10
Oct 09

Deneki on filling your pack

What to bring with you on that day on the flats… it is an eternal question (not really, but that makes it sound grandiose).   Deneki Outdoors has some thoughts on this question and they put together a list here.

One thing I’d add to this list is a pair of ceramic nippers.  The nippers you have on your trout vest/pack are likely going to rust with amazing speed.  Ceramic and plastic, as of this writing, do not rust,  and so are a good thing to have along.

Orvis makes these… don’t think anyone else does (not sure if they still do).


02
Oct 09

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 Outdoorslodge 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.


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!


23
Sep 09

Set!

So, Deneki Outdoors just puts out lots and lots and lots of solid blog posts on bonefishy subjects.  One of their latest is on setting the hook.

Last December, as I was out in Grand Bahama with a guide and my dad, the guide asked if I fished a lot in the States… specifically, if I did a lot of trout fishing.  “Yes” I told him, I did.  I was so pleased he could tell I was a serious angler.  He then proceeded to tell me that the “trout set” I had was rubbish and I wasn’t going to hook many bonefish if I kept that up.  “Oh… he means I’m sucking right now” was my next thought.  The “Strip Set” is key and that’s the topic before us over at Deneki Outdoors.

This isn’t the best little vid of the strip set or strip strike, but… it’s what I found.

Equally important as learning how to set the hook, is for your guide to learn how to pole the boat.  There is some crude language in this one… understandably.

Hee hee… see, it’s funny because it isn’t me.  Also, tragedy + time = comedy.


10
Sep 09

Olsen Twin Water Bones

That’s to say… really skinny.  Just how skinny are we talking here?  Well, you know how they say your child can drown in just inches of water?  Well, bonefish can swim in that same amount of water, as it turns out. Deneki Outdoors has some really cool pics on their blog with pics of bones in tiny, little, itsy-bitsy water.  Check it out.

Just air drying a dorsal.


31
Aug 09

Deneki Drops Knowledge on… Everything

As I started this blog about a week ago, one thing became very clear… Deneki Outdoors puts out some great info.  From rods to reels to tips on wading, they just keep giving good info.

Here is a primer on… on everything bonefish related.

Deep Deneki Knowledge.

It seems that the bonefish game is primarily dominated by destination resorts and guides.  The DIY seems to make up a smaller percentage than, say, for trout.  Seems bones that get fished over get really picky, so folks are less free about the where and the what than with the more trouty fishing pursuits.  That’s another reason I’ve liked Deneki’s blog… there is a lot there for folks looking to get better… to grow as an bonefishing angler.


25
Aug 09

Deneki Outdoors Drops Knowledge on Reels

Man, Deneki puts out some really useful blog posts about gear/tactics and the like.  This time they tackle reels.  They put down the 5 things you should look for in a bonefishing reel… an expensive pricetag is not on the list of things one must have… although there certainly are expensive reels that fit the bill.  By all accounts, the reel is where you should drop more coin than anywhere else, since your 8 pound bone could cause your cheap reel to explode.

Check out Deneki Outdoors’ reel missives.


21
Aug 09

Tips on wading for Bones

A little tutorial about wading for bones from Deneki Outdoors.  Deneki… well, I had not heard of them until recently, but their blog is just full of really useful tid-bits.  If I were you, I’d bookmark their page.  Knowledge streams from their… um… fingers??, like… ya know… things that stream.