Fish Tails

Grand Bahama – Day 5 – Departure and Summary

My last morning in Grand Bahama I packed up, left the hotel/motel and headed to the East End for some fishing before my flight left at 2:45. After the impossibly windy day before I was hopeful that conditions would be better… and they were. The huge flat was at high tide, but it was only barely rippling in about a 5 mph wind. Partly cloudy skies revealed slices of the flats, sometimes staying sunny for 20 or 30 minutes.

I quickly found my first fish, up tight against the shore. I then spooked my first bonefish of the day as they took one look at my offering, knew exactly what was happening and indicated that they’d rather not play.

So went my morning. I found fish, had maybe 10-12 legit shots and time after time the fish either diverted smoothly and calmly, or high-tailed it. I found fish mudding, and even those fish were super wary.

I also saw Captain Perry and his wife walking along the beach. We stopped and chatted. As we were talking, Captain Perry pointed out a single bonefish cruising towards us and then past us, 30 feet away. I made a cast in front of the fish and it calmly turned toward deeper water.

“If that’s how the fish be acting, I don’t think you gonna catch anything today.” said the Captain.

He was right… although only just.

I found a pod working in a corner against some mangroves. I blocked their exit and waited. They eventually came my way, a small grouping of 4-6 fish. I had on a one of my velcro crabs. I twitched the fly and the lead fish passed. I was getting ready to recast, felt one of the trailing fish take the fly and, as a reflex, lifted the rod tip. I trout set on the one fish I could get to eat all morning.

So it went until it was time to head to the airport for what would turn out to be delays upon delays, eventually landing at SFO at 1:30 AM, pulling into my Sierra Foothills driveway at 4:30 AM.

Summary

The trip would have been a near total failure were it not for Captain Perry. He found me dumb fish and I caught some. I highly recommend him.
On my own, the flats I found held fish that were much, much more educated than I’d have liked.
I only managed to land 2 DIY bones in 3 days of DIY fishing. I probably had 50 or 60 shots.
If a really hard wind is coming from the South, GBI is a tough place for the self-guided.
My interest in bonefish does not remedy my lack of experience.
Bahamian speed limits are clearly suggestions that pretty much no one takes heed of.
The Bahamian economy is in the pits, simply because ours is.
Folks were surprised to have a Californian there.
Dogs are not on leashes, seem to be mostly wild and not to belong to anyone.
The number of derelict, abandoned or partially destroyed homes/buildings between McLeans Town and Freeport is remarkable.
The micro-compact car I had was not suited for real off-roading.
The amount of trash at some of the East End beaches was troubling.
The Inflatable Kayak was wasted due to high winds, although it cost me nothing to bring along.
The further East you go, the dumber the fish get. The guides go WAY East… places only boats can go.

In the end, it was a good trip. It was tougher than I had hoped for and I had fewer fish to hand than I had been dreaming of. Basically, I have to do this more and it would help if I either had more guiding or were in a location with dumber fish. There are lots and lots of places I didn’t get to. I felt pressure to be fishing just about every possible moment, so didn’t explore as much as I probably should have. I’ll be thinking of those fish for a long time to come and I will likely start really planning my next trip sometime this evening.

In action in Grand Bahama

Fish Tails — No Comments
19
Jan 10

Bonefish Junkie

Saltwater Sportsman had a fun article about a reformed trout bum and saltwater convert. Story by Colin Kearns. Worth a read.

Read the whole story at Saltwater Sportsman

Fish Tails / Locations — 4 Comments
17
Jan 10

Grand Bahama – Day 3 – Ass Kicking

Sadly… I was the kickee as opposed to kicker today. The sun came out, mostly, but the wind came up, hard, and while I found fish, I spooked nearly every single one of them.

I spooked so many fish it is practically Halloween.

I got out to a little bay/cove on the East End today and went down to the far end where I found fish tailing in the corner up against some mangroves about 2 feet off the bank.

“Sweet” I thought. “This is going to be a great day.”

Cast, cast, gone.

Then the wind. Uff da.

Luckily, I found a little mud and got a skunk breaker.

I like this shot for no reason in particular.

I had some company on the flat starting off the morning… but they didn’t touch any fish. I think someone sent this guy out here to make me feel good about my casting. Watching them go at it I was again thankful for the good guiding and good fishing I had with Captain Perry.

Company.

I found a lot of fish today… but these fish were not the virgin/naive fish of the far reaches of the East End. These were educated fish. Most of the spooking I did came from the fish seeing the fly… any fly. I tried lots… #2’s, #4’s, #6’s… pinks, yellows, tans, whites… bunny, silly legs, very plain… they all send the fish running (swimming, I suppose) away at great speed, pushing water as they went.

I found one little pod of nice fish, made the cast, got the follow and got it to eat, but I missed the hook set and he/she/it wouldn’t eat again. Frustration was mounting at that point.

I drove down to Rocky Creek, but the tide was wrong for the flat there. I should have known better, really.

