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12/13/11

bonefishing hawaii:

tips for surviving the winter.

 

so here we are once again in midst of the final “season” of the hawaiian bonefishing year. for the first time in a few years now it really feels like winter here in hawaii.  low tides during the day, low (or no) sun, cool temps, cloudy skies, rain, and blustery winds (not the happy summer tradewind type).  yes it’s once again time to steelhead up hawaiian style and go up and up with the fish gods.  it’s the time that separates the strong from the weak, the men from the boys, and (on some days) the crazy from the sane.  i’ve been out pounding with doug both sight fishing (when possible and sometimes even when it's not) and bombing.  we’ve noticed a significant decrease in the amount of fly guys out on the flats these days.  there has been fish out there but not in any kind of great or consistent numbers.  we’ve had to do a little extra work to find them on any given day and of the ones we’ve found many are in that sluggish winter mode it seems all creatures, including ourselves, tend to get into. so for this blog i offer anyone out there who is interested a few tips for surviving the winter and, hopefully, getting bit as well.

 

if you are one of the handful of peeps i’ve seen out there pounding through this winter with me, you are already doing the single greatest  thing you can do to hook bones these days (or any other time for that matter) and that is to just be out there going for it like there is no tomorrow.  to those who are not fishing or not fishing as much remember this.  there are almost no certainties when it comes to fly fishing (and you’d be well advised to steer clear of anyone who speaks in certain terms) but the one thing that is certain is that you will never catch more fish staying at home instead of being on the water.  you may catch the same amount (nothing) but you will never catch more.  where else in life do you get that kind of odds.  i’ll take that everytime.

 

stick to what you have confidence in.  if you  are like most out there, now is not the time to try different things that you are not used to or have no faith in.  use things that you have had success with in the past.  use your go to flies, that lucky rod, and fish your favorite spots.  i have always found it strange that most anglers will stick to the same things when they are catching fish and only try new things when they are not.  that, to me,  is not the way to become confident with many different flies, gear, and techniques.  it should be the opposite.  those who know me know that i fish different gear all the time and have confidence fishing anywhere, anyway, anytime.  i’m always out there with my giant “bag of tricks”  that keeps getting bigger and bigger with no end in sight.  this confidence in all things fly, helps a lot when the fishing slows down but it is gained by not doing the same things over and over when the fishing is good.

 

jackets and mp3 players are very important pieces of equipment especially at this time of year.  anything that will keep you fishing and focused longer will help immensely on those, sometimes, long days on unfriendly waters.  don’t overlook them.

 

when sight fishing, know your vision and make sure you are spending your time looking only where you can see fish under the conditions (the little guys are super tricky to see but more willing to eat when the going gets tough).  even if you can only spot fish ten feet in front of you, it is better to fish that than stare blindly thirty feet in front of you.

 

when bombing, now more than ever, long casts and covering water thoroughly is key.  i’ve lost tons of flies so far this winter just keeping them in the zone for as long as i possibly can on every cast.

 

now that you’ve read through the things you don’t want to hear, here is the stuff that you might actually be interested in.  the fish we have been hooking have been on rather small flies tied on size four or six hooks.  doug likes his flies lighter than i do but they have been small.  in fact the fly that we’ve had the most success with so far has been the lowly old orange and tan charlie.  why not, it hasn’t been around the bonefish scene for so long because it doesn’t work.  no tail, rubber legs, or giant fur claws (mine doesn’t even have flash).  it is just a simple charlie that has been working for us, occasionally of course, the best.  but what do we know.  we’re out there just trying to get bit as best we can with this wintery hand we’ve all been dealt.

 

that’s all i have for now. for those who are taking a stand against old man winter this year, i applaud you and i’ll see you on the water.  for the rest of you, i guess i’ll see you in the spring.

 

there's still some nuggets out there for those willing to "steelhead up" and get after them.

 

i finally persuaded doug to fish a switch rod and he got the only fish of this day using it... you just never know. 

 

sometimes simple is better, it doesn't get much simpler than an orange and tan charlie.

 

concentrating on where you can see can make the difference between fish and frustration.

 

... and that jacket may keep you out just long enough to get bit.

 

a little bone fever never hurts to keep you on the water as well. fortunately,  i've been fishing with the guy that has an incurable case of it.

 

sometimes they don't even have to be eating.  all they gotta do is look.

 

the question is not whether there are fish out there or not.  the question is are you up to going out and doing what it takes to get them... so are you?  good times.

 

clay.


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