Cosmoledo: The Land of Giants

The Seychelles is home to some of the world’s best saltwater fly fishing. And with an abundant presence of some of the most exciting saltwater game fish around, the Seychelles atolls have fast gained worldwide recognition.

By KEITH ROSE-INNES

The atoll’s name is Cosmoledo, a stone’s throw away from the world heritage site of Aldabra, and in many respects resembles the latter. It is often referred to as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean.

This huge atoll, almost three times the size of Farquhar, is planet earth’s giant trevally headquarters and home to outstanding double-digit bonefish. Not only that, but it is home to some of the biggest milkfish you’ll ever see!

Cosmoledo consists of a coral ring about eight miles wide, with four major islands occupying the cardinal points of the compass. Menai and Wizard islands occupy the east and west points and were named after the two ships that explored the atoll on the Moresby Expedition in 1822. The south island sits near the main entrance to the inner lagoon, while the second smaller entrance is just south of Menai. The northern islands are interspersed with numerous islets and banks.

Cosmoledo is a true example of natural regeneration. This atoll, along with Aldabra, Assumption, Astove, Marie Louise, Desnoeufs and Remire, was one of those rented by the government to produce commodities. In the nineteenth century, Cosmoledo produced tobacco, tomatoes, cotton and later copra, maize and gironom.

Sea turtles were harvested on a large scale, along with hundreds of tons of the famous burgot (a big shellfish whose thick shell is used to make mother-of-pearl buttons). Until the 1970s the copra fields were worked, but when the costs of producing it exceeded its market value, production ceased.

Left to itself for many decades, Cosmoledo is now simply the home to a rejuvenated ecosystem. Along with the abundance of all Seychelles sea life, which frequents this atoll is a legion of giants. Firstly, there is the lazy giant tortoise, some over a hundred years old, lounging in the shade of the palms. Then, in the shallows as far as the eye can see, giant sea turtles prepare to mate.

But, more importantly - the waters surrounding Cosmoledo are the domain of huge giant trevally (GT’s), the powerful milkfish, the finicky Indo-Pacific permit, big bonefish and a host of triggerfish species including moustache-, yellow margin-, and Picasso triggerfish.

A visit to this Indian Ocean Shangri- La with Alphonse Fishing Company begins with a three-hour charter flight from Mahé to Astove, Cosmoledo’s closest island with an operational airstrip, which is where the 85ft sailing yacht Lonestar is waiting. This luxurious vessel features a host of facilities you wouldn’t normally expect on an outbound trip to Cosmoledo Atoll.

The Lone Star caters to eight fly fishing guests with five en-suite guest cabins situated on either side of the saloon and relaxing area. All cabins and indoor areas are fully air conditioned, allowing guests a chance to relax in a comfortable environment after a long days fishing out on the flats. She is extremely stable, spacious and more importantly has a 1,85 meter draft that allows her to anchor inside the calm waters of Cosmoledo lagoon.

This southern entrance - sometimes referred to as a roaring river, makes you quickly realize how large the tidal rise and fall are. The charts show a two-and-a-half meter shift, but the experience would make you think that it is in the region of three to four meters.

The Seychelles’ sand flats are unlike most others in the world. The sand is white and hard, making wading easy and spotting fish even easier. And there is plenty to see!

As the target species variety on this atoll is so wide, trying to cover all aspects by discussing habits, tackle and tactics for each would require articles in their own. But briefly...

The secret is to use special flies that imitate lush green algae and to target the milkfish when they school up and feed.

Anyone who’s read about catching milkfish on the fly will know Lefty Kreh’s famous words. Milkfish reach “40 lb or more, with bonefish speed and tarpon power... a better fighter than the bonefish and one of our greatest challenges in flyfishing”.

He went on to say: “Someone in the future will work out a formula for catching milkfish. When he does, we will be able to fish for one of the greatest inshore trophies in all of saltwater.”

Arno Matthee, one of South Africa’s most respected flyfishing guides, is credited with deciphering the code for catching milkfish, a fish that was always thought to have been almost uncatchable on a rod and reel, let alone a fly-rod. The secret is to use special flies that imitate lush green algae and to target the milkfish when they school up and feed.

Indeed, one’s mouth waters at the sight of huge shoals of milkfish frequenting the channels, flats and offshore areas of Cosmoledo, and knowing they can be caught will simply leave you breathless.

The best bone fishing is on Menai and Wizard islands where a huge populations of fish feed to the rhythm of the tides. They move to the shoreline on the ebb, and spread out onto the far reaches of the flats on the flood. On Wizard Island fish of up to 10 lb congregate in large schools very close to shore where they wait out the predator’s hour. Walking this edge will often produce a trophy fish.

Suddenly, there were the fish! With my rod firmly locked under my arm, I stripped off as much line as possible and tightened the drag.

The permit and the triggerfish comprise a chapter of their own, but what most people travel to Cosmoledo for is GT’s: The ravenous gangsters of the flats that have become notorious for their gory nonchalance and explosive temper. Even the name sends shivers down my spine and conjures up memories of true mayhem and epicness.

Among them is a GT session a while back, where we waited out the last bit of the ebb at Cosmoledo and positioned ourselves for the incoming tide. It’s all about positioning yourself on an access point and if you hit it right the GT’s will come on rays, sharks and in packs.

Suddenly, there were the fish! With my rod firmly locked under my arm, I stripped off as much line as possible and tightened the drag. With the thought “make them chase something” firmly ingrained into my subconscious, I made a cast and lead the fish by a couple of meters. As the fly landed there was instant interest and I clearly saw how their pectorals extended as they turned.

I stripped as fast as humanly possible... the fish followed, jostling for the fly and creating a submarine-like bow wave in the transparent water. Then, with big, black dilated eyes firmly locked on the fly, one fish took the lead. The eyes came straight towards me, and then - at the right time - I missed a strip. Instantaneously, the GT’s mouth opened to engulf the fly, the water exploded - and with three short, sharp movements I drove the hook home.

In a split second the line cleared through my fingers and onto the reel. In a bid for freedom the fish headed for deeper water with fluorescent backing trailing behind it. Turning to see what my partner was up to, I saw him casting at three other large fish. In a smooth movement he’s also hooked up.

As I followed the fish I realized that once again we were in for a hell of an afternoon.

With the tidal flood came waves of GT’s, sometimes more than ten strong in a group – and my pre-trip intention of casting the fly to as many GT’s as possible somehow fell away.

The action was continuous throughout the day as I pulled the fly away from the smaller fish and cast it to larger GT’s. The saying: “time flies when you’re having fun” seemed to be an understatement as, an hour or so later we were battling to even stand. The tide had pushed in so high that it was around our waists.

With the count being six apiece, we were picked up by the tender and moved closer to the island. In an almost exact replica of the earlier action, the mayhem continued and time seemed to stand still with the excitement.

For more info, please check:www.alphonsefishingco.com