I’ll bet you’ll want to after seeing this…
Fish Tails
06
Mar 10
This is Fly… and it is.
The most recent issue of This is Fly is out and not only is it their longest yet, all full of fishy goodness, but it has two, COUNT ‘EM, TWO, stories on bonefish.
This, of course, meets with my approval.
The first story is about Coach Duff and those big, huge, massive, unreasonably large bones of the Aloha State. You can find that story here.
- Richard from Seattle with a 10.8 pound bonefish, caught with Coach Duff
The second story was by one of the guys behind This is Fly, Paris Fleezanis. This story takes the TIF crew to Andros and Kamalame Cay.
- This, I believe, is Paris from another TIF
Kamalame is a place that has shown up on Bones on the Brain before.
TIF, I salute you. Keep putting out the good stuff. They remain the leading edge of the e-zine revolution. A lot was made of the fact that Catch Magazine came out on the same day, but they really are different fish, even if they are both fly fishing-centric. TIF is for those who read the stories and Catch is for those that like the pictures more than the text (I like Catch, even saw some places I’ve fished in this recent episode). TIF adds the crazy art… none of which I’d want in my home, in the homes of my friends, on the walls of my friends’ friends, but, ya know… different strokes.
To keep the paper still circulating, I recently subscribed to two magazines… physical magazines… Fly Fishing in Salt Waters and Fly Rod and Reel. I’m doing my part… ya know, mostly.
06
Mar 10
Flatswalker goodness
MAN! I hadn’t checked the Flatwalker blog in a while… he’s been hard at work putting all sorts of choice bonefishness up.
06
Mar 10
Redbone, Bonefish and Grand Bahama
The idea of fishing competitions/tournaments is met with utter disdain not universally embraced by the fly fishing community… at least the trouting part of it anyway. In the salt, it seems there is a whole different attitude… one that includes lots of tournaments for lots of species, including bonefish.
I saw the results of the Redbone Deep Water Cay Celebrity Classic. I couldn’t find a list of folks that entered, or what makes them “celebrities,” maybe they don’t wear panties, I don’t know. Deep Water Cay is the uber-exclusive lodge/operation on the far, far end of Grand Bahama… actually, just off shore on their own cay… Deep Water Cay… they have their own airport.
I caught my first bonefish right behind Deep Water Cay, although I was with an independent guide. I don’t begin to have the the kind of obscene wealth resources it would take to have bought in at DWC.
The story can be found on the ESPN site here. The winner was Cal Collier Jr. who posted 22 fish over two days. Points were given for Permit too, but no one caught one (no one caught one the year before either). Sounds like he had to battle some difficult conditions (like a 57 degree morning and 20 mile per hour winds). He got 16 in the final day to end up on the podium (do they use podiums?). The guide was Cecil Leathen… can’t find too much about him. I’m guessing he should have won half of whatever was won if he’s like any of the many, many guides I know.
The biggest fish of the tournament went to David Collier (yes, related) with a 28.5 inch fish. Um… that is frigging massive, by the way… 12-13 pounds according to the chart I looked at. TWELVE PLUS POUNDS. I would have liked to have seen that fish.
- Nice location… not cheap.
26
Feb 10
Well Spotted, Fishing Jones…
Today, via Twitter, Fishing Jones spotted a story on Flies and Fins about a little bonefish action.
I stopped breathing as, “Tap” was felt. I drew the line tight for a millisecond, afterwards line ripping began through my hands. The world came back to me as I realized that I was connected to a bonefish.
Flies and Fins goodness
Check out the story. Good stuff.
25
Feb 10
Karl’s First Bonefish
The Being Karl blog (new to me) put up a report about his trip to Belize and his first bonefish. Always great to hear about someone’s first bonefish… it can be a revelation.
They are at El Pescador… the place I was hoping to go this summer. I’ve moved my Belize 2010 trip to Belize 2011, but stories like this make me want to head there… um… now.
I make another cast and, bam, I get a hookup. The fish takes off and is clearly the hardest fighting fish I’ve ever hooked on a fly. After a couple of minutes of tussle, I bring it to the boat where Carlos reaches down, grips the fish, about 14 inches in length, and lifts it up for me to see. My first bonefish on a fly. I had imagined it would take a day of trying and here we’ve been fishing 15 minutes and I’ve got my first in the boat.
El Pescador photo... go there.
I haven’t seen the Being Karl blog before. The salty stuff is an outlier, but it is honest and not pretentious in the least.
22
Feb 10
A little Long Island Bonefish
Nice little bonefish vid from Long Island. People who don’t bonefish or who don’t like warm, tropical places think Long Island means New York… those are people I pity.
I’ll add that this was a great bonefish release… that’s how the folks over at the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust would draw it up.
20
Feb 10
Somethins Seychelles
The Somethinsfishy blog has a great story about a trip to the Seychelles, which is just one of those places you want to go if you are a saltwater fly fishing angler.
Before I hit the daily breakdown, it is worth noting that the long trek half way around the world is well worth it. The bonefishing here is by far the most impressive on earth, but it is the diversity of species and stunning beauty of the place that makes it so incredible.
Check out the story
17
Feb 10
Home water
Today I got out fishing… no, not bonefishing, but fishing none the less. I am up visiting my folks and that meant that when my daughter went down to take a nap I had grandparents to supervise and a trout stream about 2 minutes away.
The Upper Sacramento is my home water. I grew up in this town, even if I didn’t fish it much as a kid (we were steelhead fisherman more oriented toward the Klamath). Still, I’ve put more hours on this river than any other and that means I still know where to find fish, even in the winter.
A nice looking Upper Sac bow
I got 2 hours… my first 2 hours of 2010 in California… of course, I had 5 days in Grand Bahama already, so, I can’t feel too sorry for myself.
Three fish landed, #16 Bead Head PT was the fly of choice. Saw some #22’s and some #10’s in the air (mostly #22’s). The stones haven’t started to move and the larger bugs, I assume March Browns, weren’t bringing up any noses.
This is still the world I know best. I didn’t second guess my fly selection or my location or my rod/reel/line. I knew it all. That just underscores how much I have to learn about bonefish… how they act, what they eat, when and where to find them.
I may never get to know bonefish or any one location as well as I know this water and these trout. I can try though.
15
Feb 10
Kauai is nice
Kauai… love the island, even if there weren’t bonefish there. Had my honeymoon on the island before I discovered bonefish, which was an early key to the marriage lasting longer than the honeymoon.
If you are looking for a place in Kauai that has a very gentle, kid-friendly beach and, just maybe, some frigging monster bonefish… well, this place could do.
The fish aren’t easy and there aren’t a lot of them, but the spot is lovely… don’t know about this EXACT rental, but, ya know… it’s beautiful. Also check out the camp ground.
Nice place
I caught exactly zero bonefish here, by the way. I caught a couple of Bluefin Trevally… they were awesome. I did SEE my first bonefish however, which is the reason I’m kind of crazy for bonefish.
I did see a Mahi Mahi cruising the shallows… it was lit up like Christmas morning… it was 50 feet from the shore. It was uninterested in me or the little shrimp pattern.
