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Caribbean Daydream: Journey to the Greatest Escapes of the Dominican Republic

March 24, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

casa de campo harbor

Photo courtesy Casa de Campo

By Steve Dougherty

Encompassing two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s greatest escape and currently the best place in the world to catch a blue marlin. Renowned worldwide for premium cigars and major league talent, the D.R. attracts adventurous owners and captains searching for outstanding fishing amid magical settings accommodating both tournament teams and families that fish together.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Caribbean, Featured Stories, Places Tagged With: Caribbean, Casa De Campo, Dominican Republic, marina cap cana, Offshore Fishing

The Seasons of the Bahamas

May 7, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

picture of anchored yacht in clear Bahamas water

Photo courtesy Brian Spence

By Winslow Taylor
The Bahamas are a boater’s paradise, full of diverse opportunity for recreation — much more, in fact, than many people realize. If you are an InTheBite subscriber, chances are when folks say “I’m headed to the Bahamas for vacation” and that is followed up with plans to go to Nassau or Atlantis, you are going to roll your eyes. There is nothing wrong with Nassau, it’s a fun spot.

The Atlantis makes a delicious $35 coffee/bagel combo and it’s a good fuel stop on the way to elsewhere. These popular “mainstream” destinations hardly convey the real Bahamian experience. When it comes to the Bahamas, one of the coolest experiences is one of the simplest: leaving the United States, crossing the gulf stream, and seeing the clear blue water on the banks as the depth goes from the thousands to the teens.

Having your own boat in the Bahamas, whether it’s a 150-foot yacht or a 23-foot center console, gives you a sense of freedom and flexibility that is unmatched in any other boating destination. Not only is the scenery spectacular, but the fishing from the flats to the deep is superb, with different species to target year-round depending on the island(s).

Exact trip planning depends on the vessel, itinerary, and person count (things that are different for everybody), but generally speaking, it’s important to properly plan out the logistics and provisions. The major islands, and even Marsh Harbour, have grocery stores that rival those in US, but the off-the-beaten-path islands require more planning.

Furthermore, US beer is expensive, so if you enjoy a cold domestic you should provision accordingly!

Although there are two seasons in Florida (1) hot and humid as hell and (2) a little less hot and humid, the Bahamas can be a four-season, year-round destination with different islands and fisheries best showcased in the different seasons. Although I spent a few months in the Abacos shagging grass, island hopping, and watching the wind blow, I have spoken with some well-traveled professionals for their take on where to go and what to do/target throughout the year.

The following provides some off the beaten path Bahamas perspective that might be of use in your next trip to the islands. The information is broken down by season and destination. With apologies to the many activities and locations left out, here is a breakdown of the seasons of the Bahamas.

blue marlin under the water

The man in the blue suit has been attracting anglers from around the world to the Bahamas since the days of Hemingway. Photo courtesy Chris Kaulen

Winter:

Cat Island
Cat Island is 130 miles southeast of Nassau and 300 miles from Fort Lauderdale. Cat Island is home to Hawk’s Nest Resort and Marina on its southwestern tip. The island boasts lodging, a protected marina, and an airstrip. One of the best attributes of Cat Island is the ability to fish in the lee whichever direction the wind decides to blow. The winter wahoo fishing is phenomenal and blue marlin are no stranger to the spread.

Cat Island is definitely a destination where you need to properly provision and don’t forget to bring some bikes for local transportation. Coupled with the phenomenal fishery, diving, and true Bahamian experience, Cat Island and Hawk’s Nest Rest & Marina should be on your winter to-do list!

Great Harbour
In the Berry Islands and close to Chub Cay is Great Harbour. The fishing from Great Harbour is similar to Chubb (30 miles to “The Pocket”), but Great Harbour is a more economical location to keep your boat. Talking with Capt. Ben Brownlee, who has spent many seasons throughout the area, he explains that from Great Harbour you can fish right in front for wahoo, the deep dropping for snapper and grouper is insane, and there are always some marlin around.

Also, with the right wind, you can hit up The Pocket. Great Harbour is the largest island in the Berry’s and provides more opportunities for small boats to explore and cruise. While you’re there make sure to go to Flo’s restaurant and cliff jump into the blue hole!

