Bonefishing and fly fishing in Spanish Wells, Harbour Island and Eleuthera
Unpressured fish, short runs, and a guide who knows which flat is right this morning.
Read what guests say about their day on the water, and leave a note of your own after yours.
The flats
Open, hard-bottom flats where the water is a foot deep and clear enough to see a fish at eighty feet. This is classic sight fishing. I pole, you stand on the bow, and when we see them coming the cast has to be right the first time. On a good tide we can work a single flat for two hours and never see another boat.
The mangroves
On the rising tide the bonefish push into the mangroves to feed, and the fishing changes completely. It is close, quiet, and the fish are in the roots. Short casts, a soft landing, and a lot of patience. Some of the biggest fish I see all year are in here.
The turtle grass
Grass flats are darker and harder to read, and that is where a local guide earns the day. You learn to see a tail, a nervous wake, a shadow that moves the wrong way. When the wind is up and the open flats are hard, the grass often saves the day.
What a day looks like.
Fly or spin, and what to bring.
Fly
An eight weight is the rod for these fish, with a floating line and a nine to twelve foot leader down to twelve pound tippet. Bring a small box of the usual bonefish patterns in tan and pink, sizes four to eight, with a few weighted for the deeper edges. If you do not have gear, tell me and I will have a rod on the boat.
Spin
A light spinning rod with ten to twelve pound braid and a fluorocarbon leader is all you need. I have rods and jigs on the boat and plenty of bait. Spin anglers catch a lot of bonefish here, and it is the right way to start if you have never done this.
Bring
Polarized sunglasses (you cannot fish these flats without them), a long-sleeve sun shirt, a hat with a brim, reef-safe sunscreen, flats boots or old sneakers if you want to wade, and a light rain jacket in the winter months. I bring the water, ice and a cooler. Lunch is on you for a half day and I can arrange it for a full day.
Other fish you may see
Bonefish are released. If you want fish to eat, add a reef stop on the way home.
First cast or fortieth.
First time on the flats
You will catch a bonefish. I will teach you to see them, and if the fly rod is fighting you we switch to spin and get one in your hands, then go back to the fly.
Experienced angler
Tell me what you want. Big singles on the open flats, numbers in the mangroves, or a shot at a double-digit fish. I will fish the water that gives you the best odds that day.
Multi-day trophy hunt
Three or more days lets us fish different tides and different water and wait for the right conditions for the big fish. Ask about multi-day trips.
Bonefish are here all year.
October through May is the classic season: cooler water, fish on the flats all day, and the most consistent weather. Summer is hotter and the fish move deeper in the middle of the day, so we fish early and late, and it is also when the flats are emptiest and the big fish are least bothered. Winter fronts bring wind for a day or two at a time; when the flats are unfishable the reef almost always is, and I will tell you the night before.
Trip options and what is included.
Where we meet you.
Questions people ask before a bonefishing day
Do I need experience to go bonefishing?
No. Most first-timers catch a bonefish on their first day here. I teach you to see the fish and make the cast, and we can use spinning tackle until you are ready for the fly rod.
Do you provide rods and tackle?
Yes. Fly and spinning rods, flies, jigs and bait are on the boat. Bring your own if you prefer; an eight weight is the right fly rod.
How many anglers fit on the boat?
Two anglers fish at a time. A third person can ride along to watch or take photos. For groups who want to fish together, book two days or ask about a second boat.
What months are best?
October through May is the most consistent. Summer fishing is very good early and late in the day and the flats are at their emptiest.
How big are the bonefish?
They average four to six pounds here, and fish over ten pounds are caught every season. Nobody can promise a size on a given day, but the water is not pressured and the average is high.
Is it catch and release?
Yes, all bonefish are released. If you want fish for dinner, we add a reef stop.
Can my partner or kids come along if they are not fishing?
Yes. Many couples do a half day of bonefishing and a half day at the sandbar. Tell me who is coming and I will build the day.
Where do you pick us up?
At the Spanish Wells dock or at Gene’s Bay on North Eleuthera, ten minutes from the airport. From Harbour Island, take the water taxi to Three Island Dock and a short taxi to Gene’s Bay; by boat it is fourteen miles on the ocean side and usually rough. From Governor’s Harbour, it is a little over an hour’s drive north to Gene’s Bay. Most runs to the flats are under twenty minutes.
What is bonefishing?
Bonefishing is sight fishing for bonefish, a fast, wary silver fish that feeds in ankle to knee deep water on sand and grass flats. You stand on the bow or wade, the guide spots the fish, and you cast a fly or a small jig ahead of it. It is fishing by eye, not by waiting. Hooked bonefish run a hundred yards in seconds, which is why anglers travel to the Bahamas for them.
Can you eat bonefish?
You can, but almost nobody does. Bonefish are full of fine bones and are far more valuable alive on the flat than on a plate. We release every bonefish. If you want fish for dinner, add a couple of hours on the reef for yellowtail and snapper, or book a reef and deep sea day.
How much does a bonefishing guide cost in the Bahamas?
It depends on the length of the day and how many days you fish. Guided bonefishing is priced per boat rather than per angler, with two anglers sharing the boat, and rods, tackle, ice and water are included. Message us your dates and we will send you a quote.
From the flats.
Cowboy Sam always rockin` it.
Yeah Bey..........
What a Catch, sometimes You just gotta ENJOY the Moment.......
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What a Catch. Way to go Dave
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The MAN.........
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On the Prowl.....
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Don`t Get Better than This !!!!!!
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Wahoo Time
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Request your dates
I reply within a few hours, island time. No deposit until we have agreed the day.
Let’s get you on the water.
Tell me your dates, who is coming and where you are staying. I will reply within a few hours with a plan and a price.
