Fly Fishing Blog by Alphonse Fishing Co™

ASTOVE ATOLL FISHING NEWS | SEASON ROUND UP

The start of the Astove season provided some incredible GT fishing. Known for its exceptional waters and diverse marine life, with expert guides, Astove promises a real adventure for anglers looking for GTs.

This week was full of powerful father-son duos. We had a brilliant start to our first week, and it ended just as well. Spring tides meant working the surf or walking the rocks on the high tide under clear skies. Rob and Sam started their trip with 65 cm GT each and a good number of Paulie’s surf bonefish reaching up to around 60 cm. They then got stuck into action at the mouth, with Rob landing a 65 cm GT and Sam a 93 cm fish. Rob landed two more fish measuring 75 cm, while Sam got a 74 cm GT as well as an 80cm fish. On their last day, Rob and Sam added another GT to their list, and Sam managed four good surf bonefish.

Matthew and Parker made sure they got off to the same start, both landing 65 cm GTs in between catches of bluefin. Parker and Matthew kicked off their second morning with Paulie’s bonefish and ended the day around the mouth, catching a 97 cm GT each. Successful angling clearly runs in the family. On day three, Matthew and Parker ventured into the lagoon, racking up around 15 lagoon bonefish each. On day four, Matthew couldn’t get enough of the surf bonefish and added another three to his tally, while Parker got himself four surf bonefish and ended the day with a 91 cm GT off Paulie’s rocks. On day five, Matthew, on a roll, got himself another GT for the day and nine more bonefish. Rob added two surf bonefish to his tally.

It was a fantastic week full of father-son bonding and exceptional fishing. Congratulations, gentlemen!

In the second week, north-easterly winds could not stop Jim, Nigel, and Bill from scoring some impressive catches. Moving towards neap tides meant little water movement. This means that fish stay in certain areas to feed for longer periods. Nigel landed seven bonefish while Jim and Bill searched for permit.

The days that followed saw a good number of GTs hooked and landed. Nigel got himself a 65 cm fish in the last minutes of the day, while Bill landed his first-ever GT at 86 cm with his final cast. Jim caught two smaller specimens in the morning; however, the action picked up in the afternoon. He hooked a 76 cm fish, which was his first actual GT. Looking up to see a rather large GT in front of him, a short flick saw a behemoth 111 cm GT eat his fly, followed by absolute carnage. Backing stripped from his reel, and the fight began! A short while later, about 100 m around the corner, the fish was landed, pictured, measured, and freed to swim.

The final day saw the anglers move to the mouth area, protected by the wind. Bill ended the day with four GTs ranging from 60-70 cm. Jim found mudding rays in the lagoon and managed five around 65 cm. It was an exhilarating week full of great fish and incredible memories!

In week three, we headed into the full moon, giving us the ultimate highs and lows, making for many surf walks on the cards. On their first day, John, Mark, and Steven got off the mark with a GT each.

John got stuck into some bluefin trevally pushing up on rays with a flexo crab on the 9wt. The next day, the men had bonefish on their lists. John and Steven racked up 50 between them, while Mark got close, getting himself 15.

Day three was a prominent eastern surf walk. John captured a good number of bluefin trevally as well as a 65 cm surf bonefish. Steven landed a 70 cm GT along with bluefin, keeping Mark and Steve busy throughout the day. In the days to follow, John managed to add a good number of bluefin trevally to his tally, along with a moustache triggerfish. He got stuck into the bonefish, adding another six to his list, looking up to find a GT on a ray. A quick rod change and cast, and he found himself tussling another GT measuring 77 cm. There were plenty of triggerfish around for everyone, but they kept showing the middle fin. Steven managed another GT off the back of a ray. While taking pictures, he had to chase after another fish heading towards the surf.

On the final day, we started in the lagoon. Steven found a GT in the surf shortly after the lagoon stint while John captured two smaller GTs in the lagoon on the 9wt. The surf walk found him landing three GTs at 65 cm, 68 cm, and the biggest at 83 cm. Trigger fishing showed true to form for John, hooking and ever so closely landing a phenomenal fish that was lost at his fingertips on the last day.

A trip of great adventure. Congratulations on your wins, John, Mark, and Steven!

In two weeks of angling paradise, father-son Rob and Sam, showcased exceptional skills and bonding. Week two brought triumphs for Jim, Nigel, and Bill, conquering challenging conditions. The third week, guided by the full moon, saw John, Mark, and Steven mastering diverse fishing scenarios. Congratulations to these anglers for crafting memorable tales of family bonds and extraordinary catches.

Tight lines, Blue Safari Fly Fishing Team on Astove Atoll

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