The roads were surprisingly good, even for our battered right-hand drive Toyota sedan, with ~250K miles on it, and a muffler that sounded like it was barely held in place.
We had fun and had a lot of good meals
A case of Kalik was $55. I made it through it.
But the wind making it impossible to see fish, and I couldn't seem to get dialed into the tides. I busted my tail for most of the week, seeing only a handful of bonefish -- and those I did see would turn tail and run if I put a cast anywhere near them. I was getting beat up and worn down, to no avail.
At least my wife could nap on the board while I fished.
Some of the flats were beautiful -- loads of fish, but just no bones.
I was hoping there'd be a bone or two following this ray and mooching leftovers. No luck.
We ran into a couple other groups of fishermen who were grouchy about not seeing or catching fish, so at least it wasn't just me.
I started seeing some fish back in a mangrove-lined creek, and we spent a bit more time there later in the week, even if just waiting for the tide
It eventually showed up.
Cudas were everywhere. This guys came from in between two bonefish to eat a gotcha. Dammit!
Bar jack (Caranx ruber)
Blue Runner (Caranx fusus)
Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus)
Mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis) -- it's what's for dinner! It got scored, roasted whole, and served with capers. Superb!
I had gotten some info on a bay that was difficult to access without a boat. It required a four-mile run to get to the bay mouth, but was supposedly loaded with bones. I launched the SUP early Thursday morning, timed so I'd hit the incoming tide after an, um, invigorating SUP paddle. The water looked great, and there should have been bones everywhere. I saw two, and got one to eat. I saw him drop his head on my fly, the mouth open, the gills flare -- but when I hit him there was nothing there. Must have just missed the fly? I tried to drop it on him a second time but I spooked him. That was it -- and it was a long paddle into the wind to get back to the takeout.
I hit another area that looked great and had a few bones cruising around, but couldn't get a second glance. I was starting to reassess my decision not to hire a guide. Ah, hell -- but I'm used to getting ignored by fish! Muskies are great preparation for almost any other fishing!
On the last day of the trip, we went back to the mangroves. The tides were perfect, and within minutes a bone cruised into range. I dropped a fly a few feet ahead and he charged it. In the half-second that I realized I was standing on a loop of line and lifted my foot, a second loop of line ensnared the rod butt and with a rifle-crack POP it was gone.
I re-rigged, and a half-hour later a second fish cruised up the flat. He ate with gusto, I cleared the line and two seconds later I was wondering if I had enough backing on my reel! I've never seen anything swim so fast -- it's not just hype. I was a tiny bit excited.
They're awesomely cool fish, sleek, and reflective in a very good way.
I started working back along the flat towards the channel cut, and almost immediately had two fish cruise along the flat. I cast to the larger fish and he raced to the fly, ate it without hesitation, and peeled off ~150 yards of backing with me running furiously across the flat in pursuit. At the edge of the flat a single mangrove shoot poked out of the water -- he beelined straight for that, wrapped and was gone.
I had a couple more celebratory Kaliks that night. The next morning, my wife flew out early while I had a couple more hours to catch my flight -- she would spend the day in Nassau (with the camera!). I raced back to the same flat, and picked up two more nice bones before having to head for the airport. Met the wife at the Nassau airport and headed home.
I'm already sad to be back, even though the fishing is finally getting hot here now. I'm fully in love with the island. As far as DIY trips go, it's an easy one -- but be warned that the bonefish aren't.
The SUPs were great. I'm not sure the MCIT is quite as stable as my Rapidfire (even when fully inflated) but it's close -- and awful convenient to stuff in the trunk and go. I suspect that for most of what we do the Badfisher is a better option, stupid accessory plates of not. The Breeze on the other hand is a really slick board -- I was surprised at how fast and responsive it was, and with the skeg tracks exceedingly well.
I can't wait to go again.
