In his quest for ultimate fly angling, my friend Dave, found the ultimate guide’s guide on the remote East end of Grand Bahama Island; Bernard Bevans. As Dave’s guest for the past eleven days, I had some memorable experiences being on the bow of Dave’s skiff and sight-fishing Bonefish with Bernard as my teacher and guide. Bernard can literally hook up a blind man to a bonefish (Stay tuned, this fact may soon be documented on Flies And Fins). In the space I have here though, I can relate a one example of how good a guide Bernard is.Tom Shadley (owner of Mangrove Outfitters Fly Shop in Naples) and I were with Bernard on a remote flat near Maclean’s Town. I was on the bow and the Bone I’d just set zoomed off a hundred yards of backing. The Bone had reversed direction and there was no stopping him from heading into the Mangroves on shore. Backpoling, Bernard was determined that this fish was to be landed. “Strip line off the reel!” he commanded. I frantically stripped backing, giving slack to the frightened Bonefish while Bernard broke Mangrove roots with one hand to free the line and with the other hand he poled the boat along the shore, closing the gap. I recovered backing, only to strip it off again and again until at last the fish stopped running and resumed his search for the school in open water. It is astounding how athletic Bernard is when he dogs a Bonefish. All I can say is that he is the Bonefish’s worst fear. He never gives an inch and dogs a Bonefish with an intensity I have never before experienced in another guide. Bernard can be just as intense with his anglers on the bow so you must be prepared to listen and execute flawlessly. Leave your dramatics and ego at home, reduce yourself to being a well-practiced machine of fly dropping execution to best team with Bernard and experience the glorious sound of your reel singing. Elevated behind you, Bernard Bevans also sings. He sings spiritual anthems from Christian faith as he poles along the flats, sometimes inspiring you also to sing along and perhaps review and renew your personal inside track. One’s faith is personal of course, but observing Bernard’s faith is inspiring no matter how you look at life.As I look at greater challenges in fly fishing and weigh my experiences thus far, the ultimate for me in this sport has been my times with Bernard Bevans. Hands down. I hope to have many more.
marsh – i found this section of your fish-tale to be very interesting ..
“Elevated behind you, Bernard Bevans also sings. He sings spiritual anthems from Christian faith as he poles along the flats, sometimes inspiring you also to sing along and perhaps review and renew your personal inside track. One’s faith is personal of course, but observing Bernard’s faith is inspiring no matter how you look at life. “
For me, the only church there is the outdoors … being on a river or the ocean with a fly rod in hand … is, in my opinion, the best religion in the world because I get so caught up in the fishing and my surroundings that there is nothing else … time passes so fast, i don’t think and i feel connected as just a small almost insignificant part of everything that surrounds me …. no cell phones, nothing to buy, nothing i need and nowhere else i want to be …. their is no hierarchy and status symbols and mother nature dictates everything … infact the ocean or a river or the weather could easily do away with me in the blink of an eye … and for all these reasons and more …. fly fishing really is my church and my personal way to connect with something bigger than myself .,.. i personally don’t follow or buy into any religion or any organized form of anything .. … i believe that the best sound is silence or a running river or the crashing surf of the ocean and that a connection to anything bigger than myself is really not that complicated or hard to find nor does it take that much thought … i just go fly fishing … stop thinking .. get lost in time .. respect the forces of nature that surround me … and look with wonder at my surroundings and realize that i am just a small, tiny, tiny piece of a huge puzzle that i will never understand … and then i try to catch a fish with a little feather …. pretty simple really, but wouldn’t want to every make it more complicated than that …
with that said … i look forward to spending some time, some day, on the water with bernard ………..
great fish-tale marsh .. thanks ..
True. Bernard has his deep personal faith and he sings his favorite anthems while you both sight-fish….and, when you are his gunner on the bow, straining your eyes to see Bones, there will be absolute silence….for minutes….and then soon, you’ll hear Bernard singing softly.
You know you are home.
The kid’s got a real good voice. I know; having taught music for 30 years.
Kind of calming and soothing…..but he has many other facets to his personality…tremendous humor and wit and he can plumb the depths of jokes and sarcasm with the best. Always entertaining.
Great story and a nice Bone in your hands. I talked to you the other day and you were certainly a happy camper. I know what that trip is like and can’t wait to go again.
Marshall, Sounds like quite an experience fishing with Bernard. I find myself humming songs or whistling when I’m fishing. Your story put an image in my head of a, like you said, religious experience, a connection between the sea, the fish, you and Bernard and Poseidon seemingly. I’m not a man of any formal religion per se, but I do find faith and comfort in the outdoors, as Jeremy noted. Great story! Things are slow here in Maine still. I did see one fish rise last night; that was promising.
bfc,
Religiously speaking, I am of a similar spirit; I find my comfort in rivers and waters. Bernard’s voice and music is his alone of course, and it all spills over me when we fish and I tried to absorb the peacefulness and listen. Plus, it all helped to slow down my casting.
Marsh, Job well done. I would give anything to be down there sliding across those flats! I guess the chilly tail-waters of the Catskills will have to suffice.
March,
Glad you enjoyed your time with Bernard. He’s been a regular pilgrimage for me a couple of times a year for the last 6-7 years. And thanks for letting me borrow Dave for have a day out with Bernard at the front end of your trip. It was great to finally meet in the flesh some of the folks I have only seen on the web.
Jim