One evening last month at Andros South, the conversation at the tiki bar turned to…you’ll never guess… bonefishing.
Our guide Torrie Bevans had swung by to chat, and a couple of anglers asked his thoughts on how to increase your chances with very big bonefish. Torrie had a pretty interesting observation about ‘leading’ bigger fish.
Now as folks who have done some flats fishing know, a bunch of variables factor in to how far you should lead a fish. The speed of the fish (lead more if he’s moving fast), the amount of wind (lead more on calm days), and the weight of your fly (lead more with a heavier fly) are all important factors.
Having already adjusted for those factors, though, Torrie’s point was that you should land your fly closer to bigger bonefish. It seems a little counter-intuitive maybe (big fish could be spookier, right?) – but his explanation makes sense. Big bonefish are old and smart. Do you really want to put your fly so far in front of a big, smart, old fish that he has plenty of time to notice it, swim up to it, scrutinize it from different angles and then make a decision whether or not to eat it?
In the words of Torrie – “Put it on him, mon. Don’t give him time to think about it!”
The next time you have a shot at a bruiser, give it a try. Be bold, land the fly close – and get ready for the big pull.
I am afraid he is just wrong! big fish dont get big by being stupid….if you have a double tapered 4 weight with a shrimp fly made from fairy’s nostril hairs, then fine….launch it straight at him and present it perfectly….but realistically, a well tied fly like a Pattersons Spawning Shrimp, landed in front far enough away not to spook and then twitched as he gets into view, is the most likely way to snare a clever fish.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you want to lead farther with a lighter weight fly?
I would say that its also important who ‘else’ is around. last visit to South Andros, I was put in front of several knee-knocking ‘Bones, in all but one shot, Walter had a dozen of friends around , all WAY quicker to the fly than he (she?) was. Eventually I got a close to double digit fish by finding a single and I actually put it slightly behind the fish and off to one side (not intentional), but the fish sensed it, turned and pounced…
It may have been a fluke, but as a trout guide I routinely asked guests to put a big hopper or stonefly down hard behind a visible big fish. the reaction was 95% positive.
Interesting tip. Obviously it works on the fish at Andros, but I wonder how effective it would be on more pressured fish? Either way, casting too close risks spooking the fish, but leading too far guarantees you’ll be ignored, so I suppose you might as well go for it.
I caught a 14 pound bonefish on Eleuthera. The fish was swimming erratically, kinda circling me, and I made multiple casts–all 40-50 foot casts, all from five to ten feet in front of him. He had no reaction, it was as if he didn’t see the fly. Frustrated, I finally tried to hit him in the head–he took the moment the fly hit the water.
I think part of the reason for this was that the bottom was pretty lumpy–it is possible that the fish actually had not seen any of my early presentations–the fly landed in a low area while he was in a low area. Anyway, the second biggest bonefish I have caught was 5 pounds–so I am glad to have caught at least one big one!!
Have to agree w/ Tory here (and GaryG). Big bones are more like permit than bonefish (although not all and not everywhere). Also, the comment about big bonefish getting big by being smart: well, that’s true, but unless we’re talking about very heavily pressured fish (like perhaps the fabled Shell Key of Islamorada, or some of the flats in Oahu) flies and fly fisherman don’t figure much into them having got big or not. Big bonefish get big by eating. Pure and simple.
Almost every big bonefish I’ve cast to has eaten the fly before it hit bottom or on the first strip (even, now that I come to think of it, that 12-pounder off Shell Key that straight spooled me on silly 8-pound tippet). The best way to talk a big bone *out* of it is to let it see the fly from a distance and then strip it when the fish gets close. Bye bye boney. Cast, let the fly sink, and watch for the take. Usually it’s so aggressive you’ll be in shock. Trust me.
I guide in the keys. He is SPOT ON. Gordon whoever the hell wrote the first comment doesn’t know ….
Lead him by a 2ft.