Sandbar at Bonefish Point

A beautiful walk from the little beach by Osprey Rock all the way to Bonefish Point

A high light of any trip out to South West Bluff is the beautiful walk from the beach at Osprey Rock down to Bonefish Point.

Osprey Rock in the distance as we wade through the shallows

A mangrove is salt tolerant and look at the roots.

Miles of beach with only us walking along the shoreline.

Bone fisherman stalking the flats for the elusive bonefish

A Haitien sloop washed up along the shore

Sad to say, we often see these wrecked Haitien sloops carrying probably 100 or more people to what they think will be a better life. Many are caught and repatriated.

Pin cushion sea stars love the sandbar. We found many of them.

That’s an amazing flat but make sure you have your fishing license with you if you plan to fish

Turquoise waters and brilliant white powdery sand

Mr Crabby shows his fighting form.

In search of starfish at the sandbar

A picturesque, dream of a day at Bonefish Point

A perfect afternoon to wade into the water at Bonefish Point

On another rather cloudy day, a storm changed the colours to a soft pastel combination of hues.

These great kids hammed it up for the camera in the shallows of the sandbar.

These great kids hammed it up for the camera in the shallows of the sandbar.

Some local kids were fishing  with one fishing rod and a hand line but I’m not sure that they caught anything other than disturbing a blue crab, a cushion starfish and a conch.

A blue crab wasn't too impressed with facing the camera but he was let go after his modeling debut.

A blue crab wasn’t too impressed with facing the camera but he was let go after his modeling debut.

The boys were having fun finding starfish and a conch while their Dad or uncle continued sitting and fishing.

The boys were having fun finding starfish and a conch.

Life is always interesting around the sandbar and on this day I lucked out, smiling kids, someone fishing, finding a small blue crab, a bright orange cushion starfish, a conch and of course, the muted colours of the ocean at low tide and passing storm clouds. Wow! What a spectacular and lovely day.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

A Trip Down Turtle Tail

blogIMG_5044cr

A lone flamingo feeds in the Juba salina just a short ways from Harbour Club Villas

I decided on taking one of our fishing guests down Turtle Tail to see for myself where he could access some flats in order to do some bonefishing.  Must say, this area is still as beautiful as ever but with many newly constructed houses going up.

I haven’t seen the flamingos for quite an age and was excited to see this, lone beauty.

blogIMG_5041cr

I couldn’t get him to stop feeding and to lift his head up……….too busy “vacuuming” through the silty bottom.

 

blogIMG_5058

My beach also known locally as Dog Beach was just awesome with all those turquoise colours

 

blogIMG_5062

Looking towards Jim Hill and the new villas being built beside Bajacu

 

blogIMG_5073

Bonefishing flat with some of the Five Little Cays in the distance

 

blogIMG_5074

Old conch shells piled up on shore

 

blogIMG_5091

Now this has some potential for some DIY bonefishing

 

blogIMG_5163

Jet skiers were out on this beautiful day

 

blogIMG_5167

Rocky southern shoreline with secret pathway down to the water’s edge

 

blogIMG_5181

Private gazebos overlooking stunning turquoise waters

 

blogIMG_5192

Mangroves down Turtle Tail with some sweet bonefishing spots

 

Harbour Club Villas and Marina on a bonefishing lake in Providenciales

 

Looking across Flamingo Lake towards the villas at Harbour Club and a lone fisherman

Flamingo Lake and a perfect afternoon for some bonefishing

Tarpon On the Fly

Wow.........Lenny caught himself a beauty! This tarpon was at least 35 pounds.

Harbour Club Villa guest Lenny Mokan spotted tarpon on his bonefishing trip recently. He wasn’t rigged for tarpon and was broken off twice before rigging a heavier line.

Here's a nice bonefish.........Darin's amazing at spotting and finding fish

 

The rod bent double and the tarpon performed a great aerial display

Darin holds up the tarpon......what a great fish!

 

Lenny gently releases his first tarpon all 35 pounds of it!

 

Way to go Lenny!

Lenny's going to mount the fly when he frames up his best tarpon photo.

Check out Harbour Club Villas’ bonefishing packages and just like Lenny, you too can fish the endless flats off Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

Hope to see you soon…the fishing is GREAT.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evening Bonefishing

A peaceful and calm setting as a lone fisherman wades the lake by Harbour Club Villas.

A peaceful and calm setting as a lone fisherman wades the lake by Harbour Club Villas.

This evening I caught sight of Paul, one of our bonefishing guests, out in Flamingo Lake. It was a beautiful still evening just made for some bonefishing.

