DIY Eleuthera - first timer

[alamborne]

I want to thank all the posters to this board for being such a great information source. My wife and I are heading to Eleuthera for a week in mid-March. We've never been to the Bahamas and I had been planning on going to Belize, but the info here helped change my mind.

I would really appreciate any more detailed information on flats plus other interesting stuff (good places to eat, guide recommendations, nice snorkeling spots, where to rent a kayak and use it...) that anyone is willing to share. We're renting a cottage in South Palmetto Point and will have a car. I'm planning to explore on my own but with 100+ miles of island to choose from, it would be nice to have a handful of known good areas to focus on. One thing I'm particularly interested in is tips on where I might find some tarpon. I think I can manage to catch bones & other miscellaneous fish on my own, but am thinking about getting a guide to try to find some tarpon. I know it's a bonefish destination, but I only get to do this sort of thing every few years and after hooking a tarpon a few years ago in Belize, I'm keen to repeat the experience.

In return for good info, I can offer a trip report when I get back plus can share info on fishing in Colorado if it's of interest.

Thanks,
Andy Lamborne
alamborne.co@netzero.net

[BobG]

Andy,

We rented a home on S. Palmetto once also. Did you rent The Red House of Foolish Pleasure by chance?

[sjs50613]

Like Andy, my wife and I are going to Eleuthera for the first time in mid-February. Being a real beginner to bonefishing (only out twice with a guide on Abaco, and only ever caught two on a fly rod), I can use whatever tips that folks can share for DIY on Eleuthera. I can understand some of the concerns that have been raised about crowding on Eleuthera, but hopefully we won't see as much of that in mid-Feb. and I seriously doubt we'll have much effect on the fishery there.

We are staying near N. Palmetto Pt right on the Atlantic, and have a jeep rented. I'm not adverse at all to "off the beaten path" locations. Pattern-wise, I'm planning to take mostly Gotcha's, Clousers, and hopefully some shrimp and crab patterns if I get them tied in time.

I'm also hoping to do some inshore beach fishing; any tips (locations, patterns, techniques, etc) would be most appreciated for this land-locked freshwater fisherman. I've very little experience in this.

FWIW, my fishing time will likely be limited and sporadic in nature. I presume that around incoming high tide is the best opportunities.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Steve Sutterer
Cedar Falls, IA

[alamborne]

Hi BobG,

My wife booked a place called "little red cottage" through a woman named Judy in Florida. I bet it is the same place. Did you like the location? The house looks basic, which is fine with us as long as its clean (which Judy assured us it would be).

[alamborne]

Steve,

I can't offer a lot of advice since this will be my first trip there and I've only caught bonefish in Belize (I found them very easy to catch, but have to assume they'll be tougher in Eleuthera based on reports). I can give you 2 good pieces of advice:

1) Don't be afraid to blind cast if you're not having luck finding fish that will eat. Especially a) in deeper water next to flats and b) in the vicinity where you saw jacks crashing bait a short time ago (don't know if that's common on Eleuthera, but was very common in Belize). I caught my first several bones that way until I started seeing them cruising. Also caught untold numbers of jacks, snappers, and fish I couldn't identify just blind casting around reef heads.

2) Take more than 1 rod. I learned the hard way on a salmon trip last fall that having only 1 rod along greatly increases murphy's law that you'll break the rod within 30 minutes of starting to fish.

Have fun,
Andy

[BobG]

alamborne,

Yup, that's the place. The Little Red House is your typical Bahamain rental. Spartan-like accomodations. Just enough ammenities to cover the law.
When we were there, I immedietly noticed the house did not match the photo from the internet. The owner/landlord(we never actually learned his true relationship with this home, he owns the convienience store up the road) became very vague when I brought this up. We later learned from a neighbor, the house was slammed during the last hurricane. Literally took a direct hit, and split in half. One half, icl the deck, porch, and one room went out to sea. But they never changed the photo on the internet.
OK, here's some things to discuss with your landlord before going:

1. Is the cable tv on? When we were there, they had a large outstanding balance on the cable, and it was disconnected. It took several days of incessant complaining on my behalf to get it turned on.
2. This is very important! I believe the home comes with a car. In the Bahamas, that means you're getting a family members family car. It probably going to be old, and have bad tires (I had numerous flats on Eleuthera while at that home).
Now, ask the landlord, are you covered on his car insurance? I went through this last winter on Cat Island under similar circumstances. The home we always rented comes with a car for a nominal additional fee. The owner always told me had the best insurance, and I should not worry at all. Well, my wife and I were in a serious head-on collision and both cars were totalled. Well, you guessed it, there was NO insurance! Since the couple in the other car went back to Germany that day, the Bahamian police found me at fault since there was no one else to blame, and I was going to be there for three more weeks.
It was a nightmare of epic proportions, but I knew I was in the right, and I stood my ground. They tried every trick in the book to get me to pay for both cars. Even though both my wife and I were clearly banged up, nobody cared, they wanted their money, and wanted it now!
Once we got back to the States, I told them all to go to hell, and it's all a bad memory now.
But, if you believe anything I say alamborne, check on that insurance!
3. Check on the refrigerator door. It would fall off every time we opened it.

