Fishing in the Seychelles.... the return!

Finally back, after 2 years of waiting, in paradise on earth: I named the Seychelles.

Specifically on the island of Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles archipelago. We left as a family for 10 days with the firm intention of making the most of it. And of course I've packed a bit of gear to tease out the fish in the Indian Ocean. Departing Roissy on 24/02, we left the cold for a good dose of sunshine to recharge our batteries. Paris-Dubai, then Dubai-Mahé and Mahé-Pralin in a Twin Otter (a change from the Airbus A380 lol ).

On landing, we head for Anse Volbert (N/O of the island), where we'll be spending our entire stay. The island of Praslin is green and lush, and all we want to do is go for a swim in the 26°C water.

The first day will be spent resting, swimming and then resting and swimming and then resting and swimming again........ The next day, while Madame plays the lizard and mini Ed plays the zouave at the pool, I rig up my SB 781 - 3CG, a small box of lures (consisting of PowerTail SaltWater and a few Black minnow 70s of all colors) and go looking for happiness on the beach in front of the Hotel. First cast, my BM is devoured by a burbot. It's off to a good start, I like fishing in the Seychelles!

This will be the hot spot of the week, right at our bedroom door, I'll always find marauding fish ready to smash my lures and make, despite their modest size, the brake on my mill sing: p*t**n that's good !!!!!! The sardine-colored 44mm Powertail Saltwater will be picked up on almost every cast. That's how on this beach I'll collect ballyhoo, flutefish, small jacks, and other unknown fish.

Having made some preparations for my trip to France, I spotted a flat likely to be home to bonefish a few kilometers from the hotel, in Anse La Blague (my dream for quite a few years). So, during the week, I decided to take a look around and launch a few Crazy Charlie mounted for the occasion. With the sun shining, the water clear and the tide rising, I've got all the odds on my side. Equipped with my MHX F908-4, I roam the flat, polarizer screwed to my nose, in search of this ghost.

Several fluorescent green fish pass me within casting range, I take a shot, cast well ahead, but the impact of my little shrimp makes them scurry away ... I'll have to be discreet... A little further on, on the edge of a pass linking the flat to the ocean, a beautiful blue Giant trevally passes me at 10 m at full speed, no time to react, grrrrrrrrr.... I come to a corner where turtle grass is abundant and I spot a Grayling, bonefish, not bonefish ????? In doubt, I cast a little too hard and the fish flies like a rocket. I don't need to tell you how disgusted I was, I nearly ate my cap. I continue my tour when, a little further on, I make out a rather round, shiny shape with large, pointed yellow fins. The fish is over 15 m away and seems to be looking for food. I apply myself, casting 2/3 m in front of the fish, my fly settles discreetly, and the fish is still there looking for its food. A few tugs on my Silk to keep my Crazy Charlie going, the fish keeps moving, speeds up and I can feel my line tense up, I pull on my Silk to hook, PENDU !!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fish sells its skin dearly for its size and makes a traverse, that's when I see that it's ......... a PERMIT, I'm ecstatic, for lack of bonefish, we fish a Permit The deal suits me rather well !!! What a splendid fish after a few photos I give it back its freedom not without a little emotion.

High tide and wind make visibility difficult, so I decide to head back. Needless to say, my heart is light. So much the better, as I missed the only bus back to the hotel, and had to walk 5 km in flip-flops in 27° Grayling... A few days later, I decided to hit Anse Lazio. Given the configuration of the spot, I decided to go spinning, attaching a PowerTail to my hook. I play chamois on the pebbles and on the second cast, PAN! Cartridge, the drag sings, but this time a little louder. This little SB 781 - 3CG is really fun on fish of this size. A nice little Giant trevally will be paying me a visit.

I'll land a nice Job Fish at the Popper a little later, too bad ... The turquoise blue color would have deserved a nice photo. The rest of the trip was punctuated by a few family visits to the famous Vallée de Mai, an ecological reserve containing numerous endemic species, in particular five species of palm, and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. I also spent a day on La Digue, another Seychelles island, where I visited the house that served as the setting for one of the opuses in the "Emmanuelle" film series. Haaaa Sylvia Kristel ......

Needless to say, returning to France was difficult. Putting on shoes, sweaters, coats, starting up the wood stove, getting back to work .... But I've got plenty of memories, and that's priceless.