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Fighting
Bonefish
The
moments spent watching a bonefish and waiting for him
to strike your well placed line can feel like an eternity.
The last thing you want to do is ruin a take by incorrectly
performing a hook-up.
The
most important thing you can do when you feel your line
go tight is to never strike up with the rod. If the
fish doesn't have the fly, it will come shooting out
of the water at you, or even worse your guide's head,
and you will have lost or spooked the fish. The correct
method to hook a bonefish is to perform a short, quick
strip-strike with the rod tip kept low and pointed at
the fish. If you prefer, you may also use a small rod
strike to the side. These two techniques ensure that
if the fly doesn't find its way home it will simply
skitter along the bottom a few feet hopefully giving
you a second chance for a take.
After
you set the hook on a bonefish make sure you hang on!
In the flash of an instant, your line will be smoking
off your reel and you will have to snap out of your
dumbfounded trance to quickly clear your line. You must
keep your rod tip held high while you form a circle
with your left forefinger and thumb to smoothly clear
the line that is blistering off the deck. The sight
of an angler doing the bonefish dance on the deck of
a flats boat as he tries to clear the line that has
accumulated at his feet is often a comical routine that
could win large sums of money on the candid video shows.
The
instance all your line has been cleared and your bone
is in Mexico, you can let out a sigh of relief and begin
to fight the fish from your reel. Keep your rod tip
high to avoid obstacles, such as mangrove roots, and
leave your drag set at no more than a pound. When a
bonefish decides he wants to run, you must do nothing
to stop him. Bonefish are known for multiple runs so
take your time and enjoy the experience.
By
the time you get the bonefish to the boat they are near
complete exhaustion. It is absolutely imperative to
the survival of our sport that you revive and release
the fish as quickly as possible. Quickly remove your
fly and hold the fish by his lower lip as you gently
rock him back and forth in the water. This technique
helps the fish recover by pushing oxygenated water across
his gills. When your bonefish has recuperated and is
ready to go he'll let you know!
Now
is the time for celebration! Catching a bonefish on
fly is one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences
in the sport of angling. Revel in your glory! You are
now a hopeless addict.
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