Astove Atoll is famous for big GTs. They don’t come along often but when they do, they can be big. Very big. Astove’s shallow lagoon, with one small entrance surrounded by sheer drop-offs, is a sanctuary for juvenile fish and it’s this that makes it one of the most extraordinary fly fishing destinations on the planet. Along with big GTs, Astove is also frequented by bonefish, permit, barracuda, milkfish, bluefin trevally, triggerfish, yellowfin tuna, dogtooth tuna, wahoo, sailfish and marlin. Great fishing can be had on both spring and neap tides with each cycle giving a host of different opportunities.
Keep an eye on these pages where we will update all the news from the Astove Atoll 2024 fishing season.
Astove Atoll Fishing News 2025 season – 27th January to 3rd February
Astove atoll kicked off the 2025 season with excitement levels high and everyone, including the guides buzzing to get out on the water for the very first week of the season. We started off the week with pleasant weather conditions, beautiful clear skies, accompanied by a gentle breeze which laid the foundation for favourable sight fishing over the course of the first three days. We were presented with a spring tide cycle for an incredible wading experience in the surf zone, it also opened up the doors to explore the Astove lagoon teeming with bone fish and entices species such as permit and giant trevally who enter the system during the period of these big tidal movements. The fishing turned out to be great with all the anglers ticking off an array of bucket list species despite the weather turning the last three days with a weather system bringing strong winds, rain and some lightning.
Anglers Garrison and Corrine had an incredible week with Garrison bagging GTs almost every day out on the flats and completing a slam on day three which consisted of catching five giant trevally with the biggest being 75cm, three permit caught in the surf zone, biggest being 45cm and a bone fish to complete an amazing day fishing. Corrine got off to a tough start losing a beautiful yellow margin trigger fish, commonly referred to out here as the unicorn of the flats, after the fish severed the hook in half moments before Astove head guide Enrico could get it into the net. Set on not letting these chain of events get her down, Corrine went on to land her first ever Indo-Pacific permit and tussling a good giant trevally on the last day of her trip.
After angler Christopher caught a couple of giant trevally on the flats during the week he was keen to explore deeper water around the outside of the atoll. Dredging rods set up and ready to go, Christopher headed out in search of grouper, snapper and the elusive dogtooth tuna. The morning started off chaotic, but productive catching and losing some GTs in the early hours of the session. Christopher’s main aim was to try and haul up some giant bottom reef dwellers. Fingers taped up for war, he headed for 30 – 40 metre pinnacle on the eastern side of the Astove atoll where on the second drop we went tight with a dinosaur. After a back and forth tussle and seeing the fly line touching the top two guides of the rod for the first time again, it was convincing to know that this fish had not yet found the rugged coral garden on the floor. Holding the fish in a brief moment of no give or take the drag starting sounding off another run, as the fish proceeded on another big run the drag system on Christopher’s reel ceased and the spool parted ways with the reel casing as the backing over winded into cluster commonly known to anglers as a crow’s nest. Well done Christopher on catching some memorable giant trevally!
Apart from catching some beautiful giant trevally specimens over the course of the week, angler Kurt was an absolute character both on and off the water providing ample entertainment and dedication to getting out there with a positive attitude, even on the tough days. Kurt, coming from a hunting background understood that things are not always going to go your way. Kurt managed to land a beautiful permit on the very first day in the Astove lagoon and proceeded to get humbled by the fishery on day two and three with no fish to show. Determined to change his luck, Kurt went out on day four catching a 70cm giant trevally and completed a slam on day five with another Indo-Pacific permit, trevally and some big bone fish in the surf zone.
Amanda charged into this week completing a total of two slams during her stay with the first slam consisting of a permit, moustache trigger, bone fish and the second slam later on in the week with a giant trevally, permit and 46cm moustache trigger fish. Amanda’s winning streak was far from over, managing to land more GTs as the week progressed with the biggest fish of the week measuring in at 85cm.
Mark had an incredible week and just seemed to have all the fish magic in his back pocket landing three permit the very first day he landed on Astove. Mark then went on to land one permit every day for the first three days out on the flats which just seemed too good to be true. He managed to complete the slam on one of those days setting the bar high for the rest of the week, but Mark decided he was not done there when he completed a super slam consisting of a permit, giant trevally, moustache trigger and bone fish during the early hours of the day fishing. Mark’s main aim on this trip was to break his previous personal best giant trevally in the Seychelles which he did by catching a beautiful 80cm giant trevally in the surf zone.
The week ended on a very high note with every angler catching a GT on the final day. We look forward to getting out there for week two of fishing Astove with our new group of guests, making more lifetime memories filled with wondrous fish tales!
If our Astove Atoll News 2025 has piqued your interest and you would like more information on this superb fly fishing destination or any of our other Seychelles operations please contact Peter McLeod or Olly Thompson or call us on +44 1980 847389.