First Time Bonefishing

Today we’ve got a guest post from a guy who loves bonefishing so much he’s got a blog about it.

Bjorn Stromsness writes Bonefish On The Brain – chock full of bonefish-related content from all around the world. If you like bonefish, you should check it out.

Let’s hear about Bjorn’s first time bonefishing!

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It was my first trip to the Bahamas and my first trip in a skiff. My father was waiting his turn, I was on the casting deck, line out and ready, fly in my hand trying to peer into the clear, Caribbean in search of bonefish. The guide on the poling platform suddenly called out “There, school of bones, sixty feet. Do you see them?” I didn’t. “Moving left the right,” he said again, “do you see them now?” I still didn’t. “Ray Charles could see that school, mon!” he said and with those words, the school of bones leapt from obscurity and I saw them… obvious now. I cast, the fish ate, the fish ran and I soon landed my first bonefish. The beauty of the setting, the speed and power of the fish, and the absolute comedy of the guide will never leave me. I’m hooked.

My dad’s two bonefish were the result of the combination of trout-sets and pure frustration. On both occasions the guide found fish for my dad, my dad cast, stripped, paused, stripped, felt the fish, raised his rod (something that has also cost him more than a couple BC Steelhead on skated dry flies) and, having missed the fish, waved his casting arm in a fit of mental anguish which cast the fly forward where it was immediately eaten by another bonefish. This happened TWICE!

That day I landed five bonefish, up to 7 ½ pounds. My dad landed two bonefish and a 12 pound Mutton Snapper (which may have made the guide’s year and certainly made his dinner). I had never experienced the Caribbean like that, I had never caught a bonefish and I had never been so infatuated in my life (except with my wife and child, just for the record and in case they see this).

Now, bonefish are all I can think about (except for my wife and child, for the same reasons stated above). I have been a trout and steelhead fisherman for most of my life and I still enjoy the mountain rivers and cool waters where they live, but this next chapter of my angling life will be about bonefish and the warm and tropical places they are found.