Mount Pleasant Bonefish Lodge - Andros

[kelso]

I'm heading there with my brother for 4 days in the middle of April. Any advice from anyone who's been there. I've fished Andros a lot, but always with a guide (usually Andy Smith or Charlie Neymour) in the main bights. This year, because of budget considerations, we've gone down scale and will go DIY for the most part. Still considering whether to get a wading guide for the first day or two in order to help get our bearings.

Pete

[KMcFly]

Get a guide and bring good Mosquito Repellent.

[kelso]

You've been there? Anything else you can say about the place?

[MJM]

Have you already booked your lodging? If not, I'd recommend contacting Barry Neymour. He's a great guide and is budget conscious. A few weeks ago, a buddy and I were supposed to go with him and he was offering his services at $275/person/day, all in.

[kelso]

We have. I saw Frankie and Barry's Two Boys Inn after I had already booked. It looks like a great option. I've met both over drinks at Charlie's place when he was at Nottages. They seem like good guys. Next time. You certainly can't beat their price.

[Jhansen]

Hi
Stayed at MP twice and you will love it! Good fishing, affordable prices. Last year I booked 9 days and spent almost every day at the big flat 500 meters from the lodge. If you want to try other flats, you can take the kayak ore ask MP`s driver to take you to a nearby flat.

First year we booked a guide, but if you have fished bonefish before, you don’t really need a guide. Easy to find the good spots

[kelso]

Thanks for that. Any particular flies work better than others? I always use gotchas and probably will in any event. Still any excuse to tie something different before the trip will help pass the time.

Pete

[Jhansen]

Well, the guide told us that crab-patterns don’t work, and he was right, didn’t catch anything on those patterns. We usually fished with light weight flies. Had good success with TDF shrimp, abaco shrimp and other shrimp-patterns, but gotchas and other popular bonefish flies was good. White, pink or light brown flies.

We fished at White Bight almost every day. Some nice flats around the lodge, but I recommend you to walk 10 - 15 minutes north to get to the big flat. White, hard bottom, a very productive flat. On outgoing tide, the north west part of the flat is best, and on low tide, walk to the sand-island you can see north. Really good spot at low tide. We have fished both Joulters, sommerseth beach and had a few days at north bight, but the flat close to the lodge was the most productive we fished.

[midge]

Hi
I looked at m/p myself for a diy trip, but was put off by the wind factor as the E to NE looks to blow onshore and not sure if there is much protection from that any info would be good.

[kelso]

Well, I had/have the concerns. I did find this map on the web:

http://www.tightlinesflyshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/mtpleasantmap.pdf

That does seem to show some lee perhaps for an East wind and maybe even a North wind. I'm also hoping that going in mid-April reduces the chance for a big cold front to plow through.

I'll certainly post a recap on the trip when I get back.

Pete

[Jhansen]

True, N and NE is not a good wind direction. Blows right on to the flat. It is probably best to rent a boat guide at windy days and fish north bight or west side. But it is probably the same problem at most Andros lodges? If the wind turns SE, the flat is protected.

We had really windy conditions at our last trip to MP, but it was not impossible to fish. The flat is so big and shallow so the waves don’t get very high. But casting was a challenge.

[midge]

Hi Pete & J
Thank's for the info,it is as I thought a bit iffy when the wind is in that quarter. But maybe one day I will give ago.

[Something Fishy]

Any particular flies work better than others?

In February, I went to Andros with boxes full of flies I had spent weeks tying in six or seven patterns in two or three sizes each pattern. I used almost exclusively gotcha's and white & tan Clausers, both patterns tied with red eyes on #2 hooks. Don't know why the red eyes worked, but they did. The size of the #2 hooks did not deter smaller fish and gave me a better shot at hooking and landing bigger fish (bigger flies and stronger hooks).