San Salvador
San Salvador is very much off the beaten path, but it’s famous for the massive wahoo captured there every winter. Many world records have come from its depths and it’s not uncommon to see fish in excess of 80-100 pounds. Mixed in with the big wahoo are the occasional yellowfin and marlins. Although the island is rustic, there is commercial air service, which makes traveling and keeping your boat there a breeze.

Not only is the fishing excellent, but San Salvador’s history is unique as it is believed to be the first land Christopher Columbus visited in 1492.

a boat backing down with a blue marlin jumping behind it

A nice white marlin for the Grand Slam. Whether it’s tournament time or just fun fishing, the Bahamas fit the bill when it comes to bluewater action. Photo courtesy Wallis Higginbotham

Spring:

Chubb Cay
Also in the Berry Islands, Chubb Cay is a year-round destination with an impressive fishery from the flats to the deep. It is definitely a first-class destination and conveniently located approximately 30 nm from Nassau, 75 nm from Bimini, and 125 nm from Fort Lauderdale. Access to the pocket is closer than Great Harbour and it’s the place to be on an east-southeast wind. Ben reports that double-digit marlin bites are not uncommon and you have a decent shot at slamming out when the water is right!

The Abacos
Personally, I think the Abaco Islands are one of the coolest destinations for fishheads and cruisers alike. It’s also a great “intro” area into cruising the Bahamas. You can leave Florida in the morning and be checked in and fishing by lunchtime, weather permitting of course. There is no shortage of great marinas and accommodations, with each island offering its own unique character.

There are two airports offering commercial flights from the mainland (Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay), with Marsh Harbour even having direct flights from Atlanta and Charlotte. Marsh Harbour is great, not only because of the travel options, but it’s also easy to stay well provisioned. Marsh Harbour has a Maxwell’s Supermarket which has everything you would find in the US.

guys holding a bunch of bottom fish

Snorkeling in the Bahamas is a great way to stock up on groceries. Where else can you spear lobster, hogfish, mutton snapper, black grouper, red grouper and Spanish mackerel? Photo courtesy Justin Wilson

In the spring there is no shortage of gaffers and the blue marlin really start showing up in April, you can’t go wrong trolling off the lighthouse, and your never far from a quick run in for lunch. One of my favorite activities is conching in the Sea of Abaco. Just get some snorkel gear, tie a line behind your boat, and get dragged through the water looking for conch on the bottom. Once you see one (or more), release from the line, dive, capture, and repeat.

Eleuthera – Cape Eleuthera
Pete Zabinski has been traveling the Bahamas since he was a kid, and one of his favorite spots is Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina on the western tip of Eleuthera. Cape Eleuthera has a great marina with equally amazing accommodations. Not only that it’s only 50 nm to Nassau if you need to pick up/drop off folks, and there are two airports with commercial service on the islands.

Eleuthera offers a true Bahamian feel, and no visit to Eleuthera would be complete without visiting glass window bridge. The marlin fishing gets firing in the spring, and it’s a good jumping off place to the Exumas and the Abacos.

Ariel view of Bahamas islands

This aerial shot of the Exumas shows not only how beautiful the Bahamas are, but the diversity of fishing and boating options that are available. Photo courtesy Michael Buckland

Summer:

Clarence Town – Long Island
Clarence Town is another one of Pete’s favorite locations. If you are in the Exumas, you might as well keep heading southeast to Long Island, which is another true Bahamian out island. Clarence Town is the capital, and another amazing destination for pelagics as well as bonefish on the flats. Flying Fish Marina is the place to be, and no trip to Long Island is complete without checking out Dean’s Blue Hole.

Exumas
It’d be easy to write a whole book on what to do in the Exumas. It’s an amazing archipelago that is easily accessible by air from the mainland, but also by boat from Florida. If you want to get away from a 100% fishing oriented trip and explore, then the Exumas are the place to be. You can island hop every few days and check out everything each island has to offer. From the “natural aquarium” at Staniel to the sharks on the dock and the bubble bath at Compass Cay.

It truly is one of the coolest places in the Bahamas. There are some great accommodations on the main island, but if possible, try to branch out to the various islands. Offshore, bone fishing, diving, golf, doing absolutely nothing…Exumas is top of the list!

Andros – Fresh Creek
Andros is the largest and least explored island in the Bahamas. It sits on the edge of the third-longest barrier reef in the world and is a short 20 nm run west from Nassau and about 100 nm from Bimini. Andros, with its expansive flats has phenomenal bonefishing and the barrier reef with its numerous blue holes, lends itself to some amazing diving.

