Some great feedback from Chuck F. after a visit to Swain's Cay Lodge on Andros Island. Tons of great memories made, and he looks forward to returning! Read below:
Did you find the trip booking process through Yellow Dog enjoyable and useful? If not, please share why.
-Â Yes, it's always a pleasure to work with you all!
Was the Yellow Dog pre-trip planning packet(s) and travel itinerary you received for your trip helpful and accurate? If not, how could it be improved?
-Â Yes, it was very helpful. I also worked with your fly shop to load up on what we needed (though we ended up using two flies the whole time!) Regarding gratuities, the itinerary sheet that came suggested a range for the guide of $130 - $160 per day, and a pool for the staff of $35-$45 per night. During check-in though, the staff person recommended $100 per boat per day for the guide and $25 per night for the staff.
Do you have any comments or constructive feedback based on the overall lodging (rooms, dining area, social area, etc)?
-Â The rooms were great! There were minor things one would expect in a salt water resort, such as the sliding doors sticking, but those kind of things don't take away from the experience at all.
Do you have any comments or constructive feedback based on the service, friendliness, etc of the lodge staff?
-Â We had the pleasure of sharing the resort with 3 other fishing couples, which was a real treat. My wife is usually the only female who fishes. The staff did a great job of facilitating what turned into a very family-like setting. For instance we all took the same day off and the staff arranged for Shine's restaurant to be open and drove us over for lunch. Awesome, very memorable! I will mention that the time after dinner was a bit awkward, as we typically stayed to share drinks and tell stories but were always cognizant of the staff's need to go home to their families. If I had a suggestion I'd say they might stagger working hours so that bartender could stay for a while after dinner. But again, this wasn't a big issue, because we would self-serve and let them know the next morning what we had to drink.
Did the food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) match what you were expecting? If not, please provide additional comments or constructive feedback.
-Â For sure! Lots of conch and crawfish! We were there for the Super Bowl, and they made a great effort to put on a Super Bowl party which was very fun. Wonderful touch!
Were you pleased with your guide(s) customer service, communication skills, professionalism, work ethic, and general fishing knowledge? If not, please share why.
-Â Yes, we had Patterson Bowleg all week - he was very professional and knowledgeable, easy to communicate with. He was very adept at easing my wife's anxiety about casting in the wind. In fact, on her first day, first time on the bow, he said, "Hey, let's see you do a practice cast, just put it out there about 35 feet to your left." Once she did, he said, "OK, let's practice stripping. Just do a couple of short strips." And of course, there was a bonefish there she didn't see, and she caught one on her first cast of the trip! My only suggestion would be to ask each day if there's something special we'd like to do or target. I love to bonefish, no question, but it would have been a plus to do some wading, and potentially to target tarpon or permit, or even throw a fly at a barracuda or shark. We caught 35 bones between the two of us over four days of fishing, so we had a blast for sure. But we basically used one rod and two flies fishing off the bow for all four days. The three other rods I had rigged for other species didn't get used. One thing Patterson did that I really appreciated was to let us do most everything ourselves. We tied on our flies, released our own fish, and that was very fulfilling. At one point I pointed out a fish and he said, "go for it" and then stayed quiet. I caught him on my own. I appreciated his thoughtfulness in not jumping in with instruction when he didn't think I needed it. The other question I would have is the length of the day. We were in the boat at 7:30 and back at the dock at 3:00 or so, often in advance of the shuttle. Is that typical in the Bahamas now?
What key pieces of gear or flies made your trip successful?
- Sunscreen and rain jackets! Though we didn't get any rain, having a jacket and buff made the 15 mile first run of the morning west a little warmer for sure.
What piece(s) of equipment would not leave home without for this trip , or your next, with Yellow Dog?
- Lots of gotchas!
Would you return to this lodge destination? Please share why or why not.
- Yes, for sure. They do a wonderful job.
How would you briefly summarize your overall trip experience?
- Awesome! I had so many "dental chair" moments, meaning, when I'm in the dentist's chair trying not to think about him drilling, I will remember the stunning colors of the water, the targeting and takes of nice fish, and the sublime feeling of being on the bow scanning the flats. My happy place!