Someone else was also looking for fish as a Green Heron perched on a dead branch to view the lake waters.

Someone else was also looking for fish as a Green Heron perched on a dead branch to view the lake waters.

The Green Heron finds a tasty snack in the waters of the lake.

The Green Heron finds a tasty snack in the waters of the lake.

I know the heron was sucessful in finding food but I'm not sure if Paul caught any bonefish?

I know the heron was sucessful in finding food but I'm not sure if Paul caught any bonefish?

 

Evenings are a great time to catch some of our water birds and to see bonefish tailing in the lake.

 

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Bonefish Heaven

Today I experience a bit of Bonefish Heaven out on the flats by Pine Cay.

Today I experience a bit of Bonefish Heaven out on the flats by Pine Cay.

What an unbelieveable day we had out on the flats with our guide Darin Bain of D and B Tours. He ordered up this spectacular flat calm day with clear see through water and those reflections! We headed off towards Pine Cay and it didn’t take Capt. Darin long to sight the fish.

Joe got busy and caught his first bonefish of the day.........a beauty!

Joe got busy and caught his first bonefish of the day.........a beauty!

We couldn’t have picked a better day and I was just along to take the photographs. I’m not sure how many cards I filled or batteries but I made sure I wouldn’t run out. The colours of the ocean, the flats, the bonefish and the reflections in the water were all breathtaking. I don’t fish but found the whole experience exciting and exhilarating.

Joe releases a good sized bonefish one of many caught this day.

Joe releases a good sized bonefish one of many caught this day.

I think Joe hooked up at least 13 or so and landed some six. At one point when I was shooting from the water, he saw a hundred or so coming towards me from behind. What a sight to see!

Fish On...........Joe catches another one and check out the reflections in the water.

Fish On...........Joe catches another one and check out the reflections in the water.

Capt Darin has been fishing the Caicos Flats for over 10 years and he really knows the area like the back of his hand and will put you on the fish. His eagle eyes can see them when no one else can…..I was hopeless at seeing them but then I was too busy with the camera.

Joe smiles from ear to ear.......another bonefish. They're called "the ghosts of the flats"

Joe smiles from ear to ear.......another bonefish. They're called "the ghosts of the flats"

Joe and Christen are honeymooning at Harbour Club Villas and  Joe is a photo journalist with Field and Stream Magazine. This is his first time fishing for bonefish and I think we have him convinced that the Turks and Caicos Islands is the place for bonefishing.

Bonefishing is GREAT in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Bonefishing is GREAT in the Turks and Caicos Islands

A perfect day!  All you bonefishermen out there just have to head down to Provo and I’ll hook you up with Darin for a trip out onto the flats. Call me and I’ll arrange everything for you.

Tight Lines!

 

Marta

 

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Flamingo Lake Reflections

Flamingo Lake was at its stunning best today .... flat calm with a mirror image reflection.

Flamingo Lake was at its stunning best today .... flat calm with a mirror image reflection.

I glanced out at the lake late this afternoon and the reflections in the calm waters took my breath away. I grabbed my camera and didn’t even have a chance to tell Barry where I was going. The ripples and the colours kept changing as the sun started to sink over the hill to the right of our villas at Harbour Club.

The sun started to set and tinged everything with an orangey glow

The sun started to set and tinged everything with an orangey glow

As I walked along the road the water was churning………….”nervous water” as the fishermen call it. The bonefish were tailing and rippling up the calm on Flamingo Lake.

The bonefish were tailing and rippling the surface of Flamingo Lake

The bonefish were tailing and rippling the surface of Flamingo Lake

In the foreground of the photo you can see all the circles and ripples created by tailing bonefish.

I zoomed in on this photo which does show a definite bonefish shape.

I zoomed in on this photo which does show a definite bonefish shape.

For all you bonefishing enthusiasts out there, fishing would have been great this evening. Our guests at Harbour Club Villas can just walk across the road and into the lake. We see bonefish tailing all the time and you can watch from your villa windows.

Bonefishing is great in the lakes by Harbour Club as well as the flats. Come on down and join us.

 

Tight lines!!

 

Marta

 

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Lobster Season Opens

The Caribbean Spiny Lobster locally known as crawfish

The Caribbean Spiny Lobster locally known as crawfish

Lobster season opens today and I’m sure all available boats will be out  today fishing for lobster. The Caribbean Spiny Lobster is also known as langouste, rock lobster, crayfish and crawfish and they tend to shelter in crevices of rocks and coral reefs during the day and coming out at night to feed. They have a striped body, brown-gray in colour with yellow spots on the segmented tail.

