Tag Archives: bahamas

Bahamas, Bonefish, fly casting, Instruction, Tactics

One Love – Learn To Cast Easy

It would be a difficult task to find a more personable and entertaining guide in the Bahamas than Tory Bevins.

Aside from his casting prowess, he’s a Raconteur of the first order.

If you find yourself on South Andros, look him up.  He works at Andros South.  If you’re fishing DIY or at another lodge, you can find him after quitting time at the small bar by Little Creek or up island at the Rust Barge.

His casting style is simple to understand and works incredibly well.  Take a few minutes to get in the groove and you’ll be slinging string like a pro.

Adventure, Bahamas, Bonefish, DIY, Explore, Travel

DIY Bonefish On Fly – Planning The Adventure

Bahamas Goombay Punch Bonefish Fly Fishing
My Thoughts Are Beginning To Wander To The Islands

One of my partners in crime recently found out that we have been granted access to a condo in the Bahamas when we want to take advantage of it.  The news sent my mind reeling with thoughts of morning tides that overtake mangrove propagules that have taken root in soft marl in the far reaches of a coastal creek.

The image of sunlight flashing from an upturned tail breaking the surface draws me like a moth to flame.

I have things that could be more productive that need to be down, yet I pour over aerial maps on Bing and Google looking for areas of promise that will soon be within reach.

To me there is nothing more rewarding than plotting a course that takes me to a new area where I think bonefish will await my unfurling loop of fly line.

The hunt is still a ways away, so for now I’ll continue to plan.

When I step into the warm salty waters somewhere within the archipelago of The Bahamas, I’ll be ready.

Adventure, Bonefish, DIY, fly fishing, Travel

Ditch The Guide – The Rewards of DIY Are Priceless

By far my favorite saltwater species to target with a fly rod is the bonefish.  Their attitude and aggressiveness, not to mention the backing exposure they deliver, are the best.

Most of the bonefish I’ve cast to have been Bahamian, though I’ve given it a go from the Florida Keys, South Caicos to  Oahu.  Most of the time its been a DIY scenario.  Despite being guided a handful of times, the most rewarding trips and best memories have been when I’ve done it on my own.

By the looks of it, these guys enjoyed a little DIY bonefish action in and around Turks & Caicos.

The next time you’re thinking about heading somewhere tropical, keep in mind DIY is rewarding and achievable.   Think of all the conch fritters and Kalik you could buy for $500 a day.

 

Adventure, Bahamas, Bonefish, DIY, fly fishing, redfish, Redneck Riviera, Travel

Bahamas Style: Redfish On Fly

Until this week, I’ve always thought there was only one place to go to enjoy wading for redfish in a place that evokes the feeling of bonefishing a Bahamas flat.  A few years ago it was the Lower Laguna Madre of Southwest Texas where I had experienced it for the first time.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore is also just such a place.  Recently I spent the better part of 3.5 hours walking the shoreline there looking for redfish in gin clear water over hard sand bottom.  The set-up is identical to what you normally see reserved for bonefish.  My timing was off, I was there on an extremely high tide, so I passed on wading and remained on the narrow ribbon of beach along the water’s edge.  Nonetheless, I saw a handful of redfish, all solitary hunters, that were plying the same shoreline.  This time they were a bit too wary of my offerings and all of the shots I took ended without a hook-up, despite a couple of promising follows.

There are literally miles of flats available.  Hard sand bottom with sparse sea grasses stretch on from horizon to horizon.

The idea of spending time on the Redneck Riviera has grown in appeal by significant digits.

For now, I’ll carry the panhandle skunk back home with me, but rest assured, I’ll return again with a sharper plan and better timing.  I love bonefishing, I love it even more when the expected gray ghost is actually a copper rocket.

Bahamas, Bonefish, Catch & Release, DIY

DIY Bahamas Bonefish Excursion

The past few weeks have been filled with days of building anticipation for the good times and fishing that is to come.  Three intrepid angling souls will pack up flies, rods and reels in just two days and retract the landing gear to head southeast into the archipelago of The Bahamas.

The unknown challenges of going it alone is the greatest appeal for “Do It Yourself” in a far flung location, but the rewards are epic when they come.

