FLY FISHING – THE FIVE ULTIMATE SALTWATER DESTINATIONS
Fly fishing… Immediately you’re thinking of monotonous casting into murky waters swarmed by a cloud of flesh-devouring midges while sodden to your very core, aren’t you? Granted, sometimes that can be the way – it doesn’t deter the monomaniacs – but the Iscariots among you are missing a trick.
One of the many joys of fly fishing is that it takes you to some of the most remote and incredible places on earth – places you may otherwise never knew existed. From Patagonia, Kamchatka and the Bahamas to Alaska, Zambia and Mongolia, there is insane sport to be found with a rod in hand on every page of the atlas.
When it comes to saltwater fly fishing, the choices are inebriating. For starters you can forget any of those negative thoughts on the weather front, and instead envisage blameless blue skies, 40ft coconut trees, endless crystal flats and lodges of the very highest standard. Oh… and an array of fish species with the psychotic power to rip you and your gear to bits.
Here are five of the very best saltwater locations the world has to offer…
1. COSMOLEDO ATOLL, SEYCHELLES, Cosmoledo has become known as the best giant trevally fishery on the planet and the sheer numbers and variety of fish species has amazed the fly fishing world.
It is a world filled with colour, where the daily dramas of a pristine ecosystem play out in front of your very eyes. During the week you will live on the Maya’s Dugong, an ex-research vessel which has been upgraded and modified into a mother ship catering for long range fly fishing expeditions.
This trip is not for the faint hearted, but it is the benchmark for anglers searching for the ultimate saltwater flats destination.
2. ALPHONSE ISLAND, SEYCHELLES, Alphonse Island is part of the Amirantes group of islands 292 miles to the southwest of the capital island of Mahé. This idyllic tropical island combines a 4 star resort with some of the best saltwater fishing available on 10,000 acres of flats.
In addition to superb bonefishing, it is a great mixed fishery with five species of trevally, three species of triggerfish, Africa Pompano, and a host of other fly-taking fish to be caught.
3. LOS ROQUES, VENEZUELA, Technically referred to as an archipelago, Los Roques is an unspoiled atoll located approximately 80 miles from the coast. It is characterised by extremely clear waters, magnificent coral beds, diverse and varied flats, sandy beaches and hundreds of smaller mangrove cays. Thanks to its location (only 12 degrees north of the equator), the area is relatively unaffected by cold fronts and hurricanes. These factors make Los Roques one of the most consistent bonefishing locations in the world.
Although bonefish are the main attraction in Los Roques, huge tarpon are frequently landed, and are often seen rolling in the channels and occasionally on the deeper flats. Permit are seen occasionally, and should be thought of as a bonus.
Accommodation is at Acuarela Posada, a comfortable lodge minutes from the beach on El Gran Roques, with 11 comfortable rooms and an ample lounge area.
4. CAYO LARGO, CUBA, The Cuban Government made the area around Cayo Largo – some 240 square km – a prestigious national park and it is therefore an ideal habitat for bonefish, tarpon and permit. This is the best place on earth to accomplish the Grand Slam (catching all three species in one day).
Fishing is primarily done from the boats and through the flats and cays you find deeper channels that provide perfect areas for tarpon to feed on the bountiful shoals of sardines. When the tides are right they move onto the flats providing spectacular sport.
Accommodation comes in the form of Sol Club Cayo Largo, located on the edge of fine white sands and crystalline waters. This all-inclusive facility offers a broad array of services and attractions, ranging from comfortable rooms with a terrace or balcony overlooking the beach and sea; a broad variety of restaurants and bars where guests can savour the best of Cuban and international cuisine.
5. CHRISTMAS ISLAND (KIRITIMATI), CENTRAL PACIFIC, Christmas Island is a raised coral atoll hidden in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Although in the farthest forward time zone in the world (UTC+14), when wading its waters you will feel frozen in time. The incredibly stable weather patterns make this one of the ultimate year-round saltwater destinations.
The atoll is widely considered as some of the best bonefishing in the world, although increasingly people are venturing here to test themselves against the incredibly aggressive and powerful species of trevally.
Accommodation is at Ikari House, the latest and most comfortable operation on the island.
All these trips can be booked through Aardvark McLeod International Fly Fishing
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