GREAT INAGUA FLATS FISHING - Matthew Town
Imagine a distant island with only one guide, surrounded by wadable flats stretching out from rugged deserted shorelines, flats teeming with large bonefish and schools of permit, and then, large inland lakes rolling with tarpon. In the southern Bahamas, 60 miles northeast of Cuba, Great Inagua is this island. The one guide is Ezzard Cartwright. Ezzard greets anglers at the Matthew Town airport and puts them up in a comfortable two bedroom apartment across from his house. The air-conditioned apartment has a full kitchen and satellite TV. Meals are served at the house, or anglers can eat in town.

Each day, Ezzard drives his anglers to the flats for a full day of fishing. Some flats can be accessed directly from shore, while other are reached in Ezzard's skiff. Deeper flats, including most of the permit areas, are fished from a poled skiff. The drive to Lake Windsor for tarpon fishing takes about an hour over rough roads. Most tarpon are 20 to 60 pounds, though there are larger fish. It's not uncommon to catch several bones in a day over eight pounds, and there are many double digit trophies. Anglers can book a package with Ezzard, combine fishing with Ezzard with fishing on their own, or experienced anglers can go it alone and book their own accommodations at various guesthouses, including the Morton Salt Company property. Bahamasb air flies to/from Matthew Town several days a week, but the schedule changes constantly. Charter flights are available from Nassau and from Exuma.

Ezzard Cartwright is the only guide on Great Inagua, and fishes the flats for bonefish and on inland Lake Windsor for 20- to 60-pound tarpon (above).

Season: October through May
Suitable for: Anglers
What's Included: Accommodations, meals, airport transfers, guided fishing and Bahamian taxes with Ezzard, or you can book a "do-it-yourself" trip.
Not Included: Air fare to/from Matthew Town, and anything else on your own. If you book on your own you need to do your homework, and you need to be completely self-sufficient with your gear.
Pricing: $-$$
Contact: Reservations and information, 800-211-8530
Internet: www.anglingdestinations.com