A 19th-century British general called Seychelles the original garden of Eden. And it’s easy to see why. This archipelago made up of 115 islands, lying 1,100 km off the coast of Kenya in the Indian ocean is this tropical paradise.
If the magnificent beaches, lush equatorial forests, and friendly creole culture aren’t enough to lure you to Seychelles, the 1.4 million square kilometres of fishing grounds should be. Seychelles offers a huge variety of species and a fantastic fishing experience for every type of saltwater angler in a pristine setting. It may just be an angler’s paradise. Here’s why.
Why Fish In Seychelles?
Seychelles offers one of the best fishing grounds in the world. The pristine saltwater flats of the outer islands offer incredible fly fishing and a huge variety of fish. You’ll find bonefish, milkfish, triggerfish, and more—including Giant Trevally.
The blue waters of Seychelles are swimming with sailfish, wahoo, dogtooth tuna, yellowfin, and more. The climate, seas, and abundance of fish make these waters ideal for beginners and experts alike.
Prefer the offshore scene? Seychelles sits on the edge of the continental shelf. There you’ll find marlin, tuna, sailfish and mahi-mahi.
The sheer diversity of fish found in Seychelles, the unspoiled scenery, and overall action make these fishing grounds unlike any other.
The Fishing
The best place to fish in Seychelles depends mainly on what kind of fishing you want to do. Sports fishing here means game fishing or saltwater fly fishing—including blue water fly fishing.
Best Saltwater Fly Fishing
Seychelles is famous for its saltwater fly fishing. And for the best, the Alphonse Atolls (Alphonse, St Francois, and Bijoutier islands) is the place to be. The white sand flats offer a pristine environment and plenty of fish to catch. The atolls are positively teeming with bonefish and G.T. You’ll also find triggerfish and parrotfish, grouper, and eight kinds of trevally!
Best Blue Water And Game Fishing
For blue water fly fishing and game fishing, the open waters of the Indian Ocean just off Denis Island do not disappoint. The private island is about 95 kilometres north of Mahé, at the edge of the Mahé plateau with a 2,000-meter drop-off. These waters are filled with wahoo, sailfish, Mahi Mahi, yellowfin tuna and marlin.
Best for Combining Fly Fishing and Deep-Sea Fishing
When you want the best of both onshore and offshore fly fishing, Desroches Island, the main island of the Amirantes group, delivers. This small, lush, private island is just a 40-minute flight from Victoria.
Its diverse shoreline—coral reefs, wide sand flats, crystal blue waters, and impressive drop-offs—creates a natural sanctuary for a great variety of hard fighting challengers. You’ll find sailfish, tuna (yellowfin and dogtooth), wahoo, GT, and marlin, grouper, snapper and more. Desroches neighbouring atolls (St Joseph and Poivre) have miles of exceptional flats for bonefish, permit, trevally, milkfish, and triggerfish.
Seychelles Tournaments and Events
It stands to reason that the best fishing grounds in the world would host some major fishing tournaments. There are tournaments of various sizes year-round. Some of the biggest annual events include:
- International Fishing Competition (November)
- Seychelles National Fishing Tournament (April)
- South-East Monsoon Sailfish Tournament (August)
- La Digue Offshore Tournament (October)
The Seychelles Sportfishing Club holds additional adult and junior events throughout the year.
Best Time To Travel
Seychelles has a tropical climate, so the temperatures are pleasant year-round. Tropical cyclones are common over the southwest Indian Ocean during the rainy season (December to March), but most Seychelles’ islands are well outside the cyclone belt.
The fishing is good in Seychelles all year long, but some months are better than others—depending on the kind of fishing you want to do. Fly fishing and bottom fishing are best from November through May, despite the rainy season. Big game fishing enthusiasts prefer the months of June to October.
July and August are the height of the tourist season in Seychelles when the islands are the most crowded and prices are highest.
