My first trip to chase bonefish several years back was a disaster. The Atlantic gales blew through the southern Bahamas, and bones were few and far between. I saw a few, got to cast to one or two and came home after a week without landing a single boneffish. It was horrible.
But it steeled my resolve, and a year later, I was back on Long Island—a 45-minute shuttle flight south of Nassau—casting once again to bones. The weather cooperated. I saw fish. I’d practiced my double-haul. It all came together, and I caught several fish over the course of a week.
Now, I’m something of a bonefish addict. Since that first Bahamian trip, I’ve done almost yearly trips to either Bahamas or Mexico, and I’ve managed to hook into some truly nice bones on the fly. This time of year, when the weather here in Idaho is pretty awful, a bonefish trip is exactly what the fly fishing soul needs to recharge.
In the video above, you’ll watch Peter Koga tie his signature Bonefish Shrimp. Shrimp flies are great for bones, and this pattern is very well-known and hugely effective. If you’re prepping for a bonefish run, don’t leave home without a handful of these flies. Enjoy the sunshine, and bring some back with you, will you?
— Chris Hunt