Tag: mars bay

  • 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 LodgeAndros SouthPleasant 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.

  • Great Deal at Tranquility Hill plus more discounts

    Great Deal at Tranquility Hill plus more discounts

    Andros Special – Single Rooms at Bargain Price + Free Trip with a 12-pound Bone!

    Comparing prices on bonefish trips? Check out this deal at Tranquility Hill Fishing Lodge (THL) on the North Bight, Andros, Bahamas.

    When you book through Angler Adventures, you get:

    • Single Rooms (no sleepless nights with your snoring buddies)
    • Special Rate for 7-nights / 6-days fishing ($2,995 per person)
    • Free return trip if you catch a 12-pound bonefish on the fly
    • 4-night / 3-day rate is $1,665 per person

    The offer is available exclusively through Angler Adventures for 2012 and 2013, subject to availability. Two people share a guide, but each get a single room. Free return trip within one year, accompanied by a companion paying the double rate.

    Bring your Boga Grip!

    Call us for other deals at:
    Mars Bay Bonefishing Lodge, South Andros
    North Riding Point Club, Grand Bahama
    Paloma River Lodge, Chile
    Turneffe Flats Resort, Belize
    Pesca Maya, Yucatan, Mexico

  • Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge, South Andros, Bahamas

    Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge, South Andros, Bahamas

    The vast flats of South Andros have been one of our favorite bonefishing destinations for over 2 decades. This is a true wilderness fishery, offering an incredible variety of places to target bonefish. There are a myriad of creeks, cuts, cays and mangrove lagoons to explore with the skiff. Best of all, and our favorite part, there are miles and miles of firm, clean sand flats where you can wade for days! These flats are home to massive schools of nicely sized bones (3 – 5 lbs), as well as singles or smaller pods of bruisers ranging well above the double digit mark!

    Sitting at the end of civilization, literally “the end of the road” on South Andros, is Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge – a down-to-earth, comfortable, no frills fishing lodge for anglers focused on great fishing, not the amenities.

    The guides are excellent, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the rooms are clean, comfortable and cool with new beds and new AC units. The food is always a highlight; with a carefully planned menu balancing meals focused on local flavors and comfort food. Don’t forget about the location! Mars Bay offers the shortest travel time of any other operation on Andros to the Southern Flats, which can equal as much as an extra full day of fishing time on a week long trip. Add in that the guides work as hard as any guide we’ve fished with, plus they don’t punch a clock at 4:00 PM, and we’ve got a recipe for some of the longest fishing days you’ll find in the Bahamas.

    Mars Bay was 99% full last year, but a few recent group cancellations have opened up some excellent space for the Spring 2018 season, especially for some larger groups.

    March 10 – 17, 4 rods
    March 31 – April 7, 4 rods (Easter is April 1, 2018)
    April 14 – 21, 4 rods
    April 28 – May 5, 8 rods
    May 5 – 12, 6 rods
    May 12 – 19, 6 rods (May 13 is Mothers Day)

    The cost for a 7-night / 6-day fishing package is $4,550 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide daily.

    Have questions? Evan just got back from a January trip to Mars Bay and would be happy to recommend weeks, give a report, or just talk flies.