This morning, I went on another flat where big Bonefish cruise from time to time. The Weather was nice, very little wind but cloudy conditions. We are just coming out of the cyclonic season. I started walking along the flats in search of Bones and and Perm. The Permit are also on this flat, but typically in less numbers. I walked the flats forever with nothing to show except a little Hack, the one with the blue line on the back. I missed the bigger ones, chasing after school of little baitfish. I took at look at the open water and there was a huge school of Albacore chasing baitfish, but the Albacore were too far out of my range. So, I started walking back and reached the middle of the flat. That is when I spotted one Bonefish cruising. I cast, he took and I hung on. The fish put up a great fight and I released the 3 pound Bone. After that, I blind cast for awhile because of a big cloud moved over my head and made it difficult to sight fish. Guess what! A little octopus was playing with my fly. I took the tippet in my hand and started moving my fly and the octopus was still entertained by my fly. I had fun watching that clever octopus playing with the fly. Then I told myself to stop playing around, that’s fun to look at but it’s not what I am here for. I moved a few feet and cast to the deepest place on the flat where I have hooked Bonefish before while blind casting. I made the right decision The fly sank and I start to strip slowly, very slowly….then a huge stop and my line starts to pull really hard, and then it moves fast up on the shallow water of the flat. The huge bone starts to pass between the reef rocks everywhere and turns around each one I retrieve as fast as I can, loosen the drag so he does not break the line and I follow him as close as I can, unlocking the fly line or the backing as soon as I can from rocks. He is still on, great, he is now back on the flat where there are no rocks and I can work him without too much worry. He his so heavy and ripping line and my ZERO-G 9 WT has hard bend. He is close and I finally got him in my hands. It was a 10 minute battle. One minute for every pound he weighed. Yes! Victory! That what a massive 10 pound Bonefish! I took a few quick pictures, film and release. On the way back for home I was all smiles. Just like the smile of your best friend when he caught the big fish he was searching for. I had that smile and it still do. So, here’s a little movie of yesterday and today. Enjoy watching.
Water Friendly YoursAlexis
Great read and video. Congrats on a trophy fish!
Great morning wakeup video, gets the blood running!! One of those videos that make you want to just throw your gear in the truck and head for the closest airport. Congrats on those Bones!
Nice work Alexis…beautiful bonefish. Busting albacore in the the open water? I am so jealous. Get out there and get a few of those albies too!!!
Hi wippa, I’m waiting for my boat coming in December from Jacksonville, I’ll head to open water species like bonitos, false albacore, common dolphinfish and spanish mackerel so…I’m waiting…
Congrats on the big bonefish. Great underwater pics. You sure live in a beautiful place.
alexis … great fish and video .. a 10 pound bonefish!! save one for me … looking forward to more stories from the flats … i know there is a big permit out there with your name on it …
You’re right Jeremy, yesterday afternoon I was again on the flats and this was the perfect day to catch Permits, no wind, no coulds, calm sea so each permit on the flats and tailling I seen them (10 tailings), by the way I arrived on the flats to see that I forgot my permit/bonefish fly box, so I try with the two flies rest in my pack and nothing happen so… these one still spookyless ;-).
About the big bone I told him to come back If you come one day or another.
I’m glad you enjoy it so much, it make me the same when I see those steelheads and browns video, just want so much to fish these rivers…
Catching this kind of fish is a sickness, now I want to take his older bro’….still happy to caught pounderless ones, them just don’t run my blood has this one..
Well, I don’t know were you live, if its in a state of rivers with browns, cutthroats, steelheads or bull trouts, it’s also for me a beautiful place.