Ed Mitchell Outdoors

Part 5,    Rods, Lines & Leaders

The Long Island Bonefishing Lodge recommends rods from 7 to 9-weight.  I found a

A Deadman’s Cay Bonefish

7-weight fly rod to be a great tool, and frankly next time I’ll bring a 6-weight.

Why light fly rods? As long as the wind isn’t howling, a saltwater 6 or 7-weight fly rod has no problem accurately delivering a size 6 or 8 fly. Second, these lighter fly lines make a much gentler presentation. A major plus. And third, given the size of the average bonefish on Deadman’s, these lighter rods are a hoot.

I used Rio Floating Bonefish lines; at no time did I feel the need for an intermediate fly line. My leaders were 12 footers made from Rio Saltwater Hard Mono (a royal pain to knot). They straightened out nicely, even in the wind, which helped with accuracy. My tippet was 32 inches of 1x Seaguar Grand Max Fluorocarbon (awful expensive). At a thin .012″ it tests out at a whopping 18.5 lbs, and worked well.  Was that pricy stuff totally necessary? No, 10 or 12 pound mono will likely suffice.

Another Deadman’s Cay Bone

Bonefish are called the “ghost” of the flats for a good reason, but here at Deadman’s Cay they are not that hard to spot, because of the light bottoms and transparent shallow water. Check out the released bone in the next picture. I caught it in water barely covering its back. In following picture you see the difference over a darker bottom.

A Deadman’s Cay Bonefish over a white bottom

A Deadman’s Cay Bone over a darker bottom

In Part 6, I’ll tell you a few more things about Deadman’s Cay

Part 4,    Flies for Deadman’s Cay

Ok, time to talk flies! But before we dive in, I have a thought for you. While I’m far from the most experienced bonefisherman, I feel confident in saying this: on the flats “presentation” is king, fly pattern is queen.  That doesn’t mean fly patterns are unimportant, only that your ability to deliver a fly accurately, softly,  and on time, is far more important. Enough said.

My Fly Box

The Long Island Bonefishing Lodge suggests several fly patterns (Gotchas, Charlies, Puffs…etc.) in sizes 4,6,8 – of varying colors and weights. Fair enough, but let me refine that for you.

On the flats of Deadman’s Cay, our fishing was done in 5-15 inches of water. Skinny, skinny water. Consequently, any fly that landed with a “plop” immediately spooked fish.  Instantly! So small, lightly weighted (or unweighted) flies ruled.  Sizes 6 and 8 flies with bead-chain, or key-chain, eyes are as heavy as you want to go. Lead-eye flies were verboten. They may work wonders on the ocean-side flats, or farther north, but not here. (Weighted or unweighted, be sure you’re flies ride hook up. I’ll tell you why at the end of this post.)

Because the bottoms are mainly light-colored, light-colored flies did yoke-man’s duty – white, pearl, pink, tan…etc. But don’t be afraid to add a splash of color. It helps catch the “bone’s” attention. As you can see in my fly box above, I like some yellow, purple, pink, orange, or red in my flies.  And I also like colorful rubber legs. They’re helpful too. (Check occasionally that they haven’t fouled around the hook.)

Size 8 Gotcha-type & a Size 6 Puff

Here’s two flies that worked for me. A size 6, Puff and a size 8 Gotcha-type fly. By the way, you can find well-tied bonefish patterns, at excellent prices, over at Discount Flies.com

Let me mention one final point ( no pun intended). Be sure your flies ride hook up. Why? Two reasons. Obviously a hook that rides up is a help when fishing over a turtle grass bottom. Second, and more importantly, a bonefish’s mouth is oddly shaped. It points downward, and the upper jaw is noticeably longer than the bottom jaw. A hook riding point up is far more likely to find a secure hold.

Part 5, will  cover rods, leaders & lines