If you’re fighting a bonefish and he swims towards the mangroves, you should probably pull hard in the other direction to try to keep him out.
Yes, you might pull the hook or straighten the hook or pop your leader – but if he swims through the mangroves connected to your fly line, your chances of landing him are pretty bleak. Do your best to keep him out!
More Bonefishing Tips
This contradicts the “let ’em run” approach, and frankly I like it. Every time a fish goes for mangroves and a guide screams “let ’em run”, I always immediately think “can’t wait to see my fly line after this move.” Because I know there isn’t much chance of seeing the fish.
Nice work.
What I do is release the drag immediately and 9 times out of ten the fish will stop and change direction out of the mangroves. Follow the line and undo the line in the mangroves and hopefully everything is still connected when you free up the flyline. I’ve had this work on many bonefish, cuda and cuberra snapper and come out with the flyline intact!
Hope this helps