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Deneki Outdoors

Alaska | The Bahamas | Chile

Bonefish

Why Weight Matters When It Comes To Bonefish Flies

Flats Bonefish South Andros

We’ve said it many before, but when it comes to selecting bonefish flies for South Andros, our fish are not too picky. A variety of different fly patterns (Gotcha is the best) work well on our flats, so when choosing flies we prefer to focus on other variables for the situation at hand, rather than a particular fly pattern.

Arguably the most important variable of all when selecting a bonefish fly, however, more so than the overall pattern, color, or even size, is the weight of the fly. The weight determines the depth the fly is fished, and in turn, whether or not it is easily seen by the fish! After all, a fish has to be able to see your fly to eat it, right?

All too often anglers blame their fly pattern when a bonefish does not commit, deeming it a ‘refusal,’ when more likely it was the depth at which the fly was tracking when stripped and the bonefish actually didn’t ever see the fly.

But how exactly do you know how heavy of a fly to use? Here is a simple formula for selecting flies for the depth of the water at hand. We think it’s pretty spot-on, so today we share it with you.

When the water is..

  • Calf-deep or less: Choose a fly with small bead chain eyes.
  • Knee to calf-deep: Choose a fly with medium-large bead chain eyes.
  • Knee-deep or deeper: Choose a fly with brass or lead eyes.

Assuming your average bonefish is cruising somewhere around 3-5 mph, doing so will allow the fly to reach the bottom in roughly three seconds, just enough time for the fish to intercept. Simple as that!

Fly Tying Tutorial: Gotcha Fly For Bonefish

Gotcha!

This Fly Tying Tutorial is brought to you by Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Alaska. Step into Mossy’s Fly Shop—Anchorage’s home base for fly fishing obsession. Whether you’re chasing fish on the world famous Kenai River or headed deep into Bristol Bay country, or even warmer saltwater destinations, like Andros South in The Bahamas, Mossy’s has the flies, gear, and know-how to keep your rod bent and your stories bigger. Local roots, legendary advice, and the latest gear—it’s more than a shop, it’s where anglers get dialed in.

Got Questions? They have answers. Email mbrown@mossysflyshop.com or call (907) 770-2666. www.mossysflyshop.com.

A real underwater siren that entices the elusive silver ghosts of the flats, the Gotcha fly pattern is the standard charmer of the bonefishing capital, South Andros. The Gotcha fly, which is said to have been derived from Jim McVay’s creative imagination, was made from the remains of a taxi cab’s carpet in The Bahamas, demonstrating that sometimes the most unusual materials can produce works of art.

The Gotcha is a modest fly with a slim body frequently clad in pink or brown hues, a dash of flash, and a tail that waggles like a shrimp running for its life. Since bonefish are known for having discerning tastes, this ingenious design imitates the natural movement of shrimp.

What sets the Gotcha apart is its adaptability. Whether you’re stalking bonefish in shallow waters or casting into deeper depths, this fly performs like a seasoned thespian on stage, ready to play the role required. Its energy shines brightest during low-light conditions or overcast days when bonefish are likelier to venture out for a bite. When tying this fly, you should consider tying it in various sizes and weights to accommodate the changing tides and conditions.

With its simplicity and elegance, the Gotcha has become a staple in every bonefisher angler’s arsenal. It’s not just a fly; it’s a legend that has accounted for thousands of successful catches worldwide. You can also add some unique flair—like rubber legs or vibrant colors—to enhance its appeal, but at its core, the Gotcha remains a classic that continues to deliver results and is a guide favorite at Andros South Lodge. Here is our rendition of the Gotcha Fly.

Be happy, and tie a fly.

Tied By: Brian Davenport

Photos By: Mike Brown

Materials:

  • Hook: Daiichi 2546 Sz 4 (shown) or Mustad 34007 or Tiemco. Size variations: #2,#4, #6, #8.
  • Thread:  Veevus 6/0 Pink
  • Eyes: Bead Chain or Plated medium
  • Tail: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl
  • Body: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl (HT Braid, Diamond Braid, or Flat Diamond Braid)
  • Wing: Craft Fur Plus; Golden Tan.
  • Underwing: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl
  • Wing: Tan Craft Fur

Step 1.  Start your thread and make a thread base for your bead chain eye.

