Fly Fishing the Bahamas: Bonefish Lodges, Seasons and Tips
Location Details / Bahamas
Fly Fishing the Bahamas: Bonefish Lodges, Seasons and Tips
Bahamas fly fishing means bonefish on shallow flats, with Andros, Abaco and Grand Bahama the three islands most trips are built around. Most lodges open October to June and February through May is the peak. Visiting anglers over 12 need a Bahamian flats fishing licence, from B$20 for a week.
The Bahamas is where a lot of anglers catch their first bonefish. The islands sit on two enormous shallow banks, the water is clear, and the bonefish are opportunistic feeders. It is not a permit trip or a tarpon trip. It is the best place I know to get a lot of honest shots at bonefish in one week.
This page is the Bahamas map: the three main islands, the season, the licence and entry rules, the Frontiers lodges we book, and what our podcast guests have said about these flats. For more depth, read our island-by-island Bahamas bonefishing guide.
Here's the argument I've only ever heard put this way by Captain Bruce Chard, a Florida Keys flats guide since 1992, on episode 80 of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. He moved his bonefish schools to the Bahamas, South Andros and Abaco among them, because the Keys give you so few shots that a mistake teaches you almost nothing. On Bahamian flats, he said, four or five days of fishing give an angler more usable experience than four or five years of Keys trips, and a fish you bump on the head with a clumsy cast will sometimes turn around and eat anyway. The Bahamas isn't easy. It lets you learn.
Top species
Bonefish; permit, barracuda, jacks and seasonal tarpon as bycatch
Best months
Most lodges open October to June; February through May is peak
Top waters
South and Central Andros, the Marls of Abaco, Grand Bahama's north-side flats, the Berry Islands, Long Island
Licence and regs
Bahamian flats fishing licence for every angler over 12, issued by the Department of Marine Resources
Nearest airports
Nassau (NAS), Freeport (FPO) and Marsh Harbour (MHH); Congo Town (TZN) for South Andros
Entry
Passport valid at least six months on arrival; Canadians also need a return ticket
Where to Fly Fish in the Bahamas
Three islands carry most Bahamas fly fishing travel, and they are genuinely different trips. Fish sizes below are the averages the lodges publish.
Andros
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas and has the most bonefish water, split by tidal channels called bights into north, central (Mangrove Cay) and south sections. South Andros is the classic first trip: Andros South Lodge fishes east-side tidal creeks, ocean-side hard bottom, white sand and soft west-side flats, wading or poling, and describes schools of 2 to 4 pound fish with singles and tailers of 5 to 10 pounds and up. When a north wind blows out one side of the island, a good guide still has somewhere to go.
Abaco
Abaco's draw is the Marls, a sheltered maze of more than 40 square miles of shallow flats and mangrove on the island's west side, fished by skiff. The Delphi Club sits about ten minutes from the Marls and publishes an average of 2 to 3 pounds. Abaco is the shot-count island, and a good call for a beginner who needs volume to build confidence.
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama is the big-fish island and the closest of the three to Florida. North Riding Point Club fishes about 50 miles of north-side flats on the Little Bahama Bank, trailering flats boats to nine launch points, and publishes a 4 to 6 pound average with 7 and 8 pound fish common. Bigger bonefish spook at longer range, so make this a second Bahamas trip.
The quieter alternatives
- Berry Islands: small-group fishing for bonefish, permit, triggerfish and barracuda at Soul Fly Lodge on Great Harbour Cay.
- Long Island: low-pressure flats with a resort attached at Stella Maris.
- Crooked and Acklins: the remote far-southern option when Andros is full.
For a head-to-head, read Andros vs Abaco vs Grand Bahama.
When to Go Fly Fishing in the Bahamas
Bonefish live on Bahamian flats all year, but the lodge calendar decides most trips: most lodges open in October and close by early summer, with February through May the most requested window. December through March is cold-front season. A front swings the wind north and pushes bonefish off the skinniest flats for a day or two; between fronts you get the clearest water of the year.
| What's happening | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonefish, lodges open | ||||||||||||
| Cold-front risk | ||||||||||||
| Bonefish spawning season | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic hurricane season |
Intensity:LightModerateHeavy
Lodge season and peak months come from the lodges' published calendars; some close July through September. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust research puts Bahamas bonefish spawning from October through April, with pre-spawning schools documented on South Andros around the full moon, so a flat that was loaded yesterday can be empty today. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.
Book a Local Pro in the Bahamas
Guide or run a lodge in the Bahamas? Get listed. No Bahamian guide, lodge or outfitter is in the FFIP Certified directory yet. Anglers planning a bonefish week read this page, and they book you direct.
Market Your ServicesSee all FFIP Certified pros, including saltwater guides in the Florida Keys and Belize, or plan a Bahamas lodge week through Frontiers below.
Custom Flies and Rods from the Bahamas
Tie flies or build rods in the Bahamas? Get listed. No custom fly tyer or rod builder from the Bahamas is in the FFIP directory yet. Anglers heading to the flats want Gotchas, Crazy Charlies and shrimp patterns tied by someone who fishes this water.
List Your FliesPlan Your Bahamas Trip With Frontiers
Frontiers International Travel books these lodges at the lodge's own rates, with a specialist handling flights, transfers and travel protection. Rates are each lodge's shortest published package.
Via Frontiers International Travel
Andros South, South Andros
The classic first Bahamas trip: single-occupancy air-conditioned rooms, four distinct water types within reach, and bonefish plus barracuda, jacks, permit and the occasional tarpon. Peak runs February through May.
Starting from $3,600
Via Frontiers International Travel
Bair's Lodge, South Andros
On the east side between Deep Creek and Little Creek, 25 minutes from Congo Town airport, fishing inland flats with runs to the West Side. Transfers, full board, open bar and loaner gear are in the rate; VAT is not.
