Freeport, Bahamas Fishing Charters & Guides

Freeport, Bahamas Fishing Charters

When people think of the Bahamas, Grand Bahama Island often comes to mind. Freeport on the island is one of the most popular destinations. It is a tax haven, hence the name. Freeport is also a great place to fish. Tourism is a major economic engine. Freeport is about 70 miles east of West Palm Beach. Access to the island is by boat, ferry or plane. The airport is just outside the city limits, making access very easy from mainland Florida. Several miles of beaches line the southern edge. The city has two golf courses, plenty of restaurants and other sites to see. Freeport is a great place to spend a long weekend or a whole vacation. If you are headed to the Bahamas to fish, be sure to read our comprehensive guide "Fishing the Bahamas – What You Need to Know". It covers methods of entry, exit, fishing regulations and how to bring your catch back.

Freeport, Bahamas Inshore Fishing

Inshore fishing right out of Freeport is limited to the thin band of shallows off the beaches. The beach-side shallows extend from a few hundred feet to nearly a mile from depending on where you are. These waters are home to barracuda, sharks, bonefish, permit, mackerel and more. David Brown says chasing bones in the white sand beach surf is actually easier than stalking them in the north-side flats. "That said, beaches offer the advantage of a constant sideline to help contain the fish, plus an environment in which they’re a little less spooky. In shallow backwaters, you can barely exhale without sending bones into orbit. Not that excessive noise is acceptable for the beach, but fish are noticeably more tolerant when they have instant access to the safety of deep water," he wrote in Discover the Outdoors. This being the Bahamas, Florida's shore-based shark fishing regulations do not apply. However, use some common sense and be courteous. Bahamas beaches are often packed with people, few of whom are interested in seeing you wrestle a several-hundred-pound shark to the sand and then set it free. Tying into a blacktip is exciting because these fish leap from the water and spin. They hit topwater plugs like the lure did something to their family. Because they are shallow-water sharks, they also fall victim to big streamer pattern flies. Trolling off the beaches where the water is too deep for most swimmers will connect anglers with cruising fish like mackerel and larger sharks. To get to the flats for inshore fishing, you have to go around to the north-end of the island. Here, the fly fishing opportunities excel. At the same time, the fish are warier than on the south side. These flats attract fly fishermen from around the world who want to pit their skills against bonefish. To the west, the island is broken into sections with natural channels separating the sections. These natural funnels provide some exciting fishing action when the tides are moving water through them.

Freeport, Bahamas Offshore Fishing

Offshore Freeport, Bahamas, fishing charters are loosely grouped into two categories. Straight south of the island begins the Bahama Banks. The waters here have underwater banks, deep drop-offs that create canyons that hold plenty of fish. This region has plenty of wrecks and artificial reefs that hold snapper, grouper, amberjack, barracuda and more. Trolling is a great way to connect with the pelagic fish that include mahi mahi, sailfish, marlin, king mackerel, tuna, wahoo and others. Trolling works well on grouper too. If riding the waves all day is not your thing, then Freeport, Bahamas, fishing charters can also set you over the underwater structure to drop live and cut bait to the bottom. Reef fish like snapper, hogfish, triggerfish and amberjack hit both kinds of bait. Just size your bait for what you want to catch. Anglers who want to put some effort into their fishing should try jigging. The other offshore fishing heads east to the Continental Shelf. Big fish cruise this area and you need big lures to connect with them. These vertical ledges are highways and homes to many different kinds of fish. At night, deep dwellers rise to feed. During the day, various reef species come out of nighttime hiding places to feed. Reaching the deep bottom means using pounds of lead for weight. This is also live and cut bait fishing. Some of the fish you catch probably never get within 600 feet of the surface, at least until you pull one up from the bottom.

Book A Freeport, Bahamas Fishing Charter

Freeport, Bahamas, is a fishing extravaganza. You can be a part of it. FishAnywhere is here to help. You have the desire. Freeport has the fish. We have the guides to connect your desire to the fish. Let's make this happen.