This report will be quickly done with as the Southeast has been blowing nearly consistently. But right on the 1st conditions were okay so I went for a little birthday fishing in quest of a GT. To no success once more though as except for two splashes that could have been the object of desire but were not to be identified nothing happened on my end. Failure was not due a lack of competence onboard though as Sandro had tagged along and visibly enjoyed to just fish instead of having to look after boat and guests. So he popped hard all day and late was rewarded by this feasty Jobfish to spare us from blanking.

On the 6th thus their date of travelling home our Welsh friends Sam and Tom already familiar from the last report wanted to end their stay on a high. So as their shore fishing had not worked out as planned we headed out on Frenzy once more for a half day jigging on the plateau. Had to try a few spots until Sandro found the right one that produced some decent catches.

A week later the annual Sailfish Tournament took place out of Mahe. In really strong wind 7 boats went but only one managed to get the target fish. Actually they released three to win this competition by miles. Rumours are that while the boats trolling killed themselves to no success these chaps just sat in the calm of Beau Vallon bay dropping baits with kites. A few days later I got an email from Val with pics of some more nice shore catches. He did well on Mahe already as you might remember and repeated that inpressively from the little rocky island in sight of my veranda that I had recommended to him. Actually had seen someone fishing there pretty much throughout along those days but never catching anything and I was not aware it had been him. Really cool that his persistence paid off. Even more so as a few attempts on fly had not even produced me a knock.

For Friday the 17th a hole in the wind had been predicted and the rare opportunity of just 12 knots lured my out to at last catch a GT again despite all factors were against it: a day after full moon, very green water, on top actually no wind at all and no current until the low tide early afternoon. In short all was crap. Subsequently 7 tough hours of casting produced no action at all and apart from a small, lethargic Shark nothing even just showed. No idea what the problem with the topwater fishing is for months now. Before this becomes a full grown trauma I will turn my back on this and Seychelles for a while. Hopping on a plane tomorrow which explains why this report comes early. If I will be luckier elsewhere and what will happen here meanwhile you will learn from the July edition.

For a start here quickly the pics of Erez jigging successfully with Sandro that did not make it in time for the April edition.

Was very happy to have received these as for weeks it looked there would be about nothing more to show you. In the early days of May I had been after the GTs once more but a long, hard day`s casting raised not even a single one. So had to be grateful for this Bohar Snapper turning up.

About a week later I tried again and indeed got one on within the first few casts but the bugger opened the hook. Nothing more seen all morning and afternoon but detected a Shark free spot for a bit of jigging. This Moontail wasn`t the biggest fish of that day but for sure the prettiest one.

Along those weeks we saw a few trolling trips but the boats were struggeling in the heat and warm water. Mostly these were only half days and such a Wahoo like this one by Greg on Amberjack often was a good result already.

All meager enough but it got worse. Indeed already on the 11th the Southeast set in properly and within a few days picked up to over 20 knots. The meteo service even issued a warning for mariners that was in effect for a few days and despite the wind dropping a bit eventually there was no thinking of going out for a good two weeks. All left to do was shore fishing and Val from France obviously had a good time at one of the Mahe spots I had recommended. 

Not even such fun for me though as a positive CoVid test enforced staying strictly at home. At least it passed rather smoothly and just the day of my release the wind dropped. A few postponed charter trips instantly delivered better results. The GTs were still uncooperative but this Bluefin Trevally was a nice catch for Andy fishing with Greg.

Generally that guest had a fantastic time here fishing all different ways around the islands and tallying nearly 20 species including Sailfish. Meantime Sandro was at the Drop on Frenzy and his guests enjoyed some quality jigging with a dozen Doggies and a load of other fish. On top they managed a few Tuna casting so these seem to be back. 

Not just the small ones as Julian revealed. He was fishing privately and hauled this 77kg fish home.

As Sandro and also some trolling boats sighted several Sailfish these also seem to be here already, So that early push of Southeast brought some good things. On the 27th I went to fish again at last. Wasn`t so sure about my fitness level so opted for light jigging just doing a few casts at a Shark infested GT spot along the way. Raised countless, couldn’t avoid one and was cut off. The jigging spot seemed promising not only for me that day. When their boats sit like this the locals fish for Yellowspotted Trevallies and Bludgers with their handlines. As the spot is a rather large plateau I set my drifts a bit away and also had fun with some 40 fish in about 6hrs.

Nothing too spectacular caught but along one certain drift every time I hooked something massive at a certain point. Those fish just went back down to the bottom and there was no way to get them up on the PE2-3 even just a few feet. Looks I need to get back there with a stronger combo. On the way home I checked quickly on those Sharks once more. All still there and lively but the GTs as usually not. On the 30th Sam and Tom from Wales headed to the Drop Off with Sandro for their very first tropical popping and jigging experience. Think they will remember that one for a while. Their quite heavy travel jigging rods were not ideal to learn the technique but with a little help here and there they found their feet and were left huffing and puffing. While frequency and variety were a bit below par some quality fish surfaced. Not just that big Doggie. Was most impressed actually by that Blacktip and the Brownspotted Grouper that I had not yet encountered in these sizes. Only the Yellwofin Tuna gave us somewhat few opportunities to cast at them but still a couple were caught.

So it was a really entertaining day in perfect weather with the two pleasant chaps and thus a nice ending to this for long weeks so dull month.

For the preceeding reports check the archive.