Bonefish Fly Fishing Paradise

Bonefish Fly Fishing Paradise

Living in Bonefish Fly Fishing Paradise

Many things in my life have changed over time but one theme has remained a constant; I have done my very best to live in fly-fishing paradise! Whether that has been on Monster Bonefish Flats in Hawaii, the Best Atlantic Salmon Rivers in Russia, the amazingly beautiful Trout Streams of Argentina, uncharted Reefs and Flats of the remote Pacific Islands, the mysterious Steelhead Rivers of the Pacific Northwest, or the Finest Trout Waters in the American West, I have had the great luck in living in these places and this blog will tell you a bit about them. Pull up a chair, I hope you enjoy it!

I am guessing that some of you have been hearing stories lately about some really Big Bonefish caught on flies in Hawaii. Some of these stories are probably true and some, well…. We have done our best to keep things quiet for the past 35 years or so, but you know how that works. I’ll start back in the early 1970′s with some of my personal experiences to put it in perspective.

I grew up on the South Shore of the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. Back in the day my little brother and I really loved to fish, we would head for our favorite spot down the street at the Beach Park where a small fresh water canal entered the ocean. This fresh stream entering salt was just the place to find predator and prey alike. We started out with cane poles, a small hook and split shot, then gradually expanded our horizons to spinning tackle. We caught many small Bluefin Trevally (Papio in the local lexicon), Goatfish (Weke), and the occasional highly prized Bonefish (Oio). We improved on our game and equipment over time. The Hawaii Fishing News tide chart was always on the refrigerator door and we became pretty deadly with a light leader, small slip sinker, and a live Hawaiian Shrimp (‘Opae).

Things really changed when we found an old cane fly rod and fly reel in the back of my Grandpa’s closet. The aluminum rod tube protected a faded green rod sock with a tag the read H.L. Leonard. A fly reel was squirreled away nearby on a high shelf in its soft flannel bag, at the time the amber-colored braided flyline did not make any sense to me at all. Old or not, fishing gear was hard to come by in those days and we snuck that rod out the back door the first chance we got. The three-piece rod was initially graced with a Garcia Mitchell 302 spinning reel and did fairly well loaded with 8lb test mono. I know, this is making you Cane Rod Aficionados cringe…

I had somewhat of an epiphany later that summer while visiting an Uncle in Utah. A week-long backpacking trip into the High Uintah Mountains included my first experience with real fly-fishing. When I returned home to Honolulu the cat was out of the bag. The Medalist Reel was quickly re-installed and I began to test hook, fur, and feather on anything that would bite. The late summer appearance of 6-8 inch Papio at the Beach Park peaked just as my interest in this new weapon did. I quickly lost most of the Mickey Finns and Grey Ghosts in Grandpa’s fly box. Those that remained rusted immediately as they were submerged by the numerous deep wades I took to reach new spots. I soon concluded that the rubber Glitter Strips (first generation soft-plastic bait) we occasionally used on our spinning rods were equally, if not more deadly, on the fly rod.

I recall how proud I was to return home on my bicycle from one of these afternoon high-tide expeditions with a half-dozen small Papio and my first Bonefish on the fly! He had taken a small glitter strip on a blind cast in knee deep water. The undressed braided flyline provided the perfect slow-sinking presentation and I assume that the plastic bait was taken as a shrimp or small Anchovy (Nehu) that frequented the area. His first long run led me to believe that he was a large Papio, or possibly even an Ulua, (Giant Trevally which can reach 100lbs or more). After a few quick runs he came to my red dip net and was quickly retired into my over-the-shoulder, home made, cotton fish bag.

That evening my Grandmother prepared a fine meal of “Fish Cake.” The small bonefish was lightly pounded on both sides with the side of a Coke bottle, the fish’s tail was then chopped off and the light pink meat squeezed through the opening by using the bottle as you would a rolling pin- rolling from head to tail. The delicate meat (sans many fine bones) was mixed with bread crumbs, herbs and deep fried. I can almost taste them now…. Now thats Living in Fly Fishing Paradise.

 

  1. My son has recently taken a job as a chef with one of the Westin Resorts on Maui and I am very interested in visiting Maui and Oahu t see him. I also hope to gather information for my column on fishing in Hawaii. I have not set up any dates yet but I’d like to meet and talk with you while I’m out there.
    Fred Bonner

    1. Aloha Fred,
      Sounds great! the Westin is a terrific property, I have friends that swim out in front of there everyday. Lets get together when you are out this way and do a little fishing. FYI- This assignment is best undertaken when it is at least 0 degrees and snowing in your neck of the woods! See you soon.

%d bloggers like this: