Abaco Bones
AS FEATURED IN THE FALL ISSUE OF SOUTH FLORIDA SPORT FISHING MAGAZINE by Jan Maizler
As I was wading in crystal-clear water about six inches deep, my guide Ricardo Burrows, suddenly whispered, “stop” and pointed to a disturbance on the flat about a hundred yards down tide. “Be still and quiet, they’re coming our way.” By the time “they” got within a hundred feet of us, I beheld something I’d never seen before: a school of tailing bonefish so immense they could have covered an entire tennis court. The multitude of flashing tails simply mesmerized me. I could literally feel my heart pounding out of my chest with excitement.Ricardo coached me. “Make your presentation well in front of the pack and when they close in start your retrieve with gentle bumps”. I did just that — and the hookup was instantaneous. The silvery tennis court exploded into a white froth as hundreds of bonefish spooked in all directions. After a crisp, yet exciting battle, we released a healthy five lb. bone back into the shallow water to resume his cautious, grazing life.
This was typical Abacos bonefishing. From Key Biscayne to Key West, south Florida flats anglers are accustomed to pursuing Florida’s gray ghost by poling after them in specially designed shallow draft skiffs. Florida bonefish are often seen mudding, cruising and tailing and usually run in size from 4 to 14 lbs. Targeting bones in the Bahamas is slightly different in a number of ways and Florida anglers should be aware of what to expect when heading over. I happen to have been fishing off Sandy Point in Abaco Island, which is fairly typical of Bahamas bonefishing on the “outside flats”.
Here are a few pointers that will hopefully help you in your pursuit of Bahamas bonefish.Pointers for Bahamas BonefishGenerally, Bahamian bones range in size from 2 - 5 lbs., although there are larger fish present on the islands that front oceanic depths. As a rule, plan to scale down your tackle, and go a bit lighter here. 6 lb. spinning outfits, and six-weight fly rods will provide excellent battles and more enjoyment with these abundant smaller fish.The size of bonefish schools here can range into the hundreds of fish, something south Florida anglers don’t commonly see. These huge schools are often encountered tailing or mudding during lower tidal stages. If you catch the right season, you might find bonefish spawning on the surface in the thousands! In Abaco, the guides call this “dancing”. In Eleuthera, they call it “bibbling.” Whatever name it’s called, these massive groups of bonefish provide new meaning to the word “action”.Bahamas bonefish will head deep into any available mangrove “forests” to feed during the rising tide. Therefore, a falling tide is often better in these kinds of areas, as the fish will be coming heading back out of the roots to continue their search for crustaceans. It’s common to see mudding schools of bonefish working the deeper drop-offs adjacent to the flats and inevitably, these fish will be accompanied by marauding blacktip sharks.What makes Bahamian bonefish muds so different than typical keys muds, is their size, which can often cover an entire acre. Although you may not see individual fish to cast to, fish these muds for a while and you will probably be surprised with some quick, delightful action.
Any kind of light tackle setup will work quite well here.The ultra shallow flats in the Bahamas can run for immense distances, unlike the typical sloping flats of the Keys. This means you can often leave your boat anchored on the edge and wade the sandy shallows for miles. Wading the flats for bonefish is extrememly common in the Bahamas. Although, if you do plan on leaving your boat for long periods of time, remember to take your water bottle. There is an abundance of bonus fish on the Bahamian flats as well. If you like, you can rig up a short wire trace and cast to countless barracuda and sharks as the tide rises on the outside flats. You may also get a shot at a permit during the higher tidal phases or along the channel edges.
The day before my charter with Ricardo Burrows, I waded out to the channel in front of Rickmon’s Lodge to play for a while. With my 12 lb. plug rod and a 1/2 oz. white bucktail, my second presentation was smashed in the channel depths. After a fifteen minute see-saw fight, I bested a 12 lb. mutton snapper. This gave the lodge cook, Mari, great delight!
Planning a trip to the Bahamas FlatsGenerally, it’s better to use an outfitter or travel agent to book your trip. Remember, they obligate themselves to your trip, and are extremely concerned about your having a great experience. Firms like Angling Destinations (Scott or Brad at 1-800-211-8530 ) specialize in representing your interests with the myriad numbers of Bahama bonefish clubs. They choose to deal with only the lodges that show the best performance, like Rickmons Lodge in Sandy Point.Plan on bringing ALL the possible tackle you’ll need (rods, reels, line, lures, etc.). Bahamas bonefish lodges and/or individual guides generally carry little, if any tackle. If flying, back up your tackle with your carry-on luggage, in case your rod tubes or other luggage is lost or damaged in transit. Better safe than sorry should be your watchwords.Bring everything you can imagine you might need. Photo documented ID’s like drivers license and passport are the optimal rule. Think about taking all your necessary medications, including first aid items. Be sure to include these in your carry-on if flying.Be flexible. Life in the Bahamas moves at a more relaxed pace, and Bahamians live their life this way. Sometimes your flight inquiry might be met with a smiling shrug, surely not the American way! However, you are encountering a way of life where things do get done satisfactorily, maybe not at your accustomed pace, but perhaps at a healthier, wiser one.As the sun set on an excellent day of bonefishing, Ricardo and I waded back to his skiff. As I turned backwards to sit up on his gunnel, I noticed a bonefish tail pop up fifty feet away. It slowly waved back and forth, beckoning, as if to say, “try to get me tomorrow — I’ll be waiting.
”Flies for Bonefish-Clouser Minnow #4, #6, in tan-white, chartreuse-white-Crazy Charlie #4, #6 in tan, white or pink-Mini-Puff #4, #6 in pink, orange or tan-Bonefish Special #4, #6-Gotcha #4, #6-Blind Gotcha #4, #6Flies for Permit-Del’s Merkin Crab #1, #2-The McCrab #1, #2Artificial LuresPhillips Wiggle Jigs (in tan, white or pink)Size 1/0 hooksGreen tube lures for barracuda5-inch Yozuri or Rapala plugs for barracuda1/4 to 1/2 oz. white and mylar bucktailsOther Important Fishing GearPolarized sunglasses with side shields in amber or brownLeatherman tool/knifeLine nipperHemostat/pliersChest pack/ Fanny pack with water bottleHook fileLine cleaner/dressingReel LubeBic LighterSpinning gear — 7-8 foot rod with 6 or 8 lb. lineBonefish flyrod — 9-10 foot rod; 8-wt. linePermit flyrod — 9-10 foot rod; 9-wt. line
Hot Locations aroundSandy Point, AbacoThe flats around Sandy Point abound with bonefish. If you follow the road to Rickmons Lodge, you can see a large sandbar exposed to your right as you gaze northward. On either side of the low tide, the bonefish that gather here only a hundred yards from the lodge, can number in the hundreds. As the tide gets higher, focus on the island 100 yards northeast of the sandbar, as the bonefish feed right into the black mangroves, along with loads of blacktip sharks. An excellent foul-weather hotspot is the mangroves past the boatyard to the right of the lodge. Here the bonefish spill out of the mangroves as the tide drops. Good luck, and have a great trip.
Website: http://www.flatsfishingonline.com/
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