Deep Water Cay Club, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas

The lodge is the longest established bonefish lodge in the Bahamas (over 50 years, now) but it still supports one of the most prolific bonefish populations on earth and it is still one of the most upscale lodges/resorts anywhere. Everything about it is first class from the beach-side cabanas and houses to the freshwater infinity pool. You can do no better for a fishing lodge than Deep Water Cay Club.

The fishing is done either by wading on the light colored hard pack sand or fishing from the boat over the softer bottoms around mangrove lined cayes and across any of the turtle grass flats. They even have deep sea and reef fishing for those looking for a change from the flats. For the non-fishers, it can be a relaxing vacation or as active as one could imagine with kayaking, snorkeling, diving or beach walking.

Reservations and Rates

One of the best kept secrets in the fishing world is that you can fly into Grand Bahama Island from just about anywhere in the US in one travel day. The airport at Freeport, Grand Bahama, accepts international flights and on the return flight, customs is handled right there so when you land in the US from Freeport, you can just proceed to your connecting flight without the US customs hassle.

When you have some dates in mind for your trip to Deep Water Cay, just give us a call and we'll confirm availability at the lodge and start the invoice process for you. We have fished the lodge and can answer questions you may have about it.

There are several activities available at the lodge besides flats fishing. A non-angler could be happy snorkeling, kayaking, diving or relaxing by the pool or sea-side. Some of the deep-sea fishing, diving and other activities may involve an extra fee. Just let us know what you would like to do and we'll quickly get a quote for you.

Rates

March 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Fishing Package Nights/Days	Double Occupancy Per Person	Single Occupancy Per Person
3 Nights/2 days	$1,969	$3,028
4 Nights/3 days	$2,691	$4,195
5 Nights /4 days	$3,380	$5,307
6 Nights/5 days	$3,996	$6,303
7 Nights/6 days	$4,569	$7,223

Package Rate Includes: Ocean front room, air conditioning, and private bath, breakfast, picnic lunch, full course dinner, fishing, skiff with guide.

Not Included in Package: Guide Tip ($50 per boat/per day suggestion), air or ground transportation or transportation-related fees, alcholic beverages, soda, tackle shop equipment rentals and purchases, 10% room tax and 12% resort services fee on room and meals.

Private Residence Rental Homes

Drake House: 2 Bedrooms/2 Bathrooms - $1,250/Night

Founders House: 2 Bedrooms/2 Bathrooms - $1,250/Night

Hibiscus House: 4 Bedrooms/4 Bathrooms - $1,550/Night

Sea Grape House: 4 Bedrooms/4 Bathrooms - $1,550/Night

Daily Cleaning included

NOTE: PRIVATE RESIDENCE RENTAL RATES ARE FOR ACCOMMODATIONS ONLY. RATE DOES NOT INCLUDE MEAL PACKAGES, 10% ROOM TAX, OR 12% RESORT SERVICE FEE.

Deep Water Cay Club is open year around.The bonefish are on the flats every month of the year. It can be a perfect winter get-away. Yes, you might be subject to an occasional cold front, but the big bones of the Bahamas don't mind a slight drop in water temps. It is cool during the winter months but only by
Bahamian standards. The air temps will range from low 60's to mid 80's (warm relief to those living in
Montana or other northern states). This is the time to trade in the snow shovel for a fly rod.

Spring time at Deep Water Cay is the perfect time; March, April and May are the peak months for bonefishing. The cold fronts are gone and there are no threats from hurricanes. The waters stay warm and the air is super comfortable. This is also peak booking time, so early bookings for this time frame are recommended.

The summer months are perceived as too hot to fish the Bahamas, but the bonefish don't know that.They will be on the flats feeding, maybe in the cooler parts of the day, but they are there none the less. There are fewer people and the fish actually are less spooky and more aggressive during this time. Big bones are caught during this season.

But, if you want the biggest bones of the year and maybe of your life, plan a trip during the fall when the water temps are cooling more to liking of big bones. September through November can be very pleasant for anglers with moderate temps during the day and cooling off comfortably at night.