Places To Stay
Where you stay when fishing in Seychelles will depend on your tastes, budget, itinerary, and which islands you plan to visit.
Stay In The Lap Of Luxury
Seychelles is known for its world-class, five-star accommodation. It has no shortage of well-known, international hotel chains and sumptuous private villas. These luxury accommodations abound on the main islands of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. There are also some splendid private island resorts.
More Affordable Options
If your budget or your tastes have you looking for something a little more down-to-earth, then you’re heading to Seychelles at the right time. There’s a growing number of affordable smaller hotels and guesthouses. These accommodations allow you to take advantage of the fantastic fishing grounds and immerse yourself in Seychelles’ unique Creole lifestyle.
Destination Lodging
When fishing the outer islands and atolls, you might want to stay near the fishing grounds. If you’re going fly fishing in the Alphonse Atolls, then staying at the Alphonse Island Lodge is your best bet. Its beach bungalows and villas sit at the water’s edge, offering spectacular ocean views.
Denis Private Island offers luxury accommodations in a pristine setting for game fishing and blue water enthusiasts. There’s no cell service, in-room WiFi, or cable TV. Instead, you get a gorgeous conservationist’s paradise complete with unspoiled beaches, a sea turtle sanctuary, and sumptuous farm-to-table meals prepared by skilled chefs.
Desroches Island is a private island for anglers who want to do it all— blue water game fishing and fly fishing and also onshore fly fishing. It’s home to the Four Season’s Seychelles at Desroches Island Resort. The resort offers intimate retreats in the form of “rustic” villas and suites (with air-conditioned bedrooms). When not fly fishing in Seychelles, you can relax in a private poolside cabana, lounge in a seaside hammock, or savour a gourmet dinner on your terrace.
Getting To Seychelles
The only international airport in Seychelles is in the capital city of Victoria on the island of Mahe. Getting to it is not a quick trip. And once there, you may need to take another plane or boat to get to your chosen fishing grounds.
To fly from Australia to Seychelles takes around 20 hours. Flights depart from Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. From Auckland, New Zealand, it’s a couple of hours more.
You can fly from the US or Canada in approximately 24 hours. The largest airports like New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, and Vancouver offer the shortest flights.
Flying to Seychelles from Europe is much quicker. You can get there from London or Paris in just over ten hours, and from Berlin in about 13 hours.
Need to Know
There’s no fishing license required for sports fishing in Seychelles, but there are restrictions on where you can fish.
The nation has set aside 30 per cent of its ocean as Marine Protection Areas, split into two zones. Zone 1 surrounds the remote islands of the Aldabra group. Some tourism is allowed, but not fishing.
Zone 2 includes waters around the Amirantes Group and near Mahe Plateau. They allow tourism charters and catch-and-release fishing only.
Fishing is also prohibited in some parts of the Inner Islands. That includes the Curieuse, Ile Cocos, Port Launay/Baie Ternay and St Anne Marine National Parks. Fishing is also barred within 200 meters of the Aride Island Nature Reserve.
Be advised that catch-and-release has become a widely adopted practice all over Seychelles.
Planning Your Trip
Fishing excursions can be tailored to meet individual client and group requests. You can arrange them through hotels, local tour operators, and licensed independent operators. You can arrange fishing excursions in advance or once you’ve landed.
You’re welcome to bring your fishing equipment or rent what you need locally. Ask your fishing charter what’s provided, as some offer all-inclusive excursions.
Fishing in Seychelles
Fishing in Seychelles may be the closest thing to paradise an angler can get on earth. The enormous variety and abundance of saltwater species, the pristine flats, clear blue waters, and enchanting Creole culture make this Indian Ocean nation truly special.
The best sports fishing spots in the best fishing area in the world offer exceptional fly fishing on pristine flats, in sparkling blue water, and even deepwater game fishing. That makes Seychelles a one-of-a-kind fishing experience. Find more great fishing destinations and on the Ocean Blue Mag!
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