VISIT
THE ISLANDS

The Bahamas -
An Overview

Andros Island

The Abacos

Grand Bahama - Freeport

The Exumas

Long Island

Bimini and Berry Islands

New Providence -
Nassau

Eleuthera - Spanish Wells - Harbour Islands

Cat Island

Crooked and Acklins Islands

Mayaguana - Great Inagua - Ragged Islands

San Salvador - Rum Cay - Conception Islands

NEW Turks & Caicos Islands

THE EXUMAS

Island News:

We have received excellent reports about service and accommodations at Coral Gardens Bed & Breakfast. Owners Betty and Peter Oxley provide a homey stay with fine hospitality and a value price.

YOU CAN BOOK DIRECTLY WITH THE BEST INDEPENDENT GUIDES ON EXUMA - Garth Thompson, Reno Rolle, Drex Rolle, Trevor Bethel, and others. Click on the ExumaBonefishing link below.

Choices of accommodations include: Club Peace & Plenty, Master Harbour Villas, Regatta Point, Two Turtles Inn (The Inn is now re-opened, and once again is a hot spot for Friday night fun), Coconut Cove, Minns Cottages, Palm Bay Resort, and others. These accommodations range in price and style from expensive to cheap/casual/comfortable. Most properties are on the water or beach. To book Garth and the other guides at ExumaBonefishing visit their web site by clicking on the link below. You will be able to see photos of each guide, learn about their history, and e-mail them with the dates you would like to fish. They'll get right back to you with availability. Visit their site at Exuma Bonefishing.

Also, Exuma Bonefishing now has a newsletter. You can sign up to receive their newsletter by emailing Angie@ExumaBonefish.com -- Stephen and Kim recommend the lodge options shown below.

Regatta Point is a convenient spot for serious anglers, couples or families with non-anglers. The six apartments sit right on Elizabeth Harbour and offer a private swimming and snorkeling beach. You're just a minute's walk from George Town, and you can rent a boat and keep it right in front of your place. The apartments are nicely furnished, feature full kitchens, ceiling fans, private verandahs and spectacular views, plus daily maid service. One bedroom units cost $126-$144 per night May 1 to December 14, and $158-$172 per night December 15-April 30. Two bedroom units cost $182 per night May 1 to December 14, and $228 per night December 15-April 30. Bahamian tax is additional.

Master Harbour Villas is located three miles south of George Town, on a beautiful expansive beach. The new air-conditioned villas (4 total villas-one one bedroom, two two bedrooms, one four bedroom) are nicely furnished, feature full kitchens, washer, AC, outdoor grills, and nice porches to sit outside and relax. Bonefish flats are within walking distance. We recommend you rent a car if you stay here. Boat rental are available, and a 100-foot dock is available for your use. One bedroom Villa is $150 per night, $900 per week. Two bedroom Villa is $200 per night, $1,200 per week. The four bedroom Villa is $350 per night, $2,100 per week. All rates include Bahamian taxes.

Palm Bay Beach Club - This new ownership resort is mostly completed just north of Coconut Cove and the Peace & Plenty Beach Inn. Kim visited the Club and reports that this place is charming, with adorable cottages near the water. Landscaping is looking good and the restaurant is open. We've just been told that the second phase of cottages has been completed and that Phase III has started.

Eddie's Edgewater - One of the best local bar/restaurants on the island, located on the "pond" in George Town. They serve delicious fresh seafood and are famous for their Monday night "Rake 'n Scrape".

Crab Cay - This new development is under construction. Plans call for a gated community of luxury estate homes on the lush, private 200-acre island that is between other small islands. Constructions plans also include 2-bedroom duplexes, a state-of-the-art marina, and a large outdoor acquarium. There is disucssion about building a bridge from Great Exuma to the island.

FLATS FISHING PATTERNS: Fishing the southern Bahamas, including Exuma, is a way to play the odds against tricky weather patterns, and in the spring, summer and fall the weather is almost always gorgeous. March through July and October through November are prime months, with December through February having a good chance of nice weather. While windy conditions have prevailed throughout most of the Bahamas this winter, you can always find some good lees to fish in the Exumas.

January 27, 2008 Fishing Reports

Great Exuma and Little Exuma - The most established bonefishing operation is Peace & Plenty Beach Inn or the Bonefish Lodge. The P&P guides work out of Florida Flats skiffs, and each guide is assigned to a region of the island, which means the guides really know the water they fish well. Anglers fishing the north end of Great Exuma will fish with a specialist in that area, and the same for any other area. The P&P guides are also good instructors, so we recommend this location for beginning anglers. There are miles of white sand flats that are easily wadable in the area, so even during bad weather anglers can sight-cast to good numbers of bones. Year in and year out, Exuma offers some of the best wade fishing in the Bahamas.

A #6 Greg's Flats fly is one of our favorites all over Exuma. Other favorites include #4-8 Gotchas, #4-6 Pink Hoovers, #4-6 Beck's Sililegs, #4-8 Veverka's Mantis Shrimp, and #6 Pink or Tan Bone Wigglers. For really picky fish, especially on the highly pressured airport flats, we like a #6-8 Pink/Pearl or Tan/Pearl Darting Coral Shrimp. Anglers who want to fish on their own will also have good opportunities while staying at one of the P&P properties, or by staying at Coconut Cove, or on Stocking Island at Higgins Landing. The best on-your-own wading opportunities are available by renting a boat from Exuma Docking Services or Exuma Dive Centre in George Town.

REEF/OFFSHORE: Decent action for wahoo and some tuan and dorado. Our favorite reef and offshore flies include: #4/0 Abel Anchovies, #2/0 Conomo Specials, #2/0White/Chartreuse Clouser's Minnows, #4/0 RM Flatsides, #1/0 Tres Generations, #1/0 Popovics' Jiggies, and Bluewater Baitfish patterns.