DIY Bonefishing in the Bahamas: 5 Things I Learned
by John Harrington, Jr.
This past month, I had an opportunity to visit the Bahamas for the first time. It was also the first extended trip my wife and I had taken since our honeymoon, so it goes without saying we were looking forward to getting some fun in the sun together. Since we were going to be there for a whole week, I knew I would have some time to explore and wet a line, so I brought along an 8 weight and a 10 weight and crossed my fingers that I might cross paths with a fish or two before all was said and done. If you’ve never had an opportunity to visit the Bahamas – or pursue bonefish on the fly – read further for some key takeaways from my experience. These are all things I will keep in mind the next time I have an opportunity to book a similar trip and I hope you find them useful as well.
This is where blue lining comes in handy. You might be thinking, what are blue lines or what is blue lining? Blue lines refer to the tiny blue lines that represent streams, creeks, and tributaries on a map. These are places that many people will not go through the trouble to explore. Blue lining is simply the act of fishing in those spots. They’re often inconvenient to access (for example, requiring a long hike in and back), have little to no cell reception, and are trial and error; some hold fish, others do not. In cases where they do hold fish, you’re typically encountering tiny native brook trout and wild browns. Although they’re not the biggest fish you’ll ever catch, they’re absolute spectacles. Those who have managed to find the spots that hold them stay tight lipped about them, and for good reason.
1. Check the Tide Charts Before You Book Your Trip
You should definitely put together somewhat of a game plan for where you will be fishing while you are on your trip, and with that information, I highly recommend looking up the tides and determining what will be most favorable based on your overall itinerary. Based on this information, you may want to carefully select which days you will travel. On my trip, I found out the best time to go fishing near where we were staying was mid- to late-afternoon, as that was when it was transitioning from low to high tide (flood current). The only downside to this was, it was in the middle of the day so I had to split up with my wife for a couple of hours. Had I planned this out a little better, I definitely would have chosen a week when the ideal tides were first thing in the morning while my wife was still asleep!
Even if you aren’t going to be balancing a calendar with a significant other on your trip, my advice would still be the same: understand the tide schedule and figure out times that will be most favorable for you to encounter fish and have a productive, distraction-free outing. There are a number of free apps you can download that will help you figure out the tides for the area/s you plan to fish. I’ve been using Ocean Watch for a few years, and have always had a good experience.
2. Expect Wind, Wind, and More Wind
Although you are traveling to one of the most beautiful places on the planet, in my experience it was super windy. Every day. It was not an annoying kind of wind, it felt nice. It was really consistent though – pretty much 15 mph at all times with 25 mph gusts – and it made it more challenging than usual to cast.
What all this means is that you will want to be super aware of how you are positioned relative to the position of the wind, and try your best to use it to your advantage (at your back) whenever you possibly can. I would also say learn how to double haul, and confidently, so you know you’ll be able to get the fly in the right spot if you spot a bone or a school.
With the wind considered, you will also want to learn the ready position. In this position you’ve peeled off a couple dozen feet of line from your reel, and you have your floating line draped behind you. You have a foot or two of fly line sticking out of your top guide. And you have your fly in your hand, pinched between your fingers. In this position, as the name indicates, you are ready to drop the fly, do a false cast or two, and launch your fly to the target. Get some practice casts in from the ready position before you’re targeting anything so you can work out the kinks with the wind and get familiarized.
3. Don’t Forget What Your Fly is Imitating!
When you’ve spotted a bonefish, it’s game time. Not only do you want to ensure your fly is well placed from a casting perspective, you also want to remember that the fish will expect it to look and behave the same way it does naturally before it pursues it.
As far as looks go, bonefish flies come in a variety of sizes and weights, so make sure to select your materials carefully so you have the right bases covered (e.g., experiment with different fly tying materials and colors for the eyes like barbell, bead chain, and plastics to get to different depths). For this trip, I did some research and got a few recommendations – and ended up tying up a variety of size 8 and 6 Gotchas, Veverkas, Bahama Mamas, and Foxy Hot Legs.
As far as presentation is concerned, old habits can be tough to break. In my case, I stripped back my fly with two hands the first couple of opportunities I had. Not only did this end up being too fast, but it also looked unnatural (more like a baitfish, less like a shrimp or crab). Once I started stripping the fly back with a single hand, in a pulsating rhythm, I started to get more hookups. I also managed to catch a number of jacks and snappers using this same technique.
4. The Sun Is Your Best Friend and Your Worst Enemy
Luckily I came prepared with plenty of clothing with UPF protection, including quick dry hoodies and a buff. These were much needed. When the sun is out, there’s really nowhere for you to hide and its rays are extremely powerful. I had heard a lot about how important polarized sunglasses are and that also turned out to be a legitimate need. They’re not just for spotting schools of fish, you can’t really do anything without them down there.
So what makes the sun your best friend? Assuming you are well protected with sun block and/or the appropriate layers and you have your shades on, the sun makes it possible to see so many things you never thought you would. I saw starfish, sea turtles, sharks, a spotted eagle ray, and a number of bonefish – and the sun being out made all of this possible.
Now for the bad news. When the sun goes behind a cloud (or a bunch of clouds), it makes it very, very difficult to spot anything. You could have fish right under your nose and you may not even see them. This means when the sun is out, don’t take it for granted – take advantage. And when the sun goes behind some clouds, use this time to do something productive, like change your positioning, check your fly, and be ready to cast at something as soon as it brightens up.
5. Consider Booking a Guide, Especially If It’s Your First Go
No, I haven’t forgotten that this was intended for do it yourself (DIY) bonefishing! However, one thing I learned on the trip was that it was well worth it to get a guide and not do it myself – at least for one day. In my case, I was traveling far and spending a decent amount of money to be in the Bahamas, so I wanted to make sure I took full advantage of what the island had to offer while I was there.
I happened to be staying in New Providence – which is better known as a cruise ship destination and for resorts like Atlantis than it is for its fly fishing – however I was fortunate enough to find a guide through a referral. He grew up on the island and had taken the time to explore every nook and cranny. He had a wealth of knowledge, was incredibly friendly, and gave me some pointers that ended up getting me on a bunch of fish – and even my first couple of bonefish.
I happened to schedule the guide experience for the very start of the trip, which I would recommend if you decide to go this route. I found it incredibly useful for the remaining days I was there as it gave me an opportunity to look back on things that I had learned in our short time together and continue honing my skills.
No matter what you decide to do – solo, with a guide, or a combination – I hope you have an incredible time. Don’t forget to soak it all in and enjoy your surroundings, they call it paradise for a reason.