Go to the site… check this out. Simply fantastic.
This River is Wild is a very, very fishy blog with a strong bonefish showing.
I know I usually give you more in these posts, but in this case, just go to the site and check it out… it stands on its own.
Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com
It was always going to be a long day of travel to get from South Andros back to San Jose, CA in a day. If I was an East Coaster, it would have been easier. It took four flights, one airport sprint session and the slowest van ride ever (he drove 50 in a 65) to make it back… but I made it, about 11:30 PM (also known as 2:30 AM on Andros Time).
My bag… not so much. It should get here later this morning so I can give my girl the shells I bought from the Shell Man.
While FIBFest is now very much over… the memories of the week will last a long, long time and the friendships I’ve made this past week will last even longer.
That said… it isn’t too bad being home either.
One reasons to be home.
It has been a great, great week here in South Andros. Today is the departure day… as you read this I am either in an airport or on a plane.
Here are a few things I learned this week…
– My casting is better than I give myself credit for… someone even said there is a “grace” about my casting. That was a surprise.
– Given the right combination of factors, I can still trout set like a mo-fo.
– I really like fishing for cudas… even if that means trolling.
– A head lamp is a MUST HAVE on my next trip.
– My core belief that “modern gear is all pretty good” is being a little shaken.
– I may have a good business idea.
– Night fishing is full of danger and possibility.
– My flies worked.
– I need to find some sun gloves that I actually want to wear.
– The guides who were supposed to be “tough” weren’t. They were honest and it didn’t bother me in the slightest.
– A guide who sings and laughs may be the most fun to fish with.
– I really, really want to come back here.
(photo credit Tom Larimer)
I fished today with the infamous Michael Gracie. I got back to the lodge and went fishing. Then, I went night fishing for tarpon (seen, but not caught).
I’m soaking it all up… I’m sham wowing the experience.
For the big sliver of the fishing I was with MG and guide Ellie. We went to Grassy Creek on the South End and, for the most part, we were out of the boat, on foot. We fished for science today, collecting fin clips for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.
The fishing was a little slow, but we had a good time. Gracie is a fun fishing partner and he tried to calm my frustrations after I broke off a very nice fish on the last cast of the day. That was 16 pound tippet… first fish I broke off all day.
We had lots of sharks around today… all Lemons and some very interested in us. After clipping one bonefish fin I wiped my hands on my pants and then a little three foot lemon showed up and began circling me. Got to about 2 feet away and I was about to hit it on the nose the the butt of my fly rod, but it then noticed I wasn’t a bonefish and took off.
The last shot of the day was back on the boat with Ellie on the platform. He poled us up this little side channel and I wasn’t sure where he was going. Then, on the right, appeared a nice little flat and on the flat a school of nice fish coming right towards us. I made one, 50′ cast that was just about perfect. The fish ate, but coming toward me, it was hard to set the hook. I did, but found myself spread out and when the fish took off it just separated from the tippet. Fish gone and day over. Still… how Ellie knew just where to take us… that was a special moment… that was local knowledge. That move impressed me a lot. I should have landed that fish. My guess is it was a nice fish… maybe 7, maybe 8, probably not 9, but it was a really nice fish and Ellie… he knew where they were going to be. I love that.
Back at the Lodge I grabbed my rod and went to the jetty in search of the cuda I’ve been stalking for the past few days. He was there and the gurgler pulled him out of hiding and into the open, but he wouldn’t commit. Another shot gone.
When I got back to the lodge from my Cuda hunting I was informed there was a possibility of doing some night tarpon fishing. I jumped at the chance. So, fellow guest Robert and I met guide Sparkles and headed off in the dark to try and find tarpon. We found tarpon, but they wanted nothing to do with us. I managed to catch a Jack and also managed to fall into a hole in the sharp limestone bank of Deep Creek. Nice.
Basically, I’m sucking up every moment of Andros and bonefishing that I can. I am trying to go as hard as I can here because who knows when I’ll get back. I’m pushing it… maybe breaking a little around the edges, but I’m going full tilt and I’m going to run this bad boy right up onto the beach.
Now… the photos from the day…
Guide Ellie pointing out a fish while Gracie tries to remove a hook from his shirt. Priceless!
Gracie with a nice bonefish
One of my bones from today.
An MG bone
Fishing... for SCIENCE! Fin Clips.
Throwing a lot of line withe the Redington in search of Cudas.
Night time fishing Jack. The flies outfished the chum!
I fished with Tom Larimer today and Josie for a guide here in South Andros with Deneki Outdoors. Tom is a steelhead guy, fishing the Deschutes (among other places). We had a good time, even if the weather didn’t cooperate for most of the day.
We started off on fire… four fish to hand fairly quickly. The day was full of promise.
Then… the wind came up, the clouds rolled in and the lights went out.
We didn’t catch another fish and we only saw a few (although one was a pig).
Still… a good time was had.
Tom tied up this fly last night… he called it the “Bahamian Condom” because it is made mostly of rubber. The first two fish to see it crushed it.
After we got back I went out and tried again to catch a Cuda. The second cast I had a nice, 3 footer smash the fly… but it didn’t bite the pointy part… so… I’ll try again tomorrow.
It isn’t every day you get to go fish and have a kick ass photographer along for the trip who is going to do nothing more than take pictures.
