit swam up the same channel, one cast into them and Colin was on, landing a permit with the last cast of the day to complete a flats slam and to end of a great week of fishing!
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.