Fly Rods
Bring an 8 weight and a 9 weight. Better yet, just make it a couple 9 weights, one for back up. Odds are good that you’ll be casting in 10 to 15 mph winds.

Fly Line
Weight forward, floating line with a saltwater taper in the weight appropriate for your rods.  Bring an extra spool of line and backing. Fly lines have been destroyed by fish ripping them through mangroves and across coral or lost to weak knots.

Leaders & Tippets
Generally a 9ft leader with a couple three feet of 16lb or 20lb fluorocarbon tippet works well. Most store bought leaders have weak butts. Add a couple feet of 30lb or 40lb hard mono to your fly line then tie your leader to that. You can also build your own leaders with Masons hard mono. A 4 ft 30lb butt, 3 ft 20lb mid section, and a 3 ft 16lb tip or 2-30, 2-25, 2-20, 2-16 also works, you get the idea, then a two to three ft 16-20lb fluorocarbon tippet. On very windy days try 3ft of 40lb, 2 ft of 30lb, 2 ft of 25lb, 2ft of 20lb or 3-40, 3-30, 3-20. Then tie on a couple feet of 20lb fluoro tippet. Don’t be concerned about the tippet size spooking fish, they don’t mind.

Flies
You could ask any guide on Andros what the single best fly is and each one would tell you something different. The point is….the fish aren’t selective. You can bring the usual suspects, gotchas, charlies, bitters, shrimp and crab patterns, etc, in white, pink, green, and tan.  If you do get a refusal don't wait for the second, change the fly.  Size 4's, the only exception is during the winter months you may want to throw a smaller fly. Not often but on the coolest days during January and February the bones can be picky. You will want to tie on a #6 or #8 natural buggy looking fly like a Bitters, tan puff, or tan Gotcha.  There are several “no refusal” flies listed below.    

1. Pink Puff. Bead chain, pink or pearl flash, white craft fur, grizzly, shell pink chenille.

2. Pearl and/or pink bead chain Gotchas.

3. Root beer Red Head. Think of it as a Gotcha but use bright red or florescent red flat waxed nylon thread, root beer diamond braid for the body under v rib or epoxy, a brown or tan wing and tail with copper flash.

4. Pokey Shrimp. Again, think of it as a glorified Gotcha. What’s different is that rather than a mylar tail tie in a white craft fur beard and two mono shrimp eyes extending an 1/8th to 3/16th inch beyond the bend. Then splay two white rubber legs extending just past the mono eyes. For the wing tie pink flash under white craft fur extending just beyond the bend.

5. Wingless Puff. Forget the grizzly. Works just as well as the Puff and faster to tie.

6. Phyllis Diller. It’s a Gotcha tied with gold, gold, and gold. As effective as it is ugly.

7. Mars Bay Special . The one pictured is called a Firecracker and uses florescent red or orange flat waxed.  Don't get hung up on matching the colors exactly like the one described and pictured below. On a  different day different flat the bones might refuse the orange and tan but attack one tied in pink or white. The rabbit fur has a very nice natural action but craft fur or synthetic fibers will last longer than natural furs. Tie on bead chain eyes, wrap back to bend. Tie on rabbit fur tail. Tie on orange tipped root beer silly legs behind eyes. (Make sure you tie the eyes opposite the bend or on the bottom and tie the legs on top or the bend side. This way it will settle to the bottom right side up every time.) Tie on copper flash and rabbit fur wing in front of eyes. Whip finish.

Bring a couple of weighted flies, you may be fishing the deeper edges for bigger fish and need the weight to get down. Also, in some cases you will be facing the wind. A fuzzy Pink Puff on a long leader might get blown back into your face while a shorter leader and a weighted fly has enough momentum to roll over.

Line Cleaner lubricant
Clean your line every night. Most fishermen don't but it does make a big difference in your ability to make that long cast.  If you have been on fish all morning and made several casts you’ll notice you’ve lost a little distance. At lunch time give your line a quick wipe down with lubricant.

Fly Reels – Large arbor with 200 yards of 20-30 lb backing. Nearly every fish you hook will be into you backing

Wading boots
.......and thin poly socks. A little sand in you boot without the socks will rub your feet raw. Sand guards can prove helpful.

Wading Pants/shants
There are Doctor Flies on Andros. They are like a giant Deer or Horse flies and they bite....Hard! You can wear shorts January through March but come April the flies come out with the first rains.  Wear pants the rest of the year. Where your pants are wet and sticking to your calf they will still bite through. Wearing knee high socks will keep the flies from biting through.

Chest, Fanny Pack Wading Belt
The flats and creeks of south Andros go on forever. You may be wading for hours and the boat will disappear or be just a spec on the horizon. (Don’t worry; your guide will be walking back for it and catch up to you.) Be sure to bring a wading belt to carry your flies, leaders, tippet, clippers, a water bottle, camera, and a sandwich. Some areas you fish will require you take your lunch with you as you’ll be leaving the boat and wading all day. Most fly fishing shirts have pockets perfect for a sandwich. There are numerous styles of wading belts to choose from, some with built-in water bladders.

Sunscreen & Lip Balm
SPF 30 or higher, waterproof. If you very fair skinned some casting gloves will keep your hands from burning.

Tools
Pliers, hemostats, knot tying tool, snips, hook sharpener.

Rain Gear
Light and breathable. Bring your rain gear with you on the boat everyday no matter how clear it looks. Showers pop up quickly and it comes down in buckets. More importantly you need to put on your rain jacket everyday regardless of weather for the initial run south and then back home.

Sunglasses
Polarized and bring two pair. Amber lenses are the best. A good pair will set you back a hundred bucks or more but well worth it.

Hat
Get one that is black under the brim.

Camera
Your friends will never believe the size or numbers of bonefish you’ll catch. You’ll need proof.

Spin Rod, reel, jigs
If you’re a spin fishermen you can do quite well bone fishing and we’re happy to accommodate you. You’ll need a six to seven foot rod with a 6-15lb line rating. A Shimano 2000 or 3000 series or 4500SS Penn reel or equivalent with at least 200 yards of line. Use 8-10 lb test, make sure the spool is full. The jig selections are limitless. Bring small plastic jigs in twister, shrimp, crab patterns, D.O.A. shrimp, wiggle jigs, gotcha style jigs, flat or round jigs in white, brown, tan, or pink buck tail, marabou, or synthetic fiber with a little flash. What works best?..... flat or wobble jigs in pink, white, or tan. No more weight than you need to cast them, 1/8th or 1/4th oz.