Best time of year for Bonefish in the Bahamas?

My fiance surprised me today with honeymoon plans to go to Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island in the Bahamas, which apparently has excellent Bonefish opportunities. We're getting married in August, but we're unsure of when the best time to take the Honeymoon will be. I'll be in school through this fall, so sometime next year (unless December is kick ass down there) would be ideal.

Also, what weight rod would be best for this? I'm looking at a Redington Predator 8wt, matched to a Lamson Guru 3.5 (8/9wt). For line I'm looking at either Rio's Bonefish or Bonefish Quickshooter line.

Thanks for any advice.

our guide made it seem like late March/early April was the best bet. I went mid March and had a great time and pretty decent fishing on the good weather days. The people I know that go every year usually go the first or second week of April. To my (limited) understanding there can be good fishing later than that but you can also get into hurricane season.

Not familiar with that rod but I had a 7 and an 8 wt with and definitely preferred the 8 on most days as wind is definitely an issue.

We were thinking the first week of May FWIW, but if this isn't any good we haven't reserved anything yet, so we're pretty open.

I hammered bones for a few years(not Bahamas) with the rio boner line in a 8 wt and the line was fantastic. I was using a sage z-axis 8 and found it great especially for the larger fish. That being said the fish you are going to be casting to will probably be more skiddish that what I was throwing at and if you feel better with a 7 you wont be the only one there with one.

Late April/May. Bonefish if you can cast (in the wind), Quickshooter if you can't. 8 for an all around, especially in the wind.

Looking into it a little further, I found that there are some Tarpon opportunities as well. I'm pretty set on the Redington Predator and from what I gather, they tend to be a bit over built and fish one weight higher than they are rated (an 8wt is more like a 9wt). Would the 8wt Predator be adequate for Tarpon or should I just stick to Bonefish on this trip. I want the 8wt specifically for Bones, but also to crossover as my Steelhead/Salmon and Pike/Musky rod and don't want to be over-gunned in these scenarios.

The #8 Predator is on the beefy side, fish it for tarpon if that's all you can take. It will be fine for fish up to 40lbs which are the most fun anyways. You're lucky to land 1/4 poons hooked so I wouln't worry too much, jump em and you're done anyways. Line it with the Bonefish Quickshooter which will throw a biggger tarpon fly better than the standard bonefish line. The predator will make a fine pike/musky stick as well.

Should I over-line that or keep it the same as the rod?

Thanks for the info snapt, I appreciate it.

You could if you have trouble loading a rod a shorter distances. I personally would not, the #8 will land a little softer as well. A Bonefish Quickshooter #8 is 290 grains at 35', which is a tad heavier than standard. You'll probably be carrying the whole head on most casts so I think you're fine with the #8.

May was good!
Attachment 374523

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dickeymotto

My fiance surprised me today with honeymoon plans to go to Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island in the Bahamas, which apparently has excellent Bonefish opportunities. We're getting married in August, but we're unsure of when the best time to take the Honeymoon will be. I'll be in school through this fall, so sometime next year (unless December is kick ass down there) would be ideal.

Also, what weight rod would be best for this? I'm looking at a Redington Predator 8wt, matched to a Lamson Guru 3.5 (8/9wt). For line I'm looking at either Rio's Bonefish or Bonefish Quickshooter line.

Thanks for any advice.

---

Time of year is really not that important on Andros. Weather is really important for bonefishing, but weather and season aren't that well correlated anywhere in the Bahamas and especially not as you move south. So, schedule it when it's convenient, airfare and Small Hope are best priced, and cross your fingers that you have clear days, with winds of 5-10.

An incoming tide can suddenly warm cooler water or cool warmer water. Subsequently, during cooler weather the middle of a sunny day presents a good time to look for bones on the flats, while early morning and late evening provide better fishing in the heat of summer. Tides are critical to bonefish in another way, too.

The best time to go fly fishing for bonefish in the Bahamas in October – early June.

Are bots named after WWE wrestlers now?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John_B

Are bots named after WWE wrestlers now?

---

Hah. Good catch. Wasn’t quite sure what you were talking about, until I just read the 2019 Thread asking for a guide.