World-Class Remote Fishing

Andros South is located in the settlement of Kemp’s Bay on the eastern shore of South Andros Island in the western Bahamas. South Andros is the southernmost portion of Andros Island, the largest and least-inhabited island in the Bahamas.

South Andros is flanked to the east by The Tongue of the Ocean, a deep-water trough that drops to more than five thousand feet not more than a mile offshore. Along the edge of the drop lies the third largest barrier reef in the world. South Andros Island itself is riddled with innumerable tidal creeks and inland flats, all home to hundreds of thousands of hungry bonefish.

Variety is definitely the spice of life here on South Andros. There are miles and miles of easily-waded white sand flats as well as hidden, unspoiled mangrove creeks peppered with large singles and doubles. Inland lakes fill up with eager schools of bonefish on the change of every tide. Expansive ocean-side flats attract bruisers from the deep (no, that’s no shark – it’s a bonefish, mon – cast now!). Remote, rarely visited cays are home only to schools of bonefish numbering in the thousands. The diversity and size of the fishery mean a completely different fishing experience every day of your trip.

The flats of South Andros teem with life. In addition to our incredible population of bonefish, we’ve got great sight fishing on the flats for barracuda, and even for sharks, if you and your tackle are up to it! Some anglers enjoy looking for permit when the conditions are right, and a lucky guest in the right place at the right time might even seem a tarpon swim by.

Adding to the varied experience at Andros South, we offer an offshore fishing program in which guests use fly and conventional tackle to target dorado, tuna, wahoo and more. If you really want the big pull, here’s your shot!

Bonefish

Location, location, location. No amount of preparation, equipment or planning can replace the natural bounty that the productive, unexploited bonefishing location of Andros South delivers.

South Andros Island is widely known as the Bonefishing Capital of the World. With the island’s endless, diverse flats, the opportunities are boundless. You want to fish to giant schools of hungry bonefish? No problem. Have your sights set on casting to large tailing bones? We can make it happen.

Expect to fish to schools of bonefish that average 2 to 4 pounds, with larger fish often swimming with the school. You will also have many shots at tailing and cruising bonefish ranging from 5 to 10 pounds plus. These opportunities will come while wading hard sand and marl flats or being poled along in one of our fully equipped flats skiffs. We’re not big on keeping score, but expect some days where you lose count of the number of bones you hook and land.

Most of your encounters with bonefish will be on extensive shallow flats or winding mangrove creeks in 1 to 2 feet of water. The fish will often be moving quickly on the tide and grubbing as they go looking for shrimp, crabs, worms, shellfish, baitfish and small invertebrates. A bonefish’s mouth, unlike that of most other gamefish, is located underneath the head, enabling the fish to easily root around the bottom for food. While you will often see (and cast to) larger schools of relatively easy-to-catch fish, the bruisers will often be traveling in singles or pairs and they offer some of our more challenging fishing.

Since bonefishing is often viewed as a combination of fishing and hunting, it is important that you stay alert and watchful for inbound fish. Your guide will put you on the ‘clock’ system to guide your shots at the fish – meaning that if he says look to 1 o’clock at forty feet, that’s where your cast needs to be, pronto!

If at all possible, attempt to spot the fish prior to laying down your cast. You will need to lead the fish a bit as bonefish can easily spook if you ‘line’ them or plunk a fly right on their heads. Bonefish can be nervous critters (as everything considers them a delightful meal) and learning to spot the fish, even with your guide’s assistance, will greatly enhance your success rate in hooking up.

Other Flats Species

While the bonefish gets top billing here on South Andros, there are many other fishing opportunities available on your trip. Here’s a brief overview of the other species you may encounter on your trip.

Reef structure, blue holes, mangrove creeks and the flats themselves offer shots at a variety of bonus species including barracuda, sharks, permit, tarpon and more. The bonefish is king here, but we’ve come to learn that these other species sure can pull and promise to add memorable highlights to any day on the water.

Barracuda

Barracuda will be one of your constant companions here on South Andros. Sight casting on the flats and blind casting in creeks and blue holes can deliver numerous explosive strikes and aerial battles. Beyond the opportunistic shots you’ll find throughout each day, ‘cudas offer an excellent option for action on the flats when the rare cold front blows through.

Barracuda are primarily targeted with 9 or 10 weight rods and tropical floating or intermediate sink tip lines. Wire leaders are a must – these are toothy critters.

Poppers, Bangers, needlefish flies and large Deceivers are all very effective in antagonizing these aggressive fish into striking.

