island news
Grand Bahama has made a lot of progress in returning to normal after Hurricane Dorian, but there is still a ways to go. That said, some of the best fly fishing lodges are doing just fine, including H2O and North Riding Point. Now is the time to start planning and booking your trip for the 2023 Winter and Spring Season.
If you want to secure the best dates in prime time, booking in advance is the best way. We consider October and November, and March through May as the prime months, with December through February good winter fishing, especially for big bones. Those double digit monsters love the cooler water. And if your focus is tarpon along with the bones and the occasional permit, June and July are great choices. Please be in touch with us with any questions.
If you want to secure the best dates in prime time, booking in advance is the best way. We consider October and November, and March through May as the prime months, with December through February good winter fishing, especially for big bones. Those double digit monsters love the cooler water. And if your focus is tarpon along with the bones and the occasional permit, June and July are great choices. Please be in touch with us with any questions.
Featured lodges/resorts - our top recommendations
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H20 Bonefishing - The program is based at Pelican Bay Resort and offers one bedroom hotel suites with large living rooms that open onto a private balcony overlooking the harbour. Direct dial phones, satellite TV, central air-conditioning are standard in all suites, along with a well-stocked bar, refrigerator and espresso machine. Our longtime friend, Greg Vincent, has sold his interest and is no longer involved in the operation, but the program is still a good one. The resort features a private bonefishing clubhouse and bar just for anglers to gather. Email Stephen directly with questions or to begin booking your trip.
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North Riding Point Club - If you want to fish Grand Bahama, this is our top recommendation. Set on a beautiful beach just twenty minutes from Freeport, North Riding Point is an all-inclusive upscale bonefishing haven established by a group of avid anglers. Ideal for couples, and small groups, the club features deluxe modern amenities, personalized service, and easy access to a variety of Grand Bahama's top fishing grounds. Each day after a hearty breakfast, anglers leave with their guides, trailering their boats to launch at the best sites to take advantage of the tides and other weather conditions. And for non-anglers, their is a swimming pool, relaxing on the beach or easy excursions for shopping, golf, and other activities in Freeport. Email Stephen directly to begin booking your trip.
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Old Bahama Bay Resort and Yacht Harbour - The Old Bahama Bay Marina has 72 slips that can accommodate boats up to 120 feet. Boaters should use VHS Channel 16 to communicate with the marina. The Dockside Grille restaurant, overlooking the marina, is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Along with the marina, the Resort offer sixty-seven luxury suites arranged in two-story villa-style buildings on the right on the beach. Amenities include a swimming pool, tennis courts, water sports center, guided diving and snorkeling excursions, and spa services. The flats fishing in the area is excellent for bonefish, plus there can be shots at tarpon and permit in the spring and summer. This is a good area for DIY. The resort offers snorkeling right out front, a full dive operation operated by Stuart Cove, and excellent blue water fishing. Fishing guides can be arranged with advance notice. |
additional accommodations
Please contact each lodge or guide directly for an update on their current situation related to COVID-19 and the post-hurricane recovery.
Dolphin Cove Condos - Choice of 12 luxury apartments all uniquely decorated with all the comforts of home. This is an adult getaway for relaxing and de-stressing, on a beautiful waterway just minutes from the ocean, near to Count Basie Square if you want nightlife, but a world away in quiet comfort. Bicycles and Kayaks are available for use by all guest. Excellent internet speed for those who must have it. Clubhouse for breakfast and gathering, plus open for dinner Thursday through Saturday. Great place for couples and anglers to kick back, enjoy a day of fishing, and do it again tomorrow.
Dolphin Cove Condos - Choice of 12 luxury apartments all uniquely decorated with all the comforts of home. This is an adult getaway for relaxing and de-stressing, on a beautiful waterway just minutes from the ocean, near to Count Basie Square if you want nightlife, but a world away in quiet comfort. Bicycles and Kayaks are available for use by all guest. Excellent internet speed for those who must have it. Clubhouse for breakfast and gathering, plus open for dinner Thursday through Saturday. Great place for couples and anglers to kick back, enjoy a day of fishing, and do it again tomorrow.
flats fishing patterns - fly fishing reports
Fairly normal winter weather patterns are in effect with prevailing winds out of the northeast. You should always carry a good breathable rain jacket and pants in the boat for possible rain, and use the jacket as a windbreaker on early morning runs.
