hot fly
Bottle flat, 10 foot cast
Take these all day
Current temp: 76 Wind E13
Walked all along the shoreline of bottle flat today. This is the area we had the big clean up last year. That shore was littered with bottles, cans and you name it. I think we took about 30 big trash bags full out last year. Well I’m glad to say there is very little new debris along there and the fishing is good as was proven today.
I anchored the boat and started walking east. I was going right into the wind but that was the plan with the sun at my back. About ten minutes into the walk I saw this lemon shark coming at me . When he got about ten feet I figured that was close enough and was just about to poke at him with my rod when I noticed two big bonefish right behind him. It seemed like they were following him just to keep an eye on him. I crouched down and stripped in all the line I was dragging. They were now really close like 10 to 12 feet away. I did a little flip-roll cast and dropped the fly about 5 feet in front of them. I didn’t even strip as one charged the fly as soon as it hit the water and had it. It was just a couple seconds before he was in my backing. Then I noticed the shark had turned around and sensed something going on. I cranked the drag all the way down to the point of breaking him off. Landed the fish asap while the shark was going in circles looking for his meal. I threw a conch shell at him and he was gone.
Well so much for having to double haul an eighty cast in order to catch a bonefish. These fish were basically right off the tip of my rod. A couple reasons they did not spot me and spook off. One, I was in the chop from the wind, crouched down and I was wearing clothes the same color as the bottom.
Last few days I have been using a rust colored fly I found in my bag and decided to try it. I had never used it before. Man has it been hot. Since I tied it on I have had not one refusal. Showing you a pic of it. I have been told not to show that fly as now it’s supposed to be a secret pattern. Screw that crap. Just like back on the Big Hole River, it may be working great today and tomorrow they might not even look at it. As hard as they have been hitting it, I tink it still work tomorrow.