Quality and Quantity in the Berry Islands
It’s said that anglers first endeavor to simply catch a fish and this feat - especially on a fly - is, justly, cause for celebration. There’s a lot that goes into that first fish: the fly cast, choice of fly pattern, a good presentation, setting the hook, playing the fish, not to mention fishing where there are fish. But after that first fish, we want to catch another one, and another, and in doing so, we gain experience and improve our skills. Eventually, these desires lead to the ambitions of catching large fish and, later still, the challenge of catching especially difficult fish. In these final stages, we find an inverse relationship between the number of fish caught and the reward each brings.
In the Berry Islands, a vibrant fishery full of challenges and rewards awaits anglers who are willing to be humbled at times while remaining faithful that through patience, optimism, and a willingness to learn, the fish of their dreams will indeed find their way to the end of the line. Here, large bonefish and permit, made smart from their years patrolling the flats, are the targets. Each species - and each fish - are unique and require a keen understanding of their behavior, ecosystems, and the right techniques to be successful. With a combined 102 years of experience, the team at Soul Fly Lodge is prepared to place anglers in the position to realize their skills and hook a few of these truly special fish.
Bonefish in the Berrys are larger than average. While the sought-after bonefish average three to four pounds, it is not uncommon to find bonefish pushing or even breaking the double-digit pound mark; such fish haven’t reached those sizes easily. They are the permanent residents of our flats, silent and stealthy, cruising through mangroves, along ocean edges, amongst turtle grass, and across white-sand in search of food, as one might navigate their own kitchen in the dark for a midnight snack. They can be picky and they can be moody but they’re honest fish, and they reward the well-presented offering accordingly.
At the same time, bonefishing is relatively straightforward, only requiring an 8-weight, a floating line, a nice tapered leader, and a fly you have confidence in. With a careful and thoughtful approach, they can be targeted on foot and this is one of the most exciting ways to flats fish. If we can get into position without being made, place the fly where the fish can see it, and then make it look natural in the water, a bonefish of any size is likely to take it. When they do, remember to strip set then hang on and don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
Permit in the Berrys are decidedly less sincere, sometimes leaving both angler and guide scratching their brow. They’re difficult to find, often hard to see, and demand timely and accurate casts. Most, if not all, permit anglers have more rejection stories than triumphs. As legendary author and angler Thomas McGuane put it in The Longest Silence, “The most successful permit fly-fisherman in the world has four catches to describe to you.” Now that’s an exaggeration but the sentiment is accurate.
Whatever permit may lack in predictability or attainability, they more than make up for in the resulting state of mind after one is caught. Take a look at any photo of a fly angler holding a permit they’ve just caught and you’ll see a cocktail of emotions across their face and a giant grin. Catching a permit is a marathon, not a race; a championship, not a single game. Every landed permit is a journey, a culmination of hours, perhaps even days, spent in pursuit. Permit fishing is certainly not easy, and that’s exactly why we do it - why we want to share it with you.
Each of our guests’ angling backgrounds are unique. Some are veteran flats anglers, some have a few bonefish or permit under their belt; others have never fished in saltwater before, and others still are relatively new to fly fishing in general. Regardless, there is something for everyone in the Berry Islands and we are happy and proud to share our expertise, our fishery, and our community with our guests. In return, we only ask for open minds and the opportunity to join the angling journey so we may enjoy it together.
Fly fishing for bonefish and permit in the Berry Islands is truly an exercise in ‘quality over quantity’ - a phrase and concept we’ve all heard before. But what does it mean, when it comes to fly fishing? It means that we’ll likely catch fewer fish but the ones we do catch will mean more to us. It means that our skills and resolve will surely be tested, perhaps repeatedly, but we also know that success surely awaits those who have the resolve to test their own skills repeatedly. This type of angling mentality does come with a learning curve attached so we’ve catered our approach to align. The style of fishing we practice and the overall experience we provide set the stage for improving as an angler and for extremely high rewards with each fish encountered - and rest assured, they will indeed be encountered.
In between all the casts and all the fish are all the other things that make a trip to Soul Fly Lodge so special, and what can actually be taken home after the trip: angling epiphanies and expertise gained; fishing triumphs and heartbreak; stories and laughs with other guests and staff; an angling journey to be remembered.
