Alphonse Island tide times

The St. François lagoon flat becomes fishable only when there is enough water over the grass and sand to allow fish to move onto it, but not so much that the fish disperse widely and become difficult to locate. This window corresponds to roughly two to three hours either side of high water on spring tides, and to a slightly different window on neap tides when the range is smaller and the flat does not fully expose or flood in the same way. Spring tides produce the most dramatic flat exposure and the most concentrated fish movement; the two to three days around spring tide each fortnight are considered peak fishing days at Alphonse. The guides here plan every day's fishing around the published tide tables.

Indo-Pacific permit (Trachinotus blochii) at Alphonse are encountered on the flat in small groups or singles, typically tailing in ankle-to-knee-deep water over sand and grass. They are cautious fish in very clear water — a cast that lands more than a metre from the fish's head often goes ignored; a cast that lands too close spooks them. Presentation needs to be accurate and the fly must be in the fish's sight cone. Success rates are low relative to bonefish, but Alphonse has a high enough encounter rate to make permit a realistic target on most spring-tide days. The guides carry a range of crab patterns and maintain detailed records of which patterns have produced at which tide states.

The resort operates scheduled light aircraft transfers from Mahé (Seychelles International Airport) to the Alphonse airstrip. The flight takes approximately 90 minutes. Transfer is managed entirely through the resort booking; independent arrival is not possible since the island is resort-only. Flights run on set days aligned with guest arrival and departure schedules, typically twice weekly. All accommodation on Alphonse is at the single resort property; there is no other accommodation on the island and no day-visitor access.

Casting ability matters. Bonefish, permit, and triggerfish on the flat are all pursued by sight — you see the fish and cast to it, often at distance and in wind. A functional cast of 15 to 18 metres in a 15-knot crosswind is the practical minimum for meaningful flat fishing. Guests who arrive without prior saltwater experience can be coached during the first day by the resort's guides, but the learning curve is steep when the quarry is the variable rather than a static target. Offshore fishing for trevally in the passes is less technically demanding and is available to guests of any casting level. The resort can advise on casting clinics before arrival.

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nest on Alphonse Island's beaches primarily between October and April, with peak nesting activity in November and December. The resort operates a turtle monitoring programme; staff record nests and protect them from disturbance. Hatching typically occurs 50 to 60 days after laying, meaning hatchlings emerge from January through March. Night observation of nesting turtles can be arranged through the resort naturalist on a case-by-case basis — the aim is to observe without disturbing the nesting process.