Lobsters covered the bottom of this boat

Lobsters covered the bottom of this boat

 In the Turks and Caicos Islands lobster season is from Aug 1 to March 31 and some of our fishermen learned to dive at a young age and have inherited their knowledge of lobster from their fathers or other family members.

Yum!  Lobster tails for dinner this evening the opening day of lobster season!

Yum! Lobster tails for dinner this evening the opening day of lobster season!

Boats usually carry team of 2 to 4 fishermen and since the fishing boats have a shallow draft, they can stop directly over patch reefs on the Caicos Banks. The spiny lobsters are found hiding in crevices and under coral outcroppings.

A boat load of lobsters destined for many of Provo's restaurants

A boat load of lobsters destined for many of Provo's restaurants

 

I couldn't resist putting in this photo (sorry Laura!!) but this was simply the biggest lobster I've ever seen. It was huge!

I couldn't resist putting in this photo as this was simply the biggest lobster I've ever seen. It was huge!

Our guests at Harbour Club Villas will be heading to Baci’s Ristorante this evening where John will be preparing a delicious lobster feast for this evenings diners. Come on down to Baci’s for fine dining in an Italian terrazzo style ambiance nightly fresh fish and lobster specials. Hope to see you there!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Kids like fishing too!!

Wayne and his kids fishing off the docks at Harbour Club Villas

Wayne and his kids fishing off the docks at Harbour Club Villas

Wayne Hall of Ocean Vibes dive operation took some time out to show his boys how to fish. They set up on our dock at Harbour Club Villas where Wayne moors his boat. He’s originally from Grand Turk and is the only Turks and Caicos native to own and operate a dive operation on Providenciales.

I got one, I got one!!!

I got one, I got one!!!

The kids were so excited when they started to catch fish. Dad helped to release them into a bucket so that they could take a good look at them.

Wayne takes the hook out as the kids watch

Wayne takes the hook out as the kids watch

Next time you want a great scuba diving adventure in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we’ll put you in touch with Wayne and Ocean Vibes.

Marta

 

http://www.diving.tc

Chad loves fishing

The last time I shot a photo of Chad was in 2003.......he told me the sun had bleached his hair!!!

The last time I shot a photo of Chad was in 2003.......he told me the sun had bleached his hair!!!

I had to go through my photo files to come up with this photo taken out at the old Leeward Marina in 2003. Quite a difference in the size of fish and I guess Chad has vastly improved on the size of the fish caught. In the 2003 photo there was only enough fish for a bit of sushi. The Dorado caught by Chuckee 11 at the Caicos Classic was at least 30 lbs.

Don’t forget next year’s Caicos Classic tournament will be held again in June.

Marta

 

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Caicos Classic 2009

We went down to Turtle Cove Marina today and watched the Caicos Cup Tournament boats pull in after a day's fishing.

We went down to Turtle Cove Marina today and watched the Caicos Cup Tournament boats pull in after a day's fishing.

The fish are still biting and this year’s Caicos Classic Tournament has eight boats entered and five of them are local boats. I’m not sure how many Marlin were caught and released but will add this information once the tournament is over. Art Pickering, tournament director was out and about as the boats returned to the dock.

Ossie and Scooter check the weight on a dorado caught by Chucke 11.

Ossie and Scooter check the weight on a dorado caught by Chucke 11.

Release points are scored as follows: Blue Marlin 300 points; White Marlin 200 points; Sailfish 100 points. The scoreboard at Scooter Bob’s showed quite a few fish caught and released over the three days of the tournament. Tomorrow, the final day, will be a day of fierce competition. 

Caicos Classic Scoreboard showin the fishing boats and numbers of billfish caught and released so far.

Caicos Classic Scoreboard showin the fishing boats and numbers of billfish caught and released so far.

The boats fish from 8 am to 4:30 pm daily and each boat has an IGFA certified observer on board. For a release to qualify for points, the observer and a witness must identify the species of fish, the leader has to be brought within grasp of the mate and wind on leaders must have an identifying mark in place of a swivel.  

Chad carves up a Dorado...........a great fish fry tonight for some lucky people.

Chad carves up a Dorado...........a great fish fry tonight for some lucky people.

Make sure you make a note of next year’s competition………… June 19 to 24, 2010. Hope that you’ll join us for our annual Caicos Classic Release Tournament.

Tight Lines!

 

Marta

 

http://www.bonefishing.tc