Water Cays to West End - This is an outstanding fishery, and especially good for big bones. There is a wide variety of flats from dark coral, to grass, to white sandy bottoms, to miles of creeks and mangrove-lined bays. And there are lots of really big bones here. If you are an experienced angler, and looking for double-digit fish, Grand Bahama is a good choice. Now is the time to begin your trip planning for March through July. The summer season is especially good, with the opportunity to reach flats not accessed by anyone else on the Little Bahama Bank.
Click here for Freeport Harbour (south side ocean flats) tide information.
Click here for Settlement Point (west end flats) tide information.
Flies we recommend: For bonefish #2-4 Gotcha Clouser's, #2-6 Gotcha Bunnies, #2-4 Tan/Brown Clouser's, #4-6 EP Spawning Shrimp, #4-6 Peterson's Spawning Shrimp, #4 Pink Bone Wigglers, and regular #2-6 Gotchas produce consistently, along with #4-6 Borski's Bonefish Critters and Sliders. For permit go with hard-bodied epoxy crabs, brown or tan #2-4, Flexo Crab #2-4, Stok's Strong Arm Merkin #2-4, Avalon Permit Fly #2-4, or a good old Rag Head #2-4. For tarpon keep it simple with a #4/0 - #2/0 Cockroach or a Black Death, Red/White in the same sizes. Greg Vincent has also created a series of flats flies that are knocking bonefish silly, and they have enticed some permit too. Greg's flies are available now from Greg at the resort.
Reef/Offshore: Good fishing for dorado and tuna plus some wahoo. Contact the Old Bahama Bay Marina for more detailed information.
Water Cays to West End - This is an outstanding fishery, and especially good for big bones. There is a wide variety of flats from dark coral, to grass, to white sandy bottoms, to miles of creeks and mangrove-lined bays. And there are lots of really big bones here. If you are an experienced angler, and looking for double-digit fish, Grand Bahama is a good choice. Now is the time to begin your trip planning for March through July. The summer season is especially good, with the opportunity to reach flats not accessed by anyone else on the Little Bahama Bank.
Click here for Freeport Harbour (south side ocean flats) tide information.
Click here for Settlement Point (west end flats) tide information.
Flies we recommend: For bonefish #2-4 Gotcha Clouser's, #2-6 Gotcha Bunnies, #2-4 Tan/Brown Clouser's, #4-6 EP Spawning Shrimp, #4-6 Peterson's Spawning Shrimp, #4 Pink Bone Wigglers, and regular #2-6 Gotchas produce consistently, along with #4-6 Borski's Bonefish Critters and Sliders. For permit go with hard-bodied epoxy crabs, brown or tan #2-4, Flexo Crab #2-4, Stok's Strong Arm Merkin #2-4, Avalon Permit Fly #2-4, or a good old Rag Head #2-4. For tarpon keep it simple with a #4/0 - #2/0 Cockroach or a Black Death, Red/White in the same sizes. Greg Vincent has also created a series of flats flies that are knocking bonefish silly, and they have enticed some permit too. Greg's flies are available now from Greg at the resort.
Reef/Offshore: Good fishing for dorado and tuna plus some wahoo. Contact the Old Bahama Bay Marina for more detailed information.
independent guides - charters
OK, very sorry to say, that due to the slow recovery from the hurricane, and COVID, and our friend Greg Vincent leaving H20 and Grand Bahama, we are not able to recommend any independent bonefishing guides at this time. Grand Bahama is a place where we've had amazing fishing over the years, and the fishery is still excellent, but for us to recommend independent guides we have to have confidence that our clients will enjoy fishing with them.
We hope this situation changes soon. When it does, we will post our recommendations here again.
In the meantime, our best advice is to contact one of the three Featured Lodges above, and arrange accommodations and fishing directly with them.
We hope this situation changes soon. When it does, we will post our recommendations here again.
In the meantime, our best advice is to contact one of the three Featured Lodges above, and arrange accommodations and fishing directly with them.