jdubya
03-16-2008, 06:09 PM
Since Peter asked (sans pictures though)….
Had four days with a guide on Andros, and two partial days DIY (do it on your own: see below). If you want a map to follow along, go to : http://www.peterloud.co.uk/bahamas/andros.html
The first day fished with Phillip Rolle (http://www.northandrosflyfishing.com/)
Who, by the way, is running a nice bed, meals and guide service out of Nicholls town (north Andros). Philip was great. We were staying here:
http://www.pleasantdreamsbeachhouse.com/
which is just west of Morgans Bluff (the main harbor for the island and where they tank water once a day over to Nassau).
Philip picked us up on the beach and we fished the Jolters (just north of Andros). The Jolters is one of those hot spots that used to be fantastic but is now simply becoming overfished. First spot (high tide) we had a nice school of fish. First cast to the side I had a nice bone on. Suddenly the one 5 ft shark circling the school of bones became five as they sensed a panicked bone. Watching all five sharks slash the water 30 feet in front of my bare legs, I ran as fast as I could up on the beach dragging the 3lb + bone on 20lb tippet. The sharks hydroplaned over the thin water on the sand and the bone was no more. Just then Janis hooked a nice fish and watched the same blood bath. As I was mending my trashed leader, she put out a new fly and watched a newly hooked bone meet the same fate. So in the first 20 minutes, three good casts, three good hookups, and three “long distance” releases. Sharks 3, bones/anglers 0.
We moved to a different site, same thing happened. We moved to a third site, same thing happened. Rains moved in, we fished for single fish the rest of the day (to avoid the sharks), and Janis got two 3-4 ft cudas on the spin rod. Talking with the guides, the shark population on the Jolters has really increased in the past few years which they think is a direct result of the hammering the region takes from anglers. Bones normally don’t have a problem with sharks but stick a fly in the lips and the tables are turned. Fast learners, sharks.
Took two days off due to lousy weather.
Fished next on Fresh Creek, a large inland lagoon halfway down the island (entrance from the east). Went with Herman Bain, a great guide and a real nice guy. Fished it last year as well under the same conditions: lousy. Dark, rain, no sun, no fish except in the main channel. Took a few fish from singles, small sets but it was hard ‘cause you would be on the fish before we (the guide, that is) could see them. It is hard for me to see individual fish in three to four feet of water on an overcast/misty day. Give me a school with nervous water, please.
The nest day was perfect. Bowen Sound, east side between the main land and the outer reef, south of Fresh creek, medium wind, no clouds, and lots of eager fish. Caught a number of fish on foot as well as boat, Janis got two to her hand which she was pleased for. Fun to watch her first figure out how to make the cast, only to blow the strike (never happens to me, right?). Then once she got the cast, strip and hook set down, she forgot they like to take line out. Fast. Finally, with all of those techniques worked out (she is a faster learner than me), she started to bring fish to the boat.
But then we went out further in the sound looking for single big fish. Real hunting, large, fish, long casts. Loved it. Caught some nice fish including one that we must have stalked for 30 minutes. It was just a happy bonefish, feeding in circles back and forth from two flats slashed down the middle with a little creek. I’d make a cast to the right, and he would mosey to the left. I’d go left, he would look right. Making long casts we never spooked him until finally, I guessed right and he went for the fly. Nice fish. Into the backing three times. The fish on the east side of the island are damn strong fish. Caught a number of fish that day, biggest probably 6+ (according to Herman, not me). Epic day.
The last guided day we went to the west side (look for Red Bays on the map: top left). Red Bays is an old settlement of Seminole Indians and locals who sponge for a living, and the women weave baskets. Real neat place. Had some amazing conversations with people about the Jazz (they love the NBA): they know more about this team than I do. We had fished this area last year and had an epic day, so were hoping for another. Herman had been back only a couple of times since then so he was primed as well.
Started off great with light winds, no clouds and eager fish. Those fish never see a fly so if you can get a set of two or more they will charge the fly, regardless of the cast, all the way up to the boat. Miss the strike, no problem, mon, just toss it back and they’ll try again. Janis and I were nailing them, so it was time to find the elusive 8-10+lb fish that is usually on its own and not so eager for punishment. Unfortunately just about then the wind suddenly shifted from the west and stated rolling the bottom muck. The water turned to milk in a matter of minutes, and fishing was impossible. We tried to hit some creeks for clearer water, but, if anything, the fish wanted to get out of the creeks into the milk to feed since they feel safe from predators.
Then fished for a couple of outings on our own on local flats. DIY is great as long as you do it on a flat that is not routinely hammered by anglers. Unfortunately the flat close to our place saw anglers most days, and sometimes multiple groups. Those fish would let you get with 200 feet but then go left or right. You could kneel in the water and watch them come right towards you only to watch them veer off at that magical 200ft margin of safety. But it was fun to see the happy tails never-the-less. Only good follow I got out of those fish was when a school was herded over to us by a couple of ‘cudas: nice follow but the bone did not eat. Bones are not like trout: they have 360 degrees of directions to go in, and they learn to use them all. I wished I had a boat……
Fly of choice (95% of the time) size 2 Gotcha with either small barbell or bead chain. Never fished blind. $75 of “must have” Andros flies never saw water. Maybe the fish in Mexico will like them. If you go, just take Gotchas in sizes 2 and 4, in the three weights, and some needlefish flies for ‘cudas. New rod for the trip was an 8wt Xi2. Cast a lot of 8wts over the past year and thought I liked this one the best. I was using a 8wt Clouser line on it. But big difference in casting on grass outside a shop versus on the flat. Mostly went back to my old but reliable 8wt Reddington Wayfarer rod with a SA bonefish taper. I need to fish the XI2 more with the SA bonefish line to make up my mind about that rod.
Still can’t cast worth shit into the wind. Gale in your face, big fish thirty five feet off dead into the wind, barbell fly, and best I could do was 30 feet. I need help.
Since I had a nice big chunk of cancer chewed out of my forehead last fall, I am paying more attention to the sun. Bought three things to help: a Buff, light sun gloves and a wide hat. The hat just sails in the wind but the tops of my ears were happy. The Buff and gloves (both from REI) were great. Very good addition to the angling wardrobe (but more things to keep from getting lost). Sir Drake ought to write about skin cancer and angling: we need to be educated BEFORE the surgeon goes to work.
Also took up scuba diving but that is a different story (busy trip!).
Oh yeah, just to make sure this thread gets deleted/locked (got to preserve my rep !) I talked with a variety of people on Andros about how they are going to deal with the consequences of global warming. The guides thought it would help fishing but they were under the impression that global warming would just create wider tide ranges. When I explained that the normal sea level could rise 1,2 or 3 feet and the tide changes would be based on that new base line, they just got quiet, and I shut up. For once. The locals are smart in that most of them do NOT build next to the ocean, that is for stupid people from North America that want a view: the locals just want to keep their houses intact. Obviously wading for miles and miles on the flats will get harder as the water gets deeper, but increased sea levels will also creep further into the mangroves and create more habitat/food. It will be interesting to watch for changes in the coming years and how the people/fish adjust.
Had four days with a guide on Andros, and two partial days DIY (do it on your own: see below). If you want a map to follow along, go to : http://www.peterloud.co.uk/bahamas/andros.html
The first day fished with Phillip Rolle (http://www.northandrosflyfishing.com/)
Who, by the way, is running a nice bed, meals and guide service out of Nicholls town (north Andros). Philip was great. We were staying here:
http://www.pleasantdreamsbeachhouse.com/
which is just west of Morgans Bluff (the main harbor for the island and where they tank water once a day over to Nassau).
Philip picked us up on the beach and we fished the Jolters (just north of Andros). The Jolters is one of those hot spots that used to be fantastic but is now simply becoming overfished. First spot (high tide) we had a nice school of fish. First cast to the side I had a nice bone on. Suddenly the one 5 ft shark circling the school of bones became five as they sensed a panicked bone. Watching all five sharks slash the water 30 feet in front of my bare legs, I ran as fast as I could up on the beach dragging the 3lb + bone on 20lb tippet. The sharks hydroplaned over the thin water on the sand and the bone was no more. Just then Janis hooked a nice fish and watched the same blood bath. As I was mending my trashed leader, she put out a new fly and watched a newly hooked bone meet the same fate. So in the first 20 minutes, three good casts, three good hookups, and three “long distance” releases. Sharks 3, bones/anglers 0.
We moved to a different site, same thing happened. We moved to a third site, same thing happened. Rains moved in, we fished for single fish the rest of the day (to avoid the sharks), and Janis got two 3-4 ft cudas on the spin rod. Talking with the guides, the shark population on the Jolters has really increased in the past few years which they think is a direct result of the hammering the region takes from anglers. Bones normally don’t have a problem with sharks but stick a fly in the lips and the tables are turned. Fast learners, sharks.
Took two days off due to lousy weather.
Fished next on Fresh Creek, a large inland lagoon halfway down the island (entrance from the east). Went with Herman Bain, a great guide and a real nice guy. Fished it last year as well under the same conditions: lousy. Dark, rain, no sun, no fish except in the main channel. Took a few fish from singles, small sets but it was hard ‘cause you would be on the fish before we (the guide, that is) could see them. It is hard for me to see individual fish in three to four feet of water on an overcast/misty day. Give me a school with nervous water, please.
