Acklins Island 2008
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I just returned from two great weeks in the southern Bahamas-came home Sunday afternoon to lots of snow unfortunately. My 1st week was on Crooked island fishing with 8 guests. It was a fully guided week.The second week there were six of us on Acklins Island where we did it ourselves--mostly unguided, though a couple guys did get a guide for a day for some variety. Lots of exploring and serious hiking--up to 7-8 miles each day exploring gorgeous flats and beaches. Had three good shots at f....ing permit--no takers. One fish I cast to for nearly an hour while he circled a large ray that was feeding in 4' of water.While I was on Acklins I had nine more guests going to Crooked and being hosted by my friend Dan Pangaldi. Apparently I missed a fun week there too.I'll keep the Acklins and Crooked pictures separate, even though the islands are very close--about two miles apart at their nearest point. They are very different trips and places.All of our groups meshed well, and there was quite a mix of personalities. This led to lots of ball busting and good times on and off the water.Our fishing experiences included barracudas, nice bonefish, permit, mutton snappers, spinner sharks, horse eye and bar jacks and deserted flats and beaches that could be on a postcard or corona commercial.Our energy consisted of conch & mutton snapper ceviche, wahoo, lobster, snapper, grouper, chicken, peas and rice, and kalik beer.What a nice break from winter, exploring and fishing in another type of wilderness on the flats of the ocean. In a way it is like being in the mountains trout fishing, where the immense scale of the mountains and sky puts your life in perspective. On the flats, the immense size of the watery world surrounding you, along with the creatures that inhabit it, put your life in perspective also. The warm sea breezes, the countless shades of blue water, the wildlife that exists around you, all make you feel more alive than ever and thankful for being able to experience it all, with good people who also feel the same way and appreciate the beauty of those surroundings, as well as of the fish.
