By Scotty Kyle

If your ideas of paradise include warm, crystal-clear waters, where you can put your skills to test against some of the biggest, most elusive, hard-fighting and striking-looking fish, on the background of stunning vistas and long sandy beaches with drooping palm trees, with excellent food and accommodation, surrounded by colourfully clothed, diverse, friendly people – then Mauritius must be on your bucket list. 

Basic Facts about Mauritius

Mauritius is a group of islands situated east of Madagascar and about 2 000 km (1 100 nautical miles) east of the African continent. The main island, called Mauritius, is about 790 square miles, and there are several clusters of islands of different sizes in the region – the nearby Reunion Island is managed as a French overseas department and the Seychelles islands are an independent republic. 

The islands of Mauritius are independent, African in nature, mostly Indian by population, their economy is described as robust and dynamic, and their democracy and infrastructure are generally applauded as among the most functional in the African region. 

The human population, of under 1.5 million, is concentrated on the main island with smaller numbers of people on Rodrigues and Saint Brandon Islands. While English is spoken by many people, the main language is Creole, which has its origins in the French language, and French is also widely spoken. Unlike most countries in the region, Hindu is the dominant religion followed by Christianity. 

Getting to Mauritius is not too difficult or expensive with direct flights from several major European cities as well as India. Direct short flights are available from Nairobi in Kenya and Johannesburg in South Africa, with flight times of as little as 4 hours.

Fishing in Mauritius

Mauritius is little known and less understood by the vast majority of sport anglers and remains one of the best-kept secrets in the tropical marine angling world. Despite this, Mauritius already offers some amazing fishing opportunities for offshore and inshore fishing for marlin, sailfish, GT’s, barracudas, bonefish plus a whole host of tropical reef fish. 

The archipelago offers a wide variety of boat-based and shore fishing on the main island or staying on magnificent smaller islands or island hopping the myriad of tiny islands and shoals around the region.There are many excellent, well organised, efficient operators and guides who can safely, comfortably and rapidly get you to where large, naïve fish can still be found, caught and photographed.

Inshore Fishing in Mauritius

Shore fishing around the main island is limited as some inshore waters are heavily fished and large game fish are often scarce and difficult to catch. Despite this, some of the local fishing charters and operators offer excellent shore-based fishing, especially for the fly-fishing enthusiasts and those who enjoy using medium-tackle artificial spinning equipment. 

The main island is densely populated and developed but, with over 150 miles of amazing, white sandy beaches, there are still localities where the shore fishing is well worth a try. Much better inshore fishing opportunities can be found on the smaller islands, with St. Brandon, situated about 300 miles from Mauritius Island, regarded as one of the best bone-fishing destinations in the world.

Reef Fishing

The islands were created by volcanic action, and most are now almost completely surrounded by coral reefs – the one around Mauritius Island being the third largest in the world. Fishing these reefs can be spectacular in terms of scenery as well as fish caught.  

Flats Fishing

The ultimate fishing experience in Mauritius is, however, fly-fishing for bonefish on the sand flats around islands such as St. Brandon. There are no rivers for thousands of miles and so the water is always crystal-clear and, as this is near the equator, the tidal range is not very great.  Stalking and sight-fishing for bonefish is a very exciting and specialised activity, with many enthusiasts, but shore-based fishing in Mauritius is not limited to bonefish.

Tips and Techniques for Inshore Fishing in Mauritius

Prowling the sandflats and rocky and coral outcrops around many of the islands can provide extremely exciting fly or light tackle spinning experiences. Beyond bonefish there are a wide variety of hard-fighting and potentially large target species including giant, bluefin, greenspot and other trevallies, as well as barracudas and Indo-Pacific permit. 

Sight-fishing in the open, shallow bays and sandflats must be one of the most exhilarating ways to fish anywhere. Wearing polarised glasses in the shallows allows the angler to sneak around looking for individual fish, spot one and proceed to try and approach within casting distance. Most of the target species are, unfortunately, extremely easily “spooked”, alert and can disappear in a flash of silver if a threat is detected. 

However, with good equipment and an experienced guide, you can try to select a particular promising fish and “stalk” it to casting distance. With some species, such as most trevallies, it is possible to approach the fish and then cast close enough to it that the fish will, hopefully, turn and grab the fly or lure. Fishing for bonefish tends to be delicate and requires the angler to work out the direction in which the fish is moving and then, carefully and gently, cast a short distance in front of it. 

With this kind of fishing, hooking the fish is only the first step and then the real tussle begins. Bonefish are not particularly “dirty” fighters but are extremely strong and determined and will often undertake several long, hard runs well onto the backing, before tiring a little and letting some line be recovered. A thin tippet can assist in hooking a bonefish, as they usually frequent more open waters and rarely head for structure. 

Trevallys, and the giant trevally is renowned for this, are extremely dirty and strong fighters and, after being hooked, will usually make a bee-line for the worst structure in the area. A strong tippet and heavier tackle is essential to prevent these fish reaching cover or the fish will probably be lost. It seems that these fish have a built-in map of the structures around them, but the first run is usually the strongest and, if this can be held, the fish can hopefully be guided to open areas. 

