GPS Coordinates: 24°0’21.08″N 77°31’38.88″W
Trip Questionnaire: Please click on the link below. This will take you an electronic questionnaire form that we ask you to complete and submit to The Fly Shop®. Please be sure to click the “Submit” button at the end of the form. The information provided will help us — and the outfitter best coordinate your trip.
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Getting to Andros South Lodge
Important:
Please book an afternoon flight on your arrival day and a morning flight on your departure day.
Arrival Day:
An excellent option for flights into Congo Town is with Makers Air out of Fort Lauderdale. They offer private charters and seat fares. You can look them up on their website at https://www.makersair.com/. To book a fare it’s best to give them a call for available seats and pricing at (954) 771-0330. These flights are more expensive but can off-set the cost of having to overnight in Nassau. With Maker’s Air, you’ll clear customs in Fort Lauderdale at their terminal.
Another option in travel to South Andros is flying to Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) and then taking a short, 20 minute flight into Congo Town (also sometimes called South Andros Airport, code: (TZN) with Western Air. You can make a reservation on their website (www.westernairbahamas.com) or by calling them in the Bahamas at (242) 377-2222. Please note that Western Air has a limited flight schedule, and may not meet your travel timing.
Andros South is a 20-minute drive from the airport in Congo Town on South Andros. Once you arrive in Congo Town, a lodge representative will meet you at the airport for the short drive to our lodge. The manager will greet you at the lodge and help you get checked in and comfortable.
Typical Fishing Day at Andros South:
The breakfast staff arrives at 5:30 am, preparing coffee immediately. Prior to daybreak, you’ll notice lights in the dining room. Guests are welcome to pour a cup of coffee and enjoy it on the outdoor patio or overlooking the sunrise from the Tiki hut on the beach. This is a perfect time to discuss the day’s flyfishing strategy and recount highlights of the previous day with your friends. The breakfasts are in the traditional American style and start at 6:30 am. Lunches are pre ordered the previous evening. The transport van parks outside the guest rooms at 7:15 am, departing for the dock at 7:30-7:45 am. Guests are assisted into their boats and motoring towards the flats by 8:00 am. Selecting from an immense fishing area, considering winds, tides and personal choices, the guides will have guests fishing the flats within 15 minutes to an hour from the dock, returning by 4:00 pm.
Appetizers include conch fritters, quesadillas, fried shrimp, and conch salad await returning anglers on the lodge patio. Cold beer, spirits, wine, and sodas are included in your package, available in the lodge and in the Tiki hut. Mixers are available for those that wish to mix a cocktail at their bar. They offer a selection of spirits for sale by the bottle, and anglers can purchase spirits as well at the airport in Nassau.
Departure Day:
Please reconfirm your flight arrangements with the lodge the night before departure. Transportation from Andros South to Congo Town is provided by the lodge. As you leave Nassau, a Bahamas departure tax of approximately $15 is assessed at the airport (this is usually built into your international flight fare).
Contact Information
Should any problems occur during your travel, including significant flight delays please be sure to have the following emergency contact information with you. Please feel free to contact the lodge or The Fly Shop® directly.
Andros South Lodge
Managers
Mia Sheppard
(242) 820-7052 | mias@deneki.com
Marty Sheppard
(242) 820-7053 | martysheppard@gmail.com
Physical Address
Andros South
#1 Rhaming Way Johnson Bay Dock
Kemps Bay, South Andros Bahamas
The Fly Shop®
(800) 669-3474 | (530) 222-3555 | travel@theflyshop.com
Emergency Assistance
In case of emergencies involving the death, injury, welfare, or arrest of an American citizen in The Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos Islands, please call (242) 328-3496 or 242-311-1181×9 during business hours, and 242-357-7004 at all other times. (Please note that the Duty Officer who answers this number will not be able to assist with visa or routine passport matters.)
General Travel Information
Passport & Visas:
A passport is required for all travelers, and must be valid for six months beyond the arrival date. A visa is not required for U.S or U.K. passengers. Residents of other countries should contact the Bahamian embassy in their country for travel requirements.
You will complete an immigration card upon arrival. It will be checked at your first point of entry and a copy will be given to you. Please be careful not to lose this copy as it must be returned to Immigration upon your departure.
Staying in Nassau:
There are many options for your stay in Nassau, ranging from small family-owned inns situated in quieter areas to full-scale resorts.
We often stay at the Orange Hill when overnighting in Nassau. It’s a quaint family-owned inn, located 5 minutes from the airport, and a convenient, economical choice for traveling anglers. It sits across the street from a nice quiet beach and has a small bar/restaurant and a refreshing outdoor pool. Several good restaurants are just a short taxi ride away.
Orange Hill Beach Inn
(242) 327-7157 | https://orangehill.com/
General Information
Weather:
Andros Island lies just north of the Tropic of Cancer, with a moderate temperature range affected by the surrounding waters. Average daytime temperatures range from the high eighties in the summer to the low seventies in the winter. Relative humidity holds at approximately sixty five percent throughout the year. As with most tropical climates, summer is the wettest season, with the majority of the rainfall occurring between May and October. Often dry and sunny for extended periods of time, Andros South is superbly located for year round fishing.
Guest Rooms:
The rooms are clean, comfortable, and air conditioned. Each has its own bathroom, which awaits you with a warm relaxing shower at the end of your fishing day. And, each guest gets his or her own, private room, complete with tile floors and furnished with comfortable beds and modern dressers and nightstands.
Dining Room:
The dining room is welcoming and laid back. It is perfect to enjoy cocktails, great meals, and conversation with friends, both new and old.
The Slack Tide:
The Slack Tide is our favorite spot to enjoy coffee in the morning, a cold Kalik in the afternoon, or conversation with fellow anglers at any time. It’s a tiki hut located right on the beach and comes with a great view and a steady ocean breeze.
