Locations

Blackadore Disaster

Raise a hand if you’ve been to Belize.

A not-small Jack.

Wonderful place. I love it there and really hope to hold my wife to her PROMISE that we could return for our 5th anniversary (we honeymooned there), if not sooner.

If you’ve fished there, you know one of the reasons why it is special… the diversity and quality of the fishing. The Belizians have gone further than most in putting in place protections for their game fish, which is to be applauded.

So, leave it up to some Hollywood nitwit to ruin it (or at least some of it).

Blackadore Caye is a located within view of Savannah Caye, one of the prime spots to go hunting for tarpon. It was at Savannah that I hooked (and lost) my first tarpon. It was where I landed my largest jack (maybe 20 pounds?). It is not a great place for a resort, but that is what Leonardo DiCaprio is doing.

This is the disaster of a resort.

This is supposed to be eco-everything. No fossil fuel use. Composted waste. All solar/wind. They make it sound like a godsend.

I can’t imagine it will be anything short of a disaster. You just can’t build something like that in a place like that and have it be zero impact. The thing that will be impacted first will likely be the fishing at Savannah Caye. More boat traffic isn’t going to do anyone any favors. It also seems the resort will make the island off-limits to the locals because the clientele for a place like this get uncomfortable when there are un-uniformed/non-drink-serving brown people around.

This map would seem to suggest that the Belizian people know what they want to do with Blackadore Caye:

Seems like the people of Belize want Blackadore to not become a resort, but seems like Belize isn’t going to get what they want from Leo.

Funny thing. Leo accepted a Golden Globe recently and dedicated his award to native people.

That’s some grade A hypocrisy right there. Leo should listen to Leo on this one.

There is a Facebook page for Defend Blackadore Caye. Join it. I just did.

Blackadore Caye, as a resort, is a lessening of everything Belize really is. It doesn’t need improving on, not like this, not by Leonardo.

Locations — No Comments
20
Jan 16

Playing the Odds and a Bit of Trust

I’ve talked to a few people and here is what I’m going to say is the current state of affairs.

The bill will not come up for a vote in February. It isn’t ready. No one has seen it. The most recent comments from Gray are pure politics in the worst sense of that word, which is saying something.

There is no reason to hold off on planning your trip.

When and if ANYTHING happens, there won’t be some short little window of notice. Folks in the know don’t think anything is likely to happen, or at least nothing that really impacts the DIY angler more than maybe buying a license.

So… while Gray’s comments are irresponsible, he is a politician and that seems to be mostly what they do.

See you in the Bahamas.

Locations — 5 Comments
19
Jan 16

Is this thing coming for a vote? Part 2

Yesterday the Tribune published a story saying the flats regulation bill would hit the Cabinet in February.

This caught us all by surprise, since no one had heard a peep about the final draft getting released, much less it coming up for a vote. I made some inquiries and two distinct possibilities are emerging.

Good ole’ Minister Gray has been super sneaky and the bill is getting ready for a February vote.
Good ole’ Minister Gray is playing politics and wants to have something positive to talk about despite the fact nothing is actually happening.

Now, the worrywart in me fears #1, but the cynic in me sees #2 as the more likely of the two possibilities.

#2 seems more possible when you talk to folks out there (people who really shhould know) and they have not heard boo about this thing moving forward.

Another very non-scientific observation from a reader out in the Bahamas right now. He’s been going about this time for several years and this year he’s seen only one other angler, which is very different from years past. It is his belief that the talk about banning DIY has caused folks seen on the flats in years past to head elsewhere. It is just one data point, but it does tend to agree with what this side of the debate has been arguing for a long time, mainly that you can’t threaten and bully your visitors and expect them to still visit.

The unfortunate bit about Gray’s comments are that they come just as many anglers are looking at their 2016 to make plans. Gray throws doubt on all of that and it is a very simple thing right now for someone just to put a different destination into Kayak. Playing politics with the livelihood of the very people he is supposed to be representing is damn near criminal. He’s either an idiot or an asshole… maybe a little of column A and a little of column B.

I’ll have my own (wading) boots on the ground in another month and I will be asking a lot of questions when I get there. More answers will be forthcoming.

