Category: Fishing

Update on South Andros

Most anglers identify South Andros as a huge expanse of wadable flats around the southern and southwestern tip of the island: Flats filled with large schools of uneducated bonefish in the 2-4 pound range eager to eat flies. Anyone interested in seeing larger fish in singles and doubles would gravitate the North Bight of Andros, the West Side of Andros, or the North Shore of Grand Bahama. Think again!

Over the last few years, more and more clients fishing Bair’s Lodge, Andros South, Pleasant Bay or Mars Bay are catching big bonefish. The 7 – 10 pounders are being landed every month. Mars Bay has kept a record of the bonefish caught this season, here are some highlights.

1) The numbers of fish being caught over the spring and neap tides are virtually identical, but the “moon” tides are producing bigger fish.

2) Anglers are landing good numbers of fish in the 27” – 31” range in each month.

3) The largest bonefish landed was an astounding 36”.

To put some of this into perspective, and provide information on how to estimate the weight of your Atlantic bonefish, please refer to the table below, which has been excerpted from page 20 of Randall Kaufmann’s Bonefishing!.

Size (in)	Weight (lbs)	Size (in)	Weight (lbs)
18″	3.5	28″	8.6
19″	3.8	29″	9.6
20″	4.1	30″	10.8
21″	4.6	31″	11.9
22″	5.1	32″	13
23″	5.5	33″	14.4
24″	6	34″	15.6
25″	6.5	35″	16.8
26″	7.2	36″	18
27″	7.7	37″	19.2

This method of estimating weight is not as accurate as [girth² x length / 800], however it does highlight the massive size of a 36” bonefish! For those of us with ruler marks on our rods, it also provides an easy way to estimate the weight of our bonefish and minimize the amount of time spent handling the bonefish (click here for best practices for on handling and releasing bonefish).

Go ahead and speculate why there are so many more big bonefish being caught on the South Andros flats. It could be cyclical, climate change, guides getting better at finding bigger fish, or better anglers doing the fishing. With anglers landing plenty of fish in the 7.7 to 11.9 pound range, our conclusion is that this might be the best time to fish South Andros.

May 10, 2013

Tierra del Fuego: Giant Sea Run Trout on the Rio Grande

For those among us who love swinging flies in rivers for big salmonids, it can be a long winter! But you can swing to your heart’s content all winter long on the world’s greatest sea trout river! The Rio Grande in southern Argentina produces sea run brownies that average 12 pounds and frequently top the 20-pound mark!

Kau Tapen Lodge

The original – the classic: Kau Tapen, the first lodge built on the Rio Grande, fishes 12 rods on 10 miles of the Rio Grande and an additional 15 miles on Rio Menendez.

The normal rate at Kau Tapen is $7,250 p.p. from your arrival in Rio Grande City. International airfare to Buenos Aries, city transfer, hotels and in-country airfare to Rio Grande can cost another $2,200 – $2,500. However, Kau Tapen is offering a great “Hassle Free” inclusive package during selected weeks amounting to a savings of nearly $2,000 per person: 2011 Dates: Jan 8 – 15, Mar 19 -26 or Mar 26 – Apr 2.

Inclusive Package Includes: Round trip Airfare Miami to Buenos Aires; Transfer from International airport to Hotel; 1 night at the Loi Suites Recoleta (sgl room); Transfer from Hotel to Domestic Airport; Flight Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Buenos Aires; 7 nights + 6.5 days fishing at Kau Tapen Lodge; Transfer from domestic to International airport

Rate: USD $8,105 per person (or just $6,796 not including international airfare).

That's a bright fish!

Villa Maria Lodge

Kau Tapen’s sister lodge, Villa Maria is situated just downstream from Kau Tapen, near the tide head, and is the choice location to intercept the freshest, brightest sea trout. Normally weeks are $6,750 per person from Rio Grande City, but Villa Maria is also offering a domestic air-inclusive package for the week of March 25 – April 1, 2011, $6,550 per person; a savings about $1,000. This would include all of the above except international airfare to Buenos Aires.

Aurelia Lodge

Aurelia is the next estancia upstream from Kau Tapen’s water and offers 6 miles of double bank fishing on the Rio Grande, and 15 miles on the Rio Menedez, Aurelia’s upstream location makes it most desirable during the second half of the season when their pools are literally stuffed with fish! Good space is still available for late February and March weeks. Rates from arrival in Rio Grande range from $3,580 – $4,680 per person until March 6th. The rate is $5,890 per person from March 6th – April 17th.

