the marls — great abaco (marsh harbour)
A shallow maze of flats, mangroves and cays on the west side of Great Abaco. Wind-sheltered water with plenty of bonefish, fished from a skiff or on foot.
The Marls are a shallow maze of flats, mangroves, pine-covered cays and blue holes on the west side of Great Abaco, from west of Treasure Cay in the north to Cross Harbour in the south. The area's lodge cites about 300 square miles (nearly 780 km²) of water averaging 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, with little tidal influence and sheltered from the wind. Bonefish dominate: the average runs 2 to 4 pounds, with fish of 5 to 8 pounds less common. Permit and juvenile tarpon show up now and then, especially near the blue holes, and barracuda, jacks and sharks round out the fauna. Fishing is by guided skiff, with stretches to wade. The area lies within a national park announced in 2015.
best season
Bonefish all year in The Marls, an area sheltered from the wind. Spring and autumn usually have steadier weather; June to November is hurricane season.
Local rules: Personal flats license (2017 Regulations) for anyone 12 or older, issued by the Department of Marine Resources, island administrators or Go Outdoors Bahamas. Bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and cobia are catch and release only, on hook and line. Only Bahamas-registered boats may enter the flats. The Marls lie within the Marls of Abaco National Park, announced by the government in 2015: ask your guide whether it already has its own zones and rules. Sharks have been protected in the country since 2011. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Flights from Florida and Nassau to Marsh Harbour airport (MHH), on Great Abaco. From the lodge at the edge of The Marls, skiffs reach the flats in 10 to 45 minutes.
- facilities
- Abaco Lodge sits at the edge of The Marls, with skiffs and guides; Marsh Harbour has hotels, marinas and services. The island has a fly-fishing guides association.
- country
- Central Abaco, Bahamas
tip
In The Marls the tide barely moves the water: wind and light rule. Bring small shrimp flies and a 9- or 10-weight rod rigged with a crab fly for permit.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in the Bahamas
A boat not owned by a Bahamian needs a sport fishing permit, obtained at Customs at the port of entry on arrival, before any fishing. Those fishing from the beach, the pier or aboard a Bahamian boat, such as local charters, don't need it. To fish the flats (bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and cobia), every person aged 12 or older needs a personal angler licence; for non-citizens and non-residents, the 2017 regulations set B$15 per day, B$20 per week, B$30 per month and B$60 per year (the Bahamian dollar is worth the same as the US dollar). The Fisheries Act, 2020 was published to replace the 1977 law on which these regulations are based: confirm amounts and rules with the Department of Marine Resources.
- Marlin, sailfish and swordfish must be released alive, except in authorized tournaments. Sharks have been protected since 2011: every shark hooked must be released.
- Onboard limit for foreign sport fishing boats, per boat and not per person: 18 pelagic fish in total (mahi-mahi, wahoo, mackerel and tuna), 60 pounds or up to 20 bottom fish, such as red snapper and grouper (whichever is less), 10 lobsters during the season and 6 queen conchs. Visitors may not sell the catch.
- In the flats, bonefish, permit, snook, cobia and tarpon may only be caught and released, with hook and/or bait; except for fish kept for food, no one may have more than one specimen in possession at the same time (Flats Fishing Regulations, 2017, reg. 9). Commercial fishing in the flats is prohibited.
- Fishing with scuba gear and speargun is prohibited. Hand spears only with written authorization on the permit, never within 1 nautical mile of the coast of New Providence and southern Grand Bahama, nor within 200 yards of the coast of the other islands.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) (Flats Fishing) Regulations, 2017 — texto publicado no bahamas.com (Ministério do Turismo)Personal license from age 12; catch and release for bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and cobia; hook and line only
- official Bahamas.com (Ministério do Turismo) — Fishing Regulations & FAQWho issues the flats license; only Bahamas-registered boats on the flats; sharks protected since 2011
- market Abaco Lodge — Fishing in the MarlsAbout 300 square miles of flats from Cross Harbour to west of Treasure Cay; bonefish averaging 2 to 4 pounds; occasional permit and juvenile tarpon; skiffs 10 to 45 minutes from the lodge
- technical Bonefish & Tarpon Trust — Bahamas Announces New Marine National Parks (8 de setembro de 2015)Announcement of the Marls of Abaco National Park, Cross Harbour National Park and East Abaco Creeks National Park; rules still to be set at the time