Got plans to go bonefishing? Are you wondering what flies you should take on your trip?
Lee Ann and I love to travel to the Caribbean! The colors of this ocean are stunning, with endless variations of greens and blues!
Our favorite places in the Caribbean are the Bahamas and the Eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. We have fished with many guides, and enjoyed going out on our own for DIY trips.
The bonefish diet is carnivorous, including shrimp and crab, ( Who doesn’t like shrimp or crabs?) and mainly feeds in shallow flats. Therefore the best flies to use for bonefishing are shrimp patterns and crab patterns.
The term “shallow” can mean 4 inches to “deeper than you can see”.
Bonefish are very spooky, especially in very shallow water. A fly that hits the water and makes a splash will often spook them. For these fish, use a fly that has very little or no weight.
When fishing for the deeper bones, a weighted fly is required.
The weight in a bonefish fly is usually added in the “eye” of the fly. A “bead chain” eye (think of a pull down chain on a light switch) or no eye at all is considered a light fly, while a “dumbell” eye is usually made of lead, and will sink the fly quickly. It is important to stock up on effective patterns that have a bead chain and a lead eye, so that you are prepared for either situation.
While we have caught bonefish on both shrimp and crab flies, shrimp have been a better producer in most areas.
Here is a list of the shrimp flies we have found to be the most productive for bonefish. Most are offered with 2 options: beadchain and dumbell or lead eye. Size 6 is our preference, but many guides prefer size 4. Size 8 is useful for very shallow water where bonefish are spooked easily, and where bonefish are pressured by lots of fishermen.
…and our favorite Bonefish Crab Flies:
Bonefish are sleek, powerful fish, and an absolute thrill to catch. We hope you get the chance to go bonefishing, and hope to cross paths with you someday!
