Photos

Bimini Bonefishing

By Ben Holtzclaw

Updated: March 10, 2011

Bimini Bonefishing

In February 2011, we were invited to Guy Harvey’s Bimini Big Game Club Outpost in the Bahamas to participate in their inaugural Bonefish Challenge. The one-day flats shootout pitted top fishing writers and photographers against each other with some of Bimini’s best guides. We also had a chance to meet a local legend and celebrate a big catch. Photo: Pat Ford

Bimini Bonefishing

Loading up for the 17-minute flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Bimini _All photos by Ben Holtzclaw unless otherwise noted

Bimini Bonefishing

Miles of bonefish flats await us as we land

Bimini Bonefishing

Bimini International Airport

Bimini Bonefishing

On the way to the Big Game Club, we took a detour at the “Sharklab” – officially the Bimini Biological Field Station – which is owned and operated by Dr. Samuel H. Gruber of the University of Miami.

Bimini Bonefishing

Ph.D. student Kristine Stump explains the shark tracking procedures she uses in her research at the lab.

Bimini Bonefishing

Sharks are kept in pens just offshore.

Bimini Bonefishing

Stump shows us a juvenile lemon shark.

Bimini Bonefishing

Bimini is divided by a narrow channel, and a ferry is required to get from the south end to the north and the main settlement of Alice Town.

Bimini Bonefishing

We arrive at the Big Game Club. Founded in 1936, the Club had fallen on hard times until a recent multi-million dollar renovation by Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts returned it to prominence as a base for Bimini’s great offshore and inshore fishing.

Bimini Bonefishing

The welcoming pool area at the Club. We found all the renovations to be top-notch.

Bimini Bonefishing

Replica mounts of Guy Harvey’s twin granders on display

Bimini Bonefishing

We paid a visit to boatbuilder and bonefish guide Ansil Saunders, here with his latest work. Ansil guided angler Jerry Lavenstein to a 16-pound 3-ounce world-record bonefish in Bimini exactly 40 years ago and would be honored later in the weekend.

Bimini Bonefishing

Ansil builds all of his specialized 16-foot bonefishing skiffs by hand in a small shop right on the water.

Bimini Bonefishing

Workmanship like this comes at a price – one of Ansil’s boats will set you back about $40,000.

Bimini Bonefishing

Length of time to construct: approximately 10 weeks.

Bimini Bonefishing

The view from Ansil’s shop

Bimini Bonefishing

Closeup of a boat currently under construction.

Bimini Bonefishing

Ansil shows off a sample of the lumber that goes into a Bimini Bonefisher. He uses both native horseflesh and imported woods.

Bimini Bonefishing

Ansil and fly-fishing guru and Bonefish Bimini founder Vaughn Cochran.

Bimini Bonefishing

Back at the Club, anglers unwind at the bar after a day on the water

Bimini Bonefishing

Ansil Saunders is honored for his role in the record catch of a 16-pound 3-ounce monster bonefish in 1971. Left-to-Right: Randy Rolle, Ministry of Tourism/Sports Tourism Department; Bonefish Tommy Sewell; Mark Ellert, President of Guy Harvey Outposts; Ansil Saunders; Ned Stone, Program Director Bimini Big Game Club; Fred Mitchell Bahamas M.P.; Bonefish Ebbie David and Eagle Eyes Fred Rolle.Photo: Pat Ford

Bimini Bonefishing

An angler’s arsenal – ready for a day of fishing

Bimini Bonefishing

The next day we beach the skiff and decided to pursue our first sighting of the day on foot.

Bimini Bonefishing

Upstart Bimini guide Nick Wood hard at work

Bimini Bonefishing

The bonefish flats can sometimes seem endless here.

Bimini Bonefishing

Casting to a Bimini bone from the deck of a Hell’s Bay Waterman

Bimini Bonefishing

Hooked up with Eagle Eyes Fred Photo: Pat Ford

Bimini Bonefishing

A nice Bimini bone pre-release Photo: Pat Ford

Bimini Bonefishing

Fly Fishing in Salt Water’s John Frazier and Field and Stream’s Joe Cermele were lucky enough to fish with Ansil Saunders on the anniversary of his epic catch. They documented the experience in this video. Here, they climb out of one of Ansil’s Bimini Bonefishers after a successful day.

Bimini Bonefishing

After we got back to the docks, a parade was held in Ansil’s honor.

Bimini Bonefishing

The man himself bringing up the rear

Bimini Bonefishing

Marching through the streets of Alice Town

Bimini Bonefishing

It’s a short walk to the beach and a picture-perfect Bahamas sunset.

Bimini Bonefishing

The mystery of why we were set to depart Bimini in two small groups was settled when we got to the airport and saw the plane. The pilot asked who wanted to sit shotgun. Vaughn got the honors.

Bimini Bonefishing

Our last shot of Bimini, looking south. Alice Town and the Big Game Club can be seen.

Bimini Bonefishing

Ansil Saunders and Jerry Lavenstein with their 16-pound 3-ounce world-record bonefish in 1971.

More: bonefish fishing, Inshore Fishing, photos

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