Cameron Musgrave

Being fortunate to have grown up on the Eastern coastline of South Africa, I was exposed to the sea and saltwater fishing form as early as I can remember. However, I had to wait until my 11th birthday before my parents bought me my first fly rod and reel. A Shakespeare 5-6 weight Combo set. The base of the rod was as thick as my forearm and it came with 6 aluminous Wooly Buggers.

After completing my studies in Scotland I desperately needed to get the salt water running through my veins again. I promptly took up a position in Mozambique as a Bluewater Captain mostly targeting Sailfish and fishing shallow reefs with poppers or sinking lines. From there I moved to the Seychelles. In 2010 I joined the Flycastaway team and completed a season out on a Farquhar. In 2011 I joined the Alphonse Fishing Company. Firstly based out of Desroches, Poivre and St Joseph’s Islands. Moving then onto Alphonse. In 2013 the Atove and Cosmoledo adventure began for me. From then on I’ve had the privilege of largely heading up and managing those two fisheries.

One of the biggest ongoing highlights of my career is all the wonderful people and friends I’ve met and made along the way. Through them, I have been fortunate and lucky enough to have fished around the world and caught some incredible fish.

From a fishing perspective, chasing GTs is what gets me going (although Permit will always make my knees weak). Walking the surf zone and spotting a GT in the waves and white water or hunting them in shallows as they cruise along with rays is the ultimate. To see such an apex predator react with such deadly intentions towards a fly is mind-blowing.

Like every full-time guide on the planet, we get exposed to all the tackle options out there on a regular basis. Having a reel that is reliable is crucial. Mako delivers that. With its unsurpassed drag system, it will be able to stop any fish. I particularly like the big drag nob and the fact that it goes from completely loose drag to lock down in a 359-degree turn.

Working on these remote and pristine Atolls, it’s hard not to take up photography, and so over the years, taking photos has become a passion of mine along with conservation of these fisheries. I have a wonderful view from my office every day and landing a fish is sometimes just an added bonus.