Again, talking with Pete, he emphasized that Andros, specifically Fresh Creek is “Old Bahamas,” where the tourist factor is nearly zero. You can grab your gear, rent a car, and explore the island or use your boat to check out the endless shoreline. Summertime lends itself to meat and marlin fishing, and it’s a short hop from Florida that lets you skip the craziness of Bimini.

boats at the dock of flying fish marina in Clarence Town

Long Island’s Flying Fish Marina is a great destination when transiting the Caribbean or for a laidback vacation.

Fall:

West End
West End is an awesome, low-key destination that is a stone’s throw from Florida. At only 55 nm from Palm Beach, you can pretty much head over for lunch. Hell, in North Carolina we run that distance just about every time we go offshore. Old Bahamas Bay has a first-class marina and great accommodations to keep the entire family busy. As a side note, the runway at West End is recently opened so you can there in about 10 minutes from the mainland.

There is decent snorkeling just outside the marina, and the beach at the resort is protected so it’s perfect for kids. Just down the road Blue Marlin Cove and Bootle Bay offer more fishing-oriented accommodations, with great marinas. From West End, it’s a quick run-up to Mantilla Shoals (“The Corner”) where you can catch anything from limits of tuna to marlin!

West End also makes a good jumping off point to the upper Abacos which has some unparalleled diving and spearfishing opportunities.

Bimini
At 45 nm from Florida, Bimini is another great short trip. Although in summer Bimini can seem like Miami/Ft. Lauderdale 2.0, in the fall the crowds thin and it’s a great destination to get away for a long weekend. Although not prime fishing season due to the warm water temps, Bimini has awesome snorkeling, spearfishing, reef fishing, and bonefishing.

If you want the party scene you can hit up the casino at Resort World. Resort World also happens to be a Hilton Property, so if you have Hilton points you can score some free rooms. There is a huge casino as well as all the usual accoutrements. If you want a laid-back spot check out Bimini Sands on South Bimini, it has a great marina and a more traditional Bahamian vibe.

Make sure to check out the SS Sapona for a cool snorkeling spot, and if you’re going to head offshore you can make the short 20 mile run up to Isaac Cay where the tuna show up. There is no question Bimini is a great spot to enjoy a long weekend in the islands!

hells bay skiff floating in shallow water

For many, bonefish on the white sand of the flats are the headliner. There are plenty of options for flats fishing throughout the islands.

Nassau
It’s easy to give Nassau a hard time, but there is no denying it’s convenient, nice, and plenty of fun. Barring a hurricane, fall is my favorite time in the Bahamas, it’s warm, it’s not too crowded, and usually the wind isn’t horrible. Nassau gets a bad rap for being overpriced, but there are many ways to keep the cost down. If gambling is your (or your friends’) thing, it’s not difficult to get a comped room at the Atlantis or the Baha Mar.

The Baha Mar is nice and willing to give some deals to try to lure some of the Atlantis’s clientele over. Nassau has some great marinas (Bay Street, Atlantis, Hurricane Hole, and Lyford) and it’s an easy jumping off point to Andros, Chubb, Eleuthera, and Exuma. Also, there are plenty of islands between Nassau and Spanish to cruise and enjoy. If you’re looking for a fun Conclusion: Now you have read some of our recommendations, all you need is a chartbook, some fuel and you can go find your own favorite spot. That’s the beauty of the Bahamas.

It’s close enough to be accessible, but far enough away to truly get away from it all…if you want to!

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

Filed Under: Adventures, Caribbean, Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, Places Tagged With: Bahamas, Caribbean, fishing trips, the seasons of the bahamas

Potential Prizes Over $520k in 2019 Cayman Billfish Rundown

December 17, 2018 By InTheBite Editor

(George Town, Cayman Islands ) The Cayman Islands’ latest entrant into international fishing tournaments, Cayman Billfish Rundown, will take place May 14 – 17 2019, hosted by Hurley’s Media, Dart and The Residences at Seafire.

This inaugural multi-day fishing tournament will have one of the largest guaranteed prizes of the region’s competitive fishing circuit with a guarantee of USD$270,000 in prizes.  In addition to the large cash prizes, Cayman Billfish Rundown will take place during the islands’ Carnival Season featuring the colorful CayMAS Parade. Tournament headquarters and weigh station will be at Camana Bay, one of Grand Cayman’s most prestigious addresses. The festivities will start around 4pm each day with the return of the boats to the harbor at Camana Bay.