Sharks

There’s plenty of food for sharks around South Andros, and that means…there are plenty of sharks. Lemons and blacktips are the species we see most of on the flats.

We frequently see sharks that are much too big to be landed with any reasonable fly tackle, but throwing big streamers at some of the smaller sharks is just flat-out fun. They’re aggressive, they’re fast, and they pull really, really hard.

Pre-made leaders rigged with wire braid can land some smaller sharks, be we prefer single-strand wire leaders. Sharks have a lot of very sharp teeth, and it’s not uncommon for them to bite through wire braid.

Big streamers are the ticket here, and red and orange seem to be the most effective colors.

Permit

We’ve recently spend some time discovering the best locations and tides for permit on South Andros. While we don’t have big numbers of permits on our flats, a day spent looking for them under the right conditions is likely to result in some shots.

There are specific locations, particularly the near shore cays on the Southwest side and some of the ocean flats, holding good populations. And, there are specific periods in the spring season where their inshore numbers increase significantly.

Permit here are generally in the 15 to 30 lb. range and are best targeted with a 10-weight with a tropical floating line.

Merkins, large mantis shrimp patterns and various yarn crab fly patterns will give you your best shot if you’re lucky enough to spot one. Your guide will let you know if you are visiting an area inhabited by permit so you’ll know to have a 10-weight rigged for the encounter.

Tarpon

The creek systems and the West side flats harbor populations of both resident and migratory tarpon. The tarpon fishery continues to develop but the habits and travel routes of South Andros’ silver kings have not yet been patterned to deliver highly consistent fishing. We’ll keep you posted as this fishery further develops.

Most of the resident tarpon range in the 40 to 100 lb. class and can be handled on a 10-weight with tropical floating or intermediate sink tip line.

Cockroaches, Bunny flies and Keys-style flies are all good bets if your guide takes you to an area that holds tarpon.

Finest Guides and Gear

Here at Andros South, we pride ourselves on employing the best professional guides and investing in the best possible gear to ensure your trip exceeds your expectations. Your enjoyment and safety are our top priorities.
You will find that our guides know exactly how to fit the experience to your skill set and your fishing objectives. You’ll also find that our top-notch equipment ensures your safe, comfortable enjoyment of the bounties of the flats around South Andros.
Our Guides

Our guide staff is comprised of some of the most skilled and experienced guides in all the Bahamas. Each of them grew up fishing the waters of South Andros and possesses intimate knowledge of the waters that our bonefish call home.

Our guides know each and every acre of flats as well as every nook and cranny of the mangrove creeks. They know the tides, they know the fish and they’ll know exactly where to take you as conditions change. You’ll be shocked at how quickly and easily they spot these elusive bones. Even if you’ve never bonefished before, they’ll likely have your reel singing many times before the day’s end. And, if your guide suddenly changes direction while poling – get ready, he sees a good fish and he’s working to put you in the best possible position for your shot.

A day on the water with one of them is like a day out fishing with a good friend– a friend who will work tirelessly to put you on fish and entertain you with stories of the islands.
Our Gear

We take our fishing and safety equipment very seriously.

We have top-quality loaner rods and reels available for your use. If you break a rod and need to borrow an 8-weight to target bonefish, there’s no problem and no charge. We’ve got 10 weight fly rods available for encounters with barracuda, as well as spinning gear – great for windy days, or those cases where launching a pencil popper across a flat sounds like a good time!

Our boats are all equipped with poling platforms, captain’s chairs and plenty of dry stoage. Our guides carry safety equipment like satellite phones and tool kits, as well as backup fishing gear like pliers, extra tippet and flies.

Comfortable, Casual Accommodations

Andros South is a friendly, laid-back bonefishing lodge that concentrates on providing a fishing experience that is second to none. If you are looking for white linen tablecloths, you should look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a very comfortable place to spend the week fishing, relaxing and enjoying a remote, quiet island in the Bahamas, you’ve come to the right place.

Our grounds are well-maintained and filled with coconut palms and a variety of other native plants. Our beach is the perfect place to practice your casting in preparation for your next day of fishing.

To the south of us are the cottages and homes of some local families as well as a few Spanish fishermen. They are warm friendly folks and you’ll find them to be a wonderful addition to your experience.

An evening walk over to the public dock north of the property can be worth your while. This is where the locals head off for a day at sea and return in the evening to clean their catch. Remember to bring your rod, as this is also a great place to fish at night for snapper, barracuda or the occasional shark.

