Lee Ann and I, along with our good friends, Ed and Theresa Davis, travelled to Bonaire recently. Bonaire is a small island located just north of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, and world famous for Scuba Diving. We all spent time diving the reefs of Bonaire, and the island was nothing less than amazing. If you are a diver, put Bonaire on your bucket list! …and if you are reading this, you are probably already a diver, looking for some fly fishing on the side.
Most Caribbean islands also have a population of bonefish, so Ed and I took our fly fishing gear so that we could field test some flies! Our first day out was with Chris Morkos, a lifelong fishing enthusiast and bonefish guide with a resume and recommendations that never end. Chris only guides in the morning for a half day. He explained that the mornings have the sun and wind at your back, while afternoons are opposite, and unproductive, and he doesn’t like to waste peoples time and money. I appreciated his honesty, and that left us time to dive in the afternoon!
Chris picked us up early in the morning, and pointed out some dark clouds. He told us that those clouds were going to foul up the fishing that day, and unfortunately, his prediction was correct. Rain clouds quickly moved over, and the drenching rain drove the bonefish to deep water. He informed us that he was not opposed to cancelling the guided day, and trying to reschedule another time. Even more jaw dropping, he only asked for partial payment for the time we spent on the water.
While we never had time to re-schedule, I appreciate Chris’s integrity and knowledge of fly fishing for Bonefish in Bonaire.
Chris pointed out Sorobon Beach in Lac Bay, which has bonefish and can be fished DIY style. Lac Bay is a popular beach for wind and kite surfers, but they avoid the shallowest part of the bay, which is where you would want to fish. This flat looked like it could be productive, so Ed and I walked this flat several times during our stay.
While we saw a lot of bonefish in the shallows of Lac Bay, we also noted that there was a lot of fishing pressure. Every time we went past this flat, we saw at least 3 other fly fishermen. I suspect that this constant pressure has created some fairly wary bonefish. Why do I say this? I saw a school of bonefish, cast well in front of them, let the fly sink, then stripped the fly when they got close to the fly. The first strip of the line created enough disturbance in the water to scatter the school!
Most of the bonefish habitat in Bonaire is owned by the Cargill Salt Company, and they do not allow fishing on their property. Because the only other good flat to fish in Bonaire is Lac Bay, I would suggest that Bonaire is NOT a great DIY bonefishing destination, but if you like guided fishing, Chris Morkos will get you into fish if the weather cooperates, and if conditions are poor, he won’t waste your time or your money.