Potential prize winnings are over USD$520,000 which includes the USD$250,000 insured for breaking the local Cayman Islands blue marlin record of 584lbs. The tournament also offers 21 added entry categories, to include billfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin, making the jackpot one of the largest in the Caribbean.

Unique to this event is the USD$10,000 Award to the Captain of the boat with the most billfish release points.

Randy Merren, Managing Director of Hurley’s Media, said this tournament has been over a year in the making and pleased to see the event taking shape. “Cayman Billfish Rundown is a sportfishing tournament to attract both overseas and local participants and will re-introduce big game international tournament fishing to the Cayman waters,” Mr Merren said. “Cayman is known for its beautiful weather, cuisine, diving and amazing beaches and is convenienctly located a direct route from the Panama Canal, US, and around the Caribbean.”

Camana Bay Harbour

“Cayman is a very attractive destination and we view this as an opportunity to attract visitors who spend their time off shore on fishing trips and may not have had Cayman on their radar. We have scheduled this tournament at a time of year when the fishing is plentiful, when there is a break with other tournaments and to coincide with CayMAS carnival which takes place the day after the awards ceremony, we want to showcase all Cayman has to offer.”

“The 2019 Cayman Billfish Rundown is the perfect reason for avid international sportsfishermen to plan a trip to the Cayman Islands. Dart and The Residences at Seafire are pleased to join Hurley’s Media as presenting sponsors of this premier Caribbean event and welcoming both visiting and local anglers to Camana Bay,” said Pilar Bush, Executive Vice President Marketing at Dart Enterprises.

Cayman Billfish Rundown has also teamed up with world renowned marine artist and angler, Carey Chen, to provide his expertise and ensure this event is executed to a high standard.

Carey Chen, Tournament Ambassador, world renowned marine artist and angler

“Cayman has some of the best fishing in one of the most beautiful and successful islands in the Caribbean. I am honored to be part of this tournament and am looking forward to this being an unforgettable event,” Mr Chen said.

“I fish tournaments throughout the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America and always enjoy the fishing in Cayman as well as the hospitality given while visiting. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Mr Merren on the event and encourage boats to sign up.”

“Whether traveling with family or a group of friends, Cayman offers our visitors a wide range of accommodations choices from award winning hotels to luxury rentals allowing our visitors to relax and beyond the great fishing, enjoy world famous culinary offerings, indulgent spas, a host of attractions, amenities, watersports and carefully curated shopping experiences from artisans markets to luxury boutiques”, Bush said.

Registration for the Cayman Billfish Rundown is now open. Early registration before March 1 2019 is USD $2,500 and after March 1 is USD $3,000.  For more information about this event, visit www.caymanbillfishrundown.com.

Eligible species for the tournament includes Billfish (Blue, Sail, White and Swordfish), Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo.

Cayman Billfish Rundown has designated the Alex Panton Foundation as the beneficiary charity of the tournament. Their mission is to improve the mental health of children and young adults in the Cayman Islands through advocacy, awareness and support while raising awareness of mental illnesses with a particular focus on anxiety and depression.  Participants will have the option during registration to donate a percentage of their winnings to the foundation. www.alexpantonfoundation.ky

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: billfish, Blue Marlin, Caribbean, cash prizes, Cayman Billfish Rundown, Cayman Islands, Dart, dolphin, fishing tournament, George Town, Hurley’s Media, InTheBite, magazine, Sailfish, sportfishing, swordfish, The Residences at Seafire, Tuna, Wahoo, White Marlin

InTheBite Location Spotlight: American Yacht Harbor

August 9, 2018 By InTheBite Editor

American Yacht Harbor is a full service marina in St. Thomas. A wonderful location, it is the jumping off point for the epic blue marlin bite on the fabled North Drop. Centrally located in the Virgin Islands, American Yacht Harbor provides access to the British Virgin Islands and the eastern Caribbean. A destination on every blue marlin fisherman’s bucket list, American Yacht Harbor is perfectly situated to make the dream of fishing St. Thomas a reality…

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: american yacht harbor, Blue Marlin, british virgin islands, Caribbean, igy marinas, InTheBite, location spotlight, luxury yacht films, Sportfishing destination

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