Reunion Island

[Conrad Botes]

I'll be spending a week on Reunion Island during December.

I'll be greatful for any tips, reports or info regarding flyfishing in Reunion. Specifically shorebound flyfishing. From what I can discover via the internet, there are quite a good deap sea infrastructure and I will definately head out to sea depending on cost.

The Western side of Reunion has numerous barier reefs, see google eath pic. Most of the island is quite developed as you can see from this image.

Thanks

[flybum]

brother , I see a serious case of bonefever coming on. If you dont find any there ,you can take your 5 wt and pretend the pursemouth's are baby bones.

[Michael]

I'll be spending a week on Reunion Island during December.

I'll be greatful for any tips, reports or info regarding flyfishing in Reunion. Specifically shorebound flyfishing. From what I can discover via the internet, there are quite a good deap sea infrastructure and I will definately head out to sea depending on cost.

The Western side of Reunion has numerous barier reefs, see google eath pic. Most of the island is quite developed as you can see from this image.

Thanks

Hi Conrad

It's much like Mauritius. Unfortunetely the reefs have been plundered by the locals, so the big fish are not within the shallow reefs. However big fish like GT's etc do still get caught from the shore. With a 5wt you can have great fun though if you are shorebased...there are still lots of smaller reef-fish around, like trumpetfish (similar to gar-fish), rockcod, etc etc etc. My most productive flies were Clouser Minnows in colour combo's white/pink. Then white/blue, and then white/chartreuse. Salty buggers also did the trick, but most fish were caught on the clousers.
All in sizes #2 to 4/0. Very early morning (just before sunrise) and late afternoon (until after sunset) was most productive. Then bigger fish also come into the protected reef area's and you have a chance at a big fish. Watch for schools of baitfish jumping out of the water, and cast your fly in there. Take the 9wt in those cases...I got bust up twice by SOMETHING big! Was my own fault...was not expecting such vicious takes and runs. Some guys I know also caught the occasional good size kingfish by just wading and fishing the shores.

Going offshore (chartering a boat) in Mauritius was freakishly expensive, so I imagine Reunion will be the same. Unless you can really organise with a local.

But definitely worth taking the rods with. I only took a 9wt, which was overkill with most of the reef-fish I caught...but there's still a chance to hook a biggish kingie or so, then you really need the 9wt.

[Conrad Botes]

Thanks Mike

I was planning to take a 7 and 9 wt. Have made enquiries about the cost of offshore trips and will only take the 12wt if it's not too expensive.

Thanks for the tips. I'll start tying some pink clousers.

[Conrad Botes]

A half day offshore in Reunion costs 420 euros

No need to pack the 12 wt then.

[will101]

yeah take the 15wt!