OUTDOORS

22 THE SUN OUTDOORS APRIL 6, 2022

Reel Time on the Road: Frankie’s Two Boys Inn

Reel Time

RUSTY CHINNIS

Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of fishing a lot of destinations in the Bahamas. The fact that it’s so close to Florida coupled with its vast schools of my favorite catch on the fly, bonefish, make it hands down my choice destination. Despite all those opportunities I had never fished what is widely known as the birthplace of bonefishing, the middle bight of Andros Island.

Arguably one of the richest flats fishing locations for bonefish on Earth, the middle bight of Andros holds vast opportunities. I had my first experience there the third week in March when I visited the Bering Point Settlement and Frankie’s Two Boys Inn. I first heard of the lodge from Robert Fischer, a Tampa native and a longtime member of the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club. Years ago, Fischer and I fished South Andros, so when I heard he was a veteran of the area and lodge I reached out to him. I wanted to explore that area and, in the process, experience the place where I planned to introduce some friends new to fly fishing to the thrill of bonefishing. In the process of organizing the trip, another new fly-fishing friend, Andy Grosso of Sarasota, signed on as did Fischer and Tony Pizarro, a member of the Suncoast Fly Fishers in St Petersburg.

We met at the Tampa International Airport on a Wednesday morning for a flight to Nassau and then to Andros Town. There we were met by a taxi for a 45-minute drive to the lodge on Bering Point. After settling into our rooms, we all met in the lodge’s great room for libations and snacks. The morning began early with coffee at 6 a.m. and breakfast at 7 a.m. As soon as breakfast was complete, anglers made and boxed their choice of sandwiches, chips and fruit, assembled tackle and walked across the street to the lodge’s dock on Cargill Creek. The day’s fishing started at or before 8 a.m. and finished with lines out at 3 p.m. While 3 p.m. sounded a bit early to finish, after experiencing the short run to fishable water, it became clear that the actual fishing time was probably longer here.

Weather and wind were challenging six of the seven days we fished, something I had become accustomed to (well, almost) fishing the Bahamas. Despite the weather and the wind, everyone caught fish including the two anglers fairly new to the sport. Actually, they bested the “old salts.” On the first day, Grosso and I fished the east side of the island with Calvin Bowe and had shots at schools of fish on the flats and at a creek mouth near the lodge. The shots we had were plagued by clouds and wind but we still managed to land, break off and make presentations to numerous bonefish. Our second day was tough as well but we got a wonderful introduction from owner and head guide Barry Neymour to the vast and unbelievably beautiful middle bight through all-too-infrequent windows in the clouds. When the sun did break through, it revealed a kaleidoscope of varied and eye-popping colorful flats laced with deep azure channels.

The weather improved over subsequent days and the fishing did as well, with everyone at the lodge catching bonefish. I caught my first-ever mutton snapper on fly the third day and Grosso caught one the following day that fed everyone at the lodge. On the fourth day when the weather broke and the sun shined all day, I caught five fish before lunch. Two days after we arrived at the lodge thee more anglers came including an old friend of mine and one that had connections with Grosso. While the fishing and weather were challenging, the camaraderie was excellent and we all looked forward to sharing stories from the flats as well as some very funny jokes at the end of each day. While fishing is the main focus of any trip, the time spent with other passionate anglers really enhances the experience.

I’ll have to admit this was one of the most challenging bonefish trips I’ve ever taken, but also one of the most memorable. The fishing was tough, a combination of weather and the fact that bonefish don’t flood the flats in as great a number during the mercurial change from winter to spring. I was so impressed with the experience as a whole and accounts of fishing there in the late spring and fall that I booked space for six anglers this coming November. Barry Neymour and his wife, Melinda, run a tight ship and the locals were friendly and accommodating. I can highly recommend this reasonably-priced experience that is sure to please even the most discriminating angler as well as anyone new to or wanting to experience bonefishing. To inquire about availability and book a trip, contact Melinda Neymour at Frankie’s Two Boys Inn at 242-375-2054 or visit their website at www.twoboysinn.com.

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN Andy Grosso poses for a quick photo before releasing a typical Andros Island bonefish.

Warmer water brings baitfish return

CAPTAIN RICK GRASSETT

This is a great month for snook on shallow flats. Reds and trout will also be more active as the water warms and baitfish become more plentiful. You might find Spanish mackerel, blues and pompano in passes or on deep grass flats. You should also find Spanish mackerel along with false albacore (little tunny), cobia and tripletail, in the coastal Gulf this month. Tarpon should also make an appearance in bay or backcountry areas or along beaches by later in the month.

Tarpon will become more plentiful as resident fish make their way out of rivers and creeks and early arriving migratory fish begin to show along beaches, particularly by the end of the month. Water temperature in the Gulf is a key factor, with 80 degrees being an optimum temperature. As the water warms towards that, fish will become more plentiful. Resident fish may be rolling on deep grass flats in some of the same places that you find trout, laid up on edges of shallow grass flats or along sand bars. Fly anglers might connect with a black Deceiver or Tarpon bunny fly fished on a 12-weight fly rod with a floating or clear sink tip fly line, depending on depth. I always have tarpon tackle, rigged and ready, on the boat this time of year.

Snook and reds remain closed to harvest south of State Rd 64 in Manatee County on the west coast of Florida, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook are catch-andrelease only in that zone until May 31, 2022. Spotted seatrout has reopened in that zone with a three-fish-per-person, bag limit and a six-fish boat limit. Trout must be from 15”-19” with one allowed per vessel over 19”. Full regulations and details can be viewed at https:// myfwc.com/.

Snook should be staging on flats, around sand and oyster bars, on points of islands and around docks and bridges close to passes in the ICW. Fish the edges of bars and potholes when the tide is low and mangrove shorelines or points of islands when the tide is high. I like wide profile flies, such as Lefty’s Deceiver, my Grassett Flats Bunny or EP flies, for snook on the flats

You’ll also find snook around docks and bridges in the ICW. Night snook fishing should be productive with small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow fly, shrimp patterns or Shrimp Gurglers. Fish peak tidal flows for the best action.

Reds will spend more time feeding on shallow flats due to more plentiful bait. Even before the latest red tide outbreak, I was seeing a decline in reds and big trout in shallow water in many of the areas that I fish, which makes them even harder to catch. Look for them in potholes, the edges of bars and around docks when the tide is low. You should find them higher on flats over shallow grass or around mangrove shorelines when the tide is high. My Grassett Flats Minnow is my “go-to” fly for reds. It fishes well in shallow water and its bend-back design makes it very weedless. You may also find big trout in skinny water in many of the same places that you find reds. The same flies and techniques used to find and catch reds will also work for big trout.

April is one of my favorite months. There should be good action in the bay on both shallow and deep grass flats, in the coastal Gulf for mackerel, albies, cobia and tripletail and with tarpon by the end of the month. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

CAPTAIN RICK GRASSETT | SUBMITTED Mat Schenk, from Colorado, with a Spanish mackerel caught and released on Clouser flies on a couple of trips with Capt. Rick Grassett.