The Beach

The lodge is situated on a beautiful white sand beach, taking advantage of the warm trade winds of the Bahamas. Take a relaxing swim each evening, or maybe a walk or a run. You may even want to wade in with your fly rod and hone your casting while gazing out at azure blue water. There are also hungry barracuda and the occasional large bonefish cruising along the white sand. If you find yourself in need of a longer beach to run on, you can head just north of the marina/public dock and find yourself on a white sand beach that stretches as far as you can see.

Rooms

Our rooms are clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned. Each has its own bathroom, which awaits you with a warm relaxing shower at the end of your fishing day. Did we mention each guest gets his own room? Yes, it is true! No listening to your “good buddy” snore all night. Each room has tile floors and is furnished with comfortable beds and modern dressers and nightstands.

Dining Room

Our dining room is welcoming and laid back. It is perfect to enjoy cocktails, great meals and conversation with friends, both new and old.

On the dining front, boy, do we have seafood! Many other great dishes too, like jerk chicken and ribs. During your stay you will be treated to lots of fresh local seafood. From fresh snapper and grouper, to lobster and conch, this is fresh fish at its finest.

We’re happy to take special requests for food – if you’ve got dietary requirements, or just a personal preference, let us know and we’ll and we’ll cook something up just for you.

You will enjoy a variety of dishes, with an emphasis on traditional Bahamian cooking. The main dish is always complimented with hearty side dishes and topped off with a variety of truly sinful desserts. You definitely won’t go hungry here. Homemade key lime pie, anyone?

‘The Slack Tide’

Located right on the beach is our tiki bar that we affectionately call ‘The Slack Tide’. This is a favorite spot to enjoy the beach, the breeze and drinks and appetizers at the end of your fishing day.

Our Staff

What, aside the great fishing, do guests claim as the reason for their return? Time and again it is our warm and friendly staff. They are always ready to help, and are constantly doting on our guests to ensure their comfort.

We are blessed with a wonderful team of Bahamian ladies that will happily and skillfully prepare your meals and make up your room each day. They will brighten your day with their warm smiles and they find great satisfaction in making your stay an enjoyable one. We will promise you this – you will miss their cooking when you return home.

What to Pack

South Andros may be the most informal place on the planet Earth.

Packing

Comfortable, casual wear is accepted and encouraged. Flip-flops, sandals, shorts, t-shirts…casual is king. Expect mid-80’s during the days, and high 60’s to low 70’s in the evening and early mornings.

Although casual tropical attire will generally work great during your time on the water, there are three fishing-specific items that are critical for each angler to bring – a raincoat, for boat spray or the occasional cloudburst,polarized sunglasses to help you see the fish, and flats boots or other footwear suitable for wading. Since the flats that we wade vary greatly in their bottom surface (hard sand, soft sand, grass, coral), we do not recommend wading sandals – boots are greatly preferred.

Also, don’t forget your passport, and make sure that it expires more than 90 days after your trip!

We recommend long-sleeved shirts and long pants while on the flats. Liberally apply a waterproof sun block of at least 30 SPF rating to all exposed skin including your ears and lips. After applying sunscreen, scrub your hands with a scoop of sand and water as bonefish can smell lotion on your fly and will quickly turn away.

Even on sunny days we suggest including a rain jacket in your boat bag. Boat spray can occur at any time and a cloudburst can form when least expected.

Rates and Booking

We often hear from our guests that Andros South is a tremendous value in the world of bonefishing lodges. Once you’ve come to experience the fishing and hospitality here on South Andros, we think you’ll agree.

Rates for Our 2010/2011 Season

* $3,950 per angler from Congotown, with single occupancy lodging, two anglers per boat, Saturday to Saturday.

* $2,250 for 3-day trips on select dates.

The following items are included in our pricing:

* Guided fishing with two anglers per boat
* Single-occupancy lodging
* All meals including alcohol
* Loaner fly and spinning tackle
* Terminal tackle and flies
* Transfers between the Congo Town airport on South Andros and our lodge

Singles who are willing to share a boat with another guest are welcome to book with us at no additional charge. All lodging is single-occupancy.

Our 2009-2010 season runs from October 16th, 2010 to May 28th, 2011. If you’re interested in booking on specific dates you’ll want to contact us well in advance.

To check availability or for more information call us at 1-800-638-7405. Or feel free to send an email: Contact Us

Andros South Gallery