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Andros

3K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  A.vulpes 
#1 · (Edited)
Just back from a great middle bight Andros trip. We fished at Two Boys Inn run by Frankie Neymour. A group of 6 flew from Houston last Tuesday morning early in the AM. Landed in Nassau with about a two hour layover before catching our puddle jumper to Andros. We met a couple of other fellows from Houston that were fishing the south end of Andros. While visiting they told us about a local food shack in the parking lot. This joint was cooking up curried chicken, ribs, whole snapper, & their version of dirty rice, all served with a Goat pepper sauce (similar to habenaro or scotch bonnet). Great food! After lunch we caught our small plane to Andros & about 20 minutes later we were on the ground. The ride from the airport to Frankies was about 40 minutes with not much to see other than some scattered pines & mangroves. We arrived at Frankies greeted with warm smiles and friendly hellos. All of the guys but me & one other in our group had fished with Frankies crew for several years so it was a nice "welcome home" for them. Promptly conch stew was served & many drinks were drank.
The next morning up at 5:30, breakfast served about 7:00 then on the water by 8:00. Stoney & I fished with Deon. We started fishing from the bow for the first hour or two. Had one tailing fish I lined & a small school I didn't pick up for not having my eyes adjusted to the fish yet. Either way we started off first thing seeing fish but none to hand. Around 10am we started wading. I slipped my gravel socks on & laced up my boots and off we go in hot pursuit behind Deon as he hauls ass across the flat without making one damn splash or sloshing sound. Deon seems to be in his late 50's so this left an impression on me. Once running him down in the other end of the flat he tells us, "let's go they're not here". Hmmm. So off we go to the next flat. Pull up to the next wading spot & I decide to go barefoot, since I've spent half my life with no shoes on. Being barefoot on a flat chasing fish puts me in a good place. We can see 3 other humans on this flat but none of them hooked up or working much of a pattern. Too bad for them. Off we go on foot spread out about 80', Deon beside me & Stoney flanking me. We spot the first school of 80-100 fish coming in from 300 yards out. They're pushing enough water a blind man could see them. Double hook up on that school. So went the rest of the day, school after school, sometimes with 5-7 schools incoming with 40-400 fish a piece. We would be hooked up with our fish breaking from one school & joining with another. I know y'all won't believe this next part but frankly I don't give a damn since I lived it. I cast ahead of a school & immediately hook up, fish breaks from the original school & joins another. Stoney casts into the second school & hooks up. After a brief fight we realize "my fish" ate both damn flies! Our guide couldn't believe what had happened. Just crazy! 7 to hand for me with another 3 or 4 that shook off, biggest being around 7#. Stoney landed 4 or 5, I don't recall for sure.
Day two I fished with my friend Ben & guide Calvin. Waded most of the day with lower light conditions which made spotting fish more difficult. We also had a solid 20mph day 2. The flat we were wading made for all straight into the wind casts. Ben is by far the best caster in our group but was having hell that day. Calvin & Ben stayed together while I walked off to do my own thing. Sighted, casted, & caught 2 on my own which always is a chest filling experience. While wading I saw what I would estimate to be a 9-11# Bone & another going 14-16#. I stalked the big one on foot for 20 minutes while it slowly eased away out of casting range the entire time I followed. I was tempted to make full sprint toward that fish knowing damn good & well it would spook. I finally decided just to watch it cruise along & enjoy that I was able to walk with a hammer like that. We walked back to the boat for a late lunch & while we ate Calvin picked up my http://www.bluemuddcharters.com/ custom rod & gave us a show. Pulled all the line off plus some backing, commenced to false casting, mid stroke would spin his body facing into the wind while swapping casting hands. He did that maneuver over & over never missing a beat; then dumping all the line in a laser beam of a cast. I mean come on. I told him, " now you're just showing off f____er." Helluva guide & a good guy.
Day three I fished with my buddy Winston & guide Deon. We were on the skiff all day which doesn't suit me as much as wading but still very fun. This was Winstons first trip so he had the full range of emotions from "holes to hills" as Deon put it. Winston picked up 3 or 4 I think & myself 5 or so. This day we were working inside a tight mangrove lined creek. So whenever a fish was hooked you better get on top of it & break him quick or be prepared to horse them to the point of the leader breaking or the mangroves would have you. Very cool to watch someone like Winston make large improvements in their fly game.
Day four I fished with my friend Robert & guide Deon. We rode far west since we had ice cream conditions but not a whole lot of activity early, then clouds moved in on us. Fished off the skiff all day. It was the slowest of all the days but still managed 2 to hand and one break off. One of the fished took me into the groves and did the basket weave root dance. Deon poled me up close as possible, I waded out of the boat, unwrapped the fish, & landed him. I was pretty proud of that fish.
Last day Donnie & I fished with Dwayne. The night before Dwayne told us, "tomorrow we're going hunting for monsters". Hell yes we are. Off we go waaaaaay west, pull up to the spot, "Will get your damn rod out, hurry big fish 11 o'clock, 80 feet, put it out there now, hurry, remember to lead him by 10-20' & long slow strips!" Aaaand whack on the head with the fly. Next big fish, perfect cast, on the right line, lead just right, fish eases over to the fly, long strip, nose down, tail tips up, sniffed but wouldn't eat. Had 2 more do the same thing. (Seeing these big fish made the fish I saw while wading leave an even bigger impression on me.) These big fish paled to the two I saw, whew. Donnie had pretty much the same experience. Dwayne said the incoming front had those fish acting odd. Spent the second half the day on schools and caught several fish/man that day. I can't speak for him but my heart wasn't into those schools, I still had my mind on the "monsters". Dwayne's line of the day: "I guess none of these fish want to be famous."
Over 20 fish on the trip for me I think & all of the other guys close to the same or more. Everyone had shots at the big ones. What a trip to take with one great group of humans. Frankie & his crew are a class act. Great food, plenty of drinks, lots of laughs, & damn fine fishing!!! I hope this report isn't too long & paints an accurate picture. I don't do pics on this site but here's a link to a great video our friend Jeremy Chavez did the last time this group went
http://www.castingtales.com/fly-fishing-videos/
Pick the one that has a black & white of the guys piled up in the back of 4Runner
 
