Andros Island is the largest and least-explored island in the Bahamas. This 2,300-square-mile island paradise is not only known as the bonefishing capital of the world, but also boasts the second-largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to the oldest dive resort on the planet. There are also some big but stupid bonefish !

The diverse topography which rises from these tropical waters is full of life, some of which can only be found on Andros. Over forty kinds of wild orchids, rare, endemic birds, wild boar, iguanas as long as four feet and a recently discovered tribal group all make their homes among the miles of deserted beaches, freshwater mud flats, thick brush, lush pine forests and inland waterways that make up this Atlantic oasis.

Sharing this magical island are the locals, or Androsians. These peaceful people pride themselves as skilled artists and craftsmen whose origins are believed to date back to the Seminole Indians, runaway slaves from Florida and an ethnic mix of different people from Africa to South America.
The Tongue of the Ocean runs along the coast of Andros, just off the third largest barrier reef in the world. Seasonal fishing for Wahoo, Dolphin and Tuna, (plus occasional Marlin and Sailfish) outside the reef, can be excellent and along the reef itself there are ample opportunities to tangle with species such as; Barracuda, Snapper and Grouper.

All the rooms in the house open on to a long verandah facing the ocean, with comfortable benches and tables to sip coffee in the morning or cocktails in the evening. Handy rod racks line the verandah, and we have a hose with fresh water to wash down your tackle in the evenings…From the verandah you just walk along the path to the dock where the flats boats are moored. Right by the verandah we have comfortable lounge chairs, a hammock and a beach bar deck right by the sea. The prevailing Southeast wind and verandah ceiling fans ensure there is always a breeze, so you can usually enjoy evenings outdoors without insects.

All of our bedrooms are light and airy, with terra cotta tiled floors, 100% white cotton sheets as well as tropical-weight duvets and plenty of down pillows. They are fully air-conditioned, with lots of storage space and electricity outlets to recharge appliances, and a comfortable chair. All have en-suite bathrooms, full baths, powerful showers with hot water 24 hours a day, lots of white towels, robes, and amenities. Three of the bedrooms are furnished with two queen-size beds, while the upstairs suite has a queen and a twin-size bed with dressing area and dressing table. Our house keeper takes pride is maintaining the rooms spotless and will happily do your laundry. Laundry bags are provided in all the bedrooms. There is a wonderful outdoor shower right on the beach, we highly recommend you enjoy showering al-fresco!

Both creeks allow access to the fabled West Side and other remote cayes to the South and South- West that may provide lucky anglers with the possibility of trying for Permit and Tarpon to complete the famous “Grand Slam.” The Southern flats are home to some of the largest schools of bonefish. Grassy Creek is a 40 min boat ride from the lodge. Weather permitting you can ride on to Hawksbill Creek and onto Cistern Point. This area sees little fishing pressure and is regarded as the place to come for numbers of fish. The flats stretch as far as the eye can see and wading next to these huge schools is the experience of a lifetime.

The average flat depth, whether you’re wading or poling, ranges from 12″-30″. In this depth, a Gotcha or Shrimp pattern with medium sized bead chain eyes should provide close to the perfect sink rate without overweighing the fly (and potentially spooking the fish). A good rule of thumb is your fly should reach the bottom in about 3 seconds. If you find your fly is not getting to the bottom, you should switch to a fly with lead eyes or add a few wraps of lead wire to the eye of the fly. The angler who is willing to fish deeper flats will often be rewarded with the largest bonefish. Big bonefish prefer the protection of deeper flats or shallow flats close to deep water. When you’re fishing water 3-4 feet deep, you’ll need a fly with lead eyes to get to the bottom quickly. A proven deep water fly is the Clouser minnow and the two best color combinations for bonefish are tan and white and chartreuse and white.

Andros’ combination of proximity to the states, tons of bonefish terrain, high numbers and sizes of the fish make it a destination you will never forget. DO it sooner rather than later so you can return again and again.

Our brand-new 16 foot Dolphin flats skiffs acquired in Fall, 2004, accommodate 2 anglers and the guide. They have elevated poling platforms and have a forward casting deck, cushioned seats and rod racks. All of our boats are equipped with a leaning rail and should you require this extra balancing aid please let the lodge managers know on your arrival. Our skiffs are powered by 50HP Mercury engines, which put the boat on plane well, are fast enough to get you to the Southern or Western flats in less than an hour and are light enough not to “bump” the bottom in shallow water. Whilst the hull design on the boats eliminates backache on longer journeys, be sure you have reel covers on all your reels, as they will bounce with the ride out. The guides are equipped with satellite telephones, emergency flares, first aid kits, leatherman tools, IGFA rated 30 lbs Boga grips (for your record bonefish!), life jackets, and a human de hooker!

Off-shore fishing: Reef fishing for snapper, grouper or barracuda as well as ocean fishing for Tuna, Wahoo and dolphin can be arranged for your trip. This can provide a wonderful day off from the flats. Please let us know in advance if you would like us to arrange this.

Our guides are the best in Andros and we are proud to have them working with us at the lodge. Between them they have18 years guiding experience at Bair’s and have extensive knowledge of S. Andros flats. They are highly professional, hard working, personable, and more than meet the high standards of our operation. Our guides are also commercial fishermen for lobster and conch in the off season, and as such they know these waters inside out. They understand the effect of the tides and know where to go under different weather conditions. They also know the honey holes where a Permit, Snook or Tarpon can be found, and this can be a nice addition to bone-fishing. With their skills as boat handlers, and great eyes developed over years of spotting bonefish, they will put you on fish and give you as much or as little guidance and instruction as you want. Each day your guide will decide where to go, given the weather conditions and guest preference as discussed with the lodge manager. You should express any special preferences to the lodge manager, such as wading versus boat fishing. If you only want to target large individual bones, or if you prefer to fish to large shoals of fish, just let us know. We will work with your guide and try to tailor your day accordingly! Our policy of rotating guides, gives anglers the opportunity to fish with all of these top notch guides. We would be hard-pushed to recommend one over the other!

Dolphin Skiffs

We have 16 foot Dolphin skiffs that accommodate 2 anglers and the guide. They have elevated poling
platforms and have a forward casting deck, cushioned seats, and rod racks. All of our boats are equipped 7
with a leaning rail. Should you require this extra balancing aid please let the lodge managers know on your
arrival. Our skiffs are powered by 50HP & 60HP Yamaha engines, which put the boat on plane well, are fast
enough to get you to the Southern or Western flats in less than an hour, and are light enough not to
“bump” the bottom in shallow water. While the hull design on the boats eliminates backache on longer
journeys, be sure you have reel covers on all your reels, as they will bounce on the ride out. The guides are
equipped with emergency flares, first aid kits, IGFA rated 30 lb. Boga grips (for your record bonefish!),
lifejackets, and a human de hooker!

Here is a list of the basics you will need for your trip. I have organized this list on Pro Guide Direct where you can actually purchase the brands and items that I have found to be the best of the best. Any Items that you purchase from Pro Guide Direct will help us earn a living and help you by being ensuring that you have the right gear for the trip. Many of our destinations are pretty remote with no chance to buy things on site.

Caribbean Gear List

Barracuda/Sharks

The Fly List:

Go a little smaller than you might think, better to have too many 8’s than 4’s for the bonefish. Tie a few patterns with just the weight of the eyes as a variable 1 with lead eyes, 1 with chain, 1 with small chain, and 1 with no weight or mono eyes just to make sure you have flies for very skinny water all the way to waist deep water. Presentation seems to be much more important than fly selection. Weed guards will be a plus on the grass flats.

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Our Pledge

Tropical Packing List