Step 2.  Tie in your bead chain eyes appx 2 hook eye widths back of eye.  Use figure 8 wraps to secure the bead chain securely.

Step 3. Tie in your flat braid, make the tail appx a hook shank length.  Tie it forward to the back of the eyes.

Step 4.  Fold the braid over and tie it back to the start of the bend.  Trim to match the first tail.  Using a bodkin or brush, open and split the flat braid.

Step 5. Tie in another piece of the flat braid. 

Step 6. Using overlapping turns, wrap the flat braid forward, when you get to the eyes, figure 8 wrap around them and tie off in front of the eyes.

Step 7.  Turn the hook over in the vise.  Tie in a piece of flat braid.  Trim it off a little longer than the tail.

Step 8. Using a small clump of craft fur, tie in a wing that matches the length of the flat braid.  Trim off excess craft fur. 

Step 9. Secure craft fur and build a nice, tapered head.  Whip finish and glue.

Other Flies to Tie:

Fly Tying: Gotcha

This segment of Fly Tying is provided by Mossy’s Fly Shop, which has been serving Alaskans since 2010. If you’re traveling to Alaska for a Fly Fishing adventure and need fly fishing rods, reels, lines, tips, flies, hooks, boots, waders, etc., to complete your Alaskan Fly fishing adventure, see Mike and Brian at Mossy’s Fly Shop. Or if you have Questions? They have answers. Email mbrown@mossysflyshop.com or call (907) 770-2666. www.mossysflyshop.com.

A real underwater siren that entices the elusive silver ghosts of the flats, the Gotcha fly pattern is the standard charmer of the bonefishing capital, South Andros. The Gotcha fly, which is said to have been derived from Jim McVay’s creative imagination, was made from the remains of a taxi cab’s carpet in The Bahamas, demonstrating that sometimes the most unusual materials can produce works of art.

The Gotcha is a modest fly with a slim body frequently clad in pink or brown hues, a dash of flash, and a tail that waggles like a shrimp running for its life. Since bonefish are known for having discerning tastes, this ingenious design imitates the natural movement of shrimp.

What sets the Gotcha apart is its adaptability. Whether you’re stalking bonefish in shallow waters or casting into deeper depths, this fly performs like a seasoned thespian on stage, ready to play the role required. Its energy shines brightest during low-light conditions or overcast days when bonefish are likelier to venture out for a bite. When tying this fly, you should consider tying it in various sizes and weights to accommodate the changing tides and conditions.

With its simplicity and elegance, the Gotcha has become a staple in every bonefisher angler’s arsenal. It’s not just a fly; it’s a legend that has accounted for thousands of successful catches worldwide. You can also add some unique flair—like rubber legs or vibrant colors—to enhance its appeal, but at its core, the Gotcha remains a classic that continues to deliver results and is a guide favorite at Andros South Lodge. Here is our rendition of the Gotcha Fly.

Be happy, and tie a fly.

Tied By: Brian Davenport

Photos By: Mike Brown

Materials:

  • Hook: Daiichi 2546 Sz 4 (shown) or Mustad 34007 or Tiemco. Size variations: #2,#4, #6, #8.
  • Thread:  Veevus 6/0 Pink
  • Eyes: Bead Chain or Plated medium
  • Tail: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl
  • Body: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl (HT Braid, Diamond Braid, or Flat Diamond Braid)
  • Wing: Craft Fur Plus; Golden Tan.
  • Underwing: Veevus Mini Flat Braid Pearl
  • Wing: Tan Craft Fur

Step 1.  Start your thread and make a thread base for your bead chain eye.

Step 2.  Tie in your bead chain eyes appx 2 hook eye widths back of eye.  Use figure 8 wraps to secure the bead chain securely.

Step 3. Tie in your flat braid, make the tail appx a hook shank length.  Tie it forward to the back of the eyes.

Step 4.  Fold the braid over and tie it back to the start of the bend.  Trim to match the first tail.  Using a bodkin or brush, open and split the flat braid.

