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16-03-2024
What GT flies do you need in the giant trevally fly fishing capital of the world? Seychelles outer atolls Alphonse, Cosmoledo, Farquhar, Astove and Providence are abundant in GTs and bluefin trevallys, but catching one is still far from a trivial task. Here is how we have built our arsenals for GT fly fishing in the Seychelles.
Photos: Antti Rastivo
The best GT flies have a few traits in common: seriously strong saltwater hooks, attention-grabbing appearance and decent castability ensuring delivery within your short window of opportunity. During our trips to the outer atolls of the Seychelles, especially Alphonse, Farquhar, Astove and Cosmoledo, we have had a chance to test our giant trevally flies and gather first hand “feedback”. Different days and light conditions can call for a different fly, sometimes without any logical reason. Here we go through our own weapons of choice for GT fly fishing in the Seychelles.
Our GT Brush Fly comes in the necessary color palette for GT’s – combinations of black with purple, red and natural tan. Unless you’re fishing for the ”seen-it-all” and spooky Alphonse GT’s, we like to tie on one of these larger purple, red, black or tan baitfish imitations.
The on/off fly that is an absolute killer or doesn’t work at all, depending on conditions. On some of our trips this Pearl Brush fly with a honey-colored head has been simply unbeatable, while at other times, for some reason, the GTs seem to refuse it. Go figure why, but you definitely do want to have a couple of them in your fly box for the moments when a bit more flash seems to attract the geets.
In addition to performing on Alphonse, Farquhar and Cosmoledo, this has been our trusted choice also when GT fly fishing elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, like in the Lakshadweep or Laccadives island group. The Magnetic Minnow is often fished in natural white or blue colors, but darker and brighter options will also come handy in certain conditions. This is one of the easiest GT flies to cast as it has a very slim profile and the synthetic material doesn’t retain almost any water when picked up for a cast.
One of the few poppers you truly need for Seychelles. NYAP has a high but narrow profile, making it light to cast while displaying a large profile. Giant trevallys have excellent hearing and are able to pick up the popper’s splashing sounds from far away. Another reason to use poppers are the obviously insane takes, when the gangsters of the flats chase and smash your fly above the surface. Perhaps the most thrilling form of GT fly fishing!
Bright colors are not as common in GT flies as natural or “aquatic” colors, but there are exceptions. The Flaming Lambourghini is a legendary giant trevally fly that matches some of the bright red baitfish in the corals, and stands out from a distance.
Lucky enough to be heading out for week of GT fly fishing in Alphonse? Grab all the necessary Seychelles flies for your upcoming trip either by picking your own set of giant trevally flies or buying our pre-selected Seychelles GT flies selection. This is basically our own shopping list for Cosmoledo or Farquhar. Whichever you choose, make sure you have:
Most likely you will also want to target bonefish and Indo-Pacific permit, so also have a look at our bonefish flies.
