Destination: Farquhar Atoll, Mauritius

Season: The first part of the season traditionally runs from early November to mid December and the second part from late February to mid April, with a break over the festive season. These are the peak periods as January is one of the rainiest months in the Seychelles. From May to October the strong south-eastern monsoon winds blow incessantly. These winds bring cold water onto the flats and make fly fishing an unpleasant and unproductive experience. We stick to the fore mentioned dates to ensure our guests have an unforgettable fishing experience. For more information on the tides which correspond with the week you are interested in, please feel free to contact us.

Duration: 7 nights – 6 full days fishing

Accommodation: Farquhar Lodge

Farquhar Atoll – Seychelles

Farquhar Atoll is the most southerly atoll in the Seychelles chain of islands lying just over 700km to the southwest of the main island Mahe. This remote atoll has a total area, including the large lagoon, of 170.5 km² which is 18 km north to south and 9 km east to west. The total island land mass is 7.5 km² with a serviced concrete landing strip situated on the most northerly island. The main group of islands form a long curve which describes the eastern side of the atoll. Largest of these are Isle du Nord and Ile du Sud, with the smaller Manaha gaps and islands between them. Further south is Goelette and to the open western side of the atoll lies the small group known as Trois Îles. The large ear-shaped lagoon provides easy access to the countless flats, channels and surf zones which make Farquhar such a diverse fishery. The flats consist of hard white sand, turtle grass and broken coral which make for comfortable wading. Farquhar has a small population of local Seychellois, whose main roles are running a small line-fish operation as well as acting as a skeleton crew which manage the island and service the airstrip.

Summary of Itinerary:

Guests are expected to arrive in Mahe on the Friday before or early on the Saturday morning of the day of the charter flight to Farquhar. The group will meet an hour before the scheduled departure time at the domestic terminal (next to the international terminal). The flight from Mahe to Farquhar is one hour forty five minutes onboard a private chartered Beechcraft 1900. Guests are then transferred in true island style via tractor and trailer on a short fifteen minute ride to the guesthouse, which will be your home and base for the weeks fishing. Once everyone has settled into the guesthouse there will be a briefing from the head guide on the fishing at Farquhar. The guides will then help you get all your tackle rigged for the following day’s fishing excursions. If there is still time, guests are more than welcome to fish some areas close to the lodge before sunset. The group will spend the next six days fishing and exploring the islands, flats and channels of Farquhar Atoll. On the seventh morning the group will have plenty of time to pack their gear and prepare to fly back to Mahe. The flight from Farquhar to Mahe will leave at midday and on arrival guests will connect to their international flights or overnight in Mahe.

Angling (species and methods): Bone fish, Trevally species, Indio-Pacific Permit, Trigger Fish and Milk Fish, amongst many

The Fly Fishing Experience

Typically anglers will be up early and after a quick breakfast head out to the flats to fish the first tide. We generally stay out on the flats for the whole day taking packed lunches with us when we leave the lodge in the morning. There is however an option to return to the lodge for lunch before heading out later that afternoon for the second fishing session. During the midday break anglers can snorkel, or just laze around and re-hydrate in the air-conditioned guesthouse. The following day’s activities and schedule will be planned the night before between the guides and the clients, taking into account the tidal movements and the species anglers wish to target.

Farquhar has over the years provided all fortunate enough to visit her shores the opportunity to fish some of the finest flats the Indian Ocean has to offer. Thanks to the guesthouse on Isle du Nord, Tourette Fishing now offers anglers from around the globe the opportunity to fish for the wide variety of species which frequent these waters from the comfort of a lodge. Species such as Bonefish, various Trevally species including ferocious trophy sized Giant Trevally, the finicky Indo-Pacific Permit, Triggerfish, Barracuda Bumphead Parrotfish and Milkfish call Farquhar and her rich waters home. Our guides will lead you onto the flats and
help you identify the desired target species, the areas which they frequent and explain the correct techniques with which to catch them.

The deep water begins very close to shore and it is possible to fish these waters from the tenders. Here the most common species encountered are Giant Trevally, Barracuda, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Dogtooth Tuna, Grouper, Bohar Snapper and Sailfish. All guides are experts in rigging, teasing and the handling of blue water fish.

Farquhar Lodge Details:

Farquhar’s lodge is a basic but comfortable guesthouse which caters for ten anglers at one time. Everyone is accommodated in the main lodge which is fully air-conditioned and has five twin en-suite bedrooms and a central lounge. The lodge is equipped with 24 hour 220 volt electricity, air-conditioning and has a constant supply of hot water. There is full housekeeping as well as a daily laundry service available. An undercover dining area on the waters edge with a magnificent view forms an idyllic backdrop for both breakfast and dinner. All meals are served around the outside dining area with the chef preparing a mix of Creole and international food. All mineral water and soft drinks are included in the price which has been quoted. The lodge has plenty of local beer for sale. Spirits and wine may be pre ordered to insure you have your preferred order. Alternatively you may bring your own bottle of preferred spirits and wine.

Tender Boats:

Guests use 17.3 ft Angler skiffs each of which carries a single 90 HP 2-Stroke Yamaha engine. The boats have been specifically designed and fitted to fish both the flats and offshore waters of the Seychelles in comfort and safety. These Angler boats have a draft of approximately 9 inches allowing us to access some extremely shallow areas of the atolls; however the main attraction still lies in wading the flats. These boats are also sure to make the excellent offshore fishing far more enjoyable and rewarding as all of them are equipped with a fish finder. Other added features include fly rod storage fittings, bimini tops and cushioned seats.

Tackle:

A comprehensive tackle list will be sent to you on request, or on confirmation of booking. All gear and tackle suggested by TF has been tried and tested by our team and comes highly recommended. It is imperative to follow this list closely to ensure you are fishing smartly from the start of your trip.

For more information on this trip please contact us. For a customised quote and itinerary for this or any other African location, please email keith@tourettefishing.com