5 Ways to Make Your First Bonefish Trip a Success

Catching bonefish on the flats is a lot different from chasing trout in rivers, requiring new skills, gear, and mindset. Photo by Gilbert Rowley

Every year, hundreds of trout anglers travel to exotic destinations such as Belize or The Bahamas in pursuit of their first bonefish on the fly. But even experienced fly fishers can end up humbled because they aren’t prepared for the ways in which flats fishing makes different demands on them. Here are five essential ways to prepare for and maximize your first bonefish adventure.

1. Set Realistic Expectations

The most important preparation happens in your mind. Many first-time bonefishers arrive with unrealistic expectations, imagining they’ll be constantly hooking fish. Instead, approach your first trip as an educational journey into a new style of fishing. Even if you’re an accomplished trout angler, bonefishing requires a different set of skills and techniques.

Keep in mind that success isn’t measured solely by fish caught. Learn to appreciate the entire experience: the time spent on the flats, the thrill of spotting fish, and the excitement of the stalk. These elements make bonefishing special, regardless of how many fish you bring to hand. A novice saltwater fly fisher should arrive ready to learn and fall in love with a new sport, not expecting instant mastery.

2. Practice Your Casting Before the Trip

While casting isn’t everything in bonefishing, it’s crucial to develop the right skills before your trip. Unlike trout fishing, you’ll often need to make quick casts at moving targets in windy conditions. The hectic moments after spotting a fish are not the time to learn proper technique.

Focus on practicing these specific casting skills:

• Starting from the “ready position,” with fly in hand and line coiled neatly on the deck (or the ground).
• Making quick casts with minimal false casting.
• Making long casts by shooting line.
• Casting with a short line (about five feet of line outside your rod tip).
• Maintaining accuracy while casting in wind.
• Executing quick direction changes with your cast

Remember that you’ll need to cast while keeping your eyes on the fish, so there’s no time to watch your backcast. Practice at home until these skills become second nature.

Gear designed for fly fishing in the tropics will make your life easier.

3. Bring the Proper Gear

Success begins with the right equipment, particularly when it comes to sight-fishing. Quality polarized sunglasses are absolutely essential; they’re arguably more important than your rod and reel. Choose wraparound frames to block side light, and opt for amber, copper, or vermillion lenses that work well in shallow water. If you wear prescription glasses, consider getting a dedicated pair for fishing that’s optimized for distance vision, rather than progressive lenses.

Choose a hat with a dark underbrim to reduce glare, and ensure it provides good coverage. These might seem like small details, but they can make the difference between seeing fish and missing opportunities.

An 8- or 9-weight rod is the standard choice, and make sure your reel has a sealed disc drag, so no salt or sand can get inside. Load the reel with a “tropical” fly line designed for warm weather and warm water, as well as for loading the rod quickly.

Guides are master fish-spotters, and they can teach you to see fish better and more quickly. Photo by Sandy Hays

4. Learn to Spot Fish

Spotting bonefish is an art that requires patience and practice. These fish are masters of camouflage, able to change their coloration to match the bottom. Rather than looking for the whole fish, train your eyes to detect:

• Movement: Bonefish rarely stay still
• Shadows on the bottom
• Changes in water texture
• Nervous water or wakes
• Tails or fins breaking the surface

When fishing from a boat, work with your guide to establish clear communication about fish location. Learn the clock system (e.g., “fish at 2 o’clock”), and practice estimating distances accurately. Remember that bonefish are often closer than they appear: if you think a fish is 60 feet away, it might only be 40.

5. Perfect Your Hook-Set and Fighting Techniques

Once you’ve hooked a bonefish, the real challenge begins. Unlike trout fishing, you must resist the urge to raise your rod tip when setting the hook. Instead:

• Set the hook with a strip-strike, keeping the rod tip low.
• Don’t set until you feel the fish or actually see it eat. Don’t strike just because the fish approaches your fly.
• Once you’re hooked up, clear your line. You can prevent line tangles by spreading your hands far apart as the fish runs.
• Get the fish on the reel whenever possible.
• Be prepared for multiple runs, especially near the end of the fight.

Remember that bonefish make incredibly fast, powerful runs. When a fish takes off, ensure your line is clear and won’t tangle around the rod butt or reel handle, which could result in an instant break-off at those speeds.

It wasn’t until my second trip for bonefish that I felt like I knew what I was doing. This was the first bone that I spotted, hooked, and landed on my own, while fishing on South Andros 20 years ago. Photo by Sandy Hays

By focusing on these five key areas—mental preparation, casting practice, equipment choice, fish spotting, and fighting technique—you’ll be well-prepared for your first bonefish adventure. Remember that even if you make mistakes (and you will), each bonefish that you cast to is a learning experience. Stay calm, listen to your guide, and enjoy the process.

Most importantly, don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t result in landed fish. Even experienced anglers were once beginners, and everyone has stories about the mistakes they made while learning. With patience, preparation, and the right attitude, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful bonefish angler.