The dark side |
Pink Floyd
Great hypothetical questions of all time: if you won the lottery would you quit work? Would you travel to the ends of earth to catch fish? Is it possible to eat too many tacos? Ive always thought there this is no limits to where I would go to find aggressive bad ass fish, like Giant Trevally. Hell, if they were on the dark side of the moon, Id go there. Recently, my hypothetical was tested by a dose of reality by traveling to the Seychelles to chase a number of species but specifically GTs, the psychopath of the jack family.
The Seychelles are a group of over 100 islands with a only a few inhabited that lies about 1000 miles off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The largest island is Mahe which hosts a number of flights from Europe and the Middle East. A few of our group made a detour for a few days in London. And yes, you cannot travel further to find fish since the Seychelles lie 12 hours ahead of our own Pacific time zone. From Mahe, we took a small plane to Farquhar atoll to a small landing strip. The atoll forms a semi circle to an approximately 60 square mile area with only about 5 square miles of land where Fly Castaway, headquartered in South Africa runs one of several operations throughout the Seychelles.
Simple yet clean |
We were there for a week of fishing with some of the most accomplished and knowledgeable guides from South Africa, France, and the Seychelles who speak excellent english and are highly motivated to make sure the week is a success. Be prepared for extensive wading over large flats with uneven terrain and coral, therefore, boots are a must. Ratio of guides to clients is 2 to 1 being ferried around by very nice open console boats. In the morning one option is to start by trolling teasers for sailfish with bait and switch to fly options. Guides are adept at discussing the fishing options depending on the flat and the tides. The night before everyone gathers in the rec room to discuss pairings and strategies for the next day.
The ecosystem in Farquhar is truly amazing given the lack of impact from man and no commercial influence. Across the flats are numerous non game marine life including large numbers of sting rays, Manta rays, turtles, many species of sharks and bird life. In a subsequent article, I explain how the bird life can influence fly choice. Just walking the flats and spying all this wildlife is worth the trip. But since I had traveled to the Dark Side of the Moon, I thought I might make a cast or two.
A few friendly faces. |
All in all, a trip of a lifetime where Ive proven that Im willing to travel any distance to chase fish. Now if I can just win the lottery to to test one of my other hypothetical scenarios.
Charlie Chambers
Gorge Fly Shop Contributor
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