Locations

Locations — 2 Comments
03
Oct 09

Panama for Bonefish?

I recalled seeing something about bonefishing in Panama, so I asked my good friend, Google, to pull together some information about the chasing bones in the sail-through Republic.

Tranquilo Bay Eco Lodge has a page about tarpon, but mentions Bonefish as something that can be a pleasing distraction… there is a bit about the fish not being large, but being 3-5 pounds with non-stop action a possibility (um, I’d take that). The follow that up by saying that they don’t recommend traveling there to target bones. Seems like more information is required. The photo gallery shows lots of nice Jack Crevelle and some small bones caught off the beach… small being in the 1 pound range, not the 3 pound range.

If you like fishing reports devoid of anything useful at all, I found this.

The 3-5 pound range seems overstated from the fish that I’ve seen in the few galleries or google image pics I’ve seen. Why so small? I don’t know. It does seem like Panama is likely off the books as a bonefish destination, although the tarpon and snook look large and in charge. If you head to Panama for those other game species, you might just want to throw in a few gotchas while you are at it.

If you have better intel on the Bone sitch in Panama, please, let me know.

You + BTT + South Andros = Good times

Now, I’m not at the point in my life where $4,000 fishing trips are within reach. If, however, I were in that position, I can tell you where else I’d be… South Andros from Dec. 5th to the 12th for a week at Deneki Outdoors‘ lodge along with some of the good folks from the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. BTT does this every so often and it just seems like a pretty amazing experience, if, ya know, you like bonefish. $1,000 from the cost of the trip will go to help BTT on their planned study of the economic value of the Bahamian Bonefish. This is the sort of study that has been done in Florida that put the $75,000 value on each bonefish in the FL fishery. Kind of important and valuable information that can drive all sorts of conservation/land use decisions.

As an example of how that plays out, Deneki Outdoors’ website shared this:

Impact:

Quantifying the economic importance of the recreational bonefish fishery should provide leverage for improving conservation measures toward protecting healthy bonefish populations in The Bahamas. In Belize, for example, a similar study found that the ecotourism-related expenditures for recreational fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit exceeded $50 million per year. Based on this study the Belize Legislature passed legislation making bonefish, tarpon, and permit catch and release gamefish. We anticipate that the economic value in The Bahamas to be much greater, and to spur strong conservation measures.

Joining from BTT will be the captain, Aaron Adams (this guy co-wrote Chico Fernandez’s book on flyfishing for bonefish), and Stu Apte.

You do all the normal bonefishing you’d normally do, but you also get to hear about bonefish from a couple guys that have forgotten as much as the rest of us will probably ever know about the phantoms of the flats.

To review… catch bonefish in South Andros, help support the fishery as too few have and learn more about the fish from two anglers who have an incredible depth and breadth of bonefish knowledge.

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01
Oct 09

MX Fishing Report (no, not mine)

Some time in January, I’ll be able to post my own fishing report, but until then, I live vicariously through the reports brought to me through the tubes and in the dump trucks that make up the internet. This time I found a report from Pesca Maya down in Mexico. The post (this one right here) is from Black Fly Outfitter (the blog looks new, but promises bonefishing reports, which will see me follow them via RSS and Twitter). Looks like a good time with smaller bones everywhere. I like the sound of that, really.

Pesca Maya seems to be doing the full court press as of late. Seems like I’ve seen their name out there A LOT. Maybe it’s just me.

See, that looks fun to me.

The area that Pesca Maya sits in has always looked interesting (most places with clear, tropical water and bonefish are places I find interesting, as it turns out). We vacation in Mexico every year, but we are on the Pacific side (Vallarta). I lightly bring up the idea of switching to the Caribbean side every so often, but it is a family vacation, not a fishing vacation and I’m (generally) smart enough to know the difference.

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29
Sep 09

Whenever you can!

I was glad to see Deneki Outdoors latest blog post which reassured me that the best time to go bonefishing is whenever you can!

