Due to the uncomfortable confrontation with poachers yesterday, FlyCastaway had to make a difficult decision overnight. After reporting not only the poaching but also our skirmish to the Mauritius Coast Guard, we were asked to fish within a couple miles of the lodge today and not venture anywhere near where we saw the bad guys. This was definitely a bummer being we have fished the lodge water a few times in our first eight days and today we had planned on heading far out to untouched waters. But there’s nothing we could do about it so you don’t let it ruffle the feathers. We were still going fishing on St. Brandon’s Atoll.
We had another issue as well. Strong wind and heavy rain delivered by a tropical storm hit us around 4 am. There’s no air-conditioning here and we all sleep with our windows open. Let’s just say, it was one heck of a fire-drill at 4 am. Most of us had soaking wet beds by 4:15. And there was no way we were making our usual 7:30 am departure for the flats. Once again, nothing anyone can do, and as you can see, the guys took it well. Everyone agreed a bit of extra rest wasn’t the end of the world. And we could also manage drying our beds.
Personally, I embraced the time off the water. My right shoulder has been begging for a breather. I’m behind on blogging. And, on my hosted trips I do a piece of art for everyone of my guests and our guides. So I was way behind on that also. I specifically took the time to draw a sockeye salmon on Matts backpack and a GT on Jonos pack.
The storm ran hard till about 10 am. There were broken trees and junk blowing all over. Then the storm began to ease. The rain stopped enough that being we were all getting a bit stir crazy, we were able to take a tour of Rafael Island. It’s a short tour but there’s some interesting things. There’s actually a small cemetery and this is the guide cinema.
I don’t think I mentioned it, but the final area I fished last night where there were permit and I had the parrotfish chase down my fly is on a flat attached to Rafael Island. We can walk to that one from the lodge. Sure enough, we had to walk past it on our tour. And believe me, I was watching for tails. Lo and behold, up popped a parrotfish tail. Then another could be seen waking along with its back out of the water. Hmmm. . . . .
After my parrot experience last night and then some refusals from tailing permit, our guide Jarryd reached in the water and picked up a rock. On the rock was a small black snail. Jarryd said, “I think this is what they’re eating and it’s the reason they refuse our crabs”.
I’ve toyed with snail fly patterns for trout. You can tie a nice looking snail fly but adding the action is the issue, there isn’t any. After passing the flat and the tailing parrots, during our walk back to the lodge I got to thinking. What if I took my black sharpie to my smallest white crab? Bingo!
By the time we got back to the lodge it was noon. The weather improved greatly and the guides declared we would eat lunch then head out. It was my day for fishing with Bob and Jono. Well, as much as I wanted to go with Bob and Jono, with limited time and ability to travel to far flats, I opted to let everyone head out and get out that sharpie and go try for one of the parrotfish. I watched the guys head off without me.
Parrotfish specialize in eating things that don’t move too much. They have a big strong beak for a mouth and they can crush and eat coral and critters with hard shells and things we don’t see. On occasion they take down a crab and of course Jarryd says they eat black snails. Before I hiked to the flat, I dug out a tiny size 10 white Alphlexo and made it as black as possible. Off I went.
Despite being an unusual fly rod catch; I’ve caught a few different species of parrotfish over the years on crab patterns. I caught a couple different species in Oman and I got really lucky and got a longnose in French Polynesia. I’ve caught several of the monster bumphead parrotfish in the Seychelles and I I know I’m forgetting one. From watching this St. Brandon’s species tailing, it appeared to be a different type and I saw this as a rare opportunity. I worked my way into casting position slower than the moves made by a stalking blue heron.
I borrowed a net from the lodge. Once in casting range of the first tailing parrot I leaned the net against my leg in front of me. There was so much coral around that if I hooked up, I knew my chances of landing him were slim. My strategy was going to be set the hook and strip him to me and scoop him up so fast he didn’t know what happened. Well, my second cast I hooked up. I started speed stripping and it seemed the fish wasn’t going to fight at all. But I missed him on my first attempt with the net and in a split second the parrot came to life and smoked me into the coral. Snap went my tippet and my black crab fly was gone. For goodness’ sake!
I learned a few days ago with my broken rod – be more prepared. I had another tiny white crab and I had my sharpie. I fixed it up right on the spot and by the time I was ready to cast again, more parrots had moved in.
Apparently, the black crab was the key. I landed it just in front of several and I kid you not, three of them raced for it. One picked it up and I set it and stripped him to me like the speed of a lightening bolt. And this time I got him in the net!
I let out a roar of excitement and raised my rod high above my head like shaking my fist with joy. The parrot was awake now swimming full speed in the net. As all the commotion took place, Jarryd along with Mike Lodge and Morgan were driving by in the boat. They saw me and I’m stoked to say they came over and took some pics. A new species for my list. But I would appreciate some help identifying.
Not only did Jarryd and the boys get some pics for me. I was able to talk them out of a beer from their ice cold cooler as well. I wandered back to where my luck took place and enjoyed it and watched the tide come in with a school of permit. Most anglers would have put the beer down and fished to the permit. Perhaps I’m crazy. But I watched them feed and enjoyed my beer. The truth is, you can learn a lot by observing feeding fish.
When the beer was done, I chased those permit. As always, they were tricky and eventually they left the flat. It didn’t seem like I spooked them as much as the tide came in so fast it wasn’t right for them anymore. Then I walked the island shoreline itself and got more casts to permit. But other than possibly a look, they weren’t too interested. Still tons of fun though.
I can blame at least a few of the permit I couldn’t catch on other fish stealing my fly from them. As usual the blue spangled emperor was a pest as was the three spot dart. At least one crab stealer was a nice catch however. This is my friend the Picasso triggerfish.
I kept cruising around the island and kept finding permit. But I also ran into another school of parrots. And these were bigger and I happened to run into them in an area where there wasn’t any coral. They were traveling and I knew if I could hook one, I had a good chance at catching him.
I didn’t have the black crab on but rather about a size 6 tan Alphlexo. I wasn’t waiting around to prove how slow I am at changing a fly these days. Instead I launched and to my surprise, the biggest fish in the school broke off to eat it. It was picture perfect and when I set the hook he was on.
You may not believe this but once again I lucked out as far as pictures go. Remember, all guides were required to fish near the lodge today. Well it was certainly to my advantage because as I was fighting the parrot Matt drove by with Mike Brennan and Jeff Smith. Guide Matt was able to net the beauty for me and take more photos. What a half day of fishing!
I packed it in after the second parrot. It was about 4 pm. I relaxed and soon the guys came home. It turns out there was big news. In the last hour, Morgan landed TWO permit. Congrats to Morgan! This is a dandy of a fish.
All things considering, today was a fantastic one at St. Brandon’s Atoll. We were forced to only a half day due to the storm and we had to fish close to home thanks to the unpredictable poachers. But it all worked out. It always does. Back at it in the morning.
If St. Brandon’s Atoll is a trip you want to do, feel free to contact me and Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures.