Fishing Areas
Bair’s is located on the east side of South Andros Island, Bahamas. The lodge is a five-minute skiff run north or south to Deep or Little creeks. Advantage: no trailering required. These easily accessed “cuts” open up to more than 120 square miles of flats, swimming with impressive populations of bonefish in the 4-6-pound class. Our sheltered creek systems are both habitat and fish rich, and they offer anglers appreciated weather reprieve if the wind kicks up. Little Creek connects to the island’s West Side, which can be reached by flats skiff in about 45 minutes. There you’ll find some of South Andros’ largest bonefish—adult specimens that have been known to reach the trophy 10-pound mark. This is where anglers with sharp skills go to stalk larger singles and doubles pushing into skinny water on favorable tides. The pristine, undeveloped zone is protected by Andros’ West Side National Park.
The southern flats, on the other hand, are home to some of the least-pressured fishing in the region. Grassy Creek is a 40-minute boat run from Bair’s. Weather permitting you can ride on to Hawksbill Creek and as far as Cistern Point. This area is renowned for bonefish in high numbers. Home to endless wadeable flats, abundant schools, and very few competing skiffs and anglers.
Guides
Our guides are some of the best in Andros, and we’re proud to have them working with us at the lodge. Between them, they have more than 125 years of combined guiding experience at Bair’s and have extensive knowledge of the South Andros flats. They are professional, hard-working, and sincerely personable.
They also understand how tides affect bonefish feeding behavior and know where to go under different weather conditions. With their skills as captains 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 based on the weather conditions and guest preference 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 bonefish, or if you prefer to fish large shoals of fish, just let us know. We will work with your guide and try to tailor your day accordingly!
Our rotation policy gives anglers the opportunity to fish with all six of these top-notch guides. Bonefish are pound-for-pound one of the strongest, fastest-running saltwater fish anywhere. They are also one of the coolest to have your photo taken with. Their scientific name is Albulidae, which means “white fox.”
Bonefish are noted for moving from deeper water onto shallow tidal flats to feed, where you can find and cast to tailing fish—one of the most challenging (and rewarding) saltwater experiences available. They typically retreat back to deeper water as the tide ebbs. Bahamas bones can reach upwards of ten pounds, but a more representative size would be about a third of that. A big bonefish, a lifetime fish, would be any fish equal to or in excess of ten pounds. Larger, adult fish break away from schools, traveling in singles and doubles and offering great sight-fishing opportunities on the flats of Abaco and South Andros islands.
As prolific as Bahamas bonefish are, relatively little is known about them. The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) aims to change that and has been heavily involved in scientific research in conjunction with our lodges. For more information, BTT is an excellent, angler-friendly source. Visit tarbone.org