I drove back to the first spot. The wind was howling. It was too late to go anywhere else… this was going to need to be it. As I was walking out to where the sand stopped and turtle grass began I had the sun to my back and the wind in my face… I had one window to see the fish, but that also meant casting into the 15-20 mph wind. Just when I was coming to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to find any more fish I picked up 4 or 5 nice fish cruising my way on the edge of the grass… pretty much directly into the wind.

I slogged a cast out there and it wasn’t bad (surprising even myself). I saw one fish break off from the school. I moved the fly, I stopped, stripped, felt the fish, set the hook and I was hooked onto my second bonefish of the day. The fish started splashing around, it came tight, but didn’t start it’s run. I got ready to enjoy the sound of the singing reel and then it just spit the hook. wtf.

Damn.

Tomorrow promises to be pretty much exactly the same as today from a weather perspective. Wind… lots of wind… 12-16, all day.

Now I have figured out that I can see the fish. Need to see if I can’t catch a few more tomorrow, or I’m going to be reduced to throwing for little cuda’s again.

Sometimes you just need to feel the pull of a fish.

Conservation / Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
16
Jan 10

Grand Bahama – Day 2 – Captain Perry

Today was a good day. The weatherman dropped the ball on this one though. Partly Cloudy would imply some clouds… not all clouds. That’s what I had today with Captain Perry out of McLeans Town on the East End of Grand Bahama (now guiding out of East End Lodge).

Captain Perry

Captain Perry was great. He knew where the fish were, he knew what to throw and how it should be retrieved. He didn’t get (too) frustrated when I cast on top of the fish for the 6th time or lead the fish by 10′ for the 7th time.

I was/am impressed with Captain Perry’s conservation ethic. He knows how bad air exposure/handling are for the fish and whenever possible he avoided taking them out of the water or handling them. He’s a good steward of the natural wonderland that is Grand Bahama. You should be glad he’s out there.

That bone is going to be just fine.

Conditions were not ideal. The clouds made it really tough to spot fish. Capt. Perry had it dialed though, and was routinely putting me on fish. I botched a fair number of those opportunities and it took us a while to get the skunk off the boat, but once that happened, the fun began.

Day 2 Skunk Breaker

A good time was had, despite the weather. We used a magic/secret fly that Perry uses to get the skunk off and for the first several fish. We then switched over to a pink #4 Gotcha and again, it was money. I fished almost the entire time with the TFO Clouser 8 wt. and TFO Large Arbor Reel. I’m in love with both of them.

With Perry you fish hard, 8-3:30. So, after being dropped back at the dock (he’ll pick you up in Freeport if you want, I wanted to drive out there) I hit a small flat I had remembered from my last trip. The light was fading when I got there, but there were a few tailing fish. I spooked a couple, but didn’t rush things. A while later the tails popped up again. I made a good cast and quickly came tight on a bonefish. Then, as it started it’s run, it just came off. Bummer.

Still, 12 fish to hand on a cloudy, windy, cool day is good fishing in my book. I highly recommend Captain Perry. He’s a good guide and a good guy.

Another Grand Bahama Bone

A great day.

Being on the water also meant I got to miss continuing coverage of the disaster in Haiti. The little bit of the news I did catch nearly brought me to tears. The CNN anchorwoman actually started crying. Luckily, the answer to global calamities is to go fishing.

A note on fuel… gas was about $4.50 when I was there, meaning a little over $100 of the day’s guide fee went to gas to get us out to the dumb fish. It was painful for me to pay as much as I did, but the Captain is worth it and, just so you know, I paid full price for the trip and am not getting anything in return for the positive report.

Fish Tails / Locations — 4 Comments
15
Jan 10

Grand Bahama – Day 1

Air travel once was glamorous. Not any more. Between watching TSA make a blind 10 year old girl take off her shoes, my red-eye neighbor hogging all the leg room and an aborted take-off on American Eagle, I think it is safe to say that it certainly is not about the journey any longer, it’s about the destination.

Fifteen hours from when I left the house I was standing on a flat in Grand Bahama. The tide was rising, the water temp was 72 and there were patchy clouds in the sky. It was 2:30. I soon spooked my first bones.

I was happy I was able to start seeing the bonefish much earlier than my previous trip. However, they wanted nothing to do with me. I probably cast to 30 bones, but no takers. Spooked a few, others never saw the fly.

Nice looking water.

In the end, the light was failing and I just couldn’t find the fish again. I left, after 2 hours, fishless.

I decided to stop off at a spot that my dad and I had fished back in Dec. 2008. It’s a big, white sand flat. There’s a boat launch there and I figured that if it came down to it, I could probably catch something (anything!) throwing clousers from the launch. I decided to walk the flat before throwing the big clousers. Low light conditions, from what I’ve read, can mean tailers and that would really be the only way I was going to find fish as the sun sank lower in the western sky.

Behind me, about 50 feet away, I heard something. I spun around to see a tail. I made the cast. I took up the slack, felt the fish and somehow managed not to trout set. I had the fish. The fish was on and a couple seconds later I was looking at my backing. That was exactly what I needed. This bone is the first I have caught on a fly I tied, making it extra special.

First of the trip!

Same fish, but more to the fish's liking.

