This season on Cosmoledo Atoll was everything we expected and more from start to finish. From late November through to the final days in April, the atoll welcomed guests from across the globe and delivered on every promise this remote fishery is renowned for.
Powerful tides, crystal-clear sight fishing, incredible explorations and more. First-time visitors left with memories they will carry for life, while returning guests pushed their tallies even higher.
Across more than twenty weeks, the atoll produced metre-plus GTs, season-defining Permit, record Triggerfish and an extraordinary spread of bonus species.
Giant Trevally
It would only be fitting to start with the species so many anglers join us on Cosmoledo to target: the Giant Trevally.
As always, the season produced an exceptional number of firsts. Elle was the first on the list of many, with Donald, Jan, Bjarne, Fred, Lauren, Kylie, Ryan, the Bell family, Craig, Scott, Joe, Kristin, Susan, Scott G, Jim, Lara, Mark, Matthew, Allen, William, Ryan, Stephen, Robert, Gianbattista, Henry, Julian, Sangston, Daniel, Michael, Steve, Tommy, Bill, William, Tyler, Colin, Neil, Zachary, Ryan D, Alexandr, Freddie, Ronald, Edward, Paolo, Gheorghe, Christina, Diep, Eric, Warren, David, Arthur and Mirabel all ticking this incredible species off for the first time.
A GT measuring over one metre on Cosmoledo is on many anglers’ dream lists, and we had several anglers come very close this season. Even more impressively, a whopping 19 fish measuring over a metre were landed.
Some of the noteworthy fish of the season included a superb 97cm GT for Donald, while Rasmus, who is no stranger to the flats, landed a show-stopping 120cm fish from a deep coral head.
James Rogers capped his week with two phenomenal fish measuring 108cm and 117cm respectively, while Jan added a superb 96cm specimen.
Ethan closed December with an impressive 104cm GT on the final day, and Henrik extended his stay to land back-to-back metre-plus giants of 113cm and 115cm during a single session.
Chris landed a new personal best of 98cm, while Elmer, no stranger to the flats of the Seychelles, realised a long-held ambition with an exceptional 113cm GT after multiple previous visits to Cosmoledo.
Fred then set the season benchmark with a 124cm GT, the largest of the entire season, while his fishing partner Chris followed with a fish measuring exactly 100cm.
Charlie stole the show during his week with a beautiful 103cm fish from the white sand flats. Brian landed a superb 116cm GT, sight-fished from a pancake flat, before Tommy and Steve followed with fish of 110cm and 104cm during March.
William added a 102cm fish from the outside of the atoll, while Zachary delivered the second-largest fish of the season with a massive 122cm gangster of the flats.
Jason closed late March with a 106cm surf-zone brute, and John capped the final fortnight with an outstanding 108cm fish hooked and landed in skinny water. It was the biggest of the closing weeks, alongside Eric’s 101cm and Warren’s 104cm fish.
All in all, it was an action-packed season of GT fishing, to say the least.
Permit
Permit fishing on Cosmoledo has never been particularly popular, but this season produced the most we have ever seen, including some exceptional fish.
Ian, who almost knows the flats of the Seychelles backwards, managed to land two fish measuring 65cm during his time on the atoll, matching his tally from the previous year.
Tom raised the bar during his week by landing a magnificent 75cm Permit from a crystal-clear sand flat. Chris then stole the show with an exceptional 77cm fish at Menai Island, one of the largest Permit ever recorded on Cosmoledo.
Later in the season, two more outstanding specimens were landed. Libby brought a 68cm Permit to hand near Menai Island, while Mark matched the occasion with a 70cm fish from Wizard Bay.
Tyler, Ryan and James also got in on the season’s action, ticking their first Indo-Pacific Permit off the list.
Overall, it was a great season on the Permit front, with some truly special fish landed. It is an exceptional species to tick off the list, so congratulations to all our successful anglers.
Bonefish
The Bonefish of Cosmoledo need no introduction. Large and exceptionally strong, they give every angler a run for their money.
Fish measuring under 60cm barely register, while specimens pushing 65cm and beyond are the norm. This season upheld that remarkable standard throughout.
Rasmus set the tone with a stunning 71cm fish during the opening weeks, with Martin and Volkmar both posting solid fish alongside him.
