ALPHONSE FISHING REPORT
The first week of February brought better weather over Alphonse and St. François. Small passing showers every day around the turn of the tides made conditions challenging at times, but as the week progressed, the weather improved, and the anglers capitalized on the opportunity. They made sure to get their names on the board and tick off their bucket-list species.
Starting the week with a spring tide and gradually moving into neaps proved beneficial for most of the anglers. Andrea B kicked things off by landing her first bonefish on Monday, while her partner, David R, caught a 71 cm bonefish. The bites didn’t stop there, as Christopher J landed a beautiful 41 cm Moustache Triggerfish. Our returning guests also had a strong start to the week, with Ed A landing 20+ bonefish on Monday, and Stephan K starting his week by landing a 71 cm bonefish and two permit.
Tuesday was another fruitful day, with Stephan K, feeling well-rested, hitting the flats and bringing three GTs to his guide’s hand, measuring 70, 61, and 66 cm. The GTs were out in full force, with John B landing a 71 cm specimen and Kathy B landing a 68 cm GT. Kathy’s partner, Bill K, got things going with a 63 cm bonefish, shaking off the fatigue from a heavy week at Providence. The day ended on a high note with Michael B landing a beautiful milkfish and Alan O catching a Moustache triggerfish.
Wednesday continued the momentum, with the tides slowly moving toward a neap pattern, allowing anglers and guides more time to thoroughly fish the flats. Taking full advantage of the slower movement, Jeff, Willie, and Ray all landed their first GTs. Not wanting to be left behind, Alan, Ed, and Stephan also landed GTs, with Stephan adding a 62 cm bonefish to his catch. Meanwhile, Ed’s boat partner, Ria, managed to land 20+ bonefish, including a 60 cm beauty.
Thursday lived up to its reputation as Big Fish Thursday. The team was already buzzing from a great start to the week. Chris J kicked things off by landing an impressive 120 cm GT. Not stopping there, he quickly followed up with a bonefish to check it off his list. He and his guide, Matt, then raced to Lollipop and landed an 80 cm Milkfish, completing his slam for the day. Not to be outdone, father and son duo Christopher and Harry G both landed their first Milkfish. John and Mike also landed their first Milkfish, with Mike adding a 68 cm GT and a bonefish to complete his slam. Willie finished the day strong with another GT, proving that his arm was still as strong as ever. The day ended with Peter M landing his first bonefish, a perfect way to welcome him to Alphonse.
GT Friday started off with finesse, as the guide and angler team of Matt and Chris landed not one but two Yellow-Margin Triggerfish, one of which measured 51 cm. They followed this up with a 50 cm Moustache Triggerfish, completing a Triggerfish Slam for Chris. John, feeling the competitive spirit, landed a 49 cm Yellow-Margin, followed by David, who caught a 52 cm Yellow-Margin. Elsewhere on the atoll, Harry was busy landing another two GTs to add to his tally. Jeff contributed with his first Milkfish and a 62 cm GT, while Ray, not wanting to be left out, landed a 64 cm GT. Last but not least, Tony finished off his day with a 68 cm GT, a 49 cm Yellow-Margin, and a bonefish, completing his slam for the day.
It was a week of remarkable catches, with several anglers ticking off their bucket-list fish. We’re now ready for the new group of eager anglers to join us and experience the same excitement. The weather is improving, and the tides are shaping up to be more than formidable. Stay tuned for our next catch report!
