Inshore fishing has been exceptional this winter in Long Island. With a few fronts reaching this far south, lasting only a day or two, it has made the fishing above average. We have been seeing bigger fish than normal on our “inside” flats, which we think is due to the destruction of a dike by Hurricane Sandy that was put in place by the old salt company. The “outside” or ocean flats are always productive during the spawning months of October to May where bonefish congregate in large schools to go offshore to spawn before returning to the inland flats. A lot of barracuda are also on the flats to give anglers a little change up in their daily fishing. Small sharks are also around and are really exciting to catch on the fly. Occasional permit will be found on the ocean flats. Also, mutton and mangrove snapper can be found, which is great on the fly. Best natural baits are pilchard’s conch and squid. Double digit daily catches has been the norm for our guests, with guide and fishermen double catching. The Gotchas and Crazy Charlie’s are still the go-to shrimp patterns, along with the Merkin Crab pattern. As most Bahamian bonefish destinations are reporting above average catches this year and larger fish, it seems that the conservation efforts and undisturbed spawning sites over the last few years are paying off. In April, I will go back to my 8-weight, not because of the fish size, but due to a reduced wind factor. It seems we are going to have great spring fishing.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Nevin Knowles
Long Island Bonefishing Lodge
Long Island, Bahamas
Phone: (242) 472-2609
Email: info@longislandbonefishinglodge.com | Website: www.longislandbonefishinglodge.com