November 12, 2010
Remembering The Gyno Crab

NOV 6 – 13, 2004, I was one of a party of 8 very talented flyfishers and great guys who descended on Casa Blanca on Mexico’s Ascension Bay

in quest of permit. The first day out, just a couple were taken, one by first time permit fisher Dr. Ralph Cifaldi. Ralph was using a crab pattern of his own concoction; a variation on the Dorsey Kwan, distinguished by a long tail of amber dyed polar bear barred with a brown marking pen.

"Tara" with a nice Ascension Bay Permit

The second day, there was better success in the group, with Ralph coming in as top rod with a “hat trick” – 3 more permit on this just his second day chasing permit! This piqued our interest a bit more in Ralphy’s unorthodox pattern.

The third day, more permit were released by the group, but again the top rod was Doc Ralph, with another hat trick! 3 days into the trip and Ralphy had 7 permit under his belt. The excitement over Ralphy’s fly grew, and being the generous soul that he is, he stayed up late cranking out more of his crab patterns so as to present each one of us with one at breakfast.

There was no doubt in my mind what fly to tie on that morning! We ran back into the bay, inside of the tip of Vigia Grande. The wind had slightly clouded the water along the south side of the bay, and my superb guide Manuel (Tarantula) worked the edge between the cloudy and the clear water. Suddenly I spotted a huge permit working up tide toward us. I called to Manuel and he kicked the boat right, and with a couple of strong pushes on the pole put me in position to intercept the fish. I launched Ralph’s fly, it landed perfectly, I made a one-foot long strip and the big fish quivered, lunged forward and ate it. It immediately took off on a searing and what I expected to be a “reel-emptying” run. But about 70 yards out, it just stopped, and slowly pulled. I looked at the bottom and it was moving. Yes, now he was just leisurely towing the boat across the bay! This went on for 42 minutes until finally we got the fish close enough to tail it. But Manuel couldn’t get it over the gunnel! Finally, he went over the side in chest deep water to “wrassle” the beast into submission. We didn’t have a boga grip, but Manuel said his largest “bogaed” fish was 38 pounds, and allowed as how this guy was just about as big! We settled on 35 as an estimate.

By the end of the week, our party of 8 had tallied an amazing 35 permit on fly, and quite a few over 20 pounds. And Ralph’s pattern accounted for 17 of these, and the fly didn’t even a name. The last evening, our group sat around the palapa having beers and trying to come up with an appropriate name for Dr. Ralph’s (a gynecologist by the way) remarkable fly. Finally John Canavari burst out, “I’ve got it! The Gyno Crab”. And the name stuck. Google it!

I can’t swear there’s something special about the pattern – maybe it was just a case of a lot of happy permit eating well. But if any fly catches any permit, I want to have it in my arsenal! Hope this works as well for you.

< class="aligncenter" style="width:82.7%;" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="436">

800-628-1447 – 860-434-9624
Fax 860-434-8605
E-Mail:Info@angleradventures.com
PO Box 872, Old Lyme, CT 06371
web site: www.www.angleradventures.com

November 26, 2010
Traveling with Fishing Tackle

As a travel agency specializing in international fishing travel, we’re regularly asked how to travel with fishing tackle. We recommend 100% of the time that traveling anglers pack expensive reels and flies in their carry on luggage to avoid them being delayed, lost or stolen while in route to your fishing destination. Also, despite not fitting into the airline usual “carry on requirements”, most airlines are allowing small cases of 3, 4 or 5 piece fly rods as carry-ons, as long as they fit in the overhead compartment (please check with your individual airline for their specific policies). Metal objects (such as pliers, scissors, snips, pocket knives, screwdrivers, etc) that could be considered dangerous, should be packed in your checked luggage to avoid delays and possible confiscation at security checkpoints.

The Travel Security Administration (TSA), the governmental body providing the manpower and regulations at our airports security checkpoints allow specialty fishing gear (like reels and flies) to be packed in check luggage. We recommend that anyone traveling with fishing tackle visit the TSA website and carry a printed copy of the document entitled: “Traveling with Special Items – Hunting and Fishing” with their carry luggage / E-Tickets.

Also, we recommend investigating a fishing equipment specific carry on bag, like the Fishpond Dakota Carry On Rod & Reel Case

May 19, 2011
Why Bonefish in the Bahamas?

A great example comes from a group of ours that just got back from Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn, Acklins Island, Bahamas. There is something special about Bahamas bonefishing that isn’t found wading a flat or casting to tailing fish. The charm and arms wide open welcome of the Bahamas is even more apparent in the outer islands, like Acklins. Group member Alec Kempe was describing a photograph taken after dinner on their last night said, “Shirley gave a speech in which she quoted Shakespeare from Romeo & Juliet “Parting is such sweet sorrow”; Peter baked us a wonderful cake & as a finale, Peter, Lavanda (wonderful singing voice) & Shirley sung to us. What a great show of appreciation & warmth – really a nice family!”

That being said, the other reason to bonefish in the Bahamas is, well, BONEFISH!!! Here’s a nice “10-pounder” landed by Pierce Walmsely. Alec Kempe prefaced the image of Pierce’s bonefishng with “Lemon sharks & ‘cudas were all over us that day. Gator kept Lemons from eating this particular fish with some great pole-on-the-sharks-head work.”

The colors are another reason – photo credit Alec Kempe

Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn is one of the unique destinations where almost 100% of the fishing is done wading, unless you choose to fish from the skiff. Want more information on Grey’s Point or fishing the out islands of the Bahamas – call Angler Adventures at 800-628-1447 (860-434-9624) or drop us an email at info@angleradventures.com.

May 31, 2011
Trout Fishing New Zealand

The Compleat Angler and Angler Adventures present “An Evening with Eve Reilly”. Eve has been the manager of the legendary Poronui Ranch for 18 years. Poronui, remotely located in the central part of the North Island of New Zealand, was recently voted by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 10 fly fishing destinations in the world, with a team of professional guides and convenient access to many of New Zealand’s best quality fishing waters.

Join Eve Reilly and Judy Hall for presentation and hear Eve’s masterful stories of the wily brown and rainbow trout fishing in the North Island (the ones that got away and the ones that didn’t). Judy and Eve are both keen fly fishers and outdoor enthusiasts. Please join us Monday, June 27^th, 2011 at the Compleat Angler’s new location, 537 Post Road, Darien, CT, 7:00 PM.

We will have some nice raffle prizes, as well as offering anyone at the presentation who books a minimum 4-night/3-day fishing package November 1^st – December 15^th, 2011 at Poronui will get a FREE helicopter fly out during their stay!

For friends of Poronui and Angler Adventures, this is a great opportunity to catch up, talk fishing, and maybe win a raffle prize. Call or email The Compleat Angler or Angler Adventures to reserve a spot, seating is limited.

Angler Adventures: 800-628-1447; 860-434-9624; Judy@angleradventures.com

The Compleat Angler: 203-655-9400; compleatangler@optonline.net

Beautiful Water

June 10, 2011
Lunch with Eve Reilly of Poronui Lodge in New Zealand

We have seats left at our luncheon at Serafina’s Restaurant in New York City on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 12:30 PM. If you’re in the NY area on Tuesday, please join Eve Reilly, manager at Poronui Luxury Sporting Lodge in New Zealand and Judy Hall, travel manager at Angler Adventures. For friends of Poronui and Angler Adventures, this is a great opportunity to catch up, talk fishing, and maybe win a raffle prize (several bottles of New Zealand wine will be raffled off).

Anyone attending the luncheon and books a minimum 4-night/3-day fishing package in package November 1st – December 15th, 2011 at Poronui will get a FREE helicopter fly out during their stay!

Angler Adventures and Poronui Lodge are picking up the tab – Lunch is on us! Seating is limited and on a first come, first served basis. Please contact Judy Hall at 800-628-1447; 860-434-9624; judy@angleradventures.com to confirm your participation.

Serafina Fabulous Grill
29 East 61st Street
btw Madison & Park
New York, NY 10222
212-702-9898

June 24, 2011
Andros South Reduces Their Rates

Long time favorite bonefishing lodge, Andros South, has just added another incentive to take a bonefishing trip this fall. For October, November and December, Andros South reduced their 7-night/6-day fishing package rate from $3,950 per person to $3,250 per person, a savings of $700 per person.

The $3,250 rate includes 7 nights having your own room, 6 days fishing south Andros Island with 2 anglers guide, all meals and drinks (including beer, wine, and liquor), round-trip transportation to Andros South from the South Andros airport, loaner fishing equipment (if needed), Global Rescue enrollment, and Bahamian room tax.

And you get your own room!

There is currently space in the following weeks (please call or email to confirm that space is still available).

October 22 – 29, 2011

November 5 – 12 & 19 – 16, 2011

December 3 – 10 & 10 – 17, 2011

Not what you’re looking for? Check out our other bonefishing lodges in the Bahamas.

July 13, 2011
FlyCastaway visits Angler Adventures

Gerhard Laubscher of FlyCastaway is visiting Angler Adventures in Connecticut next week and giving a couple of presentations about FlyCastaway’s cutting edge fishing operations on St. Brandon’s Atoll, Mauritius and Farquhar Atoll, Seychelles. Both destinations offer spectacular fisheries that get almost no fishing pressure due to their remote locations and are priced like rare commodities, adding exclusivity to both destinations attributes (Farquhar prices at $7,500 US and St. Brandon’s prices at 6,500 Euro).

