A day in my backyard!

[fdavis]

So there we were again... Out on those flats, sweating our pips off and squinting into the mirror-like layer of water that was covering the flats. It seemed like not even the Polaroids were helping... That was until you took them off...

JD and Fab were across from Mahe and we were on the hunt for Golden Trevally. Obviously if anything boney or permitty swam our way we wouldn't have held back but this was war. The Goldens had been teasing us and we were here for revenge! Quite simply, we felt it our turn to do the laughing!

Flies have been mission. The Goldens up until now had been difficult. I'd had the Golden's turn their noses up to several shrimp, charlie and clouser patterns. Bigger, smaller, bulkier, skinnier, shinier and duller. We had been through them all. However today was going to be different. We were armed with JD's favourite flat's fly. The Spawning Shrimp Mk Something.

I’ve call it the Mk Something because this fly has gone through so many changes since it was created on the Florida Flats all those years ago. In fact, it had gone through so many changes just with us that it looked rather different to when Fab and JD were first introduced to it down south last year.
Back to the fishing; the Goldens were there - tails out, moving erratically; as they do when feeding on the flats. The shoal had a few Blue Trevally amongst it as well (not Blue-Fin, just Blue) so we were excited. “I’ve got a feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas was running around my head!.

Slowly Fab, JD and I created a triangle around their general feeding area - one of us would intercept their feeding path. As things worked out, I had the first shot! In a flurry of trying to get my camera back into my bag, strip and untangle line and put the cast out I almost landed arse over kettle in a hole in the coral bottom. Luckily I was still in with a chance and with, if I say so myself, a rather fine loop put Shrimp slightly to the right and ahead of the shoal and my got my knees knocking. I could see that even JD was squirming!

Tail Up! Inside! Strip strike! A head shake. A pause. And all hell broke loose. It took about 20 seconds for the bus to take me around a coral had and shear my 30lb leader clean off. Shit!

Not one for me. New Spawning Shrimp on and time to tango!
By this stage Fab had also been broken up after half the shoal split his way and he was in such a state he was getting confused between Goldens and Bones! Strange for a lad who has fished all over the Seychelles for several years!

But I guess that is what a big tailing fish does to one. Especially on the inner islands where fish are more, spookier and not always willing to take part in the festivities!

But it was JD who did the damage, and got the last laugh! The bastard (and mean that in nicest friendliest way) managed to land a beaut of a Golden (although a little ion the small side I thought!) and a Blue!

And this was all in the first hour of fishing. The day produced quite a few good fish and although the Goldens decided to duck for deeper water, we landed several bones, a parrot and some other rats and mice.

A good day all in all...

[Photos are in the album - A couple from my backyard]

[MichaelS]

Dude, you really are lucky to be out there in your backyard, pulling in fish that we only get to dream of while sitting at our desks in the big smoke.

Your pics are awesome! Really cool to see the type of water you're fishing and the different flies and lies.

Enjoy and hopefully more of us can come across to the Schelles to cast a line with you!

[Ryan]

Nice report dude!! Always entertaining.. Certainly makes me want to come across and cast a few lines with you that side.. keep us posted and enjoy!!

lakka