Small Hope Bay Lodge

Lodging Details
The facility was hand-built in the early 1960s by the founder of Small Hope Bay Lodge, Dick Birch, who used native Andros pine and coral to construct each building. The accommodations have private bathrooms, plenty of storage, air conditioning ($15 per night), a porch facing the ocean, and can be configured with one or two beds. The multi-room family suites are perfect for groups with young children or those seeking additional private space. The lodge’s grounds are shaded by mature palm trees which lead to the private beach, bonefish flats, main lodge, and tiki bar. Although it is one of the oldest and longest-running lodges on Andros, everything is in good working order, and offers guests a feeling of “rustic elegance.” Small Hope Bay has updated the accommodations with new fixtures to achieve a brighter, more modern feel.

Food and Beverages
All meals are served in the main lodge, which consists of a dining room, a separate large sitting area and bar, and a library. Attached to the lodge is a play zone for kids, complete with a ping-pong table, games for all ages, musical instruments, and an indoor playhouse. The lodge offers complimentary child care through cocktail and dinner time as well!

In the mornings, a breakfast buffet consisting of coffee, juices, cereal, yogurt, pastries, and fresh fruit complements the American cooked-to-order menu. If you are not out on the water, daily lunch specials are served with a variety of snacks and fruit. Cocktails and appetizers are served either at the Tiki bar that overlooks the water or inside at the lodge bar. Dinners consist of freshly-caught local seafood including dolphin (Mahi-Mahi), wahoo, snapper, spiny lobster, conch, and hogfish. One of the highlighted meals is steak night, in which fresh beef is cooked over an open flame fueled by wood from Andros. Dinners are served with matching wines, and all meals are customized to your request for those with special dietary needs with some advanced notice.

Typical Length of Stay
Trips of any length are available, and the convenience of the Bahamas makes Small Hope Bay Lodge the perfect getaway for a week-long excursion or just a quick weekend escape.

Non-Angling Activities & Options
All the non-angling activities take place within minutes of the lodge or are on the premises, enabling guests to relax and participate at their leisure. Swimming around the lodge is fun and safe due to the reef break, clear water, and hard white sand bottom. The inclusive activities include sea kayaking, sailing, snorkeling off the beach, fishing the home flats, and beachcombing. Add-on activities include PADI certified diving, snorkeling the reef via boat, Batik lessons, guided eco-tours, massages, as well as flats, bottom, and reef fishing. The lodge has a full-time, eco-tour guide to lead groups on daily excursions. Nightly beach bonfires are a fun way to wind down the evening. Babysitters are available and free of charge during cocktail and dinner time.

Internet / Communications
The lodge does offer complimentary Wi-Fi for guests in the main lodge and tiki bar, except during cocktail and dinner time. Phone calls to the USA and Canada are also complimentary from the office phones. However, most U.S. cell phones will work throughout the Bahamas, depending on your service plan.

How To Get There
Most travel to Andros Island’s Andros Town/ Fresh Creek Airport (ASD) should route through Nassau International Airport (NAS) due to the frequent flights and reasonable costs offered there. Whether flying into San Andros (Western Air), Andros Town-Fresh Creek (LeAir), Mangrove Cay (Flamingo and LeAir), or Congo Town (Western Air), there are two flights daily into every small airport on Andros. The first flight is typically early in the morning (approximately 6:30 AM) and the second is usually scheduled for later in the afternoon (approximately 3:30 PM). We always suggest adding a buffer of at least two hours between all arriving flights and departing connecting flights while in Nassau. Charter flights from Florida to Andros can also be arranged. Contact Yellow Dog for more information.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
Once you arrive on Andros, any taxi at the airport will deliver you to the lodge. On departure day, make sure to leave ample time for connecting flights on your return trip to account for time spent in customs and immigration (we recommend at least 1.5 hours). Small Hope Bay is a short 20-minute ride from the Andros Town Airport (ASD). Private air charters can be arranged by contacting Yellow Dog.

Documents Required
All U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport that does not expire within six (6) months of trip dates. Please be sure that your passport has at least two blanks, unstamped pages remaining in the back, and that it is not torn, delaminated, or damaged in any way.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes. 

Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation
– Global Rescue Membership

General Information
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas and known as the “Bonefish Capital of the World,” but the northern section of the island differs from the central and southern regions of Andros. In the north section, there are dozens of inland creeks between the east and west coasts of the island, which feed massive interior flats systems. Fresh Creek would be considered Small Hope Bay’s home water and is only 15 minutes from the lodge by car. This large, east coast creek is fed by the Tongue of the Ocean and nearly reaches the west coast of Andros. Having a fishery migrate roughly 18 miles inland allows anglers to fish optimal tides throughout the day and always be able to find protection from the wind. Even though Fresh Creek is one of the more populated settlements on Andros, this fishery experiences minimal angling pressure. The bones in the area average between three and five pounds, but trophy fish can be targeted at any time of year. This is an excellent fishery in which to focus on double-digit bonefish and particularly dynamic in that the guides can wade or boat fish during any tide. There are resident tarpon and permit around a few of the blue holes and creek entrances, but they are tough to target given the size of the area. Barracuda are plentiful and tons of fun for anglers of all ages.