That was my day.
So… instead of cluttering up things with my words, I’m going to let Cameron’s pictures give you a sense of the day.
Norman picking out the fly... only fly we used all day.
Ready for action
The magic fly for the day.
A tagged bonefish... nice.
Fish on.
Tagging the fish.
Casting
Joy
Today… it was a tougher weather day, but still had two perfect moments. I was paired up with guide Josie and Andros South (and Deneki Outdoors) owner, Andrew Bennett. So, I knew I was going to have to reduce the number of botched jobs today.
Andrew Bennet, hooked up.
We went down south, which turns out is a very, very bumpy ride. It is totally worth it though.
When we got where Josie wanted to go we set up. Andrew gave me the bow first and I stepped up. Soon Josie called out “Bonefish, 11 O’Clock, 60 feet” and I got to work. Oddly, I delivered on the very first cast of the day. 60′. Right in front of the fish. It ate on the first strip. I didn’t get a picture of that fish but it was a nice 2-3 pound fish or so. Andrew was then up and so were the clouds.
Clouds… I know we kind of need them, but I wish there were fewer of them around… really. They turned the lights out on the flats for large periods of time today, which was kind of a bummer.
We reeled in and headed off to find better fishing grounds. After a short run we stopped to see if we could see any more fish. A school happened to be about 100′ off the boat. Now… this was not a little school of fish. Josie estimated it was about 10,000 fish. TEN THOUSAND BONEFISH!
Yeah… I love this place.
I got out and started wading with just my bare feet. White sand bottom, 10K bones in front of me… this does not suck. I caught up to the school and cast into it and quickly caught a little 2 pounder. I managed to pull it out of the school so it didn’t spook the rest of the fish.
I cast right back into that school and pulled out a nicer fish. It had me in my backing a couple of times and was just beautiful.
photo credit – Andrew Bennett
The first fish and the big school… two perfect moments.
I didn’t catch a lot today, but I experienced a really beautiful place and I got to fish with Andrew, something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. A good, solid time was had by all and now… now I’m going to the Slack Tide… yeah… I know… I suck.
I kind of love this place.
PS – I have fished my new Rise 8 wt. for the past two days, with shark fishing taken over by the Redington 10 wt.. I am liking what I’m seeing from both.
The race to get ready for Andros turned out to be a bit of a sprint. I was waiting on three packages that ended up all coming on Thursday (I left on Friday). One of those packages had gear from Redington… two rods, a 7 and a 10, and two reels. When they arrived I could finally really get serious about what I was bringing with me. So… here’s my quiver for Andros.
Main Bonefish Rod – Rise Level 9′ 8 wt. ($250)
Fun Bonefish Rod – Redington CPX 9’6″ 7 wt ($330)
Barracuda/Tarpon/Other Rod – Redington RS4 9′ 10 wt. ($220)
So, all told, $800 of rods along.
When I went to Belize in November I had three rods along, but the combined value was closer to $2,200 (two Sage Xi3’s and an Orvis Helios). So, I’m taking a different approach on this trip.
The two Redington rods are loaners and the Rise is a rod I own, but didn’t pay for (to fully disclose all that should be disclosed).
I’ve only cased the Rise rod once on grass and the Redington rods are totally virgin. In fact, I didn’t realize that the 7 wt. was a 9’6″er until a few minutes ago. Longer is usually not encouraged for bones due to windy conditions, but I caught my first bonefish on a 9’6″ St. Croix 7 wt., so, this is like coming home a bit.
I thought about bringing a 9 along, but in the end I figured three rods was probably good and I was pretty close to the recommendations made by Deneki for South Andros fishing.
As you read this, I’ll probably be in the air or waiting for flights on my way to FIBFest. By the time the day ends I will have a Kalik in hand and I’ll be on Androsian soil.
Today I get on a plane to start my journey to Andros Island. SFO to LAX then to Miami then to Nassau and then to Congo Town, South Andros. The trip will span two days, but will be close to 16 or 18 hours from the time I leave SFO to the time I touch Androsian soil.
A lot of time has been spent thinking about this trip, tying for this trip, writing about this trip… and here it is… finally. Departure Day.
Recently, I saw this story about a trip the Troutfitter made to… ya, you guessed it… Andros South (that’s where I’m going, if you haven’t been following long).
From the story…
“You’re down there fishing in sunny weather, wading in knee-deep water that’s 72 degrees. Meanwhile, there’s 2 to 3 feet of snow back home. You can’t do better than that,” he said.
via Central New York anglers enjoy their Bahamian bonefishing adventure | syracuse.com.
I’ll be trying to give updates daily. They have the internets down there, I’m told. I can’t wait to meet the other FIBFest folks, throw a Kalik or two back and then throw a fair bit of line.
Is there anything better?
Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com
As I’m getting ready to head to Andros the This River is Wild blog has been spewing bonefishery as of late. Basically… he had a really nice DIY trip somewhere in the Caribbean. I don’t know where… maybe you do… if so, I’d keep it to myself (and then plan a trip there).
This was, easily, the best fishing I’ve ever experienced to date. In those two full days on the flats, I saw not another soul.
The This River is Wild bonefishology is broken down in three parts over the three days of his trip… Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Read them. Read them all.
Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com
