St. Brandon’s
If you’re seeking an unparalleled fly-fishing experience, featuring wading and sight casting to double-digit Bonefish, tailing Indo-Pacific Permit, and a variety of Trevally species on pristine white sand flats in an incredibly remote Indian Ocean atoll, St Brandon’s Atoll is the destination for you. Comprised of over 50 small islands, coral ridges, and expansive sand flats stretching 50 kilometers from north to south, St Brandon’s (also known as Cargados Carajos Shoals) is a coral atoll abundant in fish stocks, flora, and fauna, situated 268 nautical miles northeast of Mauritius’s main island.
This enchanting atoll has quickly earned iconic status in the world of saltwater fly-fishing, and it’s not hard to see why – the flats fishing for Bonefish, Indo-Pacific Permit, and various Trevally species is truly world-class.
Species
Excellent skinny water trophy bonefish fishery
Target Species: Permit, Giant Trevally, Bonefish
Season
September – December and April – June
Accommodations
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Perfect For
Experienced saltwater anglers and novice anglers alike
Fly Fishing
St Brandon’s boasts the world’s most exceptional flats fishing for Bonefish and Indo Pacific Permit. Anglers can expect to target impressive numbers of tailing bonefish, with an average weight of 6-8 pounds, and double-figure catches occurring almost every week.
The largest Bonefish landed weighed over 14 pounds and measured nearly 35 inches! In addition to Bonefish, St Brandon’s also offers exceptional fishing for highly coveted Indo Pacific Permit, with daily opportunities to target these elusive fish.
The atoll is also home to enormous Giant and Bluefin Trevally, with 95% of the GTs measuring 40+ inches. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced angler, this fishery caters to all skill levels.
Beginners can enjoy pursuing the abundant, relatively naive Bonefish, while experienced anglers can target single trophy tailing Bonefish, Permit, or monstrous GTs.
TRAVEL PLAN
To reach St. Brandon’s, guests should fly to the international airport on Mauritius (MRU) which is the primary access point. It is recommended that guests arrive in Mauritius a day before the trip and stay at the Le Suffren Hotel & Marina in Port Louis as it’s conveniently located near the marina where the transfer boats dock, and offers easy access to restaurants, bars, shopping, and other activities.
LODGING
Guests travel from Mauritius to St Brandon’s every Monday during the season aboard one of two 65ft transport vessels, which take around 26 hours to cross. Each vessel is equipped with the latest marine navigation and safety equipment and has two air-conditioned guest cabins, a bathroom, a small galley, indoor seating, and a large covered back deck. The transport vessel departs Port Louis at around 13:00 on the start day of the trip and arrives at Ilse De Sud the following day at around 13:00. Two more hours of cruising in the lee of the atoll will bring the boats to Raphael Island at approximately 15:00 on Tuesday.
Guests are then transported by tender boat to the island and settle into Guesthouse 1 for their first night on the island. After a briefing from the Head Guide, guests spend their first night in one of the four comfortable bedrooms in Guesthouse 1. The following day after the first day of fishing, guests will move to Guesthouse 2, where they will remain for the next seven nights, enjoying six more full days of flats fishing during this time. The reason for the change of accommodation is that St Brandon’s is now run on a back-to-back basis. The return journey to Mauritius begins early on Wednesday morning, and guests usually arrive back in Port Louis at around 07:00 on Thursday morning. However, timing may be affected by weather and other factors associated with remote locations. It is essential for guests to understand and appreciate the logistics and the privilege of being allowed to fish in such a remote location.