29 Oct Following the Storm: Fins in Farquhar
We have just returned from fulfilling a fly fishing and photography dream in the Seychelles islands on Farquhar Atoll in the Indian Ocean. After a dizzying 24 hours of flight time, with another 20 hours in layovers, our 10 passenger flying aluminum tube touched down amidst the aftermath of one of the worst cyclones ever recorded in the Indian Ocean. In April of 2016 cyclone Fantala hit the island brutally passing over the island three times with winds up to 218 miles per hour.
While the Seychelles are known for fish species variety, the target of choice was the beastly GTs (Giant Trevally). Last fall, Rich and Milli Panni, partners and owners of Trouthunter on Idaho’s Henry’s Fork, invited us to fly fish for GTs on Farquhar at its inaugural reopening week following the structural rebuild of the island from the cyclone damage. The opportunity to be the first group into this remote atoll was too alluring so we jumped in. The guide service is run by FlyCastaway who operates five different remote destinations primarily in the Indian Ocean laser focused on stellar fishing with accommodations taking an appropriate second seat. Truly a top tier adventure outfitter in every way and we had the priviledge of having FlyCastaway’s founder/owner Gerhard Laubscher (aka G) of South Africa along for the week.
An unexpected bonus was a little known fact that GTs on this atoll, for a few weeks in October, actually feed on fledgling birds that nest on a small sandy stretch of land on Farquhar. In fact, the BBC had filmed these GT bird eaters the prior two Octobers for the first time on film. Their handiwork was broadcast on Oct 29th in Europe and will be broadcast on BBC America in 2018. To see a trailer of this amazing event follow this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The trip couldn’t have started out better. On our first outing we spotted a large GT prowling a section of the inner water known as Wonderland. Fortune smiled and the giant turned our direction. The 12wt Sage Salt rod laid out a cast about 4 meters in front and to the side of the GT and he charged the Semper fly. He immediately inhaled the 6/0 hook and continued charging the skiff with our guide Justin yelling “set him again.” Following a 20 min+ fight, two broken rods (see rod tip in GTs mouth), separated mid section and a cut on Justin’s leg, we were able to tail this magnificent fish. A stunning fish of a lifetime on a fly I tied, all on day one. Special greeting to be certain.
To see more of the beautiful wonders of Farquhar and the aftermath of the 2016 cyclone visit our Seychelles Gallery in the Island section at
https://robertdotson.
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