Paradise Island

• The 685-acre Paradise Island was the first site of large hotels and casinos in Bahamas. The island is now almost completely built up with hotels and resorts, although there are several accessible beaches. Fly fishing is available in Paradise Island but for deep-water fishing a charter boat is needed.
  
  

Light-Tackle Fishing

• The Bahamian islands are surrounded by mangrove forests, coral reefs and shallow beaches. These waters are home to a variety of reef fish, primarily snapper, hogfish and grouper. In addition to these types of fish, the beaches inside the reefs are also rich in shellfish. The conch is probably the best known, both for food and for its spiral shell, but it is endangered and can only be caught by Bahamian boats. You can catch lobster except between April 1 and July 31.
  
  

Fly Fishing

• Fly fishers in the Bahamas primarily go for bonefish, a species of shallow-water fish that is found in the mangrove swamps and inside the reefs of the Bahamas. There are shallows around the southern edge of Paradise Island. Other islands with fly fishing are reachable in about an hour by boat. The fly fishing in the Bahamas is similar to fly fishing in rivers, but the line has to float in salt water, and should be longer than lines used in rivers, as the reach over the sea is longer.
  
  

Deepwater Fishing

• Deep-water fishing starts only a few miles off the coast of the Bahamian islands, and in places less than one mile away. Deep-water fish caught off the Bahamas are primarily yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, blue marlin and several types of shark. In Paradise Island, several charter boats with guides are available for rent and also provide fishing rods and tackle.
  
  

Fishing Licenses and Guides

• In the Bahamas, fishermen need to have licenses, but the license belongs to the boat. Boaters arriving in the Bahamas can purchase a license when clearing the Bahamas customs. For those who do not have a boat of their own, there are charter boats and guides available, both for deep-water and shallow-water fishing.