Posted on May 11 2021
From Soul Fly Lodge:
We’re incredibly proud and honored to announce the launch of Soul Fly Lodge. On the surface, we are the first fly fishing lodge in the Berry Islands; a fabled chain, home to big bonefish, white sand flats, and shots at permit & other enticing flats species. The Berrys are often spoken of in hushed conversation. This chain has been one of those out of reach destinations that many anglers have yet to check off their bucket list… until now. Soul Fly Lodge is more than just a fly fishing lodge; the depth of our brand originates from our intention to put community, conservation, and sustainability first. Your stay at the lodge will fuel our mission, and the quality of the fishery, our hospitality, and your unforgettable experience will bring you back year after year.
Soul Fly Lodge is perched on the east side of Great Harbour Cay overlooking the mighty Atlantic. A short sandy path, just beyond our 20’ x 50’ freshwater pool, meanders through palm trees down to an idyllic Bahamian beach. Two miles to the south sits Shark Creek Beach whichTravel & Leisure Magazine just called one of the Top 25 Most Beautiful Beaches In the World. Our four double-occupancy guest rooms boast ensuite bathrooms and all the comforts like AC, WiFi, and private patios. Soul Fly Lodge is the next chapter of the former Carriearl Boutique Hotel which originally was the home of Earl Blackwell, better known as Mr. Celebrity, who made Great Harbour Cay popular back in the 60’s amongst movie stars and celebrities of the time. Despite it’s early popularity, the island has retained a quiet feel; surrounded by Bahamian wilderness, backcountry creeks, and vast productive flats. Our newly rebranded restaurant & bar, The Carriearl Roost, combines local ingredients with inventive Bahamian flair to forever raise the bar on Out Island dining. With a brand new airport and direct flights from Florida, the wilds of Great Harbour Cay are just a short skip from the US.
Let’s be honest, the fishing that surrounds the Berry Islands is the main event. The diverse environs range from turtle grass covered flats to backcountry creeks, expanses of firm wadable white sand flats to mangrove systems, and classic permit water with miles of shoreline, coves and cays. The wadeability of the Berry Island fishery enables anglers to have an intimate experience in the skinniest of water for tailing bonefish. Short runs to the fishing grounds in our brand new fleet of Maverick 17 HPX’s allow anglers to take full advantage of their fishing day. Bonefish, permit, triggerfish, barracuda, mutton snapper and more cruise the flats and give anglers an opportunity to pursue multiple species in a trip. Not to mention, Great Harbour Cay is surrounded by some of the finest offshore fishing in the Bahamas.
The lodge, new boats, tasty food, accessibility, and the incredible fishery are, of course, vital to your experience, but these elements simply set the stage for your time at Soul Fly Lodge. The complexities of our refined, simple and attentive hospitality are designed to meet you exactly where you are. We hold our local community relationships in the highest honor. By investing in the local people and community we are investing in ourselves, our collective future, our business and your experience. You might forget your 20th bonefish but you will never forget legendary guides like Percy Darville. It’s a privilege to access these rich Bahamian waters. Respect for the resource reverberates through our actions and must remain at the forefront of our intentions to leave this fishery better than how we found it. We promise to promote proper catch & release tactics, engage in fisheries research, and constantly monitor our fishing pressure. We promise to go to great lengths to source local foods, reduce waste & single use plastics, and to lower our carbon footprint each year. You can count on us reporting on each of these categories through our blog and eventually through a more formal report. We will report not to boast but to promote the convergence of sustainability, community and business.
Our team launches Soul Fly Lodge with the intention to operate with transparency. We will be the first to admit our imperfections but we will not let perfection hinder progress. We will work hard to do better each year; your support will help us to constantly improve and further invest into our mission. We have an enormous amount of work ahead to fulfill our promises but, with your support, we’ll get there together. And throughout our entire journey you will always be able to count on the comforts, attentive service, remarkable fishery, and the wonderful people that make Soul Fly Lodge.