The best time to fish Eleuthera, month by month
When to come for bonefish, when the mahi and wahoo run, and what the weather does each month.
By Captain Shaw Underwood · Updated September 2026
Read what guests say about their day on the water, and leave a note of your own after yours.
Month by month
| Month | Bonefish | Reef | Offshore | Weather and crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Good; fish shallow midday after cold nights | Good | Wahoo | Fronts every week or so bring wind for a day or two; busy |
| February | Good; same pattern | Good (Nassau grouper closed) | Wahoo | Coolest month; busy |
| March | Very good; warming water, big fish on the flats | Very good | Wahoo tailing off, first mahi | Breezy; busiest month |
| April | Excellent | Excellent | Mahi starting | Wind easing; busy through Easter |
| May | Excellent; long calm days | Excellent | Mahi, tuna | Calm and warm; crowds thin |
| June | Very good early and late | Excellent | Mahi, tuna | Hot, calm, quiet; best water clarity |
| July | Good early and late | Very good | Mahi tailing off | Hot; afternoon storms; quiet |
| August | Good at dawn; hot | Good; lobster opens August 1 | Slow | Hottest; watch the tropics |
| September | Fishable but the storm month | Good | Slow | Peak hurricane risk; many places close |
| October | Very good as it cools; empty flats | Very good | First wahoo late month | Storm risk fading; quiet |
| November | Excellent | Excellent | Wahoo | Fronts begin; Thanksgiving busy |
| December | Very good | Very good (Nassau grouper closes December 1) | Wahoo | Fronts; Christmas and New Year very busy |
A guide, not a promise. The fish do not read calendars, and a front can move everything by a week.
Tides and the flats
Bonefish follow the tide. On a rising tide they push up onto the flats and into the mangroves to feed; on a falling tide they slide back to the edges and the channels. The best fishing is usually the last of the rise and the first of the fall, and the worst is dead low on a bright, still day when the flats are empty and the fish are deep. I plan every day around the tide table, which is why pickup times move. The tide charts page has the current table for Spanish Wells and Harbour Island.
Wind
Wind is what cancels flats days, not rain. Fifteen knots is fishable with a good caster; twenty is hard; twenty-five and we fish the reef in the lee instead. Winter fronts blow for a day or two and then it goes calm and beautiful. Summer is calm most days with a sea breeze by afternoon.
Hurricane season, honestly
June through November on paper. In practice, June and July are usually fine, late August through October is when I would not book a trip I could not move, and November is normally settled. If a storm is forecast I will tell you as early as I know, and the weather policy on the trip options page covers it.
What to pack by season
Winter: a light jacket for the morning run, long pants for the boat, sun shirt, polarized glasses. Summer: sun shirt, buff, hat, water shoes, more sunscreen than you think, and a rain shell for the afternoon squall. Always: polarized sunglasses. You cannot see bonefish without them.
Questions people ask
What is the best month to bonefish in the Bahamas?
March through May and October through November are the most consistent on the Eleuthera flats. Any month can be good; wind is the variable.
Can you fish Eleuthera in the summer?
Yes. Early mornings and late afternoons fish well, the flats are empty, and the reef is excellent. It is hot in the middle of the day.
When is wahoo season in the Bahamas?
Roughly November through March off Eleuthera.
When is mahi season?
Spring into summer, roughly April through July.
Is hurricane season a bad time to visit Eleuthera?
June and July are usually fine. Late August through October carries real risk and many businesses close. November is normally settled.
Does the tide matter for bonefishing?
It decides the day. The last of the rising tide and the first of the fall are best, which is why pickup times change with the tide table.
Request your dates
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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.
