Fishing in Baie Sainte Anne

Nestled on the eastern shore of Praslin Island, the second largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, Baie Sainte Anne is a picture-perfect village known for its lush jungle backdrops, white-sand beaches, and crystalline waters. It’s also the island’s main ferry port and a strategic base for exploring the nearby Curieuse Marine National Park and the famous Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve. While most visitors come for snorkeling, hiking, or honeymooning, Baie Sainte Anne is also a superb launch point for world-class saltwater fishing. Located in the heart of the Inner Islands, the area offers a diverse marine environment—calm protected waters, coral reefs, and sudden drop-offs that lead into the open Indian Ocean. Unlike more remote outer atolls or the busier fisheries around Mahé, Baie Sainte Anne delivers a balanced mix of accessibility and wildness, with fewer crowds, friendly local operators, and short rides to fish-rich zones.

Fishing around Baie Sainte Anne ranges from offshore trolling for pelagics to bottom fishing over reefs, light tackle casting, and even fly fishing in sheltered lagoons. Most charters depart from Baie Sainte Anne Marina, offering trips that can last anywhere from two hours to a full day. Thanks to the quick drop-off in seabed depth, productive bluewater grounds are just a few nautical miles offshore. Protected waters between Praslin, Curieuse, and La Digue islands are ideal for family-friendly river fishing and light tackle trips. The combination of shallow coral flats, rocky outcrops, and deep channels within a compact zone makes this one of the most versatile fishing spots in the Inner Seychelles.

The waters off Baie Sainte Anne are rich in Indian Ocean gamefish. Offshore, anglers can target sailfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi (dorado), bonito, and the occasional blue or black marlin. These species are most active during the northeast monsoon (October to April), when sea conditions are calmest and migratory pelagics move through the area. Closer to shore, coral reefs and rock outcroppings are home to red snapper, grouper (jobfish, coral trout), emperor fish, trevally, barracuda, and triggerfish. The region is also one of the best places in the Seychelles to target giant trevally (GT)—a ferocious inshore predator that smashes poppers and stickbaits in explosive fashion. Fly and light tackle anglers can also find bonefish, parrotfish, and various wrasses on calm, clear-water flats.

Trolling with artificial lures, rigged baits, and teasers is the primary method for offshore targets like sailfish, tuna, and wahoo. With deep sea so close to shore, anglers can spend less time cruising and more time fishing, even on half-day trips. Bottom fishing over reefs with cut bait, squid, or jigs is highly productive and a great option for families or mixed-skill groups. Popper casting and stickbaiting are popular among sport anglers targeting GTs and other reef predators near rocky coastlines and drop-offs. fly fishing is possible in protected shallows and flats for bonefish, small trevally, and reef species, though conditions can be wind-sensitive. Local guides know how to tailor trips based on tides, weather, and your fishing style—whether that’s active casting or relaxed rod-and-reel fun.