Fly Fishing Blog by Alphonse Fishing Co™

FARQUHAR ATOLL FISHING NEWS | 22 – 29 NOV 2023

Ten anglers from Australia and South Africa landed on Farquhar and were greeted with tough conditions. Regardless of the forecast, hopes were high when Farquhar’s famous ‘pets’ were seen – massive GTs that call the island home. Due to the weather, the guides stuck to sheltered areas and sand on the first day in order to provide the best possible opportunities for the anglers, while others chose to resort to the surf in the lee of the island. Yousuf’s choice to walk the surf paid off right away when he spotted two large GTs circling slowly around a coral ridge. Paul, upwind of the fish, put out a great cast, and an epic battle ensued on foot as the fish took him way into his backing, showcasing the strength these beasts possess. The first GT of the week measured in at 98 cm. What a start!

Later the same day, Paul, with his GT-mojo well rekindled, took to the channel near the lodge. It was not long before Paul was tight on another chunky specimen of a GT. Being warmed up, Paul didn’t take long to bring his second fish over 90 cm to hand. Chris also started the week with his first GT in the Seychelles, which at least left a taste of what was still to come.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t improve over the following days, with tough light and strong winds, but the team prevailed once more and among the anglers, three GTs were landed, Paul, continuing on his hot GT streak. Este managed to land her first bonefish in the Seychelles as well, adding the cherry on top of another great day.

A slight drop in the wind and some better light conditions midweek allowed the anglers to fish the deeper coral ridges and drop off’s Farquhar’s big GTs call home. The change in conditions definitely helped, with four GTs landed, Este with her first in the Seychelles. The man of the day was Bruce, who had already landed his first GT the day prior, but why stop there? His guide, Chad, polled along one of the deeper drop off areas near the surf in search of a large GT around coral heads. A few spots had proved unfruitful in the morning but it was not even 10 minutes along the deep drop off that Chad spotted a shoal of at least 10 large GTs cruising the edge at quite a speed. As Bruce tried to send out a cast he stomped his foot on the bow while trying to catch his balance in the slightly rough conditions. As he did so, all the GTs dipped down low and Bruce had no option but to send a long cast over the area that they were headed. One cast, no purchase. Second cast however, on maybe his second or third long strip, one of the GTs, jet black and large, charged out from off the edge and smashed the fly near the surface. The fish immediately started to empty the spool of fly line and then backing. Chad, quick on the motor got on top of the fish in no time, but as luck would have it, Bruce suddenly went slack. For a few tense moments nobody on the boat was sure whether the fish had been taxed by a shark, pulled hooks or had just rushed the boat. Bruce, however, could just barely feel some tension and faint head shakes and reeled up all the slack to once again come tight with the fish. To add to the already sky-high stress levels the motor cut out. What are odds of the fuel running out right in that moment! Luckily Bruce is no stranger to fighting GTs and while Chad very quickly switched out fuel cans, Bruce kept maximum tension the fish, keeping its head up and away from corals. Finally after one of the most adrenaline filled fights, Bruce landed the 114 cm brute, his biggest geet to date. What a moment!

Chris wanted to get his hands on a yellowmargin trigger and not long into the day he had checked it off the list. He then added the bonefish on the low tide, with a potential slam on the horizon, guide, Evan, took Chris and Este into the deep coral ridges in search of the big GT. Things started out a little quiet on the ridges, but eventually a very large, jet black, GT was spotted cruising high and slow. Chris wasn’t about to miss the opportunity and laid out a beautiful cast. One or two long strips and the flat-wing style purple and black fly was engulfed. Another epic tug of war around the coral heads and ridges and Chris had landed his biggest GT to date, no surprise – Farquhar had delivered yet another biggest GT for a guest well-travelled. The fish measured in at 118 cm, making it the second biggest so far this season and also securing Chris his Flats Slam. Este was not one to simply sit back and watch, and before the day was over she managed to also land a GT on foot from a beach. What a special day!

Last day of the week and the weather was perfect, increasing everyone’s hunger to end on a high note. The tides were perfect for targeting bumphead parrotfish on the drop and GT on the low and the push. Mark and Chris did not disappoint, both landing their first ever bumpies. Brothers, Gary and Bruce, both managed to land GTs to close out their accounts for the week. Considering the tough weather conditions on the first few days of the week the team of anglers fished well and still caught some amazing fish!

Tight lines,
Alphonse Fishing Co. on Farquhar Atoll

TOTAL CATCH STATS WITH 10 ANGLERS THIS WEEK:

GT 15 (2 over a metre at 114 cm and 118 cm)
Bonefish 18
Bumphead Parrotfish 2
Yellowmargin Triggerfish 1

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