Saw this in the Miami Herald…
Bonefish win
The Islamorada team of angler Mark Cockerham and guide captain Mark Gilman last week captured their third win in the 41st annual Bonefish World Championship/Islamorada All Tackle Bonefish Tournament.
The top team released the largest fish of the three-day tournament, estimated at 11 pounds.
I’d bet that they were using bait, as it was an “All Tackle” tournament and the best way to get a bonefish to eat an artificial fly is to have it be a live shrimp. It does beg the question, “If you can catch more with bait, why fly fish?” That’s a question asked by people that haven’t experienced it… like people that think chocolate covered bacon is wrong.
“There is just something about it.”
How many times have you said that or heard it in this context?
I like shrimp. I just prefer them in cocktail form.
- Unique Post
Many of the best fly anglers and guides in the world have also fished in the Islsmorada All Tackle Tournament. I prefer to fly fish most of the time but you will be a better fly angler if you know how to use all types of tackle.
I guess it’s kind of like fishing for trout with worms and a bobber. It’s another method just not one that I would use.
I’d bet that knowing the bait well would help any angler. It makes sense. Still… I just don’t want to do it. It will limit me, I’m sure.
Haveing only started fly fishing 12 month ago I think that I wasted the first 35 years of my fishing life , fly fishing just feels right
It’s a personal preference. Period. I’m no snob about it—although most people make that assumption when I refuse to fish any other way. See, I don’t have any problem when THEY use spin-gear, or spear-guns, or whatever, I just don’t want to.
It’s like the argument I keep having with my buddy over single-malt scotch. He thinks dilution of any kind is evil and destroys the spirit of the thing, I think straight scotch tastes like something you’d use to clean engine parts on your outboard. BUT, add a splash of spring water and the whole world opens up: it’s a carmelly, warm, spicy, mellow, amazing flavor that keeps coming at you without overpowering. He says, “No, that’s just means your a pu$$ and buy cheap scotch. I say, “No I don’t and I feel you should enjoy it any way you want, with water, neat, or mixed with strawberry coolaid and sipped from the navel of an Asian hooker… if that’s your thing.”
Fly fishing’s kinda the same thing.