Offshore Fishing in Mauritius

For many anglers, Mauritius fishing is all about bonefish and stalking fish in the shallows but, for others, it is about offshore fishing for fabled massive marlin, tuna, sailfish, wahoo, and other species. 

Boat-based fishing in Mauritius is well organised, generally highly regarded, very diverse and there are many operators addressing the needs and wishes of all types of sport angler. Trips can be anything from a couple of hours to several days of idyllic cruising through the diverse islands. They can be in powerful, fast launches that get you to the best spots rapidly or gentle sailing boats that glide effortlessly through the water. 

Some target the “big-game” fish while others advertise the “small-gamefish” and there are those that specialise in getting fly anglers to the best opportunities while others troll endlessly with powerful equipment waiting for a giant marlin to strike. Some offer ultimate luxury, with five-star foods and drink, while others get you to the best spots efficiently, adequately and affordably. 

Fishing Charters in Mauritius

The main categories of boat fishing are day-charters, overnight trips and extended trips through the islands or far offshore. There are also charters that drop you at lodges on other islands for a few days. 

Half-day and full-day charters are offered by many of the operators from most of the small harbours on Mauritius Island and cater for casual anglers or family visits where not everyone is a fishing fanatic. These trips can be an excellent way to carry out a “recce” with the family to see what is available and prepare for a more serious follow-up trip.

They usually target the smaller game fish or tap into the excellent reef fishing available at certain spots around the island. They can also cater for aspects like jigging and dropshot fishing which can yield spectacular results along and outside the reefs.

While they can be productive and exciting, these trips are similar to those available at many other tropical island destinations. Equipment is usually supplied, and the guides or captains can take you directly to the most promising areas. Forward booking is not always essential but, if possible, should be done. 

Overnight trips from Mauritius Island get you further from the land to where the fish are generally bigger and most of this fishing is trolling lures or bait for the pelagic migrant fish such as marlin, sailfish, spearfish and tuna. The heavy tackle equipment is specialised, expensive and specific and, unless you already have your own outfits, it is best to use that available from the operators.  

For trolling, jigging and spinning with plastic lures, day trips can usually suffice to get you to good fishing areas, but much of the best shore-based fishing is located on islands often hundreds of miles from Mauritius Island. For this you need a boat with overnight capacity or a fast boat to get you to one of the remote island lodges.

How to Find a Perfect Fishing Adventure in Mauritius 

Generally, the best time of year for fishing in Mauritius is the warmer summer months with a core period from December to April. The season is important for many of the shore-based species and particularly bonefish. Generally, however, the day-trip species, such as billfish, bottom fish and pelagics, may be caught through the year but they may be more abundant or more keen to feed during the summer months.

The outfits and operators are the best sources for detailed information and, while there are general rules for guidance, these people can advise you on the specifics that will optimise your chances of fishing success. They can help refine and finalise your choices of timing, locality and fishing method. 

Mauritius is far removed from most anglers’ home bases, and it is not always easy to find people who have already fished there. It is thus worthwhile investing time and thought in the planning and fine-tuning of a fishing trip to Mauritius to allow you to draw up and enjoy a world-class fishing experience.

The best approach is to take your time to research, establish exactly what experience you want, and then plan accordingly. Leaving things to the last minute is never a good thing. Online marketplaces like BaitYourHook.com are a very efficient way to find your trips, as they make it easy to compare and contrast offers, and filter your search according to what is important to you. The operators have been “vetted” by the platform, and genuine client’s reviews help you make the ultimate choice. 

Some of the world’s top fishing destinations are in cold, harsh, rugged and extremely remote areas, but Mauritius is most people’s idea of a tropical island paradise. To be able to experience some of the best bonefish, billfish, trevally and other spectacular fishing in such a benign, comfortable and relaxed location must make Mauritius an absolute priority for anyone who enjoys tropical marine game fishing at its best. 

Next in Fishing in Africa

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By Scotty Kyle

Situated on the south-west coast of Africa, Namibia is generally “off the beaten track” in terms of international tourism but, with wide-open spaces, a relatively small population, unique National Parks and excellent infrastructure, it fits the definition of “best-kept secret”. The country is very dry, with extensive deserts and rugged mountains, but Namibia has much to offer the world in terms of minerals, agricultural resources, African tourism experiences and, as we will explore, some exceptional fishing. CONTINUE READING

Previously in Fishing in Africa:

Fishing in Kenya: What you need to know

By Scotty Kyle

Kenya is an East African country situated on the Indian Ocean south of Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan, east of Uganda and north of Tanzania. To many people it typifies the Africa of myth and legend in that it is famous for its natural reserves with wide open areas teeming with massive herds of wildlife. It is in most ways a dream African destination, promoted as such by many great writers up to Ernest Hemingway. CONTINUE READING