To get started, here’s the guides report from the April 4 – 11, 2012 week at Farquhar that included one of our clients, Steve Gross, who was looking to tally up as many species as possible.

If you’d like to attend Gerhard’s presentations, click here.

Farquhar Atoll: 4-11 April 2012

Like a tide eager to begin its initial surge, our new group of guests arrived on the shores of Farquhar champing at the bit to explore the multitude of flats and species Farquhar has on offer. After our customary quick briefing and some hasty rigging of tackle, the group which consisted of 9 men and one hard core fisherwoman set out to get a brief taste of what was in store for the rest of the week. The weather was set to be stable …we were hoping for an absolute cracker!

Yves quickly enticed his first Trigger to eat the fly. Jeff joining the action as he got stuck into a Milky as they are still here and feeding hard! Clare quickly showed the boys she was here to do business by landing the first GT, sadly her Dad. Finally after countless attempts, Wayne O finally managed to land his Trigger, which has been eluding him for years. And it didn’t end there for Wayne as he recorded our first Farquhar Slam, that being GT, a Bone and a Trigger in one day. Now that’s some serious angling and bragging rights!

But back to the rest of the week, the Milkies were still hanging around and after and epic battle, Alex landed his first Milky, awesome fish Alex! His action didn’t stop there either, he also managed to land a GT and a Bone in the same day, quite an achievement. Good fishing was being experienced by all, although we did have a fair number of large GTs lost due to hooks pulling and lines breaking. Clare however had the pink touch (literally), and landed another good GT. Things were heating up and the pressure was on to get the desired species.

Ian subsequently also made his way in to the record book by landing all three of the species and Yves just failing to qualify by losing his GT. Wayne, Dean and Jeff had one truly memorable day whereby they landed 5 GTs, although Wayne did get smoked by a Yellowfin Tuna which tore off 300m of backing in less than 20 seconds late in afternoon!

2 Slams in two days. Let’s make it 4 in three days. Dean and Jeff decided they also wanted a taste of that action and had no trouble landing a Trigger, a Bone and a GT. Piece of cake, all in a day’s work at the office….these were the comments around the dining room table each evening. Steve continued his species count and landed a truly impressive Napoleon.

Last day out on the flats and Ian once again showed his metal landing a 98cm GT which was the largest of the week. Jeff and Wayne muscled in some Bumphead Parrotfish, whilst Steve braved “THE WALK” and reaped the rewards, landing Bones, Bluefin and two Blackfin Sharks. It was really good to have Steve out fishing with us after months of preparations and planning!

An amazing week of fishing with 4 Farquhar Slams, 15 GTs, 6 Triggers, 2 Napoleons, some Bumpheads, a Milkfish and countless Bluefin, Grouper and Snapper. That is what Farquhar is all about!

July 12, 2012
Seychelles Best Flats Fishing – Farquhar Atoll

The Seychelles became a bucket list destination because it’s a beautiful, remote destination with fantastic wading for bonefish on hard sand & coral flats and a variety of other species both on and off the flats that added depth to the fishery. Recently, a new fishing operation has opened on Farquhar Atoll, which has taken those credentials to the next level.

Beautiful and remote? Farquhar is called the “Jewel of the Seychelles” and considered to be the most beautiful island in the archipelago and also the southern most atoll (2 hour flight from Mahe). The staff and guests are the only people on the atoll, living in the islands only accommodations. Check.

Fantastic Bonefishing? The fishing is 100% wading. The average schooling bonefish is 4 – 6 pounds and there will be quite a few bonefish in the 6 – 8 pound range. Most anglers end up leaving the schools to find fish in single and doubles for a bit more of a challenge. Check.

Variety of Species? In addition to Bonefish, there are the normal fish you’d expect to see on a flat in the Seychelles: Shark, Barracuda, Snapper, Triggerfish, Trevally (including Giant Trevally), Milkfish, Napoleon Wrasse and Indo-Pacific Permit. The guides on Farquhar have also figured out how to catch Humphead Parrotfish, which were previously though to be uncatchable on the fly and become experts at targeting GT’s (Giant Trevally). You can also fish deeper water for Sailfish, several Grouper species, Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Job fish, and more. A client of our landed 18 different species on the fly…all with a floating line! Check.

