The tarpon was first and that was clearly the pig of the trip.  After we finally released that fish we went looking for some bonefish.

We found them.

Really, I think the guides could likely produce bones pretty much all day, but they like chasing the tarpon when they are in, since they don’t stick around all year and the window is about three months long.

The bones weren’t big, maybe 3 pounds, but they fought well and we even had one little cluster Fuque where I got a knot in my running line that went through the guides.  Jim worked on getting the knot undone and I hand lined the fish, which meant it had PLENTY of slack.  The thing turned around and started swimming leisurely back toward us. The thing came so close to the boat that I just figured I’d wait and pull it’s head out of the water. That’s exactly what happened and we managed to land the bonefish pretty much without the rod.

The next flat we went to was ocean-side and as I got up on deck Jim asked the guide “you ever see any permit here?”

“Sometimes” was the reply, although it should have been “Sure, in about a minute.”

There was Mr. Permit cruising right toward us.  No time to switch rods, the bonefish fly would have to do (a Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp). The fish lit up on the fly, started chasing it down doing a little erratic dance behind it. I SWEAR it ate, as did Jim, but I was tight to the fly and there was never any sort of resistance on the line. Just like that it bugged off and I was left, about 2″ from a Cuban Grand Slam.

Kind of cool to come so close.  I know it is mostly luck and “right time/right place” that gets you those Grand Slams and I was pretty damn close to getting it right.

That’s why we keep fishing.

Photo by Jim Klug, Tarpon by Cuba

Really… I can’t complain at all.

While I got a few things wrong, I did make some good decisions and had some of the right stuff with me.

Flies:

• Having some of the super hair chartreuse flies for cudas was a really good call.
• I had enough Gotchas in different sizes that I could have fished for bones for another three weeks.
• The tarpon bunnies were good patterns and if I had them in a 3/0 I would likely have been feeding tarpon with them.

Leaders:

• The leaders I tied were effective and worked for bonefish and for tarpon.  The 80 pound shock tippet was perfect on even the big fish and the bimini twists I tied didn’t fail.  I didn’t have a single leader fail or a single knot fail.

Reels:

• The reels I primarily used were the Ross F1 for the 8 wt, the Orvis Mirage for the 10 wt and the Redington Delta for the 11. I had along a Ross CLA and a Ross Momentum, but they had on specific lines that didn’t get selected by the guides.

Lines:

• The textured saltwater line for the 8 was a great line.
• The Orvis line was different… it sounded like a textured line and it cast very well.
• I cast a Rio clear sink tip for the 11 and the guides liked it, preferring it to the full floating line each time.

Rods:

• Both of the 8 weights were lovely rods. The Sage One is light and responsive and did all I asked of it. The prototype was just as lovely and I’d be glad to have either one as my go-to 8.
• The 10, the Orvis Helios was a great rod. I’ve had that one before and I really like it.  It might have been a little heavy for Permit, but it would have worked well for that and it was a good rod to have rigged for barracuda.
• The 11 Redington… it was heavy, but when it came time to do the business it got it done. That feels like a pretty important thing to judge by.

Something right got me that fish.

We started off today getting an unexpected shot at a nice permit… a black tale sticking up through the wave about 40 feet away. I made the cast, had a follow and a little jack grabbed the fly before Mr. Permit could.

After that I broke off a bone, lost one in the mangroves and was starting to get a little frustrated.  Then… the day turned around. My boat-mate, Charlie, caught his first fly caught bone, then his second and third. We found a school of bones that just wouldn’t spook and we caught bone after bone.

Then, we went looking for tarpon. We found them. We fished a deep cut with sooooo much life, it was just amazing.  There were jacks busting bait and tarpon rolling and cudas crushing little bait fish. It was happening all around us and it was awe inspiring. Felt like being transported back in time to some virgin bit of paradise.

