30 years in the making
It all began in the early nineties when a young Danish fly fisherman embarked on a quest to catch his first bonefish. His journey led him to the southernmost part of the Bahamas—Acklins Island—where vast flats and an irresistible island vibe kept drawing him back year after year.
In 1998, we hosted the first group of fly fishermen on the island. Despite a tight budget and limited guided days, they persevered. Year after year. Most often, they fished unguided, learning more about spots, tides, and bonefish after each trip to the island.
That initial first bonefish expedition, over 30 years ago, laid the foundation for what would evolve into the Acklins Island Bonefish Club—an unparalleled, budget-friendly saltwater getaway crafted over hundreds of days and thousands of hours on the flats.
the concept
You’ll join a small group of like-minded fly fishermen stalking bonefish during extended days on the flats. Your trip host boasts extensive knowledge of bonefish behavior, diverse spots, and optimal fishing times in relation to tides—even knowing when it’s bar’s karaoke night at the local watering hole.
Most days involve self-guided fishing, with ample assistance from your host. Each evening, plans are crafted for the next day, factoring in wind and tides, and groups set out the following morning.
If you prefer a guide at all times, choosing your flies, tying your knots, spotting the fish and telling you what you did wrong, Acklins Island Bonefish Club might not be for you. But if you’re eager to claim your own victories after being directed to the playing field, you’re ready to join.
Lower price & longer trips
While a week at our club promises great fun, the cost is significantly less than a fully guided week elsewhere in tropical saltwater. You’ll likely depart not just with cherished memories but also as a more adept bonefish angler—especially if you extend your stay.
We offer an extra three to four days of fishing at an excellent price. Once you have already paid for the flights and made the long journey to Acklins, why not seize an additional 50-65% fishing time? Chase other species, adjust your pace, or fish even harder—your call.
Bonefishing
You’re at the bottom of a small bay, where the water is too deep for spotting any bones. However, where the bay ends, a little channel connects the bay with a shallow lagoon the size of three or four football fields – a place with a hard, light and sandy bottom. There is no one else in sight… your friends went in the other direction and you’ll meet them back at the point in a few hours.
The water is still low, too low for any bones to enter the lagoon. For now, that is. Casting a glance at the stick you planted at the water’s edge before sitting down for a drink, your hopes are discretely affirmed; the tide is coming in. With it, the bones will be coming too, and they’ll pass through right here.
Suddenly your heart skips a beat. There it is; the first bone; slowly cruising along the edges of the bay, impatiently waiting for the rising tide and for access to all the crabs, worms and shrimps of the lagoon. You sneak into position and make the cast. An easy one – fifteen meters, maybe less, but you still manage to almost hit the fish on the head. Bones hate that. Damn! Better chances don’t come along very often. The only consolation is that more fish are bound to come in soon.
You don’t quite know how the fish got there; unnoticed, passing you at the entrance of the channel, but that’s what bonefish do. Sneaky invisible bastards… Anyway, now it’s tailing in the shallows. You creep closer. Now you’re the sneaky one. This time the cast is right on the money. A few strips and the fish is on the fly – fish on!
The line cuts through the surface and the bone is into the backing in seconds. You are supposed to enjoy the moment, but halfway into the fight you just want to close the deal: Another fish is tailing in the lagoon now… no there’s two! Now you’re in a bubble, closing out everything else. You’re in bonefish heaven and you plan on taking full advantage of it.
Eventually, the tide gets too high, and in some mystical way only known to the bonefish themselves, they disappear as quietly and quickly as they had arrived two hours earlier – perhaps via the mangroves? God, how time flies! It’s probably time to meet up with the other guys again…
Shared Knowledge
Cars, Kayaks & Guides
The last part of connecting with a bonefish demands a good cast, a well-presented fly, and a strip-strike to set the hook instead of a trout lift. The first part – getting into casting distance from a cruising or tailing bonefish requires diverse strategies.
Utilizing cars, a truck, and kayaks, we access most spots on Acklins, provided our anglers are willing to put in the footwork. Precision in timing and location is critical, planned meticulously each night for the following day’s expedition.
When your legs need a break, or when you would like to shorten the road to success in other ways, local guides and their flats skiffs come into play for a respite or to access less-fished areas. While our aim is to educate anglers to be self-sufficient, it’s a great learning opportunity and a delightful break to share a guided boat day with a fellow angler for a day or two during your stay at the club.
Other Species
Although we love bonefish, Acklins offers a lot more. We often get shots at barracudas, sharks and various jacks – and occasionally also at snappers, triggerfish, tarpon and permit.
The barracuda is a totally underrated quarry on the flats. Imagine hooking a four feet long fish in one foot of water. When hooked, they will make long runs and often propel themselves out of the water in spectacular jumps.
If you have the guts for it, the sharks patrolling the flats can also be tempted with a fly. It’s quite a sight when you set the hook on five-foot lemon shark and it realize something just isn’t right and decides to leave the shallow flat in seconds. You’d better have a good drag and a decent amount of gelspun backing you up!
We usually find jacks in deeper channels, snappers lurk along rocky edges, triggerfish can be found … well, we’ll show you all the spots when you get there. Just bring an open mind and plenty of flies.
After-fishing & Accommodation
Sometimes, you’re just not done when you’re done. The sun might be too low for bonefishing, or the cloud cover getting a little thick in afternoon. Sure, we’re first and foremost fly fishers – but not so much that we can’t enjoy a little bait fishing in front of the lodge, enjoying a cold Kalik or two while we’re waiting for a bite. Which usually doesn’t take too long.
We keep a couple of heavy rods and reels at the lodge to occasionally remind ourselves how hard a six foot lemon shark can pull when you turn down the drag. It’s all catch & release – with caution.
When we’re not in the mood for shark fishing, we might stroll down the beach and visit the local bar instead. Sometimes, we bring a fly rod. There’s a nice little mangrove covered bay right in front of the bar where the bones like to tail.
When we’re neither on the water, we stay in comfortable shared twin rooms, or in the lounge of the main building, where nice home cooked meals are also served. We have Wi-Fi and hot water. Most of the time, anyway. After all, this is the outer islands, not the Hilton. Which is why the fishing is so damn good!
When you sign up for a trip to Acklins Island Bonefish Club, you will receive our detailed Pre trip Planner. It contains detailed and relevant information about your trip and offers all needed advice on suggested flies, gear and equipment.