Nassau and Eleuthera in Feb/Mar

[qacwac]

Hey, Everybody. Haven't been on here much lately because I haven't been fishing, tying, or rod building at all. Who knew a 2 year old and a newborn could be so demanding? Not that I'm complaining, they are fantastic, but everything else has taken a back seat. Fortunately, my wife has a conference in the Bahamas at the end of February and we are going to stay an extra week so I can fish. The conference is in Nassau, which from what I understand has hardly any flats fishing, but we’ll only be there for the weekend and then thinking about going to Eleuthera after the conference for the fishing. I've been scouring the forum and web for info and have figured out a bunch of stuff, but wanted to start a thread make it "official".

I'm mainly a DIY kind of guy, but not opposed to hiring a guide for a day if it is really necessary. I am a total newbie when it comes to bonefishing and saltwater fishing in general. I just got in the mail Chico Fernandez's book FlyFishing for Bonefish and Rod Hamilton's book Do It Yourself Bonefishing. I've got 2 8 weight rods and a 9 weight that I’ll be bringing along with lines and reels. We arrive Feb 27th and fly back out March 6th. Obviously, my wife will be with me, but so long as it’s not a desolate island she’ll be fine.

So I'd appreciate any advice or pointers or thoughts regarding my plans. Any must have flies. Any flats way out of the way that perhaps don’t get hit as hard. Coming from a backpacking fishing background, I’d much rather hike 10 miles to a flat that has easier fish than drive to one where they are educated. What is the etiquette on a flat? How much room do you give fellow anglers? I may ask some more specific questions of anyone who responds. Feel free to send me a PM and look for my trip report when I get back.

 

[okiekev]

Nothing like bonefishing, especially DIY. I bet this will be echoed many times but if you have never done any flats fishing, a guide for at least one day will pay dividends. There are many components to getting a bonefish to hand..
- where to go
- understanding local tides
- learning to see fish (there are entire books written on this topic)
- feeding the fish (stripping methods etc)

... and so much more. Eleuthera has a ton of places you can DIY. I will be in Harbour Island for Presidents’ Day. The fish there get fished hard and are very spooky and tough to catch. The flats further down south on Eleuthera should be comparatively easier, but a day with a guide would still be beneficial.

Think of a day of guided saltwater fishing more in the respect of an investment in education versus fishing. Every bonefish is unique and You will learn as much in one day with a good guide as you would in any book.

 

[okiekev]

I got distracted on my diatribe of using a guide... but once on Eleuthera you can likely rent a car and stop off at any flat you find to see some fish. That island is roughly 100 miles long and obviously the further you get from North Eleuthera, the more isolated you will be other than one town about 2/3 down the highway. Figure out the tides and try to be fishing as the tide is starting to rise. The fish will be pushing up looking for food. A #4 gotcha or mantis shrimp should do the trick. These fish seem to like rubber legs and maybe a small crab as well. Most of the flats there are relatively clean so light colored flies are good and weed guards are usually needed. If your wife likes laying on the beach or combing for shells, starfish, and the like, most flats will accommodate those needs. My wife can pack a towel and a book and be perfectly happy. Hope this helps a bit, and let me know if you have any specific questions.

Oh and did I mention... hire a guide for a day. HaHa!

 

[flyminded]

This info is a few years old ...but I have diy’d on Eleuthera and loved it.

Stayed in Governors Harbor, which is about mid Island, making travel north and south reasonably easy. The road is 2 lane down the middle of the island and not in good repair. There is a small farm just south of Governors where you can buy fresh veggies. The locals bring fresh catch of day in at the boat ramp for sale (cash), on the days they go out, around 4.30pm (ish).

Local car hire company I used was cash ...the owner came by the place I was staying 3 days after I picked the car up at the airport, the keys were left on the drivers seat.

Further south you go the less pressured the flats is the simple rule. Some beautiful flats, and beaches if your partner is not so inclined to fish. Saw very few other Anglers.

One last thing you might want to check on, I don’t know the current status, but I do know a large number of people evacuated from Abaco to Eleuthera post Hurricane Dorian.