Locations — 1 Comment
18
Jan 16

Bahamas Regulations Coming to a Vote??

Just saw this…

Um… damn.

This does not sound great. First, it does not sound great because the news comes from the mouth of Minister Gray, an individual who has shown nothing but hostility toward DIY anglers/tourists.

Second, it does not sound great because no one I know has seen a revised draft. Given the absolutely craptastic first and second drafts of this thing, hearing there is a third does nothing to make me feel at ease.

I’m working the channels to learn what I can about the proposal and how real this news is. I’ll keep you posted.

Locations — 4 Comments
16
Jan 16

It is on!

I have a trip on the books and it is right quick.

I’ll be returning to Abaco here in just about a month, spending a couple of days at Abaco Lodge and then trying to find some of my own fish and I’ll be accompanied by friend and political opposite Aaron, who was one of the anglers I brought to Long Island a couple years ago.

I’m looking forward to being back in the Bahamas and to get to know Abaco a little bit more. We had such a fast and busy first meeting, this one should be a little more relaxed.

Now down to business… my fly tying desk has not been unpacked and is still in the garage. That could be a problem. I have a few hundred flies I should be tying right about now!

Tickets purchased and fees paid. I’m going to Abaco.

Tickets purchased. That means it is real.

Conservation / Locations — 1 Comment
15
Jan 16

The Bimini Ferry, Not Coming to a Port Near You

Resorts World Bimini wanted to bring rapid ferry service to Bimini to bring allllll sorts of flashy, cash-dripping Americans over to their resort.

Locals said “It isn’t going to work.”

Environmentalists said “It isn’t going to work.”

The Bahamian Administration said “I can’t hear you over the sound of all this money.”

Guess what? Resorts World Bimini got their ferry and their ferry terminal (at some high environmental costs).

And guess what happened next! Yup… the ferry has failed and the service has stopped.

The Bahamian people appear to be on the hook for this bit of douchbaggery.

Locations — No Comments
14
Jan 16

2016 is coming together

I know where and when I’m looking for bones in 2016. Just putting the last touches together now. Very much looking forward to it.

The view. Photo by Anna Stromsness

Life is just a little bit sweeter when a trip is on the books.

Is it not?

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04
Jan 16

Bloomberg goes Bonefishing

Found this story about a trip to Bairs in South Andros by a Bloomberg reporter.

It has many of the elements I’ve come to know from my forays to the tropics. The small planes, the highly enjoyable lodges, the good fishing, the tough fishing and the thrill of it all.

I’ve both been the guy who has less experience and does the flailing, and I’ve been the guy with more experience watching my boat-mate struggle. I prefer being the the second camp, as I think everyone does. When I’ve been the guy having a hard time I’ve felt the pressure, largely placed there by myself, to pull out a better cast and to make things happen, which is usually when they fall apart.

Makes me want to get fishing though, that’s for sure.

That there is Andros.

Locations — 4 Comments
04
Jan 16

Little Cayman

Found this story pop up in my news feed about a winter escape to Little Cayman (pronounced “Cay Man”). I would like very much to find myself out there at some point, in part because the Cayman Islands is the native home of Flatswalker.

Davin with a happy client in Grand Cayman

It is a good reminder that there are other places to catch bonefish than the Bahamas, that there are a number of islands (and nations) one can select from when thinking about things silvery and salty.

Go on. Get out there and explore.

Conservation / Locations — No Comments
02
Jan 16

Aragonite in the Bahamas

Aragonite is a mineral the Bahamas has in abundance. Of course, it could be that the other things the Bahamas has in abundance, like sea life, may depend, in part, on that very resource.

Still, where there is a buck to be made there will be people lining up to profit and the Bahamas are no different. That mining aragonite from the sea floor of the Bahamas could screw up what makes the Bahamas special is of little concern for the folks looking to benefit. It is a similar mentality to the one time thought process in the American West that there were so many bison that we couldn’t possibly kill them all, right?

The East End on Grand Bahama is set to reject any fresh attempts to create new mining operations there, citing the importance of the fishery to locals for providing fish for market, fish for the table and for C&R bonefishing.

Bonefish on the Brain Bonefish and all that relates (maybe a bit about tarpon too).