Part 3: Bahamas on the Run - Bonefishing on Mars

Part 1: Bahamas on the Run - Mangrove Cay Lodge

Part 2: Bahamas on the Run - Andros South Lodge

Part 3: Bahamas on the Run - Bonefishing on Mars

Mars Bay Settlement is the furthest south village on South Andros. For a lodge location, this is a tough one to beat. The hard sand flats at the southern tip of the island offer some of the best and most consistent wading. While most lodges have a 45-minute run to reach them, Bill and his crew can usually make it in about 20-25 minutes. More time fishing and less time running the boat is never a bad thing.

The lodge property itself is impressive. A large private stretch of beach greets you as you walk between the two main lodge buildings, overlooking a very wadable flat directly in front of the lodge. Don’t forget to say hello to Bill’s three dogs. They will happily come up and greet you! Each building can accommodate up to six guests based on double occupancy, with private bathrooms in every room. The common areas are shared by all the guests, and every night they turn into the spot where everyone swaps fishing stories from the long day of fishing. I get just as much of a kick out of hearing about everyone’s day as I do fishing during my own.

The coolest part of the entire place is the fact that Bill built everything himself. Every building and every boat was handcrafted and designed by him. It adds a really unique feel to the lodge and makes the whole place even more impressive once you realize how much work went into creating it. The effort involved shows in all the small details in and around the lodge.

The meal program at Mars Bay is another huge highlight. Breakfasts are simple American-style meals served before heading out for the day, while lunch is eaten on the boat during fishing hours. Now, dinner is where things really stand out. Fresh Bahamian ingredients, full-course meals, and big portions cooked perfectly every night. My personal favorite was the cracked conch served on arrival night. The chefs clearly put a ton of care into what they feed the guests, and it shows. As much as I loved the fishing, I would go back for the food alone!

Mornings started early with breakfast before the 8 AM boat launch. The ramp itself is only about a three-minute ride south of the lodge, making for a quick and easy start to the day.

Day 1
I was paired with one of Bill’s longest tenured guides, Bruce. This guy was incredible. His eyes were unreal, and he and I had something very important in common — we both liked to wade. At our first stop, we jumped out of the boat and slowly worked our way into a creek channel leading into a shallow mangrove-lined bay. We were mostly just talking and getting to know each other when suddenly we saw a big tail pop up in the distance, maybe 100 feet away. Game time.

We crept closer and I laid the fly just in front of the fish. I barely had time to strip before I came tight. The fish tore through the mangroves, weaving in and out while we chased it around the lagoon trying to keep up. It was an epic fight. Eventually we got the fish to hand, a solid 5-pounder. Quick photo, quick release, and he was gone. As much as we wanted to stay there, we figured all the commotion probably pushed the rest of the fish out of the bay, so we headed back to the boat to keep searching.

Throughout the day we landed a handful of fish, but none more memorable than the absolute buzzer beater at the end of the day. We were on our final flat when Bruce spotted a giant slowly sliding toward us. This fish was clearly much bigger than anything we had seen all day. Luckily, the fish were hungry, because one cast later he crushed the fly and the reel absolutely screamed on the initial run. After a short but intense fight, I landed my personal best bonefish at just over 8 pounds. A pretty incredible way to finish an already great first day

Day 2
This day honestly started rough. Heavy clouds rolled in, rain started falling, and we weren’t even sure we should leave the dock. Eventually we decided it looked safe enough and headed out anyway. There was thankfully no wind, but getting blasted with rain on the boat ride definitely wasn’t awesome. Little did we know, it would end up being the best fishing day of the entire trip.

At the first spot, it was still lightly raining with completely overcast skies. Somehow, though, the cloud cover was perfect for visibility and we could see surprisingly well, even at long distances. Within two minutes, Pap and I spotted a fish rolling about 60 feet off the bow. One quick cast later and we landed the first 5-pound fish of the day. Not a bad start.

We kept pushing across the flat, picking off fish here and there before eventually ending up in a massive bay with one inlet and one outlet. I’m not exaggerating when I say we saw wakes and tails every hundred feet. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many fish between 3 and 6 pounds we landed in there. It was one of the coolest bonefish experiences I’ve ever had.

We stopped for a quick lunch right as the weather finally started to clear, scarfing food down as fast as possible so we could get back to fishing. Somehow, the afternoon session was even better. Big solo fish tailed tight against sandy banks, completely fired up and eager to eat a fly. They just kept coming one after another. We didn’t land a single fish under 5 pounds that afternoon.

As if the day hadn’t already been good enough, we ended up breaking my personal best bonefish from the day before, this time cracking the 10-pound mark. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better day on the flats.

Mars Bay was everything I had hoped it would be and then some. From the moment I arrived, I could tell the place was built by someone who truly understands bonefishing and what anglers are looking for in a trip. The combination of quick access to the southern flats, comfortable accommodations, incredible food, and a guide team that flat out knows how to find fish makes this operation special. More than anything, though, it was the fishing itself that stood out. Big fish, endless shots, and the kind of days you remember for a very long time. South Andros has earned its reputation as one of the best bonefishing destinations in the world, and Mars Bay sits right in the middle of it.

On to the next, and final stop, the Abaco Lodge report coming soon!