A world class Bahamas bonefishing lodge located on beautiful Grand Bahama island

East End Lodge is a fairly new flats fishing lodge located at the far end east end of Grand Bahama Island; built and designed specifically for serious flats fishermen looking for a fresh take on fishing the east end of Grand Bahama Island, one of the most famous bonefishing destinations in the Caribbean. Grand Bahama is very user friendly; easy to get to from the States and on arrival in Freeport the lodge is a short 45 minute drive away. The guides at East End are seasoned professionals with a can do attitude, not your typical clock-watching flats guide. They are not afraid to be extra time on the flats and you can count on them to deliver a full day of fishing in a helpful and friendly manner. East End Lodge is less than five years old and the accommodations are clean, well designed and very comfortable. The food at East End is fresh and excellent and the Kalik beers are always handy and ice cold.

If you want to treat yourself to a super bonefish trip and get a long of bang out of your buck, seriously consider East End Lodge, we thinks it’s just swell and fills a great niche on Grand Bahama Island.

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Reservations & Rates

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Seasons at East End Lodge

There are bonefish available year around on Grand Bahama Island and East End Lodge.

As with all places in the Bahamas the dead of winter (second half of December through February) is a little more susceptible to cold fronts which, if severe enough might put the bones off of the flats for short period or maybe even a day or two, but rarely longer than that. The good

thing about this area is that big bones don't mind the cooler water temps as much as their smaller cousins, so the fish you do encounter during a cold front are likely to be trophy fish and when the weather is good (which is most of the time) the fishing is likely to be very good. The heat of mid-summer sometimes will warm up the flats enough to make it uncomfortable for bones later in the day. So, fishing during these times will be very early in the day on the flats and then maybe the afternoons will be spent looking for other species in deeper waters. The rest of the year is very comfortable on the flats and all-day fishing can be expected. Prime fishing seasons for East End Lodge is November through early June with peak time being March, April, May, first half of June and November and early December.

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Getting to East End Lodge

Freeport, Grand Bahama is served by several air lines with direct flights from many different US cities. Making it possible to get to the lodge from just about anywhere in the US in one day. Just think, you could be sitting in your home on a cold February day looking out of your window at a frozen landscape and be fishing in your shirtsleeves in temperatures of the low 80's the next day.

The major airlines that serve Freeport on a daily basis include American Airlines, United, US Airways, Silver and Bahamasair. There are daily non-stop flights from cities such as Ft. Lauderdale (FLL), Miami (MIA), Atlanta (ATL), Charlotte (CLT) and Philadelphia (PHL) (in the winter months). In season (November through May), there are often direct fights from major U.S. cities to Grand Bahama International in Freeport (FPO).

An added benefit of flying in and out of Freeport Grand Bahama is that U.S. Customs and Immigration are located at the airport to pre-clear departing passengers for U.S. destinations. That means you can clear immigrations and customs in the Bahamas and hit the ground running when you hit State side. Grand Bahama International also services private aircraft, and private charters can be arranged.

Round trip transportation between the airport and the lodge is included in the price of your package. You will be met upon arrival at the Freeport Airport and transferred to the lodge, about an hour's ride.

Passport Information & Documents Required:
All visitors to the Bahamas are required to have a valid passport. For US citizens, a passport is the only document that will gain you entry to the country. A driver's license and / or birth certificate WILL NO LONGER be accepted to enter the Bahamas. A passport must also be accompanied by a return or onward journey ticket and proof of funds to support your visit. Stays in the Bahamas are not to exceed eight months. (NOTE: If you are using an electronic ticket, please be prepared to show Bahamian Immigration a copy of your travel itinerary and ticket number.) If you have any questions regarding immigration rules or need additional information, contact the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas by writing 2220 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. – Washington, DC 20008. (Phone: 202-319-2667 Fax: 202-319-2668).

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Lodging at East End Lodge

There are two main buildings at East End Lodge. One building has three, double occupancy rooms all connected by a large front porch that overlooks the water and lodge compound. The second building includes two double rooms along with the main lounge, bar and dining area. These are new structures, less than 5 years of age and are very nicely designed, built and furnished. Each bedroom at the lodge features two full sized beds, large dressers, night tables, reading lights, air conditioning, and plenty of closet space for all of your gear and luggage. The guestrooms

feature private bathrooms with granite countertops, a shower with great water pressure, plenty of hot water, and a separate, closed off "bathroom." The rooms open to a large deck area that overlooks the crushed coral courtyard, a large fire pit, the docks and marina, and the ocean itself. The main lodge building features air conditioning a small sitting area, a well-stocked bar, and a full dining area. The lodge also has a high definition flat screen TV with DIRECTV, so you can always tune in to the big game after your day of fishing.