I had a tarpon eat my black death bunny about 20 feet off the boat. I was sure I had a good hook set on him, but he spit the hook on the first jump. I was shaken… literally. Took me a few minutes to get composed (but it was the kind of being ruffled with a big smile on my face).   Had a second shot and a good hoot set. The fish took off and then jumped (caught on camera, I’ll get it up when I can) and then came off.  I even jumped a third tarpon. A nice tarpon.  Maybe 60 pounds.  Awesome.

It was just a fantastic, wonderful day with Avalon guide TiTi and boat-mate Charlie. I caught somewhere around 5-7 bones, three snappers, a horse eyed jack (15 pounds) and jumped three nice tarpon.

We’ve even seen Franco this evening, the saltwater croc that hangs around the houseboat.

One of the most enjoyable days I’ve had on the water.

Yes... it is as awesome as it looks here.

I’m here… finally.  The night in Cuba got off to a late start. Things don’t move quickly in Cuba and it didn’t help that Jim got held up because he “had a lot of camera equipment.”

We know now a bit about the nightlife in Cuba… which is a bit insane.  We rode is some vintage American made cars for taxis and basically stayed up all night and got on the bus at 4:30. I passed out in the lobby and missed the sing along, which I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.

A 3 hour bus ride and a 3 hour boat ride and we got here.  Quick lunch and off to the skiffs.

I landed 2 bones and a cuda in the abbreviated day.  Soooo nice to be out on the water again.

Avalon Guide Ti Ti had sharp eyes, spotting every fish before I did and spotting some I never saw.

Two tarpon passed by while I was releasing the second bone.

Pics to follow at some point. The internet is pretty slow, so I’ll do what I can.

What is going to get packed is packed. The rest of the time before I take off is really just moving from one place to another. The trip is more or less set in motion.

The last reels arrived a couple days ago and yesterday was supposed to be the day that I got backing put on all those reels.  Then… call from my daughter’s school that she was sick. So, I scavenged. I managed to pull backing off a few of the reels staying home and am now fully set.  Here’s the reel list…

For the 8′s (Sage One, Mystery Prototype)

• Orvis Mirage
• Ross F1

For the 10 (Orvis Helios)

• Ross Momentum
• Ross CLA
• Orvis Mirage

For the 11 (Redington Predator)

• Redington Delta

The lines are a mix of Orvis, Rio and SA lines and for the tarpon rods (the 10 and 11) I have both floating and either clear int. sink tips or full clear int. sinks as well.

I’m feeling fairly well equipped. In fact, I may be over-equipped and I’ll have to consciously switch reels and rods from time to time to make sure I get some time with different rigs.

Four rods. Six reels. Seven spools/seven lines.

I’ll be carrying on the rods and the reels and I’ll be hoping the rest of my stuff makes it there.

Tomorrow morning I get on a flight for the first leg of the journey.  I’ll meet up with the others down in Mexico tomorrow night and from there, the adventure begins.

Yup… this time next week…

I’ve spent a few hours talking to Steve on the phone.  He’s a guy I like and respect.  He’s doing some good things at Orvis, not least of which is the Helios Rod and Mirage Reel series. Here’s a video about the Mirage.

PS – saw this over at Flatswalker.

These are some pretty nice shots of Belize taken by Adam Marton.

The good folks at the Turneffe Atoll Trust are trying to get signatures for a proposed Tuneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.  It’s a good idea. (You can go to this site to express your support)

Belize in general has really come a long way toward embracing conservation… as they should.  Tourism is an important part of the Belizean economy and that only works if they have wonderful places to show people.  TAT is pretty new to the scene, but they are already engaged in some pretty exciting work.

So, spend a little time to do what they are asking you to do.  I’ll be doing it myself as well.

Dear Bonefish on the Brain readers,

I am going to ask for a moment of your time regarding something that is incredibly important for the future of our industry and the future of saltwater marine environments in the Caribbean.

We aren’t asking for any money, but we need your voice of support!  As an esteemed member of the fly fishing community, you are no doubt concerned by the mounting threats against coastal ecosystems around the globe.  The future of saltwater angling depends on the integrity of places such as Turneffe Atoll, Belize - the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Western Hemisphere.  

