Bonefishing 101: Fly Selection

In a few months time Fishwest will be hosting our annual trip to the Andros South Lodge and let’s just say some of us are pretty excited! In an effort to get the ball rolling we wanted to talk about an important part of the equation: Fly Selection.

Selecting flies for Bonefish doesn’t have to be a daunting task at all. Generally from my experience bonefish are not really all that picky. A good presentation is much more important than the fly that you choose in most cases. Please keep a few things in mind when choosing flies for Bonefish.

• Bonefish are found in a variety of water depths. As a rule of thumb try to have flies on hand that will cover a multitude of depths. This can be accomplished by having a variety of shrimp patterns with various different types of lead eyes. Keep in mind that a majority of situations call for lighter flies but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
• Try to select flies to match the bottom of the flat that you are fishing. Having flies in a variety of colors will make sure that you are prepared for all the different flats you are bound to face. The general rule is that lighter color flies are fished on light flats (ie sand flats, coral flats, and turtle grass).
• There are patterns for bonefish and other flats species that are tried and true. Flies like the Gotcha, Crazy Charlie and Bonefish Bitters should never be left out of a box. They work for a reason.

For those who like to spin up their own flies in preparation for a destination trip don’t forget to add a few rubber legs and an orange spawn sack into your shrimp patterns. The rubber legs will give your flies the added benefit of a little extra natural movement. The bright orange spawn sack is bound to grab the attention of the fish. When paired together it makes for a deadly combination that yields great results.

There you have it. Keep all these tips in mind when choosing flies for bonefish. Stay tuned in the future as we continue to prepare for Andros South 2016. For those who are interested in joining us in 2016 there are still spots available. Check it out by clicking HERE.For more information contact us at 877.773.5437