A Return to Acklins Island: Bone fishing in the Bahamas

This March, I returned to Acklins Island in the Bahamas for a do-it-yourself bone fishing adventure with friends Timothy Buckley, Tony Johnson, and Steve Jones. Our journey started at Greys Point Bonefish Lodge, where Timothy and I spent two days fishing the northern island. We then relocated to Salina Point Bonefish Lodge on the southern tip of Acklins.

The outer islands have become my favorite spot for bone fishing. The warm flats, teeming with life, offer solitude except for the company of fellow anglers. The days are marked by spectacular skies, stunning sunsets and sunrises, and the local cuisine of conch chowder, fritters, and grouper is da bomb. And of course, there’s the thrill of bone fishing—plentiful, eager to take a fly, and known for stripping you to the backing in a heartbeat.

Spring in the Bahamas typically brings temperatures of 70 - 80 degrees with east-northeast winds of 15-20+ mph. We planned our trip around the neap tide to keep the fish on the flats and out of the mangroves.

This year, the fish were abundant, a stark contrast to last. Thanks to our guide, Ken Williams, we were positioned perfectly each day on the right flats at the right time to spot them. However, visibility was a challenge due to scattered clouds, and the fish proved finicky. Day one our group of 4 brought 24 to hand. Appeared it was going to be a bonkers trip. The balance of the week, maybe 8. They would not eat! On my final day, I fished solo and spotted around 200 fish, a clear improvement in my sighting skills. Had a clear shot at maybe 50, but nary an eat. Despite the perfect conditions (excepting the wind), the fish just weren’t biting. We speculated it might have been due to a recent ‘cold front’ that lowered the nighttime temperatures from 76 to 70 degrees. Or perhaps it was the barometric pressure? It’s hard to say.

Despite this, the trip was remarkable. I landed more fish than I could have hoped for, and my skills in spotting and catching are noticeably improving. The hospitality at Salina Point Bonefish Lodge, provided by Reverend Felton and Ronnie Rolle, was exceptional, with delicious meals in a stunning setting. My fishing companions were enthusiastic, always preferring the thrill of the chase over the catch itself. In the words of the late Leon Russell: ‘I Gotta get back to the island’.

#bonefishing #Acklins #SalinaPoint #GreysPoint