West End, Bahamas Fishing Charters & Guides

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Charters Near West End, Bahamas
Reel E Sea Charters
West Palm Beach, FL
(5.0, 5 Reviews)
Papa Bear's Fishing Charters LLC
Riviera Beach, FL
(5.0, 13 Reviews)
Palm Beach Charters
West Palm Beach , FL
(5.0, 10 Reviews)
Lucky Dog Sportfishing
Riviera Beach, FL
(5.0, 4 Reviews)
Angle Drop Charters
Lake Worth, FL
About Fishing in West End, Bahamas

West End, Bahamas Fishing Charters

Ranked as one of the world's top saltwater fishing and vacation destinations, the Bahamas are a group of about 700 islands and 2,000 coral reefs. It is considered one of the best places in the world for flats fly fishing. West End on Grand Bahama is just about 70 miles east across the Atlantic from West Palm Beach, FL. It's close enough for a day trip. It's far enough away to make a good family vacation. Be aware, the Bahamas does have entry and fishing regulations for visitors, which are discussed at the end of the article. English is the official language of this country.

West End, Bahamas Inshore Fishing

Bonefish, permit and tarpon are the Big Three of the saltwater fly fishing world. With thousands of acres of flats in the West End area, fly fishermen from around the world come here to try to reach this achievement. Some make it, some don't. The reason behind the failure is due less to the abilities of the angler and more the silver kings. Of the three fish, tarpon are the easiest to approach and the hardest to land. Tarpon have very hard mouths, suited for crushing prey like crabs. A hookup has to be in the soft corner of the mouth. After that, the real challenge begins. Getting a 100-plus-pound fish to the boat on a fly rod can take hours. Tarpon flies need to be big. Streamers, crab and shrimp patterns work best. Flashy is important as you need something to get a tarpon's attention. Fly rods for these fish start at nine-weight and go up to 11-weight or 12-weight. The reel needs at least 200 yards of backing and more is better. You can back down the size for permit and bones. Shrimp, crab and streamer patterns are still the best. The very best fly fisherman can probably get by with a six-weight rod, but seven-weight or eight-weight is recommended. Reels still need plenty of backing for those incredible runs both species can do. Traditional rod and reel anglers should throw shrimp, crab and live pinfish or shrimp-imitating lures. Given the clarity of the water, popping corks are usually not necessary. You do need light pound test lines and a reel that holds a lot of that line. Cobia is listed as a flats fish in the Bahamas guides. Cobia can be caught on fly as well as conventional tackle. Fly fishermen should use big baitfish imitators. Blue crabs, pinfish and other large baitfish will also catch these fish. The mangroves are also home to snapper and other fish. Shrimp jigs, grubs, live and cut bait will bring them out of the roots. Regardless of how you chase them, bonefish and permit are extremely wary. Do something wrong and they leave in a hurry. Listen closely to West End, Bahamas fishing guides and cast where and when they say to. West End also offers spearfishing both with scuba and snorkeling gear.

West End, Bahamas Offshore Fishing

The deep waters off West End are one of the world's top locations for monster wahoo, which is pretty much a giant muscle with razors for teeth on one end. Trolling rigs are the best way to connect with these pelagic fish. The same setup will catch tuna, king mackerel, mahi mahi, sailfish and marlin. Go deep for reef fish. Live and cut bait are the top choices to haul fish off the bottom like the wreckfish, which some people mistake for a grouper. Grouper, snapper, amberjack and hogfish also inhabit the deeps off the island's shores. Deepwater jigging brings big fish off the bottom. Offshore jigs are big. That's why some anglers prefer to use electric reels to help pull all that weight around.

Visiting the Bahamas

You can get to the island nation from Florida's east coast in a quick plane flight, cruise, or the ferry out of Ft. Lauderdale. You do need a valid passport if you are a US citizen. Residents of other countries have different entry requirements. Fishing the flats around the islands requires a license for anyone 12 and older, or you can fish from a boat with West End, Bahamas fishing charters without a license. Most guides can help you fill out the license application. A daily license for non residents is $15, weekly $20 and for a month $30. The government has more information about fishing the islands that includes a map of the islands.

Book A West End, Bahamas Fishing Charter

When you are ready to fish one of the world's hottest locations, FishAnywhere is ready to help. We have the guides to help you get everything ready and lined up before you ever hit the ground in West End.

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