Fly Fishing Blog by Alphonse Fishing Co™

FARQUHAR ATOLL FLY FISHING REPORT | 20 NOV – 27 NOV 2024

The sixth week of the season brought with it epic weather conditions that one might see when looking at a postcard and the fish were fired up, making a deadly combo for fishing. Ten anglers from South Africa and Scotland really made the most of the picture perfect conditions.

Day one kicked the week off with a bang, with many people achieving new milestones for the first time. Gavin started the trip off with his first bonefish and GT. Dougal landed his first bonefish, while Lloyd landed his first GT. Allan managed to land his first GT for the week, while Brett and Justin, teamed with guide Casey, started off strong with two GTs and three GTs respectively. The angler of the day was none other than Bill, who was paired with head guide Gerry. He managed to catch a bonefish, his first GT and he topped it off with a moustache triggerfish to make it the first flats slam for the week.

Day two was the day for variety as the team ticked off a few different species. Justin tried his hand at some triggerfish and came away having caught a moustache triggerfish. Allan, Lloyd and Bill all landed another GT each, while Gordon landed his first one. David added more variety with his first bumpy, tailing in a large group in the shallows. Dougal added even more variety and landed a special catch that most of the guides dream of. After spotting some golden trevally mudding in deeper water, guide Bailey positioned the boat for a downwind shot with a GT fly, but the golden didn’t budge. After some time away from the spot, Bailey tried one last time, this time armed with a sinking shrimp pattern. His persistence paid off and Dougal made a cast into the trevally and slow stripped. He came tight after a few strips and after fighting the fish for some time he managed to land his beautiful 70 cm golden trevally. The first golden for the season.

The angler of the day, Anthony, had already made the most of his previous trip to Farquhar, having caught a 118 cm GT. He was determined to just get a similar one, but teamed with guide Yousuf, and as they were polling a sand strip on one of the many islands, a large fish appeared a few rod lengths behind the boat. Anthony quickly sent the fly out to the fish with low hopes since the fish was already so close. A few slow strips and the fish inhaled the fly lazily. After an immense tussle off the boat, the massive fish was brought to hand and Anthony could not believe his luck or his eyes for that matter. He never thought he would break his previous personal best, but his new personal best was now sitting at 124 cm of silver GT slab. Since this is Farquhar and there are so many fish around, Anthony topped off his day with another smaller GT and his first bumphead parrotfish.

Day three and the GT fishing was only heating up. Allan and Gordon managed to up their tallies by one each, while Brett upped his by two. Justin and Anthony joined up with guide Chad and had an epic day fishing for GTs. Anthony landed three and Justin landed five, with many more having been hooked and lost through the course of the day.

Day four and the fishing slowed down slightly but the great catches were still ticking over. Lloyd landed one GT and Anthony landed another two. Bill ended his day in style by catching a beautiful bumphead parrotfish in the final 15 minutes of the day, tailing in the surf.

Day five and suddenly the GT fishing had fired up there was no shortage seen and caught. Lloyd landed himself another, while Bill another two. Brett and Anthony teamed up with guide Gerry and found one spot in the surf where the GT kept surfing the waves consistently for a few hours. They managed to land seven GTs between the two of them, Brett four and Anthony three.

On guide Yousuf’s boat, the big GT madness continued and Justin and Allan had a day that they may not likely forget any time soon. Both of the anglers caught two GTs each, but both landed one metre plus fish among those four fish. Justin, who was casting a large beast fly into a deep channel, had a few large fish come for the fly during the day, but one eventually stayed pinned and with Yousuf on the motor and chasing the fish down and away from corals, they eventually landed the beast of 115 cm. Not too long after Allan was on the bow and once again they were after GTs, but this time on a sand bottom flat. With terrible light conditions Yousuf spotted a small GT and Allan made a cast. The GT turned away from the fly, but before he could strip his fly all the way in, a larger fish appeared from the glare and ate his fly. Immediately and miraculously running up onto the turtle grass away from the coral danger. After some fancy boat manoeuvres and a few minutes of high tension pulling on the fish, the 101cm fish was landed.

The final day of fishing and the anglers were hell bent on beating the season’s GT record. The record was within everyone’s sights and the day did not disappoint. Bill, Anthony and Brett landed another GT each, while Allan landed two. Amongst the GT madness Lloyd managed to land a trophy bonefish at 62 cm. The angler of the day was none other than Justin, who caught three GTs with guide Shaun. In the final minutes of the day they drifted a deep channel again, blind casting for a big one. It surfaced with violence and ate the fly on the surface, taking heaps of line. Shaun on the motor chased the fish down for some time until eventually they were able to net it. A 128 cm  GT ended the ridiculously epic week of fishing as well as beating the season’s record for the most GTs landed.

Tight lines, Blue Safari Fly Fishing

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