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#3 ·
Just back from a great middle bight Andros trip. We fished at Two Boys Inn run by Frankie Neymour. A group of 6 flew from Houston last Tuesday morning early in the AM. Landed in Nassau with about a two hour layover before catching our puddle jumper to Andros. We met a couple of other fellows from Houston that were fishing the south end of Andros. While visiting they told us about a local food shack in the parking lot. This joint was cooking up curried chicken, ribs, whole snapper, & their version of dirty rice, all served with a Goat pepper sauce (similar to habenaro or scotch bonnet). Great food! After lunch we caught our small plane to Andros & about 20 minutes later we were on the ground. The ride from the airport to Frankies was about 40 minutes with not much to see other than some scattered pines & mangroves. We arrived at Frankies greeted with warm smiles and friendly hellos. All of the guys but me & one other in our group had fished with Frankies crew for several years so it was a nice "welcome home" for them. Promptly conch stew was served & many drinks were drank. The next morning up at 5:30, breakfast served about 7:00 then on the water by 8:00. Stoney & I fished with Deon. We started fishing from the bow for the first hour or two. Had one tailing fish I lined & a small school I didn't pick up for not having my eyes adjusted to the fish yet. Either way we started off first thing seeing fish but none to hand. Around 10am we started wading. I slipped my gravel socks on & laced up my boots and off we go in hot pursuit behind Deon as he hauls ass across the flat without making one damn splash or sloshing sound. Deon seems to be in his late 50's so this left an impression on me. Once running him down in the other end of the flat he tells us, "let's go they're not here". Hmmm. So off we go to the next flat. Pull up to the next wading spot & I decide to go barefoot, since I've spent half my life with no shoes on. Being barefoot on a flat chasing fish puts me in a good place. We can see 3 other humans on this flat but none of them hooked up or working much of a pattern. Too bad for them. Off we go on foot spread out about 80', Deon beside me & Stoney flanking me. We spot the first school of 80-100 fish coming in from 300 yards out. They're pushing enough water a blind man could see them. Double hook up on that school. So went the rest of the day, school after school, sometimes with 5-7 schools incoming with 40-400 fish a piece. We would be hooked up with our fish breaking from one school & joining with another. I know y'all won't believ this next part but frankly I don't give a damn since I lived it. I cast ahead of a school & immediately hook up, fish breaks from the original school & joins another. Stoney casts into the second school & hooks up. After a brief fight we realize "my fish" ate both damn flies! Our guide couldn't believe what had happened. Just crazy! 7 to hand for me with another 3 or 4 that shook off, biggest being around 7#. Stoney landed 4 or 5, I don't recall for sure. Day 2 I fished with my friend Ben & guide Calvin. Waded most of the day with lower light conditions which made spotting fish more difficult. We also had a solid 20mph day 2. The flat we were wading made for all straight into the wind casts. Ben is by far the best caster in our group but was having hell that day. Calvin & Ben stayed together while I walked off to do my own thing. Sighted, casted, & caught 2 on my own which always is a chest filling experience. While wading I saw what I would estimate to be a 9-11# Bone & another going 14-16#. I stalked the big one on foot for 20 minutes while it slowly eased away out of casting range the entire time I followed. I was tempted to make full sprint toward that fish knowing damn good & well it would spook. I finally decided just to watch it cruise along & enjoy that I was able to walk with a hammer like that. We walked back to the boat for a late lunch & while we ate Calvin picked up my http://www.bluemuddcharters.com/ custom rod & gave us a show. Pulled all the line off plus some backing, commenced to false casting, mid stroke would spin his body facing into the wind while swapping casting hands. He did that maneuver over & over never missing a beat; then dumping all the line in a laser beam of a cast. I mean come on. I told him, " now you're just showing off f____er." Helluva guide & a good guy. Day 3 I fished with my buddy Winston & guide Deon. We were on the skiff all day which doesn't suit me as much as wading but still very fun. This was Winstons first trip so he had the full range of emotions from "holes to hills" as Deon put it. Winston picked up 3 or 4 I think & myself 5 or so. This day we were working inside a tight mangrove lined creek. So whenever a fish was hooked you better get on top of it & break him quick or be prepared to horse them to the point of the leader breaking or the mangroves would have you. Very cool to watch someone like Winston make large improvements in their fly game. Day 4 I fished with my friend Robert & guide Deon. We rode far west since we had ice cream conditions but not a whole lot of activity early, then clouds moved in on us. Fished off the skiff all day. It was the slowest of all the days but still managed 2 to hand and one break off. One of the fished took me into the groves and did the basket weave root dance. Deon poled me up close as possible, I waded out of the boat, unwrapped the fish, & landed him. I was pretty proud of that fish. Last day Donnie & I fished with Dwayne. The night before over Dwayne told us, "tomorrow we're going hunting for monsters". Hell yes we are. Off we go waaaaaay west, pull up to the spot, "Will get your damn rod out, hurry big fish 11 o'clock, 80 feet, put it out there now, hurry, remember to lead him by 10-20' & long slow strips!" Aaaand whack on the head with the fly. Next big fish, perfect cast, on the right line, lead just right, fish eases over to the fly, long strip, nose down, tail tips up, sniffed but wouldn't eat. Had 2 more do the same thing. (Seeing these big fish made the fish I saw while wading leave an even bigger impression on me.) These big fish paled to the two I saw, whew. Donnie had pretty much the same experience. Dwayne said the incoming front had those fish acting odd. Spent the second half the day on schools and caught several fish/man that day. I can't speak for him but my heart wasn't into those schools, I still had my mind on the "monsters". Dwayne's line of the day: "I guess none of these fish want to be famous." Over 20 fish on the trip for me I think & all of the other guys close to the same or more. Everyone had shots at the big ones. What a trip to take with one great group of humans. Frankie & his crew are a class act. Great food, plenty of drinks, lots of laughs, & damn fine fishing!!! I hope this report isn't too long & paints an accurate picture. I don't do pics on this site but here's a link to a great video our friend Jeremy Chavez did the last time this group went
http://www.castingtales.com/fly-fishing-videos/
Pick the one that has a black & white of the guys piled up in the back of 4Runner
Nice trip report, Will. Andros is great. Fished yearly since 98 with Charlie Neymour, Frankie’s brother. Great crew down there. We spend most of our time chasing big bones from the skiff in about 4 feet of water. It eventually pays off. I would rather have a shot a one 60 lb tarpon on the West Side of Andros than 1000 migrating fish in the Keys. There are great opportunities to pursue many other species beyond bones, tarpon and permit. Once got spooled on an 8 weight by a bull dorado which was cruising the North Bight. Last year broke off a cubera on fly on the flats, but later caught one spin casting plugs. Andros definitely gets in your blood.
 