I’m going to the Bahamas in January, which will be a bit cooler than, say, May, but not THAT much cooler. The thing to dodge are the big storms, but those seem to be a Fall sort of event.

I think this is S. Andros from Deneki Outdoors

I’ve become a big fan of the Deneki Outdoors blog for the ton of useful info that they put out about bonefishing. I recently got to meet the owner/operator at a local fly shop and got to talk bonefish (and some steelhead) for a while. The thing I like second best to actually fishing is TALKING about fishing. Oh fishing, I could never be mad at you!

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28
Sep 09

More Aloha Bones

More bonefish from Hawaii, land of hula and big bones. This clip is with Captain John Alvarez.

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28
Sep 09

More on South African Bonefish

I just posted my “inquiring minds want to know” question and up comes this post, from South Africa, from the last couple days… a real (formerly live) bonefish from South Africa.

Dead Bonefish.

Post says it is from the Riet River area. So, I guess they are still there.

Locations — 2 Comments
27
Sep 09

9,460,000 Seconds (Bonefishing 2010)

A second isn’t so long… really… passes, literally in the blink of an eye. So, all I have to do is blink my eyes about 9,460,000 times and I’ll be walking a flat in Grand Bahama looking for ghostly shadows.

I’ve picked my location, I’ve picked the dates and I have grandparents coming in to watch my daughter. Now all I have to do is wait… and blink a lot.

I’ll be leaving on a red-eye on Jan. 13th and fishing the next afternoon. I’ll be staying at some place that is $51 a night… I’m only going to be sleeping and showering there… I don’t need a pool… I don’t need breakfast… I hardly need sheets. With the rental car in there I should be right about $100 a day.

Not too bad.

I know there are flats I can walk out on… I know because I found my first solo bonefish there last December.

Feels good to have it sorted out and now all I have to do is count down from 9,460,000.

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26
Sep 09

Another Classic… Abaco

Good times…

Locations — 1 Comment
25
Sep 09

2010 Bonefishing Trip Planning

I am still looking for where exactly I’ll be headed for my 2010 Bonefishing trip. I had been looking at the Name Removed out of Miami (his rates are pretty hard to beat), but in the end, I need to catch fish and the FL bonefish game just seems a bit too iffy for my taste (at least at this stage of my fixation). I’m going to keep him in mind for the future… that future being after 2010.

A reader I’ve been exchanging emails with had a list of low-cost options that included an outfitter with several budget bonefish destinations. The operation is Cattaraugus Creek Outfitter. They have packages on Acklins and Eleuthera that both sound pretty good. Acklins takes a little too long to get to, so I was keen on the Eleuthera option. Eleuthera is known as a DIY island. It’s a long island with lots and lots and lots of flats the self-guided angler can walk out on. Cattaraugus Creek would get on the phone with you before your trip and Google Earth you onto some promising spots. Their package includes lodging, meals and rental car with prices from $1,500 to $750 for a 7 day trip. Shorter stays are possible. I emailed with Vince at Cattaraugus and he was very willing to work with me on a shorter trip and gave good advice.

I was ready to hit the “go” button but the airfare sitch has tanked that particular effort. I’m using frequent flier miles and it did not seem that there was a way to get to Eleuthera with my Alaska Airline miles (they have relationships with lots of carriers, like Denta and Continental). In looked like I was going to have to burn a day in Nassau either coming or going and maybe both. That cuts too much into on-the-flats time. I need to be fishing the day after I depart and I need to be home the same day I start my return. Why it costs $350 to get from Miami to Eleuthera I have no idea.

Oh Grand Bahama, I think I’m coming back!

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22
Sep 09

Be your own bonefish boss – Hanks Place

You too can own a bonefish lodge or something that approximates a lodge at any rate. Franks Place on Andros is up for sale. If you want to go in as partners, I have about $500-600 I can spare, all you’d need to come up with is the other $748,500. Wadyasay? Deal?

Restaurant, Bar, a few flats-ish boats, 4 guest rooms and 900 whole square feet of living space for us, the owners (I call the top bunk).

OK, let’s make it happen!

Hanks Place

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