Fishing Trips:

Alphonse

During December 2010 I visited Alphonse and this was undoubtedly the very best fishing trip that I have ever experienced! The lodge was fantastic, the weather very kind, the guides just so good, professional and friendly, and the fishing varied and extremely exciting.

The Fishing

Each day starts with a full on breakfast at 6am, then a fun little bicycle ride down to the ‘Fishing Centre’, board Tam-Tam a large motorized catamaran for the one hour's run across to St Francois Island. Waiting for us there will be our fishing skiffs. We fish in pairs and each day are allocated a different fishing guide. These guys are good, in fact better than good – they not only have the uncanny ability to spot fish at great distance and under any weather conditions, but identify them as well!

Once you are in the skiff with the guide he will tell you what the tides are doing, and the kind of fishing that you can expect for the day. He then asks each of you what you would really like to target that day! After a couple of days they did stop asking me – they just said something like ‘Okay John – we all know that you want a GT!’ – and they were spot on – I was on a mission!

The fishing area is huge and varied – miles and miles of flats, channels, deep water, surf and anything else that you could think of! The guides know the area intimately and ninety nine times out of a hundred find the fish that you are looking for! Once the target fish are located they help you with fly selection and talk you through the whole fish catching process and are even pretty good at tacking superb fish bragging photographs! I seriously do not think that I would have landed my GT without Scotty's help!

Our group caught: Bonefish, Pouters, Bluefin Trevally, Job Fish, Yellow Margin and Giant Triggerfish, Honeycomb Groupers, Giant Trevally (GT's), Green Spot Trevally, Barracuda, Permit and Emperor Snappers. Nic fought a Milkfish right up to the skiff after an hour's grueling battle only to lose it at the net – man he was broken!

Bonefishing is great sport – I could never tire of it! You see the fish, cast to it, entice it, strip strike and then have fun as it runs you out to your backing! Initially, just to get the hang of it, we were taken to Bonefish Alley – an area which had huge shoals of bones, and it was almost a fish per cast and then we used to go and look for the bigger Bones which were sometimes in small groups, pairs or singles!

Triggers were more technical – they usually hung out on coral flats – challenging and super strong, but great fun!

My GT is a story all on its own! I had read all the stories, seen the dvd's and spoken to guys who had caught them, but in reality had absolutely no concept of the speed and strength of these magnificent fish. It was the fish of a lifetime!

Alphonse Lodge

The lodge is magnificent and the staff very efficient and friendly – I simply could not have asked for better!

The bar and dining area is open sided with a superb view of the sea! We ate fish, fish and more fish just because it was so good. Phillimon the Zimbabwean chef offered us beef from South America, lamb from South Africa or wild chicken from the island runway, but we always chose the fish!

The accommodation is in air-conditioned A-frame style chalets on stilts – very comfortable and pretty smart. Each guest is given a bicycle to get around on, which is quite fun. There is a lovely swimming pool and after getting back to Alphonse each day most of us headed to the pool for a leisurely dip.

Dates

The dates are still to be determined, but planned for early December 2011. We will arrive at Alphonse on a Saturday and depart on the following Saturday – six full fishing days!

All bookings are from Saturday to Saturday – the season is from January to end April and then from October to end December. You do not have to book as part of my group – you can book for any time during the season depending on availability.

Routing

Our routing will be: Cape Town – Johannesburg – Mahe – Lodge.

Tackle

I took three rod's – #8, #10 and #12 plus a spare #8! Most of the guys took #9 and #12 rods and that is also a pretty good option. You will need reels with a good disc drag reel and saltwater floating lines and a very fast sinking #12 line for dredging. I used a waterproof backpack with a hydration pack. Hard soled Flats wading boots are essential, as are good Polaroid sunglasses, long sleeved, vented fishing shirts, quick drying trousers and a good hat or cap.

Upstream Flyfishing will have a comprehensive range of salt water flies available in store.

Rates and Costs

To be advised.

Included

• Accommodation and all meals
• Boats, Guides

Excluded

• Bar Bill
• Gratuities
• Fishing tackle

Alphonse is a very special place and the fishing is better than world class – it is extraordinary! I hope that you join us on a trip!