Just returned from my trip to the BVIs where we motored around the islands a 44 power cat.
Here's the total: 1 tarpon on fly off the docks at Scrub Island. There were probably 30-40 tarpon feeding on small glass minnows in the underwater lights of a mega yacht, it was an awesome sight (the fish, not the yacht and I'd never seen anything like it). But, they were really picky. Sometimes they'd follow the fly but not eat, other times they'd give it a look but turn off. But, I did get the one so that was victory:
1 bone on fly: caught it on a DIY 1 hr trip on a little flat the surrounds the harbor of Hodges Creek where we picked up our charter. My buddies were going through the boat checkout so I gave a guy $10 to run me over in a dinghy and pick me up.
Several jacks, blue runners, yellowtail: they'd be hanging around the boat feeding on glass minnows or waiting for scraps to be tossed in the water.
Anegada:This is where things went south. I had been communicating with Garfield Faulkner and his booking agent for about 3 months, confirming a trip for 3/20 (my birthday). I started to get a back feeling because as 3/20 approached, I wasn't getting replies from either. Finally, that morning, when we pull into our anchorage and get him on the phone, he tells me he hasn't been feeling well and cancels. Now, for any of you as addicted as I am to bonefishing, and having looked forward to this one day for months, if not years, you can understand what an incredible punch in the gut this was. To him, it might have just been another day of fishing, to me, it was months of anticipation and something I very rarely get to do anymore and this was my one and only day to fish. Even if he wasn't feeling well and knew he wasn't going to fish, he should have made other arrangements for me. Not only was I disappointed, but I was mad as well. Therefore, I would recommend against Garfield Faulkner if you're looking for a guide on Anegada.
I immediately jumped into plan B and spoke with Danny Vanterpool, one of the other boneffishing guides on Anegada. He was really sympathetic to my situation and I can't tell you how helpful he was. While he couldn't take me, he did set me up with another friend who had a boat, name was Alex Varlack.
Alex wasn't a bonefish guide but he'd been enough to know the flats, etc.
We fished the flats on East End, along the south shore and then a mangrove area called Little Anegada. We found a good number of fish on LA, but they were spooky. I managed to hook into 3 but landed 0. Tough day to say the least.
So, bottom line, if you fish Anegada, I'd call Danny's bonefishing first.
|