08
Aug 10

Aussie Bone Vid

Everything sounds a bit more interesting with an Aussie accent, mate.  This is with True Blue Bones out of Exmouth in Western Australia.  It is the show’s host’s first bonefish and he’s pretty excited about it, which I like.  He had that fish out of water for a hell of a long time, which I didn’t like (air exposure = bad news for bonefish).  Everyone has to learn at some point, I guess.  I didn’t know my first trip out either.

I doubt I’ll ever get there.  The cost is prohibitive both in terms of travel and guiding.  The fishing looks kind of amazing with the possibility of crossing off several pretty interesting species if you have one of those lists.


20
Jun 10

Tie N Fly goes after bonefish in Kiribati

Saw this recent story from Tie N Fly Outfitters from Australia about a trip to Nonouti, part of Kiribati.  For those worried about Kiribati drowning due to global warming, don’t worry… it’s growing.

A bone from Nonouti

The trip appears not to have sucked.


30
May 10

Aussie Bones – Exmouth and True Blue Bones

I saw something on a message board about True Blue Bonefish and the fishery in Western Australia.  I went to the site and… well… holy bonefish batman, there are some PIGS out in Western Australia!

A Foster's Size Bonefish

OMG… that thing is huge… and Australian… I had no idea.  The website is worth looking at… not only are there some epic bonefish, but GT’s, some biggish Permit, Golden Trevally, Queenfish, Milkfish, Gulf Tarpon and Giant Herring… which I think is just a big Ladyfish.

I don’t know if they put a picture up of every big fish they ever caught, of if there are a lot of fish that big out there (turns out there are a lot of big fish there).

There certainly aren’t a lot of outfitters working those waters (I found two in my quick search) and there isn’t a whole lot of information readily available about the fishery.

There are a few factors that really strain on the uneasy relationship between Cheap and Bonefish when it comes to Exmouth bonefish.  The cost of living and the cost of fuel combine to make it a real budget buster.

A single angler is $810 and if you bring a buddy, it is $445 a piece… so, $890 ($810 AU is $690 US). This is one of the most expensive days of guiding you’ll run across anywhere.  They have a deal where if you book 7 days, you only  have to pay for five.  That would be $4,050 for a single angler, just for the guiding, not including lodging.

Maybe you have a checklist of species you want to check off… this might be a place to do that.  There are a LOT of different species worth a shot at there.

There are cheaper places… much cheaper places, but Exmouth seems to be a pretty unique place with a wider variety of top-notch game fish than a lot of the go-to locations.

I didn’t find much in my cursory search for DIY or self-guided opportunities along the Western Coast.  I’ll be looking into more of that in the months to come, but the airfare alone means that if you live in the States, there will be no coming together of Cheap and Bonefish Down Under.


30
Apr 10

Ozzie Bones

I haven’t looked too much to see if there were bones in Australia, but this little story popped up courtesy of The River’s Edge blog/website about a bonefish caught near Exmouth in Western Australia.

Now, given the price of airfare to Australia, it certainly won’t be a budget trip for anyone living in the States, but it does underscore the range of this favorite gamefish.  If you happen to find yourself headed for Western Australia, pack that 8 wt. and tie up some Gotcha’s.

Australian Bonefish... and now you know.

PS – Happy Birthday to my dad, who has his birthday today, April 30.  He got me fishing at a young age and kept me interested by routinely outfishing me for steelhead on the Klamath River.  Once we discovered fly fishing, he kept me interested by underfishing me on the Upper Sacramento.  We’ve fly fished British Columbia, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and Grand Bahama together (and California, of course) and aside from the gas, you couldn’t ask for a better fishing partner or father.  Thanks dad and Happy Birthday.


04
Nov 09

Permit Movie

OK… so, not bonefish, but this looks totally ruling.