 Bahamas: Bimini Bonefish, I Finally Gotcha!
Posted by pete on January 30, 2005
(5887 reads)
Prior to this trip, I had come to believe I would never catch a bonefish. I had been shut out twice in the Keys and once in the Cayman Islands.
I had an opportunity last week to go to Bimini and stay at the Bimini Big Game Club. Through the club I booked a guide named Bonefish Tommy.
Tommy took me out to Blackwoods flat, told me to tie on a pink Gotcha, and immediately poled us within casting range of a school of 50 bones.
My first cast, I didn't see the follow. Strip strip--STRIKE--and I flubbed the hookset. No worries. Second cast, a lemon shark decided to check out the action--no takers. Third cast, strip strip--STRIKE! This time I set the hook and hung on. Two blistering runs later I finally had my first bone. A three-pounder but it might as well have been a 15.
I caught two more, a six-pounder and a five-pounder. I had on what Tommy called an eight-pounder, but with
about 150 yards of my backing out, a five-foot lemon shark decided he wanted to play, too. He barreled onto the flats and the ensuing chase in ten inches of water was nothing short of spectacular. I loosened my drag, and the bone wrapped around some coral, snapped me off, and escaped to deep water. We hope.
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Re: Bones In Bimini: I Gotcha!
by jeremy on January 31, 2005 http://www.fliesandfins.com | | Sweet story - so tell me more about the lemon shark - did he just appear outta nowhere? |
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Re: Bones In Bimini: I Gotcha!
by Pete on January 31, 2005 http://www.fishingjones.com | We actually saw quite a few sharks patroling the flats. Our guide categorized them as, "Finger sharks, hand sharks, and arm sharks," according to the size of appendage they could bite off.
This one, an "arm shark," did come out of nowhere from deeper water off the edge of the flat. The bone was into his run, and then the shark charged in and the bonefish cornered and the shark countermoved. The shark could turn on a dime and made huge splashes in the water, and the bone made a vee wake trying to get away. That's when I followed instructions and loosened the drag to allow the fish a chance to escape.
Our guide said the sharks can almost instantly pick up on the vibration the fish gives off when it is in distress. Even from far away. Pretty wild. |
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Re: Bones In Bimini: I Gotcha!
by bbhog on February 01, 2005 http://home.fuse.net/cbruce | Pete - sharks are the top of the food chain for sure, I had one heck of a time with a bull shark last summer. Looking forward to bonefishing this summer myself. I've seen and read your bloglines before - thanks for sharing.
cb |
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