Fly Fishing Blog by Alphonse Fishing Co™

FARQUHAR ATOLL FLY FISHING REPORT | 16 OCT – 23 OCT 2024

The opening week of the Farquhar season started off with an aura of expectation. Seven guests from Russia, Germany and America were greeted with beautiful weather upon arriving on the island. The famous Farquhar pets were there in numbers and fired up, creating further excitement among the guests.

Day one delivered one of the best season openers we’ve seen in years. 16 GTs were landed on the first day, providing ample high spirits for everyone involved. Fran landed her first ever GT. Slav, a returning guest, managed to land himself a GT as well. Jason, another returning guest, along with his guide Bailey, managed to land six GTs. The man behind the fly fishing nation camera, Mats, put down his gear after a days filming and landed his first GT on Farquhar. Stephan, being the man on the other side of the lens for the day and paired up with manager and guide Shaun, had a monumental day on the flats, landing seven GTs with two being over a meter (102 cm and 106 cm) and were both caught on foot from the beach of Goullette island, which is famous for it’s bird eating GTs. Both fish needed little convincing as Stephan laid out casts within the visual range of the GTs and without the need for more than a few strips the fish were already committed to the fly.

Day two saw some decent action although not quite what day one offered up, it was still a successful day with Aleksander landing his first two GTs ever. Jason kept the good times rolling by catching another GT to add to his already impressive tally. Stephan and camera man Mats were at it again with Stephan landing two GTs and Mats completing the first slam for the season, being a bill and bones slam. He landed a sailfish in the dying minutes of the day and bonefish earlier on to secure the slam. He also added another GT to his growing list of commendable catches.

Day three and the GTs were still on the loose with another five landed among the team, Mats, Aleksander and Jason all increasing their GTs numbers.

Day four was by far the standout day of the week, if one could believe that after the epic days already had. Greg managed to join the GT train and landed his first one. His wife, Fran, also landed a GT for the day and Stephan added to his numbers with two more of his own. Two men, both on the same boat, with guide Yousuf, had a day that neither will likely ever forget. Jason, landed three GTs in the morning and during a surf walk later in the day landed himself two moustache triggers with a bonefish as the cherry on top, completing his first ever flats slam. Mats also landed two moustache triggerfish during the same surf walk and landed one GT in the morning. In the final few minutes of the day in the deep waters off of Goullette, Mats decided to blind cast a large black and red beast fly in the hopes of raising a GT of a different caliber. His persistence and good thinking paid off as the beast fly was decimated with violent intent. After a tug of war in the deep water from the boat, the 112 cm GT was brought to hand. Mats had already broken his personal best GT twice earlier in the week and took it up a few notches.

One man really stood out on day four and had a day that will likely live in his memory for as long as he lives. Aleksander, paired with guide Chad, took to the inside of the lagoon to scout the white sand beaches for any signs of GT and bonefish action. While walking the beach and stalking a school of sizeable bonefish, Chad spotted two substantial GTs well out of casting range from the beach cruising past the area. With a mad dash to the boat and GT rod already stripped out and ready to go, a chase ensued by polling the boat over to intercept the GTs before they went completely out of sight. As the fish turned broadside in front of the bow, Aleksander laid out a cast in trying wind conditions that landed between the two fish. The fish at the back noticed the fly as soon as it moved and as the fly stripped over its head it inhaled the tan and grey baitfish imitation. The fish swam directly at the boat and made setting the hook difficult, but Aleksander took the advice given and continued to strip set until the line tightened fully and the hook was firmly set. Having been hooked on the white sand with no coral in sight, Aleksander played the fish slowly and carefully until eventually it was landed. A solid 121 cm GT that Aleksander will never forget. As if his day couldn’t get any better, Aleksander took to the bluewater in the afternoon in search of a sailfish and after just a short while of looking for them he managed to come tight with a beautiful specimen that he fought well and managed to land with ease.

Day five and the action continued. Stephan, Fran and Slav all managed to land a GT each. Greg, having never caught a triggerfish before, tried his hand at the tricky specimens while walking the surf. The very first triggerfish that Greg cast at ate the fly with aggression and Greg did an expert job of setting the hook and with some dancing around and chasing the trigger away from coral danger the fish was brought to hand. Just a short while later and Greg had learnt well from his first triggerfish experience and landed another, making it two moustache triggers for the day. The angler of the day was Jason, who for the second day in a row came away with a flats slam, landing himself a moustache triggerfish in the surf, a sizeable bonefish on the white sand and a GT on a stingray.

Day six, the final day of fishing, came all too quickly for the guests. Slav and Jason managed to land another GT each, Stephan managed to land three GTs, all while wading, making the catches just a little more special. Greg and Aleksander both continued their hot streaks and both completed flats slams on the final day. Aleksander managed to land some bonefish, a GT and the first permit of the season, guided by Chase. Greg managed to land a GT, several bonefish and another moustache triggerfish, making it three triggers for him in two days.

The Farquhar season could not have started any better with a total of 48 GTs (4 over 1m) and the guests left the island with expectations exceeded.

Tight lines, Blue Safari Fly Fishing

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