The entire experience is an adventure.  Beyond the simplicity of making a call to any of the fine bonefish lodges that dot the island nation, the search for shelter is just the beginning in a DIY adventure.  Scouring Google Maps for potential flats that will be both accessible and productive consumes hours of time as the date approaches.

For now, its back to packing and double checking gear…

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Humble Pie & An Eye To The Sky

As Spring Break drew to a close, time on the water increased and a great friend and kindred spirit from Texas joined me for a day on Mosquito Lagoon in hopes of feeding a few redfish some buck tail and feathers.  The full moon was ever present in the back of my mind as we struggled the first half of the day, literally watching fish swim past well presented flies without the first hint of interest in them.  It wasn’t a matter of fly choice or tactics in getting them to eat, it was just the funky psyche of the locals that had us resigned to laughing at the snubs one after another.  One fly literally passed over the fish’s nose and brushed across his eye without so much as a flinch.

The days that followed saw a bit more of an agreeable personality emerge in the fish, perhaps due to the lunar phase moving further past the full moon.

Despite the improved attitude being offered, a handful of feeds resulted in no fish to hand as missed hook sets pushed their way to the forefront, stymieing the goal of giving short skiff rides to a select few reds.

You know its getting hopeless when you feed a fish twice, only to pull the fly from the jaws of success both times.

Its times like these where you chuckle at the notion of bonefish being spooky devils.  Bones are a joy.  Pure unadulterated bliss.

In just over a month and a half my next DIY bonefish adventure will go wheels up.  In the meantime, I’ll keep shoveling more humble pie into my beer hole.

 

The last time we were dropping dimes:

 

 

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The Wind Was Blowing at 25 MPH…

There are lots of reports surfacing on Social Media that include pictures of sports hoisting up a fish for the camera that make claims of success in extremely high winds.  A lot of the time, its just not rooted in fact.  Thats not to say the guide or angler making the post is overtly being deceptive in their claims of success in less than desirable conditions, more often than not, its simply an inability to accurately estimate wind speeds on the water.

The next time you are on the water,  you might find the following chart to be of use as an aid to better estimate the conditions you’re experiencing.  Make note of your estimate and the time and check it against the hourly wind data at the closest airport weather station on the National Weather Service’s website.  You’ll be surprised at first, but over time you’ll become very accurate.

Guide To Estimating Wind Speed Over Land & Water

Terms used by US
Weather Service		 Velocity (mph) Estimating Velocities
on land		 Estimating Velocities
on Sea
Calm less than 1 Smoke rises vertically Sea like a mirror Check your glassy
water technique before
water flying under
these conditions
Light air 1 – 3 Smoke drifts; wind
vanes unmoved		 Ripples with the
appearance of scales
are formed but without
foam crests
Light breeze 4 – 7 Wind felt on face;
leaves rustle; ordinary
wind vane moves by
wind		 Small wavelets, still
short but more pronounced;
crests have a
glassy appearance and
do not break
Large wavelets; crests
Gentle Breeze 8 – 12 Leaves and small
twigs in constant
motion; wind extends
light flag		 Large wavelets; crests
begin to break. Foam
of glassy appearance,
perhaps scattered
whitecaps		 Ideal water flying
characteristics in protected
water
Moderate Breeze 13 – 18 Dust and loose paper
raised; small branches
are moved		 Small waves, becoming
longer; fairly frequent
whitecaps
Fresh Breeze 19 – 24 Small trees in leaf
begin to sway; crested
wavelets form in
inland water		 Moderate waves; taking
a more pronounced
long form; many
whitecaps are formed,
chance of some spray		 This is considered
rough water for seaplanes
and small
amphibians, especially
in open water
Strong Breeze 25 – 31 Large branches in
motion; whistling
heard in telegraph
wires; umbrellas used
with difficulty		 Large waves begin to
form; white foam
crests are more extensive
everywhere, probably
some spray
Moderate Gale 32 – 38 Whole trees in motion;
inconvenience felt in
walking against the
wind		 Sea heaps up and white
foam from breaking
waves begins to be
blown in streaks along
the direction of the
wind		 This type of water condition
is for emergency
only in small aircraft in
inland waters and for
the expert pilot