By Capt. Greg Poland
I got a call this past winter from a longtime client, Chris Fredrick from Kennebunkport, Maine. He wanted to get out of the winter weather and go bonefishing. Chris and I have fished the Florida Keys together for over 25 years and he has caught many bonefish on fly with me over the years, along with most of the other fish that swim in my back yard. But bonefish have always been his favorite. We talked through the opportunities here in the Keys, but he was looking for something different—somewhere special. As we brainstormed, he mentioned how he still remembered the stories I used to tell him about my days fishing aboard the Sea Lion V and the Compass Rose in the Bahamas with the crew from Walker’s Cay.
Those stories go way back. Years ago, I was lucky enough to get a call from a fellow captain at the Lorelei who couldn’t make a trip that was already on his calendar. He passed my name along to John Albplanalp, whose family owned Walker’s Cay, and that simple phone call turned into a long friendship—and some of the best days I’ve ever had on the water. Truth be told, I’m probably still telling those stories today, which brings us full circle to how this trip began.
Fredrick said he wanted a place where the bonefish truly tail, where we’d have plenty of shots, but also somewhere beautiful, where his family could relax and enjoy themselves without spending all day standing on a skiff. After some digging, we found a hidden gem: the Caerula Mar Club in South Andros. https://caerulamar.com
Everything you see on their website is real, and then some. They provide incredible accommodations, outstanding food, and exceptional bonefishing. This isn’t your average bonefish lodge; it’s a five-star resort that just happens to offer world-class fishing.
The guides were fantastic and put us on plenty of fish. Everyone in our group caught bonefish, both on spinning gear and fly rods. I’m especially proud to say my bride, Lisa, landed her very first bonefish with Capt. Shine, a lifelong South Andros fisherman and the owner of the famous Shine’s Conch Shack on Mangrove Cay, just a 10-minute boat ride from the resort.
Shine’s Conch Shack is truly the bar at the end of the world. It’s the place Jimmy Buffett used to stop for a bite after fishing the flats of South Andros. The walls are covered with signatures from anglers around the globe, and in one special corner, you’ll find the words:
“Honk If You Love Conch” – Fins Up, J. Buffett
Between some of the best conch salad and cracked conch you’ll ever eat, the fish stories from locals and traveling anglers, and an ice-cold Kalik in hand—it’s a place you don’t forget. https://ontheflysouth.com/shines-conch-shack/
If you’ve never fished the bonefish flats of South Andros, it deserves a spot high on your list. It’s an easy flight into Congo Town from Fort Lauderdale with Makers Air or charter flights, making it a quick, painless getaway. Even my next-door neighbor stopped at Caerula Mar last summer during a Contender rendezvous and said the bottom fishing was fantastic, and that simply relaxing and enjoying the Bahamas made it a perfect stop along the way.
If a trip like this is calling your name, reach out. I’d be happy to share more details and help point you in the right direction. gregpoland@icloud.com.
