Words by Nick Roberts. Cover Photo by Justin Lewis.
Bonefish Back Where They Belong
The meandering, mangrove-lined tidal creeks of The Bahamas are a vital part of the mosaic of shallow-water habitats that support the island nation’s renowned flats fishery. They carry the tide in and out as bonefish and many other species travel through the creeks, foraging for prey and migrating for spawning. These saltwater-filled arteries also transport mangrove seeds, known as propagules, from the creeks’ larger seed-producing mangroves to the surrounding flats. When they take root, the mangroves create essential habitat for fish and birds, and shield local communities from wind and tidal surge during storms.
Bonefish School By Mangroves. Photo by Justin Lewis.
Yet many tidal creeks in The Bahamas are blocked by old roads and causeways built decades ago by foreign logging operations. Like the obsolete dams that choke salmon rivers, these manmade obstacles prevent fish passage, alter natural hydrology, and reduce water quality. Two prime examples of obstructed creeks can be found on Grand Bahama Island—West Gap Creek on the North Shore, an area known for double-digit bonefish, and August Creek on the famed East End, which attracts bonefish and permit anglers from around the world.
To help ensure the long-term health of Grand Bahama’s flats fishery, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) partnered with the Bahamas Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs to restore both creek systems in 2026, beginning with West Gap.
Restored West Gap Creek. Photo by Preston Knowles.
“This initiative represents an important step forward in restoring critical habitats in The Bahamas at scale,” says BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “Working in close collaboration with government partners and local stakeholders, we are building a model for science-based, community-supported habitat restoration that can be replicated across the islands.”
The groundbreaking at West Gap Creek took place on March 17, and over the course of a month, a local construction company excavated a large channel in the existing causeway, allowing the tide to once again connect the flats and creek habitats. Shortly after the project’s completion, BTT staff observed a juvenile tarpon in West Gap Creek, an encouraging sign of success. Ongoing monitoring of the site will document fish-use of the newly opened portion of the creek.
Now, BTT sets its sights on restoring August Creek, a major creek system in East Grand Bahama, an area steeped in bonefishing lore. The East End has produced some of the top Bahamian fly-fishing guides, who have passed their knowledge down through multiple generations, and the likes of Lefty Kreh and Flip Pallot used to the stalk the gray ghost on the East End’s hallowed flats. Breathing new life into August Creek will help ensure that this legendary bonefish fishery remains productive for many years to come.
“The restoration plan for August Creek consists of removing the remainder of the Snapper Island Causeway, which was partially opened in 2018,” says Rashema Ingraham, BTT’s Caribbean Program Director and a resident of nearby Freeport, Grand Bahama. “This will fully restore tidal flows for the first time since the causeway was constructed in the 1950s.”
August Creek Blocked. Photo By Rashad Cartwright.
August Creek is a short ride in a flats skiff from the highly acclaimed East End Lodge, which was founded in 2009 by owner Robert Neher and head guide Cecil Leathen. The lodge employs local residents of McCLean’s Town as fishing guides and staff, and offers visiting anglers convenient access to the East End’s best bonefish and permit flats. Neher and Leathen strongly support the efforts to restore creek systems impacted by past development and logging activity.
“These projects will expand the fishing grounds for local bonefish guides and their anglers,” says Neher. “But more importantly, they will support the overall health of the ecosystem and Grand Bahama’s flats fishery, which helps sustain our local communities.”
As this first set of projects is completed, Ingraham says that BTT will continue to identify other significant creek systems on Grand Bahama and other islands to prioritize for future restoration.
Bahamas Bone. Photo By Aaron Adams.
This important initiative depends on the generosity of anglers who love to fish The Bahamas and care about the fishery’s health. Work on August Creek will begin as soon as funding is in hand. To learn more and donate to BTT, please click here.
Nick Roberts (@nick_onthefly) is the Director of Marketing & Communications at Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and the Editor of Bonefish & Tarpon Journal. As a freelance writer, he has written for Field & Stream, Garden & Gun, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and other magazines.
