Whether you plan to fish for bonefish in Florida or in the Bahamas or at a Caribbean destination, you’ll want to have the right tackle, lures, flies, bait and accessories to make your bonefish trip a success.

Florida

If you are a spin fisherman, the all-round outfit is a 7- to 7 ½-foot rod designed to cast baits and lures in the 1/8- to 1/4-ounce range. Some anglers swear by 8-foot spin rods, claiming that they eke out a little extra distance, but mainly during calm conditions. Whatever the length, a light, flexible tip helps to fling a light shrimp, small crab or 1/8-ounce skimmer jig for maximum distance.

Make sure your reel has a smooth drag, and can hold at least 150 to 200 yards of 6- to 8-pound-test monofilament, or, as many bonefishers now prefer, braided line in the 10- to 14-pound-test range. Braid does allow for long casts, which may be the order of the day for especially spooky Florida bones. If you use braid, simply attach an 18- to 24-inch mono or fluorocarbon leader with the knot of your choice. Some Florida bonefish guides and anglers claim that bonefish see braid too easily, and therefore fish only mono, but you’ll have to be the judge. A good remedy to this may be to tie on longer leaders.

Top baits for Florida bones include live or whole, fresh shrimp and quarter-sized blue crabs. There are numerous ways to rig a shrimp, ranging from the Texas-rig for grassy waters (dead shrimp suffice for this) to placing the hook through the shrimp’s horn (for a lively, forward swimming bait) or through the tail fluke (for a bait that can be retrieved backward). Match the hook to size of the shrimp, and use a weighted hook, or a splitshot or two, to get the bait to bottom in slightly deeper water. You can keep shrimp alive in a baitwell, or keep them alive for hours on ice between sheets of newspaper. If you can find small crabs, hook them at the corner of the shell, from the underside through the top shell.

Florida fly fishers should carry rods in the 7- to 9-weights range, with an 8-weight sufficient for most conditions. During calm summer days, tailing fish can be best cast to with a 7-weight for minimal fly line splashdown. And the 7-weight is sufficient to cast the lightest flies for that application. Reserve your 9-weight for casting the heaviest, bulkiest flies that sink quickly in the 2- to 4-foot depths. Leaders in the 11- to 14-foot range are best when fishing for spooky fish in the shallowest water, and 9- to 10-footers suffice for cruising fish in deeper water. Either way, your leader should taper down to a tippet of 8- to 12-pound test, depending on fly weight (for best turnover), the nature of the flats, and size of fish.

There are countless bonefish fly patterns nowadays, and most Florida flies are on the large side, tied on No. 2 hooks, with a few tied on 4’s for very shallow waters. Bonefish in Biscayne Bay and in the Florida Keys eat a variety of foods, including shrimp and marine worms, but bigger fish prefer mantis shrimp, crabs and small baitfish such as blennies, toadfish, and even juvenile snappers. So they don’t shy from big food. There are many flies designed to imitate these foods. Old standards such as the Snapping Shrimp certainly work well, but local favorites include the Critter Crab, Dorsy’s Kwan, the Borski Slider, Borski Swimming Shrimp, Borski Chernobyl Crab, Del’s Merkin, and of course the venerable Clouser Minnow, a top baitfish pattern, designed for deeper fish. Whole volumes of bonefish flies can be found in books and online. The most important consideration when choosing a fly is that it sinks at a rate that gets to the fish no matter the depth.

Bahamas and Caribbean

The biggest difference with bones here is that they are generally easier to approach and fool with lures and flies. A smaller size average also allows for lighter tackle in many cases.

Spinfishermen can arm themselves with tackle suited for 4- to 6-pound line, and smaller reels if the fish are mainly in the 2- to 5-pound class. A reel holding 150 yards of line is more than adequate. Live baits such as shrimp are not available in the Bahamas and many Caribbean destinations, so your guide may arrange for some fresh conch (Bahamas) or small crabs caught on site. Otherwise, small flats jigs and the smallest soft-plastic shrimp lures work fine. Skimmer jigs in the 1/8-ounce class are perfect, and should match the coloration of the bottom. White, chartreuse, or tan jigs work well in the Bahamas for example.

Fly anglers love to tote along their 5- and 6-weights to the Bahamas, Mexico or Belize to have the most fun with small fish. However, you’ll want have your 8- or 9-weight with you for bigger specimens, and for casting weighted flies in deeper waters. Leaders can be short here for aggressive fish; often a 9-footer will suffice. Carry longer leaders for bigger singles, and calm, tailing conditions. As for flies, depending on where you fish, anything from No. 8s to 4s are perfect. Patterns such as the Gotcha, Crazy Charlie, Bonefish Special and Clouser Minnow will take fish throughout the tropics, but it’s wise to check with your outfitter so that you can pack the best patterns for the area. Do not assume that the lodge or guides will have flies for you to fish.

Accessories

Suffice to say you will need a few essential items to make your trip a success. Polarized glasses with tan, vermilion or amber lenses are best for sandy or grassy flats. A broad-brimmed hat with a dark underside will shade your eyes while looking for fish. In summer, long-sleeved shirts and pants shield you from the tropical sun, and have bug repellent on hand when fishing close to shorelines. If traveling abroad, clothing that dries quickly can be rinsed and used the nest day, allowing you to pack light. Bring along a few bandanas for everything from shielding your neck and face form sun, to cleaning your glasses and wiping off your hands. When abroad or at home in a guide’s boat, be on the safe side and carry basic first-aid items. Fly fishers should carry fly line cleaner/dressing to keep lines slick throughout the day, and extra leaders and leader material, flies and/or jigs and bait hooks are a must-have that take little space in a tackle bag. A rainsuit is recommended, and if fishing in Florida or the Northern Bahamas in winter, do not forget a jacket, or better yet, a sweat shirt and sweat pants.

--Mike Conner

Bahamas flies: Gotchas, Crazy Charlies, Bonefish Specials and light crab patterns round out a good Islands selection. Tie them on No. 6 or 4 hooks.

Florida flies: Flies imitating crabs and shrimp prevail. Dark colors are best over dark flats. Tie them on No. 2 and 4 hooks.

Skimmer jigs: smaller, light colors excel in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Darker, larger lures do well in Florida, especially over deeper flats. Tip them with fresh shrimp.