bonefishing | Bonefish on the Brain

Gear — 3 Comments
18
Jan 13

Tips from Deneki

How Andrew at Deneki keeps coming up with stuff to write is amazing. He does it every day, several times and about three different fisheries and multiple species.

This latest bit has three random tips for bonefishing.

One of those tips has to do with lens wipes. Certainly something to consider. I’ve carried a bag with a little TP in it to wipe lenses with and that doesn’t seem to do the job very well at times. I’ve tried a micro-cloth and once that gets a little wet (as sometimes happens), it is toast.

Andrew has a suggestion for a fix, but I’m curious how you all deal with cleaning your lenses while out on the flats.

Gotta keep ’em clean.

Gear — 4 Comments
17
Jan 13

Tailers at SWC

The guys over at Skinny Water Culture are killing it. Fantastic stuff.

[vimeo clip_id=”57340008″]

Locations — 1 Comment
12
Jan 13

A little DIY Meixco action

Because I’m lazy today… and I’m off to the Wine Train with the lovely wife.

(not excellent handling here)

All the other stuff — 6 Comments
11
Jan 13

No Expert

Fishing is good.

I was reflecting recently on the label I sometimes am given… that of “expert.” I’m not. I try to be pretty clear about that. I am just profoundly interested in the subject, which does not make me an expert anymore than being a die-hard fan of American Idol would make someone a singer. I thought I’d list the reasons why I’m not an expert, just so everyone is on the same page.

1. Any bonefishing guide knows 100x more than what I know. When you are on the water a lot, and I mean daily/weekly, you have an understanding of a species, a place, a mindset that cannot be replicated by those who are not there. I saw this even on my own rivers in Nor Cal. I only guided a single season on the trout streams of Northern California, but for that season I had the pulse of my rivers. I knew what was happening and what was about to happen. I had fish that I knew I could count on.

I don’t have the pulse of any flat. I don’t have a handle on the tides anywhere. I don’t know where the fish are going to be. Simple as that.

2. I’m not a FFF certified casting instructor. I have not won a shootout of any kind or even entered a distance casting competition. I have personally fished with several people who could out cast me pretty much any day of the week and twice on Sunday. My casting has improved a lot since I started chasing bonefish. A lot. I still have some rough edges.

3. I’m not an outfitter. I have heard about a lot of places and almost every single one of those places is a place I have not been myself. People ask me about flats in Abaco or Exuma or Honolulu or Placencia or wherever and every single one of those places I could find on a map and tell you there are fish there and the conversation would pretty much stop there. I have no experiences to share from those places because I have not fished them. I know of them. I do not know them.

There are a lot of experts out there. I know some of them and I look to learn from others. Every trip has something to teach, most anglers have something to share. That’s why I like this whole blog thing.

Flies — 1 Comment
06
Jan 13

Something new – Eyes-N-Tubes

In all likelihood it has all been done. When it comes to fly tying and especially for bonefish, it feels like every “new” pattern is mostly an old pattern with one new material thrown in and a name slapped on it for vanity.

I like to play around at the vice a bit and most of that experimenting doesn’t turn out so well. Other times I look at it and thing “hmmm…. that might work.”

Looking good.

I recently had a bunch of Eyes-n-tubes sent to me to play around with and they certainly do give a different look to my flies.

They look unweighted, but actually do have weight and they slide right on the hook, then to be anchored down. The eyes are on stalks which get them away from the body of the fly. Always funny looking to tie up a Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp and have the EP eyes right next to each other, no matter how I try to get them to separate. This solves that particular problem very well.

The more I tie with these new eyes the better I’m figuring out how to use them and I have to say… the flies are looking good and they have a very “new” look to them, almost like they are something new.

They are worth a look.

Tactics — No Comments
04
Jan 13

Things Bonefish Hate

Great post over at Deneki about things that bonefish hate… like noise.

There certainly are things you can do to minimize your chances of hooking up and maximizing your chances of witnessing how fast an unencumbered bonefish can race off the flat you are fishing.

The sound thing is interesting because it is certainly very, very true right up to the point where it isn’t.

You slam the cooler lid? That sucks… that is going to scare the fish away pretty well. That’s been documented well.

On the other hand, I was out fishing with a guy who has caught more permit than I’m likely to even catch bonefish and he was blaring his tunes right there on the boat on the flat while we searched for fish. We found fish. We caught fish. All the while there were tunes being cranked out.

Certainly that IS noise and not the natural kind and not the kind a bonefish, you’d think, would be totally down with.

Check out the post at Deneki and comment there to add to the list of things bonefish hate. If you have a comment on the whole music blaring, I’d love to hear about it here.

Photo by Matt Hansen.

All the other stuff / Locations — 3 Comments
28
Dec 12

Obligitory – A look back at 2012

I was reminded by Troutrageous that it was time for me to look back at 2012.

What a year, eh? I had highlights in my personal and fishing lives. It will be a hard year to surpass, really. So many wonderful things happened. I can’t help but feel like a very lucky guy.

Here is what 2012 held for me.

I welcomed 2012 in at the Yaak Tavern in MT where I had the very strong suspicion I had met my future wife.

I got a chance to go to Cuba with Jim Klug and a bunch of writers. Amazing experience that included my magazine worthy Tarpon shot.

Photo by Jim Klug, Tarpon by Cuba

My divorce got finalized.

I got engaged.

I discovered the joys of pier fishing with my girl who loves sharks and loves being my fishing buddy.

The girl and her shark.

I got married.

A good day.

The honeymoon brought me back to El Pescador in Belize.

renee and bjorn El Pescador
I got two saltwater trips in, which for me, being fully employed and having split custody of a 5 year old, is a pretty good trick. Cuba and Belize are kind of choice locations and I feel very fortunate to have been able to visit both in 2012.

It has been a very, very good year. I’m looking forward to what 2013 will bring.

I have one trip lined up already. This is to Grand Bahama for Spring Break. It will be my intro to the Bahamas for my little girl and my new wife. I’m thinking this could be a good thing.

All the best to you in 2013 and thanks for reading and taking part in the blog.

Locations — 2 Comments
27
Dec 12

SWC Pace Setting – Bahamas

See, this is why I put the Skinny Water Culture Blog in the Top of the Heap category. These guys are simply crushing it. They have found a core of solid guys (a couple of whom I know a little bit, which is fun) and they are giving them pretty much free reign to post up about what they are doing… and what they are doing is catching fish and living the lifestyle that SWC was born to represent.

Damn fine work.

Chris Lewis in the Bahamas…

Two days ago I stood knee deep on one of the prettiest flats I have ever seen. The flat had little patches of grass, coral and the sand was pristine. The only person in sight was my wife who was laying on the beach a few hundred yards away.

Chris, rocking the Bahamas

Chris loves the Bahamas. That’s understandable. I do too and I can’t wait for my next Bahamian adventure.

Gear — No Comments
24
Dec 12

Just a blowing (off) in the wind

Ever lost your had on a boat ride out to a flat?

I have. Kind of humiliating and funny at the same time.

Deneki had a funny post about this very subject.

If you’re running in a boat and your hat gets blown off, upon retrieval of said hat, you need to scoop water with it and put it immediately back on your head. This is your penalty for not keeping track of your hat.

I think this blew off once in Andros, actually.

Locations — No Comments
23
Dec 12

Fly Fishing Guanaja

I approve.

[vimeo clip_id=”55145962″]

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

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