#4 Pink Gotcha

Notice how my finger is reflected on the gill plate of the fish in the underwater shot? That’s what makes these fish so hard to see.

Sure is pretty here. The weather is improving and I’m out with Captain Perry tomorrow, all day. Can’t wait.

Purdy.

Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
08
Jan 10

Belize – November 2009

Five guys, 11 days in Belize. Sounds like a good time to me. This report recently surfaced on Kiene’s board and the author allowed me to post it up and share it with you good folk. The trip wasn’t focused on bonefish, but on their saltwater kin, tarpon and permit. Bones did make an appearance though.

Belize Bone

The location was the Westwind Hotel in Placencia. The Westwind is pretty affordable with rates running from $65-95 depending on room and season. Pretty good.

The Westwind gets good reviews from author, Phil.

We stay at the Westwind because Lisa and George treat us very well. It is located right on the beach and the sidewalk, the guide pick us up there at 4:30 or 5 am, and it is close to some of the nicest restaurants.

So… how was the fishing? They fished with guides Bruce Leslie, Benji Eiley, and Arthur Vernon, all of whom can be booked through the Westwind (Lisa at the Westwind says the guides run $300-350 a day). Here is what the fishing looked like.

We missed or jumped approximately 60 to 70 tarpon between the five of us and I think we only landed about 15….

We caught lots, and lots, and lots of 3 to 4 pound bonefish. I did see some much bigger in the 7 to 8 pound range (according to Bruce) but these were usually when we were sight fishing for tarpon. We also had the usually range of Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, snappers, barracuda, bonito, and jacks. Al got into some 15 pound jacks one morning and we also had some nice horse-eye jacks. I hooked two large cuda when they inhaled jacks I had on and another time, I cast to rolling tarpon, hooked a very small Spanish mackerel, brought it to the boat, and it was promptly inhaled by an amberjack of about 40 pounds. Bruce says that is the first amberjack he has ever seen in shallow water. I lost it when it took out 200 yards of line in 9.7 seconds and wrapped around an anchor line on one of the other boats.

One day Mike and Mack were with Bruce, and they each had a slam, starting with 50 pound tarpon, then with 15 pound permit and then the boners. Bruce said that was the first time in 17 years of guiding that he had 2 slams by 2 different anglers on the same day. Mack got his on his birthday and he did not realize just how amazing this was until the end of the trip. Two days later Mike Scott had a super slam fishing with Arthur Vernon. They had the small tarpon and snook by 8am, and the permit by 9, but they did not find the bonefish until noon. I thought this left plenty of time for another super slam but they went to Ranguana Caye for a beer instead.

Sounds like a good time… a very good time and pretty affordable, considering.

I don’t know what the DIY opportunities or lack thereof look like, but the math seems to add in favor of piecing together your own trip there. Seems like you should be able to do 4 nights, thee days of guided fishing for two anglers for under $1,000 each. That sounds pretty good.

Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
06
Jan 10

Long Island Bonefish Montage

A nice little video/photo montage to get you thinking about warmer climes.

Fish Tails — No Comments
04
Jan 10

Bermuda Bone Vid

A 10 pound bonefish from Bermuda… and I don’t think his rod has a fighting butt! I saw someone say this was on the TIF blog, and indeed, it was. The This is Fly Blog is the daily fix for those of us waiting for the full editions of e-zine to come out. Worth a bookmark.

Fish Tails / Locations — 2 Comments
02
Jan 10

Miami Herald and Bonefish

The Miami Herald had a good story recently focused on bones in those islands to the East of Miami.

Miami Herald Bone

The writer was Sue Cocking (yes, unfortunate), the guide was Captain Ronnie Sawyer and the location was Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.

The story serves as a reminder that some days are tough, the weather doesn’t care what your plans are and a good guide is a good idea.

Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
15
Dec 09

NYT goes bonefishing

Now, the New York Times is a venerable old paper and some of their writers… well… they write very well.

Check it…

People fly to India, stay in a hut for a month. They sail across the Pacific. They camp for weeks in the remotest stretches of northern Maine or build yurts in western Montana or walk the Alaskan bush with binoculars and field guide. They go to Australia. They suffer the hardship of distant travel against the serenity they hope to find when they get where they’re going, and they work hard to earn the money or time that allows them to do it. Run into someone just back from a long sojourn to the outback, tanned and rested and suddenly kind, and odds are he’s either wealthy or Buddhist, a college kid, dreamer or life dropout, sometimes all five.

It does not have to be this way. Not if you follow the bonefish, not if you come to Lovely Bay, to this long, desolate sandbar at the southeastern end of the Bahamian archipelago to walk the flats of Acklins Bight with fly rod, concentration and hope. Not if you’re game and have a few days. You won’t need more than that.

Now, that is just beautifully written. Doesn’t it just make you want to go cast a fly to a cruising bonefish?

Sam Sifton is the author. Check out the full story here.

Sam is fishing with Fidel on Acklins… hardly the first time I’ve read or heard that name. Makes me very much want to head there and learn at the foot of Fidel. www.acklins.com

True... true.

Bonefish on the Brain Bonefish and all that relates (maybe a bit about tarpon too).