Written by: Greg Vincent, H2O Bonefishing
Winter weather may be a bit less reliable, but the rewards are worth it.
Photos courtesy H20 Bonefishing
Most seasoned saltwater anglers know that the safest times to head for The Bahamas are from March to June and October through November. Those are the periods when the weather is most stable, which means sight-fishing opportunities are at their peak. You don’t hear too many folks talking about winter, but there is a heck of a lot of incredible trophy bonefishing available that is not being exploited, especially by more experienced anglers.
Some of the biggest fish of the season are caught from December to February.
December to mid February is a total of, say, 75 days. We estimate that 35 to 40 of those days will see some of the most spectacular trophy bonefishing available anywhere in the world, let alone in The Bahamas. It is not only the fact that the fish are big but that they will “crawl” into very skinny water, which only adds to the excitement of the angling experience.
Skinny-water shots at big fish like this can make your day.
Winter bonefishing is often not about throwing at shadows in deeper water. It can be a far more intimate experience between angler and fish under these circumstances. Once an angler has experienced stalking and hooking a 10-plus-pound bone that had its back arched completely out of the water while feeding in only a few inches of water, a catching fifteen 1-2 pound fish in a day never seems quite as appealing. Quality rather than quantity is the hallmark of winter bonefishing.
Greg Vincent operates of H2O Bonefishing on Grand Bahama Island.
great fish… but since the law changed in Bahamas how do you get hold of the fishing licence?