Phill's Eco Fishing Photos

Place in the sun......

2/22/2007 9:48:32 AM

Phil’s next suggestion had me calmed down and raring to go again – “lets see if we can get a bonefish”. Back in the pick-up we travelled to the South of the Island. A natural sand, grass and coral flat has formed here between the offshore reef and the sandy dunes of the bay. I was soon tackled-up and ready to go. I had changed the 17lb tapered leader for one of 10lb and had attached a small (#6) silvery shrimp fly. We waded out on the east side of the flats with the wind at our back and we could see a number of ‘boners’ to the west and to the south (just in the 6 inch surf that broke over the reef). The fish to the south were generally small and in groups of 3 or 4 so we decided to tackle the larger fish to the west. The main reason for this was that the ‘surf’ area was very rocky and dense with grass therefore presentation of delicate bonefish flies would be relatively difficult (especially with the wind). As we approached the west side of the flat I had my first opportunity to cast at a bonefish. There were a group (shoal?) of 3 and I dropped my cast just in front of them – a little too short_. I started to retrieve to have another cast when a small ‘boner’ appeared from nowhere and took my fly – it took me by total surprise and the fish was off the hook before I really knew what had happened. The hooked fish and my ‘involuntary’ (!) actions obviously spooked the other bones and I had to wait a while before my next chance.