After traveling for a couple of months to all corners of the tropical universe looking for bonefish, I finished up 2012 with a week at Fedel
The Gang On Acklins
Johnson’s, Outback Fishing Adventure on Acklins. It was the old “gang” all meeting up in Nassau for the last trip of the year. Nice to fish with people you know well, a little like putting on a pair of old sneakers, just comfortable. Most of us had fished Acklins before, so we were happy and excited to get back.
For those of you who have not been to Acklins, it’s a little out there, pleasantly undeveloped and the perfect place to go if you just want to fish. Nothing to distract you like nightlife, (though there is Thursday night karaoke) restaurants or tourist attractions. Great place for the guys, I would leave the wives at home.
Outback Fishing Adventure
Fedel is one of the original guides on the island and knows bonefishing like few others. His “lodge” is an intimate setup, you actually stay in his home in Lovely Bay and his wife, Erica cooks all the meals, washes linens and clothes daily and generally keeps the operation running smoothly. He offers what guys like me look for…………….. a combination of guided and non-guided days. Every morning he takes two people fishing in his flats skiff and the other fishermen he sets up for a self-guided day. The DIY days can either be by kayak (he drops you off) or a walk and wade on one of the many flats that can be reached by car.
Our trip was hampered by some lousy weather, but the fishing got steadily better as the week went along. The fishing ranged from fair to excellent, depending on the day and in the end we all caught lots of fish. For the self-guided days (five out of the six for me) the fishing was good. Typical for a trip where I “explored” a great deal, I had one day when I caught a grand total of zero and a day when I landed 20 plus. The fish averaged four pounds but everyone got shots at much larger fish and a couple of eight pounders were landed. So for the DIY angler the northern section of Acklins is a premier destination.
Acklins
The final day of the trip I was guided by Fedel. I would like to say it was a typical Bahamian morning, sunny and warm, as we headed off in his skiff, but in reality I froze my ass off as we hurdled headlong into the rain at 30 m.ph. I caught my first bonefish of the day in a slight drizzle and then it just got better and better. Fishing with a long time friend under the tutelage of Fedel, we had “one of those days”.
Acklins Flat
Caught so many fish we got giddy, the fish bit everything we threw and without a doubt we were in the middle of one of the worlds premier bonefish destinations. Can hardly wait to get back.