Fred landed his first-ever Bonefish on the final morning of his week, while David Keens landed a couple of standout fish measuring more than 60cm.
Tom and Malcolm, Libby and Bob all used Bonefish to complete memorable flats slams. Roger also celebrated his very first Bonefish, while Nick landed the standout fish of the late season at 70cm.
The latter part of the season produced good numbers, including first Bonefish for Marcus, Mirabel and David.
Always present, always willing and, in the case of Cosmoledo Bonefish, most likely a personal best.
Triggerfish
Triggerfish demand everything from an angler: precise presentations, careful approaches and the nerve to fight a powerful fish away from the coral.
This season delivered both Moustache and Yellowmargin Triggerfish in fine style.
Joseph opened December with two Moustache Triggers in a single week, with his father Laurent adding a very large 54cm Yellowmargin. Michael and Andrew also celebrated their first-ever Moustache Triggerfish during the same week.
Marcus Jr. and Jack, equally no strangers to the flats, landed Triggerfish of their own despite some trying weather.
Wes finally achieved a long-awaited success after several trips to the Seychelles, landing an impressive 45cm Yellowmargin Triggerfish and ticking off a species that had eluded him for years.
Bill landed a 54cm Moustache alongside his partner Kathy, while Chris added two more. Bob completed a full flats slam featuring a Triggerfish, GT and Bonefish.
Allen landed a remarkable 61cm Moustache Triggerfish, one of the largest ever recorded on Cosmoledo, while William added both species during the same week.
Julian landed a notable 50cm Yellowmargin, and George included a Yellowmargin Triggerfish as part of his flats slam.
Trigger fishing remained technical and rewarding through to the final weeks, with Zachary, Nabil, Gheorghe, Luca, Stuart, Stephen, Eric, Warren and Marcus all connecting with and landing fish of their own.
It was a great season of Triggerfish action, and congratulations must go to all the successful anglers. Those who have targeted this species know all too well the persistence it takes to finally tick one off the list.
Milkfish
The Milkfish action on Cosmoledo has ebbed and flowed over the years, but they made a good account of themselves this season.
Ian, Ty and Donald landed Milkfish during the opening weeks, while Jacques secured the only Milkfish of the mid-season period after capitalising on a group daisy-chaining perfectly.
Rafael also brought one to hand during his week after a persistent effort.
The final few weeks came to life, with Eric, Tom and Gheorghe all landing Milkfish to round off the season.
Bonus Species
Cosmoledo’s diversity extends well beyond the flats and the main target species highlighted above, and this season was a vivid reminder of that depth.
Fishing the deeper channels and dredging offshore produced a plethora of species, including African Marble Grouper, Saddleback Grouper, Swallowtail Grouper, Potato Grouper, Bluefin Trevally and multiple Snapper species.
The Barracuda of Cosmoledo also made a real account of themselves this season. Donald set the bar with a 135cm fish during the opening weeks, Henrik added a 130cm specimen, and Gheorghe closed the season with a thrilling 120cm fish.
Dogtooth Tuna rounded out the bluewater action, with Rasmus, Henrik and Eric all landing fish. Catching one of these formidable predators on fly is a truly special achievement.
More Than a Fishing Destination
This season on Cosmoledo Atoll delivered everything this fishery is renowned for: first GTs for a remarkable number of guests, metre-plus trophies for those with the determination to pursue them, Permit of exceptional size, multiple Triggerfish, hard-fighting Milkfish, the ever-present oversized Cosmoledo Bonefish and a cast of bonus species that reinforces just how rich this ecosystem truly is.
Beyond the fishing, guests explored by snorkel, dive, kayak and on foot. They encountered Spinner Dolphins during open-water crossings, vast colonies of Red-footed, Masked and Brown Boobies across the atoll’s 16 different islands, turtles in the mangroves and nesting around camp, and spectacular sunsets over the lagoon.
Beach clean-ups and birding surveys throughout the season reflected the spirit that makes Cosmoledo something more than simply a fishing destination.
To every guest who joined us, thank you. You made the season what it was, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Cosmoledo very soon.
CONTACT US
If you would like to read more about the fantastic fishing on offer at Cosmoledo Atoll in Seychelles, you can contact our saltwater fly fishing expert Peter Collingsworth on 01603 407596 or via email at peter@sportquestholidays.com. He would be delighted to speak with you.
