The second half of January on Alphonse delivered two superb weeks of flats fishing. With excellent sight fishing conditions and productive tides, anglers were treated to explosive GT eats, technical triggerfish shots, red hot milkfish action, and extraordinary bonefish numbers. Personal bests, first time species, and multiple slams made this a truly memorable fortnight on the flats.
Bonefish dominated the numbers once again, with an incredible 589 bonefish landed across the two weeks and quality matched the quantity. Rachel led the way with a superb 69cm bonefish, the largest of the period. Peter and Stephanie landed standout specimens of 67cm and 65cm, respectively.
GT encounters have been scarce, but sure make an entrance when they do come about. Rowan experienced every Seychelles fly angler’s dream when he cast into a surf zone bait ball and landed his first. Elmer secured a decent GT of 79cm, while Hannes followed with a strong 88cm GT. Peter and Juan also got in on the action and added memorable GT’s to their tallies.
The Milkfishing continues to be exceptional, with 22 milkfish landed. Gavin landed the largest of the period at 101cm, while Andrew joined the metre club with a 100cm milkfish. Wilson had an outstanding week with 5 milkfish. Ville, Saku, Kyle, Juan, and George all added quality fish between 91cm and 98cm, with several anglers landing their first during their time on the flats. Long runs, blistering fights, and pure chaos, the milkfish were in full force.
Permit made meaningful appearances, with 5 permit landed. Peter secured the largest at 44cm, while Rowan, Harry, Kyle, and David all added valuable permit captures to their weeks. Bluebottle sessions produced 6 batfish, the largest measuring 47cm. Ville, Saku, Harry, Mel, Wilson, and Leize all enjoyed memorable encounters with these distinctive flats species.
Triggerfish fishing is always rewarding, with 19 triggerfish landed over the period, an impressive statistic. Peter Harrison’s 52cm yellow-margin triggerfish stood out, while Kyle landed three moustache triggers in one session, the largest measuring 51cm. Ville added a 50cm yellow-margin, and Andrew landed two moustache triggers in a single day. Several guests celebrated their first triggerfish during the fortnight.
An impressive 5 flats slams were completed during the second week alone, including two by Gavin. Juan, Kyle, George, and David also achieved slam success, combining milkfish, triggerfish, bonefish, and GT’s in standout sessions. From endless bonefish runs to metre class milkfish and explosive GT eats, the second half of January showcased the full spectrum of what makes Alphonse so special. Diverse, dynamic, and consistently world class, the flats of St Francois and Alphonse delivered once again.