Starting from $4,250
Via Frontiers International Travel
North Riding Point Club, Grand Bahama
Fourteen anglers, 25 minutes from Freeport, with flats boats trailered daily across 50 miles of north-side flats. The big-fish option, with a published 4 to 6 pound average. Room, meals, fishing and alcohol included.
Starting from $3,624
We represent many great lodges in the Bahamas through Frontiers International Travel, including the Delphi Club on Abaco, Mangrove Cay Club, Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge, Soul Fly Lodge and Stella Maris, and we will help you choose based on your travel, timing, budget and species. For the full budget picture, read what a Bahamas bonefish week actually costs.
Bahamas Tips from Podcast Guests
-
Bring your guide two questions at the end of every day
Bruce Chard runs his Bahamas bonefish schools around an evening debrief. Anglers who never follow up on what went wrong that day repeat the same mistake tomorrow.
Bruce Chard, bonefish, permit and tarpon flats guide, on Guided EP 19, Grand Slams All Day -
Build bonefish leaders by diameter, not pound test
Diameters vary between manufacturers at the same rating, so a leader copied by pound test alone can hinge instead of turning over a fly into the wind.
Bruce Chard, flats guide and leader-system designer -
Hold a 90-degree rod angle on a running bonefish
Fight a fast fish straight overhead and the soft rod tip takes the load. Keep the angle between rod and fish near 90 degrees and you keep control.
Karin Miller, tenkara angler and saltwater guide, on Bonefish on Tenkara and the Fishing Triangle
Want more? Browse all 647 tips in the Fly Fishing Tips Library, sorted by region, water type, species and skill.
Hear the Bahamas on the Podcast
Episode 80: Bruce Chard, 30 Years in the Biz: the Florida Keys guide on why he teaches bonefish in the Bahamas, building leaders by diameter, and the backstory of his Tropical Punch fly lines. Listen to the audio episode.
Episode 9: Kyle Shea: Kyle spent around six winters on South Andros helping run Andros South between Alaska seasons, and his first year there riding shotgun in the skiff to learn the fishery. Read the episode notes.
Shop the Water: Flies and Gear for the Bahamas
Most Bahamas lodges standardize on an 8-weight with a floating saltwater line and a 9-weight backup. Buy Gotchas and Crazy Charlies at the lodge, and pack baitfish patterns for barracuda and jacks. The baitfish flies come first below, followed by rods, line and tippet tools for the flats.
Clouser's Triple Threat Bendbacks
Bendback Clousers
Clouser Minnow Saltwater Assortment
Lefty's Deceiver Assortment
NIRVANA Moksha Fly Rod, 8wt
Moonlit Umbra Fly Rod, 9wt
NIRVANA Apex Flight Saltwater Line
NIRVANA Tippet Feeder, 6 Pack
Bahamas Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
Do you need a fishing licence to fly fish the Bahamas?
Yes. Everyone over 12 fishing the Bahamian flats needs a flats fishing licence, issued by the Department of Marine Resources in Nassau or by Out Island Administrators. Non-resident fees are B$15 for a day, B$20 for a week, B$30 for a month and B$60 for a year, VAT included. The Bahamian dollar trades at par with the US dollar.
Do you need a guide to fish the Bahamas flats?
Not to wade on your own, but Bahamian rules require a certified Bahamian fishing guide whenever two or more anglers fish the flats from a vessel, and only Bahamian-registered boats may be used on the flats. Selling fish caught on the flats is prohibited, and catch and release is strongly encouraged. Most Bahamas bonefish weeks are booked through a lodge that supplies guides and skiffs.
Which Bahamas island is best for a first bonefish trip?
South Andros is the strongest first trip, because it offers the most water types and the most options when wind or a cold front shuts down one side of the island. Abaco is the runner-up for sheer shot count on 2 to 3 pound fish. Grand Bahama's larger, warier bonefish suit a second or third trip.
How much does a Bahamas bonefish trip cost?
Frontiers-booked Bahamas lodges start from $3,600 for Andros South's shortest package, and a standard seven-night, six-day week costs considerably more. Budget separately for airfare, the Nassau hop or a charter, VAT where excluded, gratuities and the flats licence.
When is the best time to fly fish the Bahamas?
February through May is the Bahamas bonefish peak, and the most requested weeks at Andros South and the Delphi Club on Abaco. October through January fishes with fewer anglers but more cold fronts. Many lodges close in summer, when hurricane season begins.
Book the season you actually want
The best weeks go first, and the difference between a good trip and a great one is usually timing. Tell us the season you want and we'll find the water that fishes then.
Book a TripFly Fishing Insider Podcast has a referral partnership with Frontiers International Travel. If you book after being introduced through us, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.
Tight lines, everyone!
By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed October 2026.
Prices, availability, flight routing and entry requirements change. Every figure on this page is the starting rate published by the lodge or by Frontiers International Travel at the time of writing, per angler, and is a starting point for a quote, not a quote. Seasons, lodge capacity, charter schedules, visa and passport rules and licence requirements can all change without notice. Confirm current pricing, availability and entry requirements with your Frontiers specialist before you book anything.
Sources: Flats licence rules, fees, guide and vessel rules and bonefish guidance: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fishing regulations, including the Fisheries Resources (Flats Fishing) Regulations fee schedule, and the fishing FAQ. Entry rules: Bahamas immigration and customs. Lodge rates and inclusions: Frontiers International Travel lodge pages for Andros South, Bair's Lodge and North Riding Point Club. Bonefish spawning: Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Bruce Chard and Kyle Shea on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast.