[dropcap]S[/dropcap]eychelles are an extraordinary destination that provide anglers some of the most phenomenal fly fishing opportunities in the world. David Leake of Tailwaters Travel has had the pleasure of fly fishing Seychelles and frequently offers his expertise to traveling anglers. For David, there are 10 great reasons to fish the Seychelles:
#10 – NOT THAT HARD TO GET TO:
Getting to Seychelles from North America is actually quite civilized and a similar time commitment to many other saltwater fisheries such as Christmas Island or even Cuba. Most anglers these days route through Dubai from multiple American cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C. with the luxurious and reliable Emirates Airlines. Yes, this is a 14+ hour flight to Dubai, but after you kill some time on a reasonable layover (or overnight if you’d prefer), you are only four hours non-stop to Victoria, Mahe Island – the capital of Seychelles. What’s more, you can book round trip economy class tickets for as low as $1300 with Emirates Airlines. At the end of the day, fishing Seychelles is a 10-day commitment inclusive of travel days … no different than most Cuban operations!
#9 – SEYCHELLES CANNOT BE OVER-HYPED:
Having been to Seychelles five times since 2004 and been involved booking dozens of trips there over the last twelve seasons, I can promise you that NOBODY comes home feeling their expectations were too high. It is hard to conjure up an image of a fishery more vibrant or a location more exotic. If you are a person who feels you were oversold on the last trip someplace, you won’t be disappointed with any adventure to Seychelles.
Aggressive GT’s are just one obvious reason to go…
#8 – MILKFISH:
Milkfish are a very unique species that exists in many locations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are sometimes caught in Hawaii, and I recently saw a little guy landed in Baja this summer. Seychelles has the largest-sized fish and the most populated schools of milkfish around. Anglers will see milkfish almost every day, but it is not a given they will come to hand. Milkfish are most susceptible to being caught when feeding on the surface inhaling pieces of vegetation and the small crustaceans and other critters living inside of algae being washed off a flat – most often during a spring tide. When the guides say it’s go time for the milks, it can actually be a fairly easy species to hook up with. Landing one is an entirely different story! They jump like a wahoo, stand on their face like a tarpon in deep water, and they almost never tire. A thirty pound milkfish will give you every bit of an hour on a 10 weight!
#7 – THE GEAR-HEAD’S DREAM COME TRUE:
If playing tackle box is considered a big part of the fun with a destination fishing adventure, Seychelles is the place for you. We recommend anglers come equipped with 8, 9, 10, and 12 weight rods in order to be prepared to wrestle with all species. Gel spun backing is mandatory on the 10 and 12 weights, custom tied flies, quality wading boots, waterproof packs and bags, loads of terminal tackle from 10lb. – 130lb. test, corrosion resistant pliers and good gloves are just the tip of the iceberg. Advil for sore muscles the morning after fighting fish all day is also a must have.
