Ishockfish
11-14-2005, 11:56 AM
First, thanks to all who provided information. Made for a great trip!
I learned that bonefish are REALLY hard to see. There were not a lot of restaurants open, we ate at Mate and Jenny’s a couple of times, at Tippy’s a bunch (great food, but expensive) and the Unique Village once. The Kalik’s were cold, but you had to drink ‘em fast to keep them from getting warm. The Friday night fish fry in Governor’s Harbor was awesome! Don’t miss it.
Oh, bonefish are really hard to see…
Sunday 11/6 – Got moving before daybreak to fish the incoming tide. Fished a sand flat adjacent to deep water with tons of signs of previous feeding. After the tide started coming in, a small group of tailing fish began working the edge of the flat away from me. I chased after them and was able to have some good shots for half an hour or so. They didn’t like anything I was able to present to them. Never spooked, but never took the fly either. Spent the rest of the day on the beach and exploring around the town.
Monday 11/7 – Again, was up around daybreak and fished the last of the outgoing and the first half of the incoming tides in the same place as Monday. I didn’t see anything. Talked to a guy from England who was there fishing and buying a property. Fished the last of the incoming at another Carribean side flat farther south. Saw tons of fresh feeding holes, but no bones. Drove up to the northern end of the island and visited some beaches and points of interest.
Tuesday 11/8 – Fished the incoming tide on the Carribean side. Saw tons of signs of fish, but I still didn’t see any. Traveled to the far southern end of the island to the most beautiful deserted beach I’ve ever seen.
Wednesday 11/9 – Fished the late incoming tide in a protected sound on the Atlantic side. Caught one fish along a channel at the edge of the flat. Saw a small group of smallish bonefish work up out of the deep water into the channel. Cast a small yarn crab in front of them in the direction I thought they were headed. One took the fly, but I did not see it happen. A nice 50 yard run and the fish was at hand. Saw maybe two dozen fish throughout the rest of the tide, including a couple large singles that wanted absolutely no part of any flies I cast towards them.
Thursday 11/10 – Fished the same place as Wednesday. Saw one 4’ or 5’ shark work out of deep water and onto the edge of the flat. Saw a few singles, no fish hooked or landed. Spent the day in Harbour Island, had a fantastic late lunch at the Pink Sands resort.
Friday 11/11 – Fished the first two hours of the incoming tide on the Atlantic side. Saw a couple large singles, including one fish that scared me, it was so big. Concentrated on fishing the turtle grass, as a couple other guys were out there doing well. Hooked and dropped one fish. Saw six other guys total here. Drove over to the Carribbean side for the incoming tide. Fished for 2 ˝ hours. Saw lots of feeding craters, including some ones larger in diameter than a grapefruit. Found one group of about 40 fish that I harassed for an hour or so. Any cast too close to them scared the bejezus out of them. A small fly presented with a long lead still didn’t interest them when they got close enough to see the fly.
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080846.jpg
Dang, they're hard to see...
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080847.jpg
Flats
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080849.jpg
More flats
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080850.jpg
Deserted pink sand beach
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080848.jpg
Sunset over Governor's Harbor
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080853.jpg
Steep prices on crappy beer
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080852.jpg
I learned that bonefish are REALLY hard to see. There were not a lot of restaurants open, we ate at Mate and Jenny’s a couple of times, at Tippy’s a bunch (great food, but expensive) and the Unique Village once. The Kalik’s were cold, but you had to drink ‘em fast to keep them from getting warm. The Friday night fish fry in Governor’s Harbor was awesome! Don’t miss it.
Oh, bonefish are really hard to see…
Sunday 11/6 – Got moving before daybreak to fish the incoming tide. Fished a sand flat adjacent to deep water with tons of signs of previous feeding. After the tide started coming in, a small group of tailing fish began working the edge of the flat away from me. I chased after them and was able to have some good shots for half an hour or so. They didn’t like anything I was able to present to them. Never spooked, but never took the fly either. Spent the rest of the day on the beach and exploring around the town.
Monday 11/7 – Again, was up around daybreak and fished the last of the outgoing and the first half of the incoming tides in the same place as Monday. I didn’t see anything. Talked to a guy from England who was there fishing and buying a property. Fished the last of the incoming at another Carribean side flat farther south. Saw tons of fresh feeding holes, but no bones. Drove up to the northern end of the island and visited some beaches and points of interest.
Tuesday 11/8 – Fished the incoming tide on the Carribean side. Saw tons of signs of fish, but I still didn’t see any. Traveled to the far southern end of the island to the most beautiful deserted beach I’ve ever seen.
Wednesday 11/9 – Fished the late incoming tide in a protected sound on the Atlantic side. Caught one fish along a channel at the edge of the flat. Saw a small group of smallish bonefish work up out of the deep water into the channel. Cast a small yarn crab in front of them in the direction I thought they were headed. One took the fly, but I did not see it happen. A nice 50 yard run and the fish was at hand. Saw maybe two dozen fish throughout the rest of the tide, including a couple large singles that wanted absolutely no part of any flies I cast towards them.
Thursday 11/10 – Fished the same place as Wednesday. Saw one 4’ or 5’ shark work out of deep water and onto the edge of the flat. Saw a few singles, no fish hooked or landed. Spent the day in Harbour Island, had a fantastic late lunch at the Pink Sands resort.
Friday 11/11 – Fished the first two hours of the incoming tide on the Atlantic side. Saw a couple large singles, including one fish that scared me, it was so big. Concentrated on fishing the turtle grass, as a couple other guys were out there doing well. Hooked and dropped one fish. Saw six other guys total here. Drove over to the Carribbean side for the incoming tide. Fished for 2 ˝ hours. Saw lots of feeding craters, including some ones larger in diameter than a grapefruit. Found one group of about 40 fish that I harassed for an hour or so. Any cast too close to them scared the bejezus out of them. A small fly presented with a long lead still didn’t interest them when they got close enough to see the fly.
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080846.jpg
Dang, they're hard to see...
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080847.jpg
Flats
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080849.jpg
More flats
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080850.jpg
Deserted pink sand beach
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080848.jpg
Sunset over Governor's Harbor
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080853.jpg
Steep prices on crappy beer
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/080852.jpg