Bimini Fishing Charters & Guides

Bimini Fishing Charters

The gray ghost of the flats cruised along, spotting a shrimp skittering near the surface desperate for a place to hide. With a flex of its body and a burst of speed, the bonefish torpedoed into the shrimp, essentially inhaling it. The fish didn’t understand the words “FISH ON!” that echoed across the Bimini flats, but it knew a meal wasn’t supposed to be tugging back. With an even greater burst of speed, the big bone tore away, stripping backing off the fly reel and making the drag sizzle. For the dedicated fly fisherman, catching a bonefish on a hand-tied fly is a bucket list achievement. Landing a huge bonefish on a fly is just another day for guests on a Bimini fishing charter. Bimini, in the Bahamas, is located just 50 miles off of Florida’s east coast, and offers serious anglers the chance to make lifetime memories. Fishing trips include inshore fishing the flats like our aforementioned run-in with Mr. Bonefish, offshore bottom fishing for grouper and snapper, and blue water big game fishing for pelagics like marlin, arguably the most renowned game fish in history.

Bimini Flats Fishing

The sandy flats running less than three feet deep and often shallower around Bimini are a bonefish paradise. Bimini’s waters hold five current International Game Fish Association world records. During the warmer months, permit are another top target for the fly fisherman. Shrimp patterns are best for bones, and crab patterns for permit. Both fish also eagerly take shrimp, with permit also chomping crabs with abandon. Light tackle is recommended to get the most from the experience, but those targeting larger permit may want to “tackle-up” a bit. These fish are strong, and use their broad sides to their advantage during a tussle. Both are easily spooked, so listen to your guide when he tells you to cast well ahead of and well past the cruising fish. Your line, fluorocarbon leader is highly recommended, needs to be well in the water before the fish gets to it. Deeper water in the cuts and channels are home to barracuda, sharks, jacks and even some big mangrove snapper. Topwater plugs are recommended. Watching a big ‘cuda explode on a giant topwater plug is a pulse-pounding experience. Tarpon fishing in slightly deeper water is fair to middling in the summer. Opportunistic feeders, tarpon generally hit whatever you throw their way, as long as you do not spook them first. This is another fish that is a prime fly fishing target. Just make sure you have big gear, 9-weight or better.

Bimini Offshore Fishing

Grouper and snapper fishing are good to excellent year-round in Bimini, with April to August being the best months for bringing home some fillets. Both can be caught by trolling. Bimini fishing charter captains know the honey holes, so they’ll park the boat over a good spot and drop lines straight over the side. Live and cut bait are the preferred way to catch these fish. Medium to heavier tackle is recommended, as grouper in particular are known to head straight back to their holes or structure after being hooked. You will need proper tackle to muscle the grouper out of hiding and to the boat.

More Offshore Fishing in Bimini

Trolling is the preferred method for finding most of the blue water fish. These predators drive schools of bait fish to the surface, where the fish's ornithological counterparts take notice. Diving birds are a perfect indicator that sailfish, wahoo, dolphin, tuna, mackerel, marlin, the usual suspects, have driven something up. Bimini is known around the world for blue water fishing. The late Ernest Hemingway lived here and chased blue marlin on board his boat, Pilar. Few big fish capture the imagination and create the same sense of wonder and adventure quite like the blue marlin. Marlin require the biggest rigs and big lures trolled at the surface. When you tangle into one of these, you’ll be glad for the fighting chair. Landing a large marlin can be a bit of a hectic experience, and we mean that in the best way possible. The captain will be directing the boat toward the fish while the deckhand works to secure the line. All this is happening while your marlin is getting its last jumps and thrashes in right next to the boat, and you are physically exhausted from the battle. The blue marlin will test the grit of any angler, but is known to many as the ultimate big game fishing experience. If you are after something for the table, dolphin, or mahi-mahi cannot be beat. Fishing for these is best in spring. Your Bimini fishing charter captain will look for any kind of mass floating on the surface like grass mats, debris, or even wood shipping pallets. These attract baitfish which in turn attract the dolphin. These fish, especially smaller ones, travel in schools. When you find one dolphin, there will very likely be more. Sailfish, another highly sought after game fish, like to hunt in packs and target baitfish. Big rigs are also needed to get one of these billfish to the boat. If you are after something for the wall, a bill sail with his dorsal fin extended is a conversation piece for sure. Be sure to take photos from multiple angles and get measurements to have a proper replica made. The angler gets their trophy and the fish lives to fight another day. Where you find these fish, you are also likely to find wahoo, which is called Ono in the Hawaiian language. Tie into one of these bruisers and you learn why they have both names. You shout “WAHOO!” When you hook up and “ONO!” When you see what those incredible teeth do to an expensive fishing lure. Jokes aside, these fish are very strong and very fast. Food quality is similar to a mackerel, but wahoo are also known to yield some delicious sashimi.

Traveling to Bimini

Depending on how you want to fish along with your travel arrangements, you can book a charter directly out of Bimini, or you can ride out from Florida for a day trip. We recommend coming to the island so you can spend the whole day fishing instead of traveling, fishing, and traveling back. You do need a passport if you plan to visit the island, so be sure you and your guests have planned accordingly. Travel tips and details can be found here. When you book a charter, your guide will tell you what Bahamas permits are needed, the bag limits, and seasonal species.

Book A Bimini Fishing Charter

The beautiful waters of the Bahamas are a fantastic place to drop a line. Bimini is the closest island to the U.S. and offers a great fishing adventure just next door. Get hooked up with a professional and experienced Captain that will get you on the fish, start your search here.