Bonefish Tactics: "Close to the Bone"

March 16, 2005 By: Marshall Cutchin

New on MidCurrent: Chico Fernandez describes the best ways to approach bonefish and present flies without them ever knowing you’re there. “Because sound travels better through water than air, any noise that comes from inside or outside the skiff is deadly. The constant slap of waves against a hull, or dropping a pair of pliers on the bottom of the boat, or closing one of the hatches a bit too loudly can all send a bonefish to the next flat. Rocking back and forth during your false casting also rocks the skiff, creating a series of bow wakes with every false cast. Bonefish can detect these wakes very easily, even the faintest ones, and may stop feeding or leave.”