A rather blurry picture of one of my fly-caught Bonefish. My guide was a better guide than photographer.
Bonefish
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Bonefish Description
Bonefish are a “glamour” species. They get featured on ESPN a lot, and some people pay big bucks to chase them in the Bahamas and other spots with a fly rod. I’ve caught a few both on fly and on bait, but I can’t say I’ve really gotten that excited about them. They don’t get very big, they don’t jump, and they aren’t great for eating. On the plus side, they do put up a good fight for their size and are a nice silver color. Most Bonefish are caught sight fishing, which is a fun way to catch fish. Personally I would rather catch other things, but I certainly won’t turn down bonefish if that is what’s around.
The first trip I targeted Bonefish, I was in Belize. We were fishing for reef fish with live sardines and plugs and absolutely slaying them. Every cast was a snapper, jack, mackerel, etc. After about 50 fish or so I told the guide I was getting bored so maybe we could try for bonefish. In my head I was envisioning all the ESPN shows I had seen where people stalk the flats for hours, spot a Bonefish, make a picture-perfect long cast, spook the fish, and then start all over. Instead, the guide poled the boat about 25 yards from the reef we were fishing, pointed, and said “there are the Bonefish”. I looked where he was pointing and saw an enormous school of Bonefish with at least 150 fish in it. I cast a chunk of sardine into the school and they immediately pounced on it. After landing about 20 fish in about 30 minutes I decided to try it with a fly. I’m not a great fly fisherman, but I was able to land a Bonefish every third cast or so. After we had pounded that school for a while we walked another 25 yards and found another school and did the same thing. Needless to say it was nothing like the ESPN shows. That trip really spoiled me.
Bonefish Tackle
A light spinning setup with 6lb test should handle most bonefish. A Daiwa Certate in one of the smaller sizes is a great reel for this. Make sure you have a lot of line on the reel as a large one can make a long run and strip line fast especially with a lighter drag. Many people like to fly fish for these, and a 7 or 8 weight rod is probably about right.
Bonefish Techniques
Most bonefishing is done by quietly polling around shallow flats looking for the fish. When they are spotted, the angler puts the bait or lure in front of the direction they are headed and hopes they bite. You need a good set of polarized sun glasses to be able to spot these guys, as they can be pretty hard to see in windy conditions.
Bonefish Lures
Most people fly fish using flies that resemble shrimp and small crabs. These should be weighted so they sink to the bottom and then slowly stripped along the bottom. Bonefish suck things off the bottom rather than chasing things that are above them; the shape of their mouth is a pretty good giveaway for this.
Bonefish can also be caught using small jigs on spinning gear. If you are not a purist and want to increase your chances you can tip your jig with a big of shrimp or conch or whatever is around.
Bonefish Baits
Fly fishing purists hate to admit this, but by far the most effective way to catch bonefish is on bait. I had great success with them in Belize using chunks of sardines. They bit every cast. They also take shrimp and other crustaceans. Just be prepared to get dirty looks from fly fishermen as you haul in one fish after another.
Where to get the big Bonefish
From what I’ve read, the Seychelles have some huge bones. South Florida has some big ones but they are very spooky and hard to catch especially on fly. Belize and the Bahamas are popular destinations for numbers of small and medium size ones.
Other Bonefish Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Bonefish. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
Here is a nice article on how to catch Bonefish: http://www.flatsguide.com/bonefish101.html
Good article on do it yourself bonefishing in the Florida Keys: http://www.reel-time.com/articles/saltwater-fly-fishing/do-it-yourself-fly-fishing-for-bonefish-in-the-florida-keys/
Home
Bonefish Description
Bonefish are a “glamour” species. They get featured on ESPN a lot, and some people pay big bucks to chase them in the Bahamas and other spots with a fly rod. I’ve caught a few both on fly and on bait, but I can’t say I’ve really gotten that excited about them. They don’t get very big, they don’t jump, and they aren’t great for eating. On the plus side, they do put up a good fight for their size and are a nice silver color. Most Bonefish are caught sight fishing, which is a fun way to catch fish. Personally I would rather catch other things, but I certainly won’t turn down bonefish if that is what’s around.
The first trip I targeted Bonefish, I was in Belize. We were fishing for reef fish with live sardines and plugs and absolutely slaying them. Every cast was a snapper, jack, mackerel, etc. After about 50 fish or so I told the guide I was getting bored so maybe we could try for bonefish. In my head I was envisioning all the ESPN shows I had seen where people stalk the flats for hours, spot a Bonefish, make a picture-perfect long cast, spook the fish, and then start all over. Instead, the guide poled the boat about 25 yards from the reef we were fishing, pointed, and said “there are the Bonefish”. I looked where he was pointing and saw an enormous school of Bonefish with at least 150 fish in it. I cast a chunk of sardine into the school and they immediately pounced on it. After landing about 20 fish in about 30 minutes I decided to try it with a fly. I’m not a great fly fisherman, but I was able to land a Bonefish every third cast or so. After we had pounded that school for a while we walked another 25 yards and found another school and did the same thing. Needless to say it was nothing like the ESPN shows. That trip really spoiled me.
Bonefish Tackle
A light spinning setup with 6lb test should handle most bonefish. A Daiwa Certate in one of the smaller sizes is a great reel for this. Make sure you have a lot of line on the reel as a large one can make a long run and strip line fast especially with a lighter drag. Many people like to fly fish for these, and a 7 or 8 weight rod is probably about right.
Bonefish Techniques
Most bonefishing is done by quietly polling around shallow flats looking for the fish. When they are spotted, the angler puts the bait or lure in front of the direction they are headed and hopes they bite. You need a good set of polarized sun glasses to be able to spot these guys, as they can be pretty hard to see in windy conditions.
Bonefish Lures
Most people fly fish using flies that resemble shrimp and small crabs. These should be weighted so they sink to the bottom and then slowly stripped along the bottom. Bonefish suck things off the bottom rather than chasing things that are above them; the shape of their mouth is a pretty good giveaway for this.
Bonefish can also be caught using small jigs on spinning gear. If you are not a purist and want to increase your chances you can tip your jig with a big of shrimp or conch or whatever is around.
Bonefish Baits
Fly fishing purists hate to admit this, but by far the most effective way to catch bonefish is on bait. I had great success with them in Belize using chunks of sardines. They bit every cast. They also take shrimp and other crustaceans. Just be prepared to get dirty looks from fly fishermen as you haul in one fish after another.
Where to get the big Bonefish
From what I’ve read, the Seychelles have some huge bones. South Florida has some big ones but they are very spooky and hard to catch especially on fly. Belize and the Bahamas are popular destinations for numbers of small and medium size ones.
Other Bonefish Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Bonefish. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
Here is a nice article on how to catch Bonefish: http://www.flatsguide.com/bonefish101.html
Good article on do it yourself bonefishing in the Florida Keys: http://www.reel-time.com/articles/saltwater-fly-fishing/do-it-yourself-fly-fishing-for-bonefish-in-the-florida-keys/
