Get far away from people and you’ll catch more fish. This was the mindset behind our third 252-mile crossing aboard my center console from Miami’s Haulover Inlet to the Bahamas’w Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina. Offshore and reef fishing in Exuma Sound can prove spectacular, as we already knew. One just needs a lenient weather window to get here—and back!
Why Cape Eleuthera?
Compared to legendary fishing destinations scattered about the Abacos in the northern Bahamas, which draw anglers primarily from between Palm Beach and Fort Pierce, Florida, Cape Eleuthera sits on the southwestern tip of Eleuthera Island. It’s more in line with Fort Lauderdale and Miami angling contingents. Part of the Bahamas’ Out Islands, it generates far less angling publicity than the Abacos, Bimini, Eleuthera’s northern front (i.e. Spanish Wells) and extremely remote favorites the likes of Cat Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay and Long Island.
The big anchor here is the Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina, a posh facility with the deepest marina in the Bahamas and dockage for vessels up to 200 feet in length. The property features oceanfront bungalows, marina villas, waterfront and pool-side dining, three private beaches and some 4,500 acres open to exploration via golf cart. It’s a cruiser’s paradise primarily, which likely explains the light fishing activity. We counted four other fishing boats on the “busiest” day of our trip.
A Proven Winner
Our first visit was in 2015, aboard my Mako 284. Our 2018 and 2026 crossings were aboard my Mako 334. Our first visit produced a blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi and swarms of flag yellowtails. Big mahi and flag yellowtails abounded during our second trip. And, as we were about to find out, the “catching” would be even better on our forthcoming adventure.
Deep water and pronounced bottom structures, typical of Exuma Sound in general, are minutes from the resort. Farther east, there’s an underwater reef between 25- and 60-feet deep known as “The Bridge.” It connects the southern point of Eleuthera to Little San Salvador. Beyond that is the open Atlantic and more wildly aggressive bottom topography…