Made up of small islands and flats that are protected by the reef, the Mastic Point/Standard Creek area is another coastal fishery in the area. Larger ocean bonefish inhabit this area because all of the flats are adjacent to deep ocean water. This is an excellent wade fishing area since the bottom is hard white sand.

Also, the famous Joulters Cays—a collection of small islands just north of Andros that is surrounded by endless white sand flats—are only 45-minutes away. The Joulters Cays are framed by the Tongue of the Ocean and Great Bahama Bank, making them one of the most highly populated areas for bonefish in the world. Tailing and schooling fish can be found in abundance and can get large. The northernmost cays and flats are well known for their big ocean permit during settled weather. Barracuda and sharks are also plentiful in this region.

The Red Bays boat ramp, just 30 minutes away, allows easy access to the Andros’ famed West Side. This side of the island is renowned as one of the top “trophy bonefish” areas in the world, and it also offers opportunities for tarpon and an occasional permit from April through to October. The flats are a soft silty bottom, so all the fishing is done from the skiff.

Small Hope overlooks a shallow bay, which around low tide is a solid do-it-yourself (DIY) wade fishing option. Davis Creek, just a short walk from the lodge, is an inland and shallow mangrove lagoon that is also ideal for DIY fishing. This is an excellent area to hunt bonefish on either side of high tide. The DIY fishing around the lodge allows guests to fit in a little bonefishing on non-guided days, but it is also a fun spot for all ages to explore the water by sea kayak!

Boats and Equipment
Anglers targeting the flats fish from Dolphin, Action Craft, and Maverick skiffs with 75 horsepower Yamaha engines. The reef and offshore fishing programs at Small Hope utilize a variety of V-Hull center console boats, which are rigged and outfitted with tackle. Small Hope can supply all fishing gear and tackle for anglers who would rather not bring their own.

Package Rates

HIGH SEASON
$385 per person per night (double occupancy)
$135 per child nightly

LOW SEASON
$325 per person per night (double occupancy)
$135 per child nightly

Bonefishing/Reef:
Whole Day: $700.00
Half Day: $490.00

Deepsea:
Whole Day: $900.00
Half Day - $630.00

What’s Included:

• Accommodations as specified
• Guided fishing as specified
• All meals, nightly appetizers, all beverages, and drinks at the bar
• Sea kayak, bicycle, paddle board, nature trail use
• Fishing on the home flats
• Baby sitters during cocktail and dinner
• Complimentary Wi-Fi in the lounge during the day
  
  

What’s Not Included:

• Roundtrip airfare to Andros Island, Bahamas
• Batik lessons at Androsia
• Guided nature tours – book at the lodge (whole and half days)
• Diving and snorkeling boat excursions – book at the lodge (whole and half days)
• Massage sessions – on call
• Equipment available for rental (diving, snorkeling, etc.)
• Bahamas VAT Tax on accommodations
• Bahamas VAT Tax on all additional purchases
• Ground transfer taxi fares – $20 for 2 people one way; $4 for each additional person
• AC Surcharge – $15 per unit per night; turned on at your request
• 6% discretionary gratuities – cleaning staff, kitchen staff, wait staff, office staff, etc.
• Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
• Bahamas fishing license
• Fishing equipment, flies, and terminal tackle
  
  

Small Hope Bay Lodge (Andros Island, Bahamas)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
For all cancellations, written notice must be sent to and received by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For cancellations outside of 30 days from beginning of the trip, full amount minus the Yellow Dog handling fee may be refunded or a full credit applied to a future trip booked within one year. This decision will be made by the lodge. No refunds or credits will be given for trips cancelled inside of 30 days from start of trip. If a cancelled package is resold by either the lodge or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a full refund will be sent minus a $100.00 processing fee per guest charged by the lodge (in addition to a $100.00 per person cancellation fee charged by Yellow Dog Flyfishing.) Small Hope Bay and Yellow Dog strongly recommend that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for your trip. Small Hope Bay will not refund payments in the event of a hurricane or poor weather. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 
• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 
• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT. 

“Fantastic! It was my wife’s first time saltwater fly fishing and she hooked into a 3-4 pound bonefish with the first half-hour on the water with our guides coaching. The fishing was excellent and the people/lodge were just as great…this place far exceeded our expectations. Kids are coming with next time.” – Jason T. 

“The lodge was amazing – small, friendly, unpretentious, and luxurious at the same time. The boys had a great time fishing. My husband and I got to scuba dive 4 times which was an unexpected pleasure.” – Elizabeth H.

“This trip was amazing! My wife and I have been trying to come to Small Hope Bay Lodge since 2018. For several reasons (timing, pandemic), we were unable to do so. We finally made it this year, and it was well worth the wait. Small Hope Bay Lodge is exactly as billed, “rustic elegance.” The staff goes out of their way to make sure you are comfortable in every aspect of your stay. They are an integral part of why this place is so special. We work in healthcare and after a challenging year and a half, Small Hope Bay Lodge was everything we were looking for. Small Hope Bay Lodge purposely limits internet use to certain lodge locations, there are no TVs in their rooms, and it has family-style eating at all meals. We loved this concept. It forces you to unwind and to connect with your surroundings and your fellow travelers. A very simple formula, that is often overlooked at big-name resorts. Less is more…and we cannot wait to go back! ” – Justin B.