#4 ·
Very good folks. We came across two groups of mangrove snapper "holed up". I was wishing for a spin rod with some braid at that moment. I will definitely do some free diving next time I go. Supposed to be some permit on a wreck near the middle bight. I've only caught one dorado on fly in CR; can't imagine it in Andros though that would be nice.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Picture attempt:
Water transportation Sky Water Boat Vehicle
The folks that were staying from NY & Boston thought we were crazy for putting this goat pepper sauce on our eggs for breakfast and eating it with Doritos in the evenings.
Food Drink Ingredient Cuisine Dish
Vehicle Airplane Airliner Aircraft Car
I didn't take many heros shots, first couple I tried the fish were butterfingered. I decided it best just to send them home but here are a couple. Luckily Winston is a photographer by trade so he should have the goods.
Surf fishing Fishing Fishing rod Recreational fishing Outdoor recreation
Fishing Fish Fish Recreation Recreational fishing
Pics like the one below just tell the tale for me
Tree Plant Leisure
 
#7 ·
Nice trip....I'm guessing Donnie Courville was the Donnie as he told me he was about to depart for Andros. Very nice write up! I need to get me some Andros bones it's been a while.
Cheers,
Matt
 
#13 ·
Great report.... I think I know exactly how that "double hookup on fly" actually happened.. The hooked fish screamed over toward the second school where your buddy had cast his fly... Your line picked up his fly and it slid down your leader into the hooked fish....

I quit taking anyone bonefishing a few years ago and retreated back into the Everglades, where I am with anglers most days. There was a time, though, when Biscayne Bay was alive with big fish - and lots of them. We had similar things happen with shrimp and jigs, before I started using flies back in the mid seventies... In those days you never saw Bill Curtis any farther south than Mashta point (just NW of the southern tip of Key Biscayne...). Years later hurricane Andrew came along (1992) and things changed - not for the better....
 
#16 ·
Great story. Love to wade. I chased those Harbor Island big bones years ago. Talk about frustrating. Finally one evening with the sun going down the school was tailing next to the beach and I caught one about 9 lbs.
 
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