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VISIT Eleuthera - Spanish Wells - Harbour Islands Mayaguana - Great Inagua - Ragged Islands San Salvador - Rum Cay - Conception Islands
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THE BAHAMAS - AN OVERVIEW
NEW MOON - Feb 7 OFFSHORE & REEF FISHING - Fall fishing is here, which means it dorado and tuna time, and wahoo are coming. Reef fishing is excellent throughout the islands, but especially in the southern islands, and the mutton snapper fishing becomes prime in April. The reef and offshore fishing off Andros, Cat Island, Long Island and Crooked Island are the places to be. Crooked and Acklins Islands continue to offer tremendous offshore and reef fishing, with the best program run by Carter Andrews and Robbie Gibson out of Pittstown Point Landing on Crooked Island. Both Stella Maris Resort and Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort on Long Island had banner years for their offshore anglers as well. San Salvador is another hot spot for great offshore fishing out of Riding Rock Marina. The Islands of The Bahamas offer an idyllic source of vacation opportunities. Fishing has long been an integral part of the Bahamian lifestyle and culture, in no small part due to its physical make-up and geography. The Spaniards called the region "Baja Mar," the Shallow Sea, and it is one of the most magnificent saltwater fisheries in the world. Practically speaking, the fishing opportunities are divided into two distinct types. The most popular is the shallow water flats fishery. The blue water, or offshore, fishery has been recognized as sensational by conventional anglers for years, and is now becoming more popular with fly anglers. Flats species consist of the big three: bonefish, tarpon and permit; plus barracuda, lemon and blacktip sharks, jack crevalle, mutton snapper and mangrove snapper. Fishing over inshore reefs; cubera snappers, grouper, a variety of jacks, barracuda, numerous species of sharks, sierra and king mackerel, and amberjack become the most abundant gamefish.
For DIY anglers, Eleuthera has long been a popular option, but Long Island has been receiving a lot of attention the past couple of years as well. With resort accommodations in the north, reasonably priced rental properties available everywhere, and flats galore, you can get away from the crowds and spend some quality time with the friendly gray ghosts. A property in the center of the island, Chez Pierre Bahamas, located just north of Salt Pond in Miller's Bay, creates the perfect location to fish in any direction. On Andros, Frankie Neymour has cottages on Cargill Creek and you can email Kim for details -- fishing Andros on your own should only be done by experienced saltwater anglers. To really get away from it all, try Greenwood Beach Resort on Cat Island. There are many good flats to fish on the southern end of the island, including oceanside flats that rarely, if ever, get fished. You just have to be able to cast well into the wind. Bahamian blue water species include blue and white marlin, sailfish, a variety of tuna, wahoo and dolphin. Some of the most fished areas are Walker's Cay on north Abaco (note that Walker's Cay Resort and Marina is closed), Bimini, Chub Cay, Marsh Harbour, Nassau, and Fresh Creek on Andros, where the Tongue of the Ocean sweeps in against the flats and plummets to depths of six thousand feet. U.S. Naval buoys off the eastern shore of Andros are phenomenal dolphin and Allison tuna magnets. Renowned billfish tournaments are a tradition. They include the Hemingway Championships out of Bimini, The Bahamas Billfish Championship Series, plus others out of Walker's Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Treasure Cay, Marsh Harbor, and George Town. The Bahamas Wahoo Championship Series is held throughout the islands, generating a spirit of lively competition during the winter months. If you like serious partying with your fishing, don't miss any tournament held at the Great Abaco Resort and Marina in Marsh Harbour.
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©
2003 Stephen and Kim Vletas
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2007 WEATHER
PATTERNS: Daily average temperatures in the northern islands are in the
mid- 70s to low 80s. Evening temperatures are in the high 60s to low 70s. In the southern islands
temperatures will be generally five degrees or so warmer.
Many
of the best flats regions have been well known for years, while others
have become famous recently. Bimini maintains a tradition of great flats
fishing for big bonefish. Look in the International Game Fish Association
record books and you'll see that Bimini is well-represented. On the East
End of Grand Bahama, Deepwater Cay has established itself as one of the
premier bonefishing lodges in the world. The North and Middle Bights of
Andros have been visited by the rich and famous since the 1930s. The Bang
Bang Club, on Pot Cay in the North Bight, was one of the first bonefishing
clubs. On Abaco, top independent guides like O'Donald Macintosh and Justin
Sands have been fishing the vast Marls region for years from a number
of access points. Peace & Plenty, a tradition on Great Exuma, has
expanded in recent years to fish the remote southern areas of the island,
and the guides out of Pittstown Point Landing have developed their permit fishery to go along with great bonefishing.
JOIN
OUR NEW MAILING LIST -- Be kept up-to-date on the newest developments
in The Bahamas--everything from new lodges, to new information on the
best guides, new fishing secrets, new government regulations, new options
for non-anglers, more travel tips, and special trips that will be hosted
by Stephen and Kim Vletas, the BFFG authors. Also, BFFG will be reserving
prime dates at selected lodges just for members of the BFFG mailing list.
We look forward to keeping you on top of things in The Bahamas.