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Conservation — 6 Comments
13
Feb 11

Flatswalker and Catch and Release

Flatswalker muses on C&R.  Truth seems to be that most folks aren’t doing it right.  Look around the web and see the number of grip and grin photos.  I have some from my first trip before I knew any better and now I try really hard to make sure the fish I catch have a fighting chance.

For the longest time I’ve lauded fly fishing for it’s low-impact on the species we chase in our silly little obsession. On the face of it there’s something to such a notion: fly fishing is often catch-and-release, the mechanics of it usually prevent gut-hooking fish, and (frankly) we often catch far less fish than other techniques, which limits the impact further.

Read the Flatswalker story here Flatswalker.

Um… you are doing it wrong…

Before I knew better

You are doing it right…

Good on ya.

What info do you need?  Bonefish & Tarpon Trust has it all.  Check out their C&R page.

Fish Tails / Locations — 1 Comment
12
Feb 11

Fly Fish Chick – Seeing is Beliezing

All sight casting, tails tails tails tails. Thousands and gazillions of bonefish tails. Saw a massive snook, no shot. Spooky spooky spooky bones. Shallow water. Damn wind. But managed to catch 3 on first day, 8 on the second day. Loved it.

via Fly Fish Chick » Blog Archive » Don’t Stop Beliezing.

The Fly Fish Chick went to Belize (hey, I’ve been there!) and fish were caught. She has a slide show on her site.  Get ye there and commence viewing.

Conservation / Locations — 3 Comments
11
Feb 11

The Freeport News – Gill nets concern West End fishermen

If it isn’t guides getting fired, it is gill nets wiping out fish populations… Grand Bahama seems to have a number of things working against it these days.  Thomas Rolle is quoted below.

“I know that one time ago there were maybe one or two guys netting but now it’s out of control now. We have about 15, 16 or 17 boats – they’re netting the same areas every day and we’re in trouble now but before long there isn’t going to be anything there,” he lamented.

via The Freeport News – Gill nets concern West End fishermen.

Nets are bad for bonefish, and, oddly enough, bad for fisherman since they wipe out damn near everything they come into contact with.

All the other stuff / Gear — 2 Comments
05
Feb 11

Things

OK… things…

Looks like things are maybe not so bleak in Aitutaki and I hope that is the conclusion I’ll have when things are all rolled out…

Bjorn hi

There are detailed criteria, weightings and conditions outlined in the regulations. Much of the vetting and decision making will be the responsibility of the bonefish management committee, including what limits to put on the number of guides (the number recommended was 5). Obviously the regulations  weren’t designed to fit around individuals or the bonefish association but if applied properly it can lead to a fair and sustainable industry for the guides.

The core requirements for guides are (1) CI Boat Master Certificate, (2) Red Cross First Aid Certificate and (3) CI Tourism Accreditation. MMR has funded all these courses and others e.g. guide fishing training and small business management, although just 2 persons have completed the requirements so far.

Regards, Ben

There remain some questions about who exactly is on the committee and how they get there… but, this is a start.

—

Another thing… I like art… at least when it comes to fishing/fish art.  I’m still wondering how I feel about Bonefish Gyotaku for which, I think, the bonefish likely gave its life.  You can buy this on Etsy.

Bonefish as art

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Another thing… speaking of fishing art… there is a new member to my little family… a Lamson Lightspeed 4… destined to tangle with cuda’s and I hope some tarpon, Dorado and other beeg fish swimming out in the ocean.

Isn't she beautiful? Pretty girl.

I’ve never caught a big cuda.  I hope to change that in March down at Andros South and that is the reel I’ll have on… well… a rod to be named later.

All the other stuff — No Comments
03
Feb 11

Life is good – A photo-journey through the world of bonefishing – Global FlyFisher

I like pictures… I like bonefish… I like the Caribbean.  So… it stands to reason that I LOVE pictures of bonefish in the Caribbean.  I found this “A photo-journey through the world of bonefishing.”  Yeah.  I like it.

The flats create an amazing and fascinating world. These areas of seemingly endless shallow water, which are still so abundant with food for the bonefish.

via Life is good – A photo-journey through the world of bonefishing – Global FlyFisher.

Fish Tails — 9 Comments
02
Feb 11

Going to Andros

Yeah… I’m not ready for Hollywood, but these little videos are fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6o6vd2bbmY?fs=1&hl=en_US

Conservation / Locations — No Comments
11
Dec 10

Buccaneers and Bones – the Trailer

The follow up to Pirates of the Flats, Buccaneers and Bones moves channels and locations and looks to be every bit as interesting.  One of the sites this year is… you guessed it, El Pescador Lodge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agNKykgJFpM?fs=1&hl=en_US

The new show starts DECEMBER 26!  Set your DVR!

Locations — No Comments
25
Apr 10

Surf Perch Day

I’m a fan of global warming in one sense and wish it would hurry on up so that our waters off of Santa Cruz might be in the 70’s and I could catch bonefish an hour’s drive away.  Alas, that’s not the reality I’m living in and I’m told such a change would take thousands of years… so, I have my car running right now, in the driveway and I’m eating only beans in the hopes that the  added CO2 and methane will speed things.

Until then, and also until I hit the lottery, I won’t be bonefishing this weekend, but will, instead, be taking my 8 wt. to the coast near Santa Cruz in the hopes of a) not dying, and b) getting a surf perch on the fly.

Should be interesting and terrifying.  The idea of 4 foot swells, while standing thigh deep… well… I’ve done the math and it doesn’t seem favorable (although I never was really good at math).

Oh... great. I wish I was in South Andros.

Conservation — No Comments
27
Feb 10

Pleasanton Fly Show, Day 1

These shows can be a lot of fun, minus the last hour, which drags on like a 6 hour bit of political theater about health care.

I got up early this morning (this post will show up on Saturday, but I’m writing it on Friday, cause that’s how I roll) at 0-dark-thirty and drove down to Pleasanton for the Fly Fishing Show.  Upon opening the crate that housed the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust display, it occurred to me I should have tried it out at home first.  Luckily, I got some help from a ladies fly fishing club I was next to.  Twenty minutes later and I was sorted.

As the throngs of mostly older men passed by (it was a Friday, a perfect time for men of a certain age to browse the show) I heard lots of interesting bonefish stories.

The one place that was mentioned time and time again was Christmas Island.  Tomorrow I have a buddy coming in who will be fresh off the plane from Xmas… can’t wait to hear about it.

Had some good conversations about bonefish, conservation, catch & release fishing and other assorted bits of goodness.

Support Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

Other Stuff:

Fish Tails — No Comments
26
Feb 10

Well Spotted, Fishing Jones…

Today, via Twitter, Fishing Jones spotted a story on Flies and Fins about a little bonefish action.

I stopped breathing as, “Tap” was felt. I drew the line tight for a millisecond, afterwards line ripping began through my hands. The world came back to me as I realized that I was connected to a bonefish.

Flies and Fins goodness

Check out the story.  Good stuff.

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