The FLORIDA WILDLIFE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO MAKE BONEFISH AND TARPON CATCH AND RELEASE IN FLORIDA!

We are pleased to inform you that at their Wednesday meeting in Lakeland, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), unanimously approved new regulations to make tarpon and bonefish catch-and-release-only fisheries, making Florida the first State to do so. The deliberations by Commission members were brief and entirely supportive. Commissioner Brian Yablonski said, “this is the most significant thing we can do for tarpon.” Following their favorable ruling, Chairman Kenneth Wright added, “there will be a chapter written in a book about what this commission did today.”

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust is pleased with the outcome, which not only protects tarpon in Florida waters, but extends catch and release regulations into federal waters off of Florida. BTT also sends heartfelt thanks to members and supporters who made sure their voices were heard throughout this process. Your support made a huge difference, and several commissioners praised the thoughtful and informed letters they received from Bonefish and Tarpon Trust supporters leading up to the meeting. “It took teamwork on many levels to get these new regulations enacted,” said BTT Chairman Tom Davidson, “and we are very thankful for the Commissioners’ forward-thinking actions. These new regulations have brightened the future for Florida’s bonefish and tarpon fisheries.”

The newly adopted regulations include the following provisions:

• Eliminating all harvest of tarpon with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon when in pursuit of an IGFA record and in conjunction with a tarpon tag.
• Keeping the tarpon tag price at $50 per tag but limiting them to one tag per person, per year.
• Modifying the tarpon tag program, including reporting requirements and shifting the start and end date for when the tarpon tag is valid.
• Requiring that tarpon remain in the water and are released near the site of capture.
• Discontinuing the bonefish tournament exemption permit that allows tournament anglers to temporarily possess bonefish for transport to a tournament scale (this brings the state in line with similar rules in the National Parks in the Keys).

WISH WE COULD GET IT TOGETHER HERE IN HAWAII AND CREATE SOME MEANINGFUL CONSERVATION MEASURES. WAY TO GO FLORIDA!

Great News for Bonefish! is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Try Airflo Fly Lines for Big Hawaiian Bonefish is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Christmas Island Flyfishing is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Around 1950, Charlie became the head chef at the Lighthouse Club, located at the port of Fresh Creek on Andros, a hot spot for big-spending celebrities such as the members of the Rat Pack, George Bush Sr. and Ted Williams, to name a few. In those early days, Charlie frequently heard grumbling complaints from the guests about the bonefish guides. When club founder Dick Birch caught wind that his chef had talents other than preparing fish stews and frying conch fritters, he saw an opportunity that would aid in customer satisfaction and, therefore, his bottom line.

As Charlie puts it: “When he found out that I know about fishing, he would send me out to make sure the guest would get happy and would have a good day fishing. That’s how I began cheffing, playing music and fishing.”

Charlie became quite the entertainer in many respects, and his reputation as the local bonefish guru was on the rise. At one point, he even caught an 18½-pound fish right off the Lighthouse Club beach. These were different times, and because Charlie was a “colored” Bahamian, what would have been a record catch was not accepted and was instead relegated to be the main course that fed 25 guests that night.

When news about the trophy catch got out, Charlie’s reputation skyrocketed to the point where it was his knowledge of bonefishing that attracted the majority of big-name public figures, such as Bahamian Prime Minister Lynden Pindling and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, to the club. For such highly esteemed guests, Birch wanted the best chef on the island to cook for them, so naturally he called on Charlie. When Charlie arrived, Birch surprised him by saying, “You are always bragging about fishing, so now you have two prime ministers to fish. I hope you can go to the drawing board and do something to make sure they catch some bonefish.”

Charlie realized then that his reputation (and perhaps his job) was on the line and admitted recently he was nervous. He spent the remainder of the evening experimenting with fly patterns. By 2:30 in the morning, Charlie felt he had a winning combination, a fly that was essentially nothing more than a hook, lead eyes and a chicken feather. The next day, Pindling caught two bones and Trudeau managed three. When they got back, Charlie showed the men the fly he invented just for them. Pindling told Charlie, you better start inventing more because it worked for us and it will work for someone else. Pindling was indeed correct.