Commercial Airlines: Getting to Deep Water Cay has never been easier. There is a wide range of
commercial flights to Freeport from many Eastern hub cities. Connecting flights from Miami, Palm Beach, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Newark, Hartford, Philadelphia and New
York City are most common. From Freeport, taxis will be arranged to pick up arriving guests and
transport them to McLean's Town. Then a 5-minute water taxi shuttles guests to the island.

You can fly into Grand Bahama Island from just about anywhere in the US in one travel day. The airport at Freeport, Grand Bahama, accepts international flights and on the return flight, customs is handled right there so when you land in the US from Freeport, you can just proceed to your connecting flight without the US customs hassle.

Airflight Charters: Contact Lisa Donovan at lisa@airflightcharters.com or by phone at 954-359-0320.

By Boat: Some guests prefer to arrive on Deep Water Cay by boat. The recommended approach is from the south through the Northwest Providence Channel. The approach channel and harbor have 5-foot depths at Mean Low Tide. Deep Water Cay can accommodate boats and yachts up to 200 feet, with electric and water hook ups available. To schedule your arrival by radio, please note that Channel 16 is monitored. Coordinates are 77 56W/26 38N.

Private Airstrip:Travel to the island is simple. The club's private 4,200-ft paved jet airstrip, along with
the ability to clear Bahamian Customs and Immigration on island, make Deep Water Cay Club readily
accessible for those arriving by private aircraft.

Flight Planning: Navigation should be done using official charts. No warranty of fitness for any purpose is made or implied. Use of the aerodrome is a pilot's discretion.

Landing fees: $200.00 per aircraft.

Customs/Immigration: Clearing on-island, subject to prearrangement and availability. Guest is responsible for all associated fees, including any overtime charges incurred.

Lodging

Club History: Grand Bahama got its name from the original Spanish settlers who named the island "granbajamar" or "great shallows." The name itself had to hold some excitement for the few flats fishers
coming into their own in the 1950's. Then, in 1958, Gil Drake and A.J. McClane, an avid angler, author,
and editor of Field and Stream magazine, set out exploring the Islands of the Bahamas. While searching
for a private island with access to prime bonefishing flats, they came upon a small cay with big potential.
Deep Water Cay soon became the destination of choice for people who shared the founders' quest for
sport and leisure activities, in a private Caribbean setting.

Since that time, a veritable who's who of the fly-fishing world has visited Deep Water Cay. They found a place where time and tide march for no man, and a place where old world charm and natural beauty still exists. They found unparalleled inshore and offshore fishing, diverse activities, and comfortable services. They found a place where they can see the sun rise and the sun set, with no tall buildings to interrupt their views. They found a natural setting that needs no modification because it's perfect just as it is.

When you step out of your cottage in the morning you can enjoy your thoughts while sipping a cup of coffee.You remember a time before all of life's commotion set in. In the distance is the faint whine of an old outboard. There are no bells going off, no beepers.

Cabanas: These are one bedroom units with a private bathroom and two full beds. Each one has a front porch overlooking a bonefish flat within a few steps of your front door. There is a refrigerator, coffee
maker, walk-in closet and air-conditioning in each. From your cabana it is an easy walk to the
Clubhouse, Welcome Center, Dock and Infinity Pool.

If you prefer, private homes are available. Our private homes are more spacious and include full kitchens, sitting and living rooms, dining areas, and wrap-around verandas. In these cottages guests are treated to morning sunrises, evening sunsets, and unparalleled water views. Choose from a variety of cottages to suit your group's particular needs.

Fishing Day

The Flats: At Deep Water Cay you'll find over 250 square miles of flats to fish, and you can wade or boat fish. The flats that you'll wade-fish are hard-packed white sand, and the bones are easy to spot. Boat fishing is done around the softer bottoms that are covered in Turtle Grass and oriented around the mangroves. If you look hard enough you'll see that the water runs far beyond the mangrove root tangles and into saltwater lakes. These lakes also have some freshwater sources, which make them a virtual baitfish factory. As the tides flood and ebb the baitfish move out of the lakes in on the flats.

