I just booked a trip for July to go fishing for bones, permit, and tarpon in Belize. I’m predominantly a freshwater fisherman (trout, bass, carp, striper), And was wondering if any of you folks have some good resources for me to read in preparation for my trip.
Thanks a ton and tight lines.
Posted Mar 10, 2018, 10:52 PM UTC
Reading isn't going to prepare you for the realities of salt fishing. Practice will. Get some hula hoops or frisbees and set them out left, right and center at varying distances. Draw a clock in front of you from 9am to 3pm. Try hitting them all in turn at random, using no more than 2 backcasts each (speed and efficiency is more important than distance. If you can't get there in 2 backcasts then you can't get there at all). For bonus points, mount a hula hoop to a post at chest height, stand 30 feet back, and see how far you can cast through the hoop.
If you will have a guide, I would only really worry about 2 things---working on your double haul and strip set.
I had 8 years experience the first time I hit the salt. I was completely humbled how difficult casting in the wind can be, and I even live in a windy area. A 25-30 km/h sustained wind is completely normal.
I bet I missed at least 7 bonefish because I did a trout set instead of a strip set. as u/Bugslinger_nj said, bonefish have gummy mouths, especially by saltwater standards, but they are still quite a bit more resilient than a trouts. A strip set is still vastly superior than trout set.
I just got back from a trip to Chilean Patagonia, so I am pretty familiar with casting in the wind luckily. Thanks!
Where in Belize?
Ambergris Caye
Listen to your guide
Strip set - don’t lift like a trout set
Have a blast
You're going to have a blast.
Chico Fernandez's "Fly Fishing for Bonefish" is great book that give a lot of really good information.
Watch some videos of bones mudding. Knowing what to look for/expect is going to help you pick them up faster.
Work on your double haul.
Keep stripping, they may hit your fly 2-3 times before you get a hook up. They have gummy mouths, don't set like it's a tarpon.