Each morning, breakfast is cooked to order and served in the dining room. Order eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, toast, just about anything you like, the chefs can prepare. There are plenty of fresh fruits, cereal, yogurt, juice and coffee for those wanting a light start to the day. Lunch is taken on the fly and your custom ordered packed lunch will be loaded in to the boat each morning along with plenty of cold drinks for your fishing day. Dinners each evening are a mix of Bahamian and American style cuisine. You can expect a great selection of fresh seafood, chicken, ribs, pastas, salads, homemade soups, and a variety of side dishes. Complimentary wine is served with dinner. McLean's Town (the location of the lodge) bills itself as the "Conch Cracking Capitol of the World," and the lodges conch fritters are some of the best in all the Bahamas! If you have any special requests or dietary restrictions, the kitchen staff can take great care of this for you with advanced notification.

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Fishing at East End Lodge

East End Lodge has a seasoned guide staff that will keep you on fish no matter what time of year or what the day brings. The guides will fish long days and when other guides are headed back to the dock, you can count on East End guides to still be out on the water. With many of the flats so close to the lodge, you will find yourself fishing more and running in the boat less.

The eastern area of Grand Bahama Island has five large "bights" that align northeast to southwest. Not only do these bights provide protection from the wind, but they also enable the guides to fish optimal tides throughout the day as the tides move throughout this complex maze of creeks, channels and flats. This is a rare phenomenon in the flats fishing world and will virtually eliminate fishing over dead or unproductive water on an unfavorable tide or searching for bones deep within the mangroves.

Because Grand Bahama is surrounded by deep, cool water, the average bonefish tend to be larger than other areas of the Bahamas and Caribbean. An honest average bonefish here is two to four pounds, and you can expect to see fish on a daily basis in the five to ten pound class. Some of the largest bonefish in the Bahamas and for that matter in the World come from Grand Bahama Island. Cecil Leadon is the head guide at East End Lodge and has put together a seasoned guide team that includes some of the island's top professionals. All of the guides at East End are very savvy, informative and fun to fish with.

Not only do these guides know where to find quality fishing and good quantities of bonefish, but they are also some of the best permit guides in the Bahamas. The permit on Grand Bahama Island are quite large and average 15 to 20 pounds, and if all goes well with the weather, you should have a few shots at fish in the 25+ pound range. Because of the relatively light fishing pressure in the area, the permit here eat well and are aggressive on well-placed flies! You can also target barracuda, sharks, jacks, snapper and several other species in the waters around Eastern Grand Bahama Island.

In general East End Lodge is the perfect destination for serious flats fishers looking for better than average numbers and size bonefish with good solid possibilities at seeing and getting good shots at very respectable permit. The guides are not afraid to put in the extra time and effort on the water each day - a refreshing change from the union mentality of most bonefish guides in the Bahamas.

Boats & Equipment:
East End Lodge runs 16-foot Dolphin Super Skiffs with 45 HP Yamaha outboards. Each skiff comes complete with a poling platform; prod storage, cushioned seats large forward and aft casting decks and a cooler packed with plenty of ice. Anglers should plan on bringing all of their own gear and equipment, including rods, reels, wading boots, flies, leaders and tippet, and all terminal tackle. There are a limited number of back-up rods and reels available at the lodge.

What Makes This Destination Special and Unique?

• Freeport, Grand Bahama, the airport used to access East End Lodge, has daily flights from many US cities, including Orlando, Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Miami. This convenient travel option eliminates time consuming stops in route, giving you more time on the water.

• Grand Bahama is big bonefish country. Bones exceeding ten pounds are released every year, with fish weighing over fourteen pounds released in the past couple of seasons. This is the place to hunt massive, double digit bonefish.

• East end lodge is a perfect destination for small groups of anglers. You can easily book the whole place for you and a few friends and family and have the whole place to yourselves.

• Anglers enjoy an immense fishing area including the north shoreline of Grand Bahama, several outer cays, and all the way to the east side of Abaco. You’ll never tire of fishing the incredible variety of flats, mangrove clad shorelines, and offshore cays available at East End Lodge.

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Making Reservations to East End Lodge

To make a reservation, please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours (Monday - Friday • 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM), or email us at travel@theflyshop.com anytime. We can give you the answers you need, detailed explanations to questions you might have, or check on availability and confirm your reservation in minutes.