• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Deneki Outdoors Fishing Lodges

Alaska | The Bahamas | Chile

  • About Deneki Outdoors
  • Our Fishing Lodges
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
  • Deneki Blog
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Chile
    • Fish
    • Fishing Reports
    • Fly Tying
    • Gear
    • General
    • Guest Posts
    • News
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
    • Tips
  • Contact Us

Aug 16 2012

Why Do Bonefish Tail?

Bonefish Tailing by Louis Cahill Photography
What’s going on under there? Photo: Louis Cahill

Everybody knows that bonefish tail, right?  And everybody knows that it’s cool when bonefish tail, because…well, because it’s cool.  And everybody knows why bonefish tail, right?

We weren’t so sure about that last one, so we asked Bruce Chard, veteran guide and Bonefishing School Instructor, for a quick explanation of exactly what’s happening when that bonefish’s tail pops up through the surface of a flat.

Why Bonefish Tail – What’s Going On There?

When a bonefish sees a crab or something else tasty on the bottom of a flat, often the bonefish will pin the crab’s body to the bottom with his nose. In order to do that, the bonefish has to lift the back end of his body up, creating leverage to pin the crab to the bottom and start the feeding process.

Once the upcoming meal is pinned, the bonefish will turn its head to the side so it can align its mouth with the crab’s body. He sucks the crab in and mouths the crab into his crushers, which crush the hard crab shell. His tongue separates the shell from the meat, and he spits the shells out and swallows the meat, all in about two seconds.

The process is basically the same with little shells and snails – food gets sucked in, and the crusher and tongue separate the shell from the meat.  With shrimp it’s a little bit different – they eat the whole shrimp but they use their crusher to kill it.

When this process is done is shallow enough water, you’ll see the bonefish’s tail and possibly back, come out of the water.  It’s all about leverage necessary in the feeding process!

More on Bonefish

  • Fall Bonefishing Specials
  • Cast to the Shadow Side
  • Rick Sisler’s Bonefish Rig

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Plan Your Trip

Let our experts plan the fishing adventure of your dreams.
Contact Now

Search Topics

Subscribe to our newsletter

All Blog Posts

Recent Posts

  • 7 Most Popular Smoked Salmon in the World
  • Fly Tying: March Brown by Kevin Foley
  • Who Doesn’t Like Potcakes?- Support The Bahamas by Helping the Potcakes
  • Tips on Mousing for Rainbow Trout and Grayling at Alaska West
  • What’s Happening with Pebble Mine- Good News for Alaska

All About Spey

All About Trout

All About Bonefishing

All About Gear

Best Posts

Footer

Deneki Outdoors

Mailing address:
200 W 34th Ave.
PMB 1170
Anchorage, AK 99503

Office:
4451 Aircraft Drive
Suite 202
Anchorage, AK 99502

US Information and Reservations
800-344-3628

International Information and Reservations
+1 907-563-9788

Email: info@deneki.com

Our Lodges

Rapids Camp
King Salmon, Alaska

Alaska West
Kanektok River, Alaska

Andros South
South Andros Island, The Bahamas

Rio Salvaje
Puerto Montt, Chile

Deneki Outdoors thanks Peter Viau, Tosh Brown, Abe Blair, Kyle Shea and Kara Knight for the beautiful photography used on our sites.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

#denekioutdoors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 · Deneki Outdoors · Privacy Policy · Site by 21 Designs