Fly fishing paradise in Seychelles – Cosmoledo Atoll

If you are looking for an unforgettable fishing holiday, then the remote outer islands of the Seychelles should be your first choice. The reason is that these islands are practically unexploited. You can see schools of bonefish of a thousand in the coastal plains. And the bones are big, many 10 pounds and up. Where else will you see that?

Yes, there is more to this tropical island vacation destination than just beaches. Indeed, it is a fisherman’s paradise, although still relatively unknown and a well-kept secret by many. Perhaps this is the reason why fly fishing in Seychelles is still so good.

And the choice between fly fishing the Seychelles coastal plains and trolling its blue waters for big game fish is harder than you think if you ever go fishing in the Seychelles, especially Cosmoledo and Providence. . Both types of fishing are incredibly good. But it is not easy to write about Cosmoledo fishing without superlatives…

One fisherman says, “For every pound of fish you catch in the Caribbean and Yucatan, you’ll catch ten pounds in the Seychelles.” The fish in the latter are large and abundant. You will never get bored fly fishing in the outer islands of Seychelles. And those who discover the fishing Seychelles has to offer come back year after year, but don’t say so. It’s his little secret.

So the next time you’re thinking about a fly-fishing vacation, Seychelles should be at the top of your list of possible destinations. Not just anywhere in the Seychelles, of course, but on the outer islands, of which there are several to choose from. At the top of the list are: Providencia, Cosmoledo, and Alphonse Islands. All you have to do is find a yacht to take you there.

On your Seychelles fly fishing holiday, you should ideally aim for several species, as there are hundreds of varieties around these islands, giving you a unique opportunity to catch a large number of species in a relatively short time. Anglers have been known to land up to 41 different species in just 6 days of fly fishing in the Seychelles with catches of 40 to 60 fairly large fish per day. More on that later.

There are two types of saltwater fly fishing in the Seychelles: fishing the coastal plains will produce big catches of bonefish, giant trevally, grouper, snapper, giant guitarfish, triggerfish, bigeye trevally, stick, bluefin trevally, parrot fish and many others in Providencia and Cosmoledo…

If it’s sport fishing you’re after, Seychelles won’t let you down either with sailfish and billfish. Some can be really huge and can even challenge the record books. You can also land large specimens of bonito, wahoo, dorado, horse mackerel, giant barracuda, tuna, rainbow runner and many others by trolling in the blue waters of Cosmoledo, Alphonse, St Joseph, Providence and St Francois islands…

And don’t make the mistake of pre-selecting one type of fishing over another before you arrive. In the Seychelles fly fishing season, there is no reason to choose between inshore fishing and blue water fishing when you can enjoy both at a superlative level every day.

Bonefish on the coastal plains are large. They come down with the tide in huge schools of perhaps a thousand and you can expect to catch 50 bones a day on those flats, including several 10lbs and larger.

And there you will enjoy the best sport fishing beyond the reefs about two hundred meters away. So this is why you shouldn’t choose between the two for your best fly fishing vacation. I say get tips from a knowledgeable local guide…

And fish the coastal flats with the tide. Between tides, you can go after the big ones just beyond the reefs. Otherwise, you will lose the opportunity of your life. The opportunities in the outer islands of the Seychelles for fly fishing are gigantic and incomparable. You can have a lot of fun and easily break a record by catching 50 or more medium to large fish per day.

What do I mean by “medium to large”? While your catch of bonefish will likely average 5 pounds, you can hook several 10-pounders and up. For Giant Trevally (GT), you will land 25lbs with some much larger, even 70lbs have been caught. This is what you can expect in fly fishing heaven, or as one angler calls Cosmoledo Atoll, “the GT capital of the world.”

If you are considering a fishing holiday, know that the Seychelles fishing season is from October to May. During the low season, the sea is rough and fish are scarce. So, for an unforgettable fishing vacation, choose the rainy season in the remote outer islands of Seychelles.

But the rainy season does not mean that it rains every day and all day. It just means that it is wetter than the other half of the year with some heavy rain at times. So now you know. Come prepared…

And remember that the reason the fishing is so good is that these islands are mostly uninhabited and remote: 250 to 600 miles from Victoria, Mahe. In most, including Cosmoledo, you will have to stay on a liveaboard yacht during your fishing vacation.

Now go have fun in the fly fishing paradise of Seychelles and don’t overlook the shallow coastal plains if sport fishing is your preference and vice versa. Trust me.