My household and I were incredibly lucky to lead a little group of anglers to Alphonse Island in the Seychelles this previous April. Our week-long fishing experience was exceptional. The Seychelles provides a few of the most beautiful marine environment on earth. Video game fishes like Bonefish, Triggerfish, Giant Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Golden Trevally, Queenfish, Sailfish, Tuna and much more prosper. Huge land tortoises, a minimum of 2 types of turtle, lots of birds and dolphins are seen daily. Alphonse is a lovely island paradise completely manicured everyday by the big personnel of Alphonse Fishing Business workers and IDC (Seychelles International Advancement Business). The lodgings are wonderful, the service level is as high as any fishing location that I have actually experienced. The Seychelles is a pail list journey for sure, anglers and visitors of all types will not be dissatisfied.
Each early morning anglers leave from Alphonse Island and run high quality flats skiffs throughout a deep channel towards St Francois Island. En route, relying on the tide you can fly fish for various types. The primary 5 types that guides and anglers target are Bonefish, Triggerfish, Giant Trevally, Indo Authorization, and Milkfish. Bonefish are without a doubt the most offered and cooperative of all the types. The varieties of bonefish are amazing. Our week was an ebb tide and there were bonefish all over. The guides stated a spring tide brought much more fish to the flats. Bonefish appeared to be offered at all times of the day, and at any tide.
Triggerfish are an interesting fish that none of our group had actually ever targeted. They’re creepy, picky eaters that are difficult to hook and continue. After you hook them they instantly face a hole or off a finger flat into a coral head. You require to “hold” them and lessen the run in a lot of circumstances. Casting needs to be extremely accurate and even with the ideal cast they typically startle or neglect the fly. Triggers inhabit shallow “reefy” water and guides like to target them when the tide was stagnating excessive.
Huge Trevally are the marauders of the flats. GT’s can appear at any time chasing after bait, travelling along near a ray or a shark or on the protective reef east and west of Alphonse and St. Francois Islands. Our week did not see huge varieties of GT’s however they were around for sure and as soon as a GT has actually chosen to get your fly you can’t keep it far from them.
We saw numerous Authorization over the week, however none actually in perfect circumstances feeding upon the flats or on top of rays. The Indo Authorization has an actually cool aim to it however like all authorization are difficult to discover and even more difficult to capture.
Milkfish were all over and our group hooked a number of them. The algae consuming beast bonefish looking Milkfish cruises the flats and has a track record as one of the hardest fishes that swims. Doing not have the lactic acid develop throughout the battle, they rip line and pull and pull and pull. Preferably you discover these fish on the surface area feeding like carp in deep water. All things require to line up ideal to really get a Milkfish in the mouth and after that hold on.
There are a lots of other enjoyable types to capture and not always target, Batfish, Emperor Fish types, Pompono, smaller sized Golden and Bluefin Trevally are all over.
Bluewater fishing is likewise offered at Alphonse and we experienced a half day early morning journey. From the exact same marina as the flats skiffs an overseas boat took us simply outside the reef surrounding Alphonse Island (2 minute run) and we enjoyed Tuna and Sailfish right now. Wahoo likewise pertained to teasers however didn’t remain enough time to consume our flies like the Sails. Money was fortunate enough on our Bluewater day to have a “Costs and Bones” slam. Billfish on the fly in the Bluewater and a bonefish (or 10) on the flats in the afternoon.
The fishing schedule at Alphonse: each early morning we rode our bikes a couple of minutes from our beachside cottages to the dining establishment where breakfast was served at 6am. From there we rode to the fishing center/fly store. Fishing days were 7am start and 4-4:30 pm surface. Upon go back to the marina you can clean up and leave all your equipment for the next day. If you are missing out on anything, broke anything, or simply wish to have a look at particular flies the guides have actually established, the Alphonse fly store has whatever one might require. Equipment loan is offered also.
A stunning beachside bar waits for each night and after a hot day in the equatorial sun. A fresh cooled coconut with a straw is a terrific method to begin. The bar is totally equipped and Ajit and Abe where enjoyable people who took fantastic care of our team. Appetisers and treats where served prior to a terrific supper each night typically including fresh fish, ceviche, sashimi, grilled fish, salads sides, deserts and more. We had exceptional al acarte supper services and beachside buffets where you might personalize your meal. Alphonse has an enormous garden and fresh fruits and veggies accompany all meals. If an individual had dietary uniqueness they were consulted with ease by the exceptionally mindful personnel varied and numerous menu choices. The fresh seafood was extraordinary, Wahoo, Rosy Jobfish, and Tuna were served in some type nearly every night.
The Seychelles are a lovely part of the world and deal amazing saltwater fly fishing in a beautiful setting. I feel really fortunate to have actually gone to and anticipate returning. The Caddis Fly will be hosting more journeys in the future. Contact me at caddisflyshop@gmail.com for information or if I can assist you with an approaching journey. 
Tackle Notes and post journey ideas on deal with: I continue to enjoy my Echo Bad Ass Glass 8wt, it was incredible on the bonefish. Beulah lent me a 10 and 12wt in the OPAL series and having the foregrip was actually convenient for sailfish and GT’s. The OPAL rods are actually hard and cast well, I practically attempted to break one on a milkfish in an effort to reduce the fight however the rod took the bend no problems. We utilized Nautilus CCFX-2 Reels that carried out completely, as did Nautilus XL series. I got an opportunity to utilize Shilton Reels that I brought and Shilton Reels that the lodge loans. Shilton is the reel that Alphonse stocks and loans and feels it’s the finest reel out there to deal with the hard conditions of the saltwater types they go after. The Shilton’s were perfect on Billfish, GT’s and more. Thomas and Thomas’s new Sextant was exceptional in an 8wt and 12wt, quick action more powerful than previous T&T salt particular designs. Our preferred rod overall for “castability” stays the Scott Sector, the Sector is simply lighter and smoother than any other saltwater stand out there, I had an 8,10,12 with me. The Loomis NRX+ is a super-fast rod and in wind carried out effectively in a 9ft 8wt. RIO’s new Elite Bonefish, Elite GT, and Elite Permit lines were incredible and to hear the guides interest for them was fantastic. The lines stayed slick and couple of “tangles on the bow” were experienced.
Thankfully, I had lunch with Bruce Berry (our Montana Fly Co. sales Representative) a couple of days prior to departure and he hooked me up with his preferred variations of Christmas Island Specials. Without a doubt the very best carrying out bonefish flies were really sporadic, easy lead considered patterns, no legs, very little flash. You require a vast array of tippet and the guides generally develop saltwater leaders to the particular types targeted, I did not bring 30lbs however the guides desired it for sure. They have product however one ought to actually bring 16, 20,25,30,80 and 100lbs tippet and you do not require tapered leaders at all. I utilized RIO Saltwater Fluoroflex and had absolutely no problems. Bringing a couple of massive poppers on 6/0 or 8/0 hooks is recommended, and little crab pattern also.
