Pleasent Bay, Andros Island, Bahamas is a small bonefish lodge about 45 minutes by plane from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Ned, Dad, and I have stayed there many times over the years. Just a remarkable little hidden gem in the islands. I always carry a little journal with me on trips and jot down notes to remeber the finer details. Here is what I had journaled for one such trip to Pleasant Bay!
After being picked up by taxi at the Congotown airport, we arrived at Pleasant Bay. Poogie and Coral were at the gate when we pulled up in the taxi and greeted us withe great big smiles. Many exhaultations and hugs ensued and then were shown our rooms (each of us had there own). Change of clothes, a Kalich, and furious rod rigging occurred as fast as humanly possible. You do not want to be still rigging while the rest were waiting in the car to go fishing. We were on the water in less than an hour and a short time thereafter were rounding the southern tip of Andros headed west. The day was calm, beautiful, sunny. The first in weeks, we were told. South vs. West? Hmm. One direction to the biggest fish the other to the biggest schools. What a dilema!
First fish was caught on the TFO travel rod with a shimano stella 4000D, 20lb windtamer braid and a couple of feet of 20lb floro. The ole wiggle jig customed tied as a Ververka mantis shrimp did the trick. Ned switched wiggle jigs and got a couple of refusals so I dug thru the box and got him another mantis shrimp. Did the trick! Total that afternoon, 8 bonefish, one big cuda, and 10 blue hole snacks (mutton snapper, gogle eye, blue runner, butter snapper, and yellow tail).
Dinner that night consisted of fried grouper, rice pilaf, homemade bread, and lemoncake with vanilla ice cream. After ordering the next days breakfast and boat lunch we all ambled off to our beds.
Day 2 produced a couple of 8 pound bones. There's a little creek that everyone passes as they round the southern tip of Andros and Ned and I always look at it and drool as we pass. There's got to be fish in there, why do we never fish it? Well Sparkles (one of three guides at Pleasant Bay who got his nickname because he used to wear more jewelry than Mr. T) bubbled in there and we spent quite a long time. I waded a bit while Sparkles and Ned fished deeper water. Actutaly had multiple chances at a school and ended up getting one out of it. All in all, quite a beautiful and memorable day.
Day 3 woke up to a southwest blowing wind. Wind requires a short run into the east/west creek systems, both for dryness and casting capability. Of course all this impacts fish, fishing, and catching. The only saving grace was that everyone ordered PB&J sandwiches for lunch which put a smile on everybodys face.
Day 4 wind persisted. Tough day for all however I managed to eake out a couple 4/5 pounders on a rootbeer grizzly gotcha. A friend of Dad's had been a big fly tier but had all but quit. He asked if I wanted some leftover material, which I gladly accepted. In the "care" bag was a chunk of grizzly bear fur and another of polar bear, both of which are not available in the US anymore. I tied some mean ass flies with that stuff and have most of them to this day!
Later that dat day I missed a huge cuda (40lb??) on this top water called a "she dog" by mirror lure. SOB missed three times right at the boat. I immediately bought another couple of "she dogs" when I got home.
Departure day is always sad. Packing and waiting. When the taxi finally pulls up the entire group at Pleasant Bay come out for goodbyes, Tim and his wife Coral, Poogie, and both daughters Another hugfest ensues with goodbyes.
Just have to say just how pleasant Pleasant Bay is!!!!!