The Grounds:
Coconut palms and native plants surround the guest rooms and lodge, and there is a skiff resting in the sand between the lodge and the beach, ideal for honing your casting skills. With conch shells placed on the sand as targets, it simulates your position on the deck when the guide positions the boat for your cast.
The Beach:
The lodge is situated on a beautiful white sand beach, taking advantage of the intoxicating trade winds of the Bahamas. Take a relaxing swim each evening, or maybe a walk or a run. You may even want to wade in with your fly rod and hone your casting while gazing out at azure blue water. There are also hungry barracuda and the occasional large bonefish cruising along the white sand. If you find yourself in need of a longer beach to run on, you can head just north of the marina and find yourself on a white sand beach that stretches as far as you can see.
Electrical Outlets on South Andros:
The electrical outlets are AC 110 volts (same as the U.S.) and most appliances will work fine. Power is available 24 hrs each day.
Communications:
Wi-Fi is available at Andros South, though the bandwidth is limited. Cell service is available, and it’s a good idea to contact your provider for availability before arriving on South Andros.
Insects on South Andros:
Mosquitoes and “doctor flies” in the Bahamas are always a possibility. Wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts is your best protection, and insect repellent (with DEET) will deter these bugs. Pesky “No See’ums” may come out at dawn and dusk, especially when the winds are calm. A light pair of socks with your pants tucked in will eliminate any bites. Many guests are happy that they packed an anti-Itch cream, that will sooth the No See Um bites.
Gratuities:
Gratuities at Andros South come in two forms: daily tips for guides at the end of each fishing day, and a single tip for the lodge staff at the end of your stay. The economy at South Andros Island is primarily cash-based, so the preferred method for tipping is in cash. US Dollars and Bahamian currency are interchangeable on the island, and either works fine. We encourage you to follow your heart and tip in accordance with the level of service that you feel you received.
Guide Gratuities:
Guide tips average $120 per boat per day, $60 per angler if two anglers share a boat. The best time to give the guide his tip is at the dock just before getting out of the boat. It’s helpful to be prepared, having cash handy and if possible, to discuss tipping with your fishing partner before reaching the dock. When preparing for your trip, it’s helpful to come with a sufficient amount of $5, $10, and $20 bills to cover tipping each day, and to allow for the possibility of an increased tip for an exceptional day. Many guests also like to bring enough cash to purchase a few drinks at the local bar at the end of the fishing day.
Lodge Staff Gratuities:
Tips for the lodge staff are collected once at the end of your stay, and are pooled and divided among the entire lodge staff, including cooks, housekeepers, and the maintenance crew, dock staff and host. Lodge staff tips average $50 per angler per day.
Alcohol:
Beer, wine and spirits are included in the standard package at Andros South. A range of mixers are provided along with soft drinks. Guests are encouraged to bring along any specific brands that they prefer.
Laundry:
Laundry service is not available. They do have a clothesline available if you choose to wash and rinse your fishing clothes.
Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are included in your package and will be issued on site upon arrival.
Clothing & Sun Protection:
South Andros may be the most informal place on the planet. Comfortable, casual wear is accepted and encouraged. Flip-flops, sandals, shorts, T-shirts…casual is king. Expect air temperatures in the mid-80s during the days and high 60s to low 70s in the evening and early mornings. We recommend long-sleeved shirts and long pants while on the flats. Apply a waterproof sunblock of at least 30 SPF to all exposed skin including your ears and lips each morning. Re-apply occasionally throughout the day, and consider wearing a wide-brimmed hat and/or Buff. After applying sunscreen, scrub your hands with a scoop of sand and water as bonefish can smell lotion on your fly resulting in refusals. Applying sunscreen with the back of your hands minimizes transferring sunscreen to your fly and leader.
Although casual tropical attire will generally work great during your time on the water, there are three fishing specific items that are critical for each angler to bring: a raincoat, for boat spray or the occasional cloudburst, polarized sunglasses to help you see the fish, and flats boots for wading. Since the flats that we wade vary greatly in their composition (hard sand, soft sand, grass, coral) we do not recommend wading sandals; boots are greatly preferred. Even on sunny days we suggest including a rain jacket in your boat bag. Boat spray can occur at any time and a cloudburst can form when least expected.
Personal Gear
You’ll need an assortment of personal gear for your days on the flats, and a boat bag to keep them in.
Boat Bags:
Your boat bag will contain all your gear for the day in the boat and in transfer to and from the dock. Anglers often prefer some organizing dividers inside, and quick access pouches on the outside. It needs to be large enough to hold your rain jacket, fly boxes, sunscreen, extra leaders and tippet, camera, and back up glasses and fly lines. Fishpond, Patagonia and Simms offer quality boat bags.
Wading Pack:
You may be wading for hours and the boat will be just a spec on the horizon. Be sure to bring a wading pack to carry your flies, leaders, tippet, clippers, a water bottle, snack bars, camera, etc. The design is your choice, with sling, fanny and backpack the most common. Fishpond, Patagonia and Simms offer proven models in these designs.
Tools:
Pliers, hemostats, leader snips, hook sharpener, and release tool.
Rain Gear:
Lightweight and breathable is the best for warm climates. Bring your rain gear with you on the boat everyday no matter how clear it looks. Squalls pop up quickly and the boat ride can be wet.
Sunglasses:
Polarized glasses with amber or copper lenses are the most popular for flats fishing, and having an extra pair in your boat bag is a darn good idea.
Tackle & Equipment
Lodge Equipment:
A limited supply of rods, reels, flats boots, etc. are available at the lodge. To reserve equipment, please note that on your online questionnaire so the lodge will know what you are expecting to borrow.
Tackle & Equipment Lists by Species (click on links below):