[Mark Dougherty]

Alamborn....may I suggest perhaps Abaco Island ? I know my way around Abaco fairly well ....and yes .....there a few Horror Homes for rent on Abaco...but also a lot of decent places......e-mail me if I can help.....

[BobG]

alamborne,

The house right next door to the Red House (I think it's called the Green House) was very nice, and I would recommend it if it's available. Much larger, TV, full kitchen, loft bedrooms, amd it wasn't much more than the one you're renting.
Also, the home called Foolish Pleasure is the next home over. This home was slammed by the hurricane when we were there, but the owner was rebuilding, he took me through the entire home, and it was spectacular. I can't recall his first name, but his last name was Weigel, and I think he was from Colorado. He also helped rent the Red House when the owners had trouble finding tenants.
Also check out Ten Bay Beach on Eleuthera. There are some excellent rental there, on the beach, very reasonable.
Eleuthera, like much of the Bahamas is beautiful. You just need to be sure what you're paying for is what you'll actually be getting once you get there.

[noke41]

First let me disclose that I have only been to Eleuthera once. There are others who have much better experience with the island. Here is what I found (and much of it is an opinion)
All in all, I loved the vacation. It was my wife and I and we rented a house on 10 Bay Beach (SeaDreams). It was a very functional house but the best part was 10 Bay Beach (which is the beach that the house is is on or just off of). 10 Bays is a very beautiful beach with huge palms leaning over and when we were there, the beach only had one house on it (and the house was set a ways back). It is my understanding that a developer is trying to sell off parcels. From the house, you waded a little to get to the beach, but that was no big deal (even for my wife who thinks the Holiday Inn Express is "camping out"). As far as the fishing is concerned on 10 Bays, everywhere I read said it was a great spot to sight cast, but I saw nothing the entire time. A few mornings I would notice area some fresh marks where bones were digging the evening or tide before, but I never saw any. I found out later (by the next door neighbor) that some locals recently put up a net on the flat. That was probably the reason the flat was so unproductive.
Productive area for me were Governors Harbor, Close to where you are staying in Palmetto Point and Savannah Sound. I went out with a guide once (Paul Petty maybe?) and he was very nice but I did just as well on my own. Governors Harbor is nice b/c regardless of the wind direction (unless it is due east- I think) you are protected. I ended up fishing here when the wind was strong b/c it gave me some protections. There is a church and a community center that you can park @ and fish either side of the harbor. For Palmetto Point (I think it was south- turn @ Mate and Jenny's), I had my best success wading to the right. Keep going to the end. There is a rock island just off of it and most day I could fisn fish @ the last 1/2 of a rising tide. I also heard later once I got back that if you feel like Rambo, work through the bushes and trees and there is a additional creek on the other side that holds fished that are not bothered too much. My favorite place was Savannah Sound. For me it was early morning, incoming tide, all the tailing fish that I wanted to follow. It's awesome but techincal. One thing I can guarantee is that you will see plenty of fish and these fish have seen plenty of flies. Still awesome and these were the biggest fish I saw and caught the entire trip. Like most places, you ocean flats hold bigger fish. Be a little careful for 2 things. I have heard (maybe urban legend) but one reason the bones are sooo spooky there is some big sharks reside in the area. Also, I have heard of a few car break in's while floks have been fishing. To get there, you drive past the turn off to 10 Bay's beach (no signs you just learn the dirt roads) for a few miles. You will come to a junk yard of sorts and there will be a sign that says something like "keep savannah sound beautiful". One of those little metal things. Make a left and drive down and park anywhere close to the H20. I am sure there are plenty of other places to fish, but I have found that in order to keep the little woman happy, it was in my interest and hers to do 2-3 short trips throughout the day. With the acception of the guided trip, I spent 2-5 hours fishing a day in 2-3 sessions. That's why I focused on area close by.
As far as restraunts go, there ain't many. We went to Harbour Island one day and had dinner and really found Mate and Jenny's to be our favote. Just good old Pizza. There is another supposed fancy restraunt near by that we went to and it every table had plates and they were all empty. It was kind of spooky, like something from The Shining. We did not eat there. We brought a soft cooler w/ breakfast food and a few meals and ate 3 nights at home. We had a gas grill @ the house so it was easy. For Thanksgiving, we went down to the dock @ Rock Sound and got lobster and grouper off the boat and cooked it up. There is another placewe went to (that host fly fisherman) and the name escapes me. It was good (not great) and in the end Mate and Jenny's was the place for us. Oh yea, around Govenors Harbour, there is a place on the side of the road that has a deck on the H20 to have drinks. Decent grub and good drinks. Sorry, it's been a few year, and all or this is cominng off memory (one that ain't so good). I am running low on memory of the trip but if you ahve any specific questions, post them or shoot me an email. Maybe the more detailds will come back to me!
Jamie

[BobG]

I'll second the vote for Mate & Jenny's pizza also! :brow Some of the best pizza I've had while in the islands. They made a conch pizza that really is something special.
Plus, if there are ever celebrities on Eleuthera, they always seem to find their way to Mate & Jenny's at some point.