Bonefish Fishing

Bonefish (Albula vulpes) are the most popular game fish in tropical flats fishing. Called the 'grey ghost' for their ability to appear and vanish on shallow flats, bonefish are found on sand and turtle grass flats in South Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and parts of the Pacific. They typically weigh between 3 and 10 pounds, but their incredible speed makes them fight far above their weight class.

What makes bonefish special is the environment and the technique. Bonefishing takes place on impossibly clear, shallow flats where you can see bottom in three feet of water from hundreds of yards away. The angler stands on the bow of a poled skiff, scanning the water for the subtle signs of feeding bonefish -- nervous water, shadows, or 'muds' (cloudy patches created by rooting fish). When a fish is spotted, a precise cast with a shrimp fly, small jig, or live shrimp must land ahead of the fish without alarming it.

The Florida Keys, particularly from Islamorada south to Key West, offer the best bonefishing in the continental United States. The Bahamas (Andros, Grand Bahama, and the Abalaco Islands) are considered the bonefish capital of the world. Bonefishing is almost entirely catch-and-release. The first run of a hooked bonefish is legendary -- they are capable of stripping 100 yards of line in seconds, producing that distinctive singing reel sound that bonefishing addicts chase worldwide.