Nearly a decade ago, Turneffe Atoll Trust was formed to help implement an environmental success story, one in which a globally significant ecosystem gained protection before an environmental crisis hit.  Turneffe Atoll is currently healthy and as of yet, does not need to be fixed. What it urgently needs, however, is protection and management so it doesn’t fall victim to further improper development, unsustainable commercial activities, and environmental degradation.

The great news is that this goal is within reach because the Government of Belize has recently indicated it is prepared to formally designate a new Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.  An achievement of this magnitude bodes well not only for the future of Belize, but also for all who have a stake in marine conservation and saltwater fisheries throughout the Caribbean basin.  This is why I am asking you to help with a final push towards making this dream a reality.  

Send an email to Paul (paul@turneffeatoll.org), with the following three (3) quick and simple pieces of information, you will be added as an endorser to a letter asking the Belizean Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture for the creation of a Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (see the letter below):

1.      Name of your business / organization

2.      Name and title of individual signing on behalf of business / organization

3.      Your City, State, and Country

If all goes as planned, our goal is to celebrate this victory by the end of January 2012.   Your support is key to making this happen, and we very much appreciate your time and your endorsement!

Best regards,        

Paul D. Robertson

Executive Director

Here is the letter you’ll be added to…

Honorable Rene Montero

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

P.O. Box 146

Belize City, Belize

Honorable Minister Montero:

We, the undersigned, wish to formally express our complete and total support for the creation of a Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.  By taking this historic step, the Government of Belize will not only secure benefits for all future generations of Belizeans, but it will also make a major contribution in the global effort to conserve the marine environment.

As the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Western Hemisphere, Turneffe Atoll encompasses all aspects of an intact coastal marine ecosystem; including deep ocean, fringe reef, patch reef, back-reef flats, extensive sea grass beds, extensive mangrove stands, creeks, littoral forest and two large lagoon systems.  It is home to populations of several threatened species including Antillean manatees, Hawksbill turtles, goliath groupers, Nassau grouper and American crocodiles.  Six spawning aggregation sites are known at Turneffe.  With this rich diversity of coastal marine habitats, Turneffe is also an ideal location to conduct critical coastal marine research.

Additionally, the health of Turneffe Atoll is vital to the Belizean economy.   A traditional fishing ground since the Mayan era, Turneffe is one of Belize’s largest producers of spiny lobster, conch and finfish.   It is an increasingly popular tourism destination and the diving, fly fishing, and eco-tourism opportunities are world-renowned.  These commercial activities provide significant employment for Belizeans and sustainable management of these resources is essential to ensuring a continuous source of stable jobs.

By all measures Turneffe Atoll is an irreplaceable asset to the cultural heritage of Belize.  By taking this huge step forward, Belize will further solidify its position as a global leader in environmental stewardship and forward thinking.  We urge you to make this landmark achievement a reality by designating a Marine Reserve at Turneffe Atoll.

Sincerely,

(this is where your name will show up)

Again, thank you for replying to this email with these 3 pieces of information and voicing your support for a Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve:

1.      Name of your business / organization

2.      Name and title of individual signing on behalf of business / organization

Your City, State, and Country

I know, I put up a video from Will Benson juuuuuuusssst the other day.  Thing is, I have to post this one too.  I have to post this because it is a whole bunch of awesome.

Props to Will for tagging both the permit and the bonefish.

Now, I managed to get a grand slam down in Belize. However, this now looks like a very, very minor accomplishment compared to Will doing it 1. all by myself, and 2. catching it all on film, and 3. putting it together in a kind of awesome video.

Mad, crazy props to Will at World Angling.

When I was first looking at catching a bonefish in Grand Bahama, I actually got to talk to either Will or Dave from World Angling before my trip.  Whoever I talked to had some ideas for me, suggested the guide I used.  I had no idea at the time they possessed the mad, crazy skills they do.