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If
there ever was a fish that would drive a man to the
brink of insanity it would be the Bonefish. Bonefish
are by nature the most paranoid, nervous fish on Earth.
They spend their entire lives in a constant state of
alarm and seem to have a built in radar for anglers.
Most Flats Hunters would unanimously agree however,
that the Bonefish is pound for pound one of the most
powerful fish in the ocean. Bonefish have quickly become
the most sought after of all the flats species and are
chased by sportsmen with a cult-like devotion.
Bonefish, also known as the gray ghosts of the flats,
are a member of the Elopiformes order, which also includes
tarpon and ladyfish. They have a sleek, torpedo shaped
body that is built for speed. Bonefish are covered with
hundreds of small shiny silver-blue scales that flawlessly
reflects their surroundings to make them almost invisible.
Their backs appear olive green with eight darker colored
bars that cross their backs to help provide camouflage
from above.
The
bonefish's secret to speed is their powerful, deeply
forked tails that can propel the fish to bursts of speeds
recorded by researchers of over 26 mph. Although this
speed is halfway between trout and a sailfish, it is
sustained for hundreds of feet in only 6 inches of water!
The mind-numbing speed of the Bonefish makes up for
their relatively small size. An average fish is around
five pounds and a trophy size Bonefish reaches over
ten pounds. The record which was caught in Bimini weighed
fifteen pounds.
Bonefish often feed in the shallow water of the flats,
sometimes burying their heads down in search for food
while their silver tails break the surface reflecting
in the sun. They have a small mouth on their underside
that is used to sniff out their meals from the bottom.
Inside their mouth is a small row of tiny teeth inside
the rim followed by a powerful set of ceramic-hard pearl
shaped molars that crush mollusks and crustaceans.
Bonefishing
on the flats is angling nirvana. The hunt and pursuit
of Bonefish is an art in itself. It is unforgettable
choreography of action and adventure that will reach
in and grab your soul. Once you have caught your first
bonefish you'll be addicted for life!
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