Step 5. Tie in another piece of the flat braid. 

Step 6. Using overlapping turns, wrap the flat braid forward, when you get to the eyes, figure 8 wrap around them and tie off in front of the eyes.

Step 7.  Turn the hook over in the vise.  Tie in a piece of flat braid.  Trim it off a little longer than the tail.

Step 8. Using a small clump of craft fur, tie in a wing that matches the length of the flat braid.  Trim off excess craft fur. 

Step 9. Secure craft fur and build a nice, tapered head.  Whip finish and glue.

Other Flies to Tie:

Deneki Chronicles: 3 Things to Look For in Your Andros Bonefish Fly

OK, you’re going to chase Andros Island bonefish over the next 6 months, and you’re trying to decide which flies to bring along.  We’ve written quite a few posts on the topic of bonefish flies, but today we’ll keep it simple.

South Andros Bonefish Flies – Three Things to Look For

  1. No weedguard.  Here’s an element of bonefish fly design we’ve never addressed before!  Your flies for South Andros don’t need weedguards.  Weedguards can keep your fly from snagging up on deeper, grassy-bottom flats – but we don’t have many deeper, grassy-bottom flats.  Since weedguards can also lower your hookup rate we generally don’t recommend them.  In fact, if we come across some flies with weedguards we tend to snip them off before they go in the box.
  2. Big but light.  South Andros bonefish are big, and big fish tend to like bigger meals.  At the same time, though, we fish a lot of really shallow water since our fish tend not to be spooky.  Most commercially available bonefish flies that are big enough for our bigger bonefish were tied with the Florida Keys in mind – in the Keys they often fish for bonefish in ~3 feet of water, so those flies are way too heavy for our flats on South Andros.  Your go-to fly for South Andros is a #2 with bead chain eyes.  A small fly is a #4 with small bead chain eyes.  A big fly is a 1/0 with small lead eyes.
  3. Rubber legs.  Maybe it’s because they look like shrimp legs, or maybe it’s because they look like baby crab claws, or maybe it’s because they just waggle around and look crazy…we don’t know for sure but whatever the reason, South Andros bonefish love flies tied with rubber legs (or sili legs, or hackle tips as legs).  Take pretty much any bonefish fly and add rubber legs to it, and it’ll work better on South Andros Island.  The one exception to this rule would be small, light flies tied specifically for spooky fish in less than 6 inches of water.

More on Bonefish Flies

Deneki Chronicles: Bonefish Flies – Weight Matters

In this week’s Deneki Chronicles we help you decide how much weight you need for your bonefish flies while at Andros South Lodge. Remember, these are general tips. We’re all different.

Selecting bonefish flies
Knee-deep water, medium bead chain eyes, good choice. Photo: Chris Wilks.

We’ve said it many before, but when it comes to selecting bonefish flies for South Andros, our fish aren’t overly picky. Many, many different fly patterns work well on our flats, so when choosing flies we prefer to focus on a few basic variables for the situation at hand, rather than a particular fly pattern.

Arguably the most important variable of all when selecting a bonefish fly, however, more so than the overall pattern, color, or even size, is the weight of the fly. The weight determines the depth the fly is fished, and in turn, whether or not it is easily seen by the fish! After all, a fish has to be able to see your fly to eat it, right?

All too often anglers blame their fly pattern when a bonefish does not commit, deeming it a ‘refusal,’ when more likely it was the depth at which the fly was tracking when stripped.

But how exactly do you know how heavy of a fly to use? Long time Andros South guest, Wayne Walts, recently shared a simple formula he uses on a regular basis for selecting flies for the depth of the water at hand. We think it’s pretty spot-on, so today we share it with you.

When the water is..

  • Calf-deep or less: Choose a fly with small bead chain eyes.
  • Knee to calf-deep: Choose a fly with medium-large bead chain eyes.
  • Knee-deep or deeper: Choose a fly with brass or lead eyes.

According to Wayne, assuming your average bonefish is cruising somewhere around 3-5 mph, doing so will allow the fly to reach the bottom in roughly three seconds, just enough time for the fish to intercept. Simple as that!

More on Bonefish Flies