“So when Bob Nauheim came from Fishing International to Charlie’s Haven with Frank ­Bertania, they were missing all the big fish,” Charlie said. “Bob was getting upset and angry because he couldn’t get one on, so I said, ‘I have a nasty fly in my pocket; would you like to try it?’ He said, ‘Yes, I’ll try anything,’ so he cut the Deceiver off that Lefty Kreh invented and put on my fly. As soon as he cast it out, as soon as it hit the water, the fish ran over and — boom — 9½-pound fish to the boat. So, I poled the flat a while and Frank caught one, 6½ pounds. Then he gave the rod back to Bob. When he went to cast to the next big bonefish, Frank was in the middle of the boat and Bob pulled the fly between me and Frank and hooked Frank in his ass. And this is how it all began right there. We got the fly out of Frank’s ass. Bob cut it off the line and put it in his pocket, and he took it to the Fly Shop in Redding, California, to Mike Michalak and asked if he’d copy the fly and tie up a lot of them. Mike said, ‘Yes, but I’ll have to call Charlie.’ So Mike called me up and told me, ‘Bob gave me this fly for me to copy,’ so I said, ‘Yeah, go ahead and do it.’ And that’s how it all began. It ended by Bob saying he looked in his tackle box and found this old lure. That isn’t true; he got the fly from me.”

Charlie is the first to admit that his flies aren’t fancy — or even pretty for that matter.

“I tie fly to catch fish, and I always tell the shops they tie the flies to catch the fish and the customer.” As with any genius, Charlie has a rhyme to his reason behind turning out flies that many would consider unattractive. “If you are a bonefish trying to catch a shrimp and you are gaining on it and it looks crippled, you are going to keep going after it.”

He swears that his sloppy version, sitting right next to the beautiful version bought from the fly shop, will be picked up by a bonefish every time. “It’s because my fly doesn’t look too fancy or too pretty; it always looks rough and I keep it like that. I could make it fancy and pretty but I’m not selling; I just tie and give.” Do Charlie’s flies display a few external imperfections? Absolutely. However, his rationale reveals the inner beauty of Charlie’s Charlies, and when you understand it, you realize that the finished product he holds in his hand is not merely a roughly tied fly but rather a true masterpiece.

Crazy Charlie is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Saltwater Fly Design with Dr. Aaron Adams is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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In all packing-related conversations, opinions range from ‘less is more’ to ‘bring anything you might need’. We like to strike a happy balance – well-prepared, but not too weighed-down.

For a fishery like ours- Bonefish Hawaii, you’re probably going to do a combination of wading away from the boat and fishing from the boat. If you’re in the boat, we still think you should keep the ‘On Your Person’ items on your person. If you’re wading, the ‘Hip Pack’ items will be in your hip pack; if you’re fishing from the boat they’re probably still in your hip pack but that pack will be in your boat…that’s OK.

Here’s what we think you should bring along, and where we think you should bring it.

What to Pack for a Day of Hawaiian Bonefishing is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Seychelles Flyfishing Trailer is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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If you’re fishing for bonefish somewhere like Hawaii, you’re not going to catch a lot of them. Yes, we all want to get a few hero shots, and that’s OK, as long as you treat the fish well in the process. What’s the best way to let those fish go?

Simple – unless you absolutely need a photo, don’t handle them at all. Keep the fish in the water. Don’t touch the fish – just grab your fly, pop it out, and let him swim.

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust produced a nice little video that helps drive the point home. Have a look.

How to Handle a Hawaiian Bonefish is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Tying a Classic: the Tarpon Toad is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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Tailing Bonefish Quickie VI from Chris Lewis on Vimeo.

Tailing Bonefish is a post from: BonefishHawaii.com

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