Amongst all the saltwater fisheries of the world there are two that stand out for me; Providence and St Brandons. The reason these trips stand out is that they have not been tamed. If you are looking for a trip that is not just about the fishing, but about the wild environment you are in and the journey to get there, then these should be at the top of your list.

Providence Atoll, Seychelles

I have had the pleasure of fishing many atolls in the Indian Ocean and they are all magnificent. When I finally got to Providence Atoll, after some aborted trips in the late 2000’s, in 2016 it captured my heart and I have returned every year since. The atoll is still a mystery. There are still large expanses of unexplored flats and channels and every time I have walked its flats I have had a different saltwater adventure which has been fascinating.

Providence Atoll, Seychelles, Aardvark McLeod

The underlying giant trevally numbers there are huge and they have not had much human contact. Simultaneously, on the right tides, you can fish for big bonefish, triggerfish, milkfish, bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon wrasse, sailfish and any number of other species. It’s like a saltwater playground.

Providence Atoll, Seychelles, Aardvark McLeod

It is also peaceful. Sitting on the back deck in the evening, watching the blood-red sun sink into the ocean, sharing stories over a drink, disconnected from the demands of daily life—it’s something I do once a year and it restores my soul.

Although this autumn is fully booked, there are, unusually, a few gaps in the next year’s season:

18 – 25 February 2025 – 3 rods
25 February – 4 March 2025 – 2 rods
4 – 11 March 2025 – 3 rods
22 – 29 April 2025 – 6 rods
28 October – 4 November 2025 – 3 rods
18 – 25 November 2025 – 3 rods
25 November – 2 December 2025 – 6 rods

Cost is US$15,500 based on shared cabin, shared guide and boat. Single cabin supplement US$2,500 subject to availability. Cost includes Global Rescue insurance, price subject to change for 2025 depending on internal flight costs which have not been published yet.

St Brandon’s, Mauritius

If your focus is If your focus is on targeting massive bonefish, lots of shots at Indo-Pacific permit, big bluefin trevally and the odd bruising GT then St Brandon’s is for you. September brings with it the start of the Indian Ocean flats fishing season, with St Brandon’s currently into its 4th week. So far fishermen have enjoyed some world class action, with some really big bones coming to the net, plus being treated to extremely high numbers of permit encounters on a daily basis. Although still early season, they have also landed some monstrous bluefin trevally and some big GTs as well. On top of this, major improvements to the lodge including Wi-Fi and high quality meals are being well received by guests.

We still have some availability for next year on this Indian Ocean adventure:

15 – 25 April 2025 – 8 rods
29 April – 9 May 2025 – 2 rods
2 – 12 September 2025 – 5 rods
9 – 19 September 2025 – 5 rods
30 September – 10 October 2025 – 8 rods
7 – 17 October 2025 – 6 rods
14 – 24 October 2025 – 6 rods

The cost for 2025 is US$10,700 per person based on shared accommodation and guiding.
A single room supplement is US$2,500 and a single angler supplement is US$2,500 – both are subject to availability.

If you would like to take advantage of these dates or would like more information and an itinerary then please email Peter McLeod or call us on +44 1980 847389.