PPS Destinations Report 

Bang Bang Club, Andros Island, Bahamas

Date:        March 7 to 14, 2008

Speakers and Topics:   

Drs. Rodney Wentworth and Ernst Schmidt;  Ethics and Risk Management

 Reported by Dr. Ernst 'Ernie' Schmidt, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Having decided to hold our winter meeting in a warm-water destination, it was decided to indemnify our weather and fishing opportunities by using two very different destinations.  After considerable consultations with Jim Klug and Ian Davis of Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures, we decided that those two 'very-different' venues would be the newly resurrected Bang Bang Club on Andros Island followed by Posada Acuarela (operated by Sight Cast Outfitters) on Los Roques, Venezuela.  Read on for the Bang Bang Club (BBC) trip report and click here for the accompanying Los Roques report.

As a bonefishing destination, Andros Island needs no introduction!  Arguably, the bonefishing capital of the world, it has no shortage of fishing waters or, for that matter, lodges to fish from  After a fair bit of consultation, our group decided to try the newly 'resurrected' Bang Bang Club operated by the famous Charlie Smith and his son, Eddie.  Located on a an uninhabited island (Pot Cay) in the middle of the Northern Bight, this is one of the few lodges which can easily access the entire Bight as well as both East and West Coasts without a long boat ridge.  The advantage of this strategic location is that it gives maximum opportunities or coverage regardless of tides and wind conditions.  Interestingly, the tides on the remote West Side are opposite to those of the East Side making it possible to find ideal conditions somewhere within reach at all times of the fishing day and season.  Also, this means that no destination  requires a boat ride of longer than 40 minutes and, with bonefishing flats right outside your door, the ride can be less than 2 minutes.  Some of the flats can be walked and waded right from the lodge and offer decent shots at bones during the various flats.

This Strategy worked to our advantage during the week.  Although we would have liked to have fished the remote West Side, we found ourselves beleaguered by unusually strong winds and cold weather.  Although March is considered the windy month, this was downright cold!  Its never a good sign when your guide has to wear two jackets to keep warm.  During our week, we had three days of heavy winds, two of which were completely sun-less and overcast with the final few days being a bit warmer and sunnier.  In the beginning, the fishing was quite slow and some of us were blanked or managed to catch just one fish.  This was actually pretty good since much of the time poling yielded very few shots.  As the week wore on and the weather improved, our chances also started to improve.  On the last two days, our shots at quality bonefish became fairly steady as greater numbers of bigger fish started to re-populate the flats.  At the end of the week, the average member could boast 1 (maybe 2) bones per day during our 6 days.  Interestingly, even though the number and quality of shots began to increase dramatically during the week, our catch rate did not improve proportionately.  Personally, I was continuously rejected by fish after fish even though I was able to get the fish's interest many times.  This came regardless of how many times I changed flies.

One thing we can say, we began to see more and more quality fish of five plus pounds as the weather began to improve and the fish slid back onto the flats.  During our time, there were very few other fishermen, especially on the western side of the North and Middle Bights pressuring the flats.  Simply, the run is one that is considered too long for many of the clients from the other lodges.  More than any other bonefish destination I have yet fished, Andros Island has more continuous bonefish flats and fish-able waters with very little 'unproductive' waters.  In fact, the entire Bight system is one big flat with some marginally deeper water and channels.  Literally, there is more water than a person could fish in a lifetime!  Fishing is almost entirely from the bonefish skiff although more wading opportunities exist toward the East Side as opposed to the softer West Side.  One of the problems with the West Side is that it tends to silt up anytime a westerly wind hits.  During our week, winds came from every direction during every day and we were just unlucky to hit such an unusual cold front with unstable weather.

The Bang Bang Club itself was one of the very first bonefish and duck hunting lodges on Andros Island.  After falling into dis-repair, it was taken on by long-time chef and bonefishing guru, Charlie Smith who is probably most famous for his invention, the Crazy Charlie fly and all its subsequent variations, e.g. the Nasty Charlie.  It becomes rapidly obvious that this is a passion with the 72 year old man.  No only did he add colour, song and wit to the operations, he was the most committed bonefish guide at the lodge; starting and finishing earlier than all the other guides.  Although the other guides were very good to excellent, no one would do it with such personality, all the while spinning tale after tale.  This is a matter of pride and love to this man!  

While still being re-constructed and in the final stages of getting ready for regular operations, Bang Bang Club (BBC) is a wonderful destination if you like privacy.  No cars, no traffic, only birds and bonefish to pester you.  Accommodations were rustic with our sleeping bungalows being somewhat nicer than we were lead to believe although water for showering was an issue at times.  Dining facilities were adequate and pleasant and food was typical Bahamian seafood cuisine and reflected the scarcity of fresh fruits vegetables in the region.  Bahamian cuisine is bland at best and I would be lying if I said that I gained weight during the trip.  As Ian Davis of Yellow Dog told us from the start, "If you're looking for luxury accommodations and five-star food, this isn't the place.  If you're looking for a serious bonefish destination and to be guided by one of the most famous bonefish guides in the world (Charlie), this is a destination worth looking at".  Right on. 

Every evening, after music and merriment featuring Charlie on guitar and vocals, 'Rubber Man' Wilton Russel and members of the PPS crew on support, we held our seminars in the mess hall.  In addition to a fair bit of discussion, we covered many topics relative to today's standards of ethics, responsibility and accepted dental therapeutics.  Nothing like a day of bonefishing in order to focus the mind!

Bang Bang Club is accessed by taxi and boat ride from Andros Town airport.  Direct flights to Andros Town are available from either Nassau or the Mainland.  Nassau is a 10 minute flight and offers all amenities as well as the major tourist destinations of Cable Beach and Paradise Island.  One advantage is that if you arrive early or ever find yourself in Nassau, Captain Clint Kemp of Secret Soul Fly Fishing Adventures (Orvis Endorsed) is available to take you right from your hotel to some productive waters on New Providence Island.  This is a great excursion for those of you stuck on the island while other family members are enjoying the more 'cultured' amenities.

Logistics for Bang Bang Club as well as many other Andros Island lodges and adventure destinations throughout the world can be arranged by Jim and Ian at Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures.

Following are some thumbnails of trip photos.  Please click on them and then return to this page by hitting the ' back ' button on your browser.