The real treat is that the 2.2 square mile Deep Water Cay lies on an east/west tack and is situated below an archipelago of moderate-sized cays arranged on a north/south tack. A series of channels connect the southern and northern fisheries, making DWC a close run to any of them. There is enough variety for everyone. The guides can find wind-friendly flats on just about any windy day because of the layout of the cays and channels. There is almost always a place to fish with a decent breeze blowing the right direction.

Extra-Long Fishing Days: Because of the difference in tides, Deep Water Cay offers more excellent flats fishing than just about anywhere. There is a three-hour tide difference between the east and the west ends of Deep Water Cay so anglers enjoy more prime time fishing. The number of channels that pass through the mangroves means that guides move from the North to South ends of the island without having to make long boat rides. Fishing times run from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. If you want more, there are flats in front of the Infinity Pool that you can walk to.

Bahamas Best Guides: Some of the most famous Bahamian guides are at Deep Water Cay. Mervin,
Meko, Randy, and Mike T work out of Deep Water Cay. These seasoned veterans also run a Guide
Training Program where they work with younger, up-and-coming guides. They pass the torch so our
guests can have a world-class experience.

The Boats: Anglers who arrive at Deep Water Cay will fish from an entirely new fleet of Hell's Bay Flats
Skiffs: the Hell's Bay Marquesa and the Hell's Bay Professional. General Manager Dana Dribben tested
models from the many fabulous boat makers and concluded that Hell's Bay skiffs were perfectly suited
for Deep Water Cay's distinct fishery. He selected these boats because they float in the skinniest of
water, offer a dry, comfortable ride, and provide stability while casting. Hell's Bay boats are produced
from the finest available materials on a made-to-order basis, which allows for custom features to be
added as dictated by the customer.

Several custom appointments have been added to each boat in the fleet. A stainless steel leaning bar is positioned behind the forward hatch to afford stability and security for all anglers. Internal rod tubes are appointed on both port and starboard sides and provide convenient storage from either side of the skiff. Internal pop up cleats were a must so that running fly lines don't get tangled, and cockpit chairs are removable to provide additional room, as needed. Poling platforms give our already expert fish spotting guides an additional edge.

Though the 17'11" Marquesa floats in only seven inches of water it still features a 76-inch beam and outstanding stability. The shorter and narrower 17'8" Professional floats in a scant 4.5 inches of water! Boats will be matched specifically to the conditions that each group will experience during their day. Outboards are matched to our hulls, and you'll see either Yamaha 4-stroke 70's or 90's. 4-strokes were chosen because they offer a quiet, economical ride for sure, but more specifically because they don't release oil and gasoline into our pristine environment.

Equipment and Flies

Gear: Depending upon your casting skills in the wind, you may want to bring 7, 8 and/or 9 weight outfits with you to fish Deep water Cay. Floating tropical flylines by Rio and or Scientific Angler are perfect. The RIO Bonefish and the SA Mastery Redfish lines are easily fished when walking the flats. You will want fluorocarbon leaders from 8 to 16 pounds test and 9 feet long. Flies should include McVay Gotchas #4 and #6, Bone Voyage, Magnum Mantis Shrimp (tan and olive), Gold Grill, Wolf Spider, Clousers #6 and #2 (tan/white, gray/white), Pink and Tan Puffs, Enrico's Ghost Shrimp (tan and olive) and Tailers Beware. Some flies should have weed guards (but most without) and some with heavier eyes and some very light eyes or blind eyes. The lodge also suggest's a Meko's Special. They have a full fly selection at the lodge, but we always recommend taking a good supply of the basic assortment and then pick up "special" flies there.

Technical outer wear of casting shirts and fast-drying shorts are ideal. Long sleeved shirts and pants are the best idea, particularly if they are made from a quick drying material with a SPF rating. Flats boots for wading are suggested as well, and either amber or copper-colored, wrap-style sunglasses help you spot fish.