This is truly one of the special fishing destinations in world, and the reservations book shows it – the first availability is for late-October 2013. If you’re interested in fishing Farquhar, we suggest getting started now. Like Farquhar, but more interested in Bonefishing? Check out Farquhar’s sister operation St. Brandon’s Atoll, which has better bonefishing with less variety.

Bonefish!

August 17, 2012
Go Small. Go Light. Go Weedless.

Bonefish on Grass Flats

Go Small. Go Light. Go Weedless.

by Chip Bates

You can encounter tailing fish on any fertile bottom, but weedy bottoms hold the most prey, therefore the most fish. Big fish seem more comfortable feeding in the shallows over a dark bottom. Click here for tips on Shallow Water, Tailing Fish.

The end of the outgoing and beginning of the incoming brings the skinniest water that’s when you’ll find fish tailing over the weeds. To catch them, you’ll need a fly that doesn’t “plop” when it hits the water: go small.

A tailing fish is focused on a small area. Frequently he’ll create a cloud of sand or mud where he’s feeding. You must put the fly in the area where’s he’s rooting, a matter of inches from his nose. You must throw a fly that doesn’t spook him when it lands: go light.

Once the fly lands in front of the fish, let it sink, then give it the tiniest of strips: go weedless.

Without a weed guard, your fly will invariably snag on grass and stripping a fly that’s hooked on a weed is like drag on a dry fly. Click Here for Tips on Tailing Fish over Weedy Bottoms.

There are loads of excellent flies for bonefishing in skinny water, but our number one fly is the Bunny Bone when we need to go small, light or weedless. Having a variety of Bunny Bones in your fly box is a necessity, especially when wading for bonefish. Tan or brown (tied with tan or pink thread) rabbit fur tail with a little gold Mylar and mono eyes are top producing colors. It’s also a great fly in slightly deeper water with small or medium bead chain eyes, instead of mono. Try adding crazy legs and don’t forget the weed guard! Click here for more information on tying bonefish flies, including the Bunny Bone.

October 11, 2013
14 Pound Bonefish on a #2 Simram at North Riding Point Club, Grand Bahama

#2 Simram fools 14 pound Bonefish & What’s New at North Riding Point Club

The bonefish in the photo above is a 14-pounder landed in February off the north shore of Grand Bahama. Carl Heilman, who landed this monster, also landed a tarpon (the group jumped 3 and landed 2). Chris Bamford landed the other tarpon, as well as the triggerfish, John Wilson jumped a tarpon and Scott Trerotola landed a 10 lb Mutton Snapper that was cruising behind a Ray. Each member of the group also landed several bonefish between 5 – 10 pounds.

Bill & Liz Aldendifer also had a fantastic trip to Grand Bahama. Together, they landed several fish in 7 – 8 pound range, a couple 9 pounders, a 10 pounder, and a 12 pounder on Bill’s birthday. Bill came close to having a 14+ pounder in hand, but lost it at the boat when the guide grabbed the leader. Bill, a permit aficionado, said that the 14+ pound bonefish fought harder than any permit he’s hooked, even his 30 pounder in Ascension Bay.

All of the above mentioned were Angler Adventures’ clients staying at North Riding Point Club. Click or Tap here to see Bill, Liz, Scott, and more photos of our clients with their fish on our Facebook page.

Paul Adams Takes Reigns at North Riding Point Club

Replacing Tim and Mercedes at North Riding Point Club (NRPC) is veteran lodge manager Paul Adams. Originally from Indiana, Paul was raised in the Bahamas, while his parents managed Deep Water Cay from 1976 – 1984. Paul attended school in McLeans Town, where he became friends with many of the famous Grand Bahama Guides, including NRPC head guide, Stanley Glinton, who taught Paul how to pole a skiff. Paul’s fly fishing instructor at an early age was none other than well known sportsman and author, AJ McClane. Paul and his wife Alison also managed Deep Water Cay for 8 years, from 1996 – 2004. Paul’s local knowledge, hands on management style and angling experience make him the perfect choice for this position.

New Hells Bay Marquesa Skiffs

North Riding Point Club (NRPC) has acquired 5 new 17-foot Hells Bay Marquesa Skiffs with 90 HP Yamaha 4-stroke outboards and new trailers. NRPC has also upgraded their fleet of vehicles with a couple of newer Ford Explorer SUVs. The boats are equipped with padded seats, leaning bar and power poles. The Hells Bay skiffs have been in use since January 2013 and clients and guides alike are raving about the comfort and speed, especially when making the run to Sale Cay.

For reservations, or more information, please call Angler Adventures at 800-628-1447 or 860-434-9624 or send us an email at info@angleradventures.com.

July 25, 2014

Category: Fishing

Farquhar Atoll: 4-11 April 2012