The nest day was perfect. Bowen Sound, east side between the main land and the outer reef, south of Fresh creek, medium wind, no clouds, and lots of eager fish. Caught a number of fish on foot as well as boat, Janis got two to her hand which she was pleased for. Fun to watch her first figure out how to make the cast, only to blow the strike (never happens to me, right?). Then once she got the cast, strip and hook set down, she forgot they like to take line out. Fast. Finally, with all of those techniques worked out (she is a faster learner than me), she started to bring fish to the boat.
But then we went out further in the sound looking for single big fish. Real hunting, large, fish, long casts. Loved it. Caught some nice fish including one that we must have stalked for 30 minutes. It was just a happy bonefish, feeding in circles back and forth from two flats slashed down the middle with a little creek. I’d make a cast to the right, and he would mosey to the left. I’d go left, he would look right. Making long casts we never spooked him until finally, I guessed right and he went for the fly. Nice fish. Into the backing three times. The fish on the east side of the island are damn strong fish. Caught a number of fish that day, biggest probably 6+ (according to Herman, not me). Epic day.
The last guided day we went to the west side (look for Red Bays on the map: top left). Red Bays is an old settlement of Seminole Indians and locals who sponge for a living, and the women weave baskets. Real neat place. Had some amazing conversations with people about the Jazz (they love the NBA): they know more about this team than I do. We had fished this area last year and had an epic day, so were hoping for another. Herman had been back only a couple of times since then so he was primed as well.
Started off great with light winds, no clouds and eager fish. Those fish never see a fly so if you can get a set of two or more they will charge the fly, regardless of the cast, all the way up to the boat. Miss the strike, no problem, mon, just toss it back and they’ll try again. Janis and I were nailing them, so it was time to find the elusive 8-10+lb fish that is usually on its own and not so eager for punishment. Unfortunately just about then the wind suddenly shifted from the west and stated rolling the bottom muck. The water turned to milk in a matter of minutes, and fishing was impossible. We tried to hit some creeks for clearer water, but, if anything, the fish wanted to get out of the creeks into the milk to feed since they feel safe from predators.
Then fished for a couple of outings on our own on local flats. DIY is great as long as you do it on a flat that is not routinely hammered by anglers. Unfortunately the flat close to our place saw anglers most days, and sometimes multiple groups. Those fish would let you get with 200 feet but then go left or right. You could kneel in the water and watch them come right towards you only to watch them veer off at that magical 200ft margin of safety. But it was fun to see the happy tails never-the-less. Only good follow I got out of those fish was when a school was herded over to us by a couple of ‘cudas: nice follow but the bone did not eat. Bones are not like trout: they have 360 degrees of directions to go in, and they learn to use them all. I wished I had a boat……
Fly of choice (95% of the time) size 2 Gotcha with either small barbell or bead chain. Never fished blind. $75 of “must have” Andros flies never saw water. Maybe the fish in Mexico will like them. If you go, just take Gotchas in sizes 2 and 4, in the three weights, and some needlefish flies for ‘cudas. New rod for the trip was an 8wt Xi2. Cast a lot of 8wts over the past year and thought I liked this one the best. I was using a 8wt Clouser line on it. But big difference in casting on grass outside a shop versus on the flat. Mostly went back to my old but reliable 8wt Reddington Wayfarer rod with a SA bonefish taper. I need to fish the XI2 more with the SA bonefish line to make up my mind about that rod.
Still can’t cast worth shit into the wind. Gale in your face, big fish thirty five feet off dead into the wind, barbell fly, and best I could do was 30 feet. I need help.
Since I had a nice big chunk of cancer chewed out of my forehead last fall, I am paying more attention to the sun. Bought three things to help: a Buff, light sun gloves and a wide hat. The hat just sails in the wind but the tops of my ears were happy. The Buff and gloves (both from REI) were great. Very good addition to the angling wardrobe (but more things to keep from getting lost). Sir Drake ought to write about skin cancer and angling: we need to be educated BEFORE the surgeon goes to work.
Also took up scuba diving but that is a different story (busy trip!).
Oh yeah, just to make sure this thread gets deleted/locked (got to preserve my rep !) I talked with a variety of people on Andros about how they are going to deal with the consequences of global warming. The guides thought it would help fishing but they were under the impression that global warming would just create wider tide ranges. When I explained that the normal sea level could rise 1,2 or 3 feet and the tide changes would be based on that new base line, they just got quiet, and I shut up. For once. The locals are smart in that most of them do NOT build next to the ocean, that is for stupid people from North America that want a view: the locals just want to keep their houses intact. Obviously wading for miles and miles on the flats will get harder as the water gets deeper, but increased sea levels will also creep further into the mangroves and create more habitat/food. It will be interesting to watch for changes in the coming years and how the people/fish adjust.