All bonefishing for visitors to the Cayman Islands    is catch-and-release. Besides, it's common knowledge that bonefish are no good to eat; as their name suggests, they are full of bones.

Good release practices actually begin long before the hookup, starting with the fly itself. Barbless flies will actually hook more fish and makes releasing them soooo much easier. And, due to their rubbery mouths, bonefish almost never throw barbless flies.

In fact, debarbing flies can actually increase the hookup ratio, especially on store-bought flies. Here's why: one of the most common hook models for commercial saltwater flies is the venerable Mustad^® 34007. This hook has a very large barb, which can actually prevent the full penetration of the hook if you don't strike the fish hard enough. It's pretty obvious that the same big barb will prevent the fly from coming back out again, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Barbless flies will actually hook more fish...

I guide more and more beginners to their first bonefish on the fly and (whether they realize it or not) I strictly use barbless flies. Not only do we almost never have any problem with the fish slipping the hook, but the hookup rate is very good for first-timers. Beginners to the flats often have to learn how to "strip-strike" instead of raising the rod in the classic "trout set" they're used to back home. Raising the rod in this manner is a very ineffectual way to set the hook. A fly rod is simply too flexable a tool to deliver the appropriate force to really drive the hook point in... especially if there's a giant barb in the way. Crushing those barbs flat gives my clients a little extra advantage if they forget themselves and pull a "trout set".

Debarbing the fly also has another advantage for beginners. Often on their first bonefish outing anglers will pop off a few fish until they get the hang of just how fast and strong these fish are. Should this unfortunate event occur, bonefish have little problem working barbless hooks back out of their mouths. This is especially important with the Mustad 34007 hooks, since they are stainless and won't rust out. Lots of saltwater anglers love stainless hooks - they last longer in the flybox - but they are bad for fish when we break them off and can often interfere with normal feeding behaviour of the fish.

The next aspect of good release practice is the fight itself. Anything that prolongs the fight is bad for the fish. It's common knowledge that weak fish make easy targets for predators, but too long a fight can actually kill a fish outright. Fortunately, I've never had this happen but I'm sure it does. Luckily bonefish are tough fish, but there are others that aren't as tough. For example, Snook have a high post-release mortality rate and need to be forced a little so they can be released as fresh as possible. Tarpon are the same.

In each case there are several mistakes that can lead to a prolonged fight. The first, (and a big pet-peeve for many bonefish guides) is using too light a leader. I'll say it here again, BONEFISH ARE NOT LEADER SHY. There, I feel better. There are precious few circumstances when anything under 10-pound tippet is called for when bonefishing, and most of the time there's no need to drop below 12-pound. Unless you're fishing for dinky 1 & 2 pound schoolies in Mexico, Belize, or somewhere, 10-pound is probably too light. I almost never use anything under 12-pound for my clients and even scale up to 14-pound occasionally when targeting bigger fish. Yes, we still catch plenty of bones.

The second problem is not fighting the fish firmly enough or using too light a drag. Something that every flyfisher should do is test the strength of their leaders and feel what it feels like to really pull on a fish.

Here's a very simple test. Tie a typical bonefish fly (a #4 Gotcha or something) onto a bonefish leader (say 10-pound for starters). Hook the fly around something firm - a nail in back-yard fence, the edge of the car bumper, or something - and then back up a few yards so that you're mid-way through the belly of the fly line. Set your drag to where you usually have it for bonefish and begin to pull, putting a good bend in the rod and trying to use the butt-section for most of the force. You'll soon find you have to either hold on to your line or tighten your drag considerably to keep the line from slipping. Almost certainly you'll be surprised how hard you have to pull before either breaking the leader or straightening the hook. In fact, I bet you'll find yourself cringing for the life of your rod. Don't worry, if you don't high-stick it you won't break your rod.

You'll be surprised how hard you have to pull before either breaking the leader, or straightening the hook.

This simple test (which I can't recommend enough) will demonstrate just how much pressure your tackle is capable of... quite a lot, right? Next time you're fighting a fish remember that you don't have to baby it: 10-pound tippet and an 8-weight fly rod can put serious pressure on any fish when used correctly.

The next element of the release is actually landing the fish. This is where a lot of anglers put undo strain and stress on their catch. Bonefish have no easy place to grab them and very few guides carry nets while wading for bones. Whereas permit have that convenient handle right above the tail, and tarpon can be lipped like a bass, bones are pretty tricky to get a handle on. This encourages bonefishers to grip the fish tightly right behind the head, which means they're squeezing either the gill-plates or their stomach and organs. Either way this is bad for the fish. I commonly see anglers squeeze the gill plates shut as they hold the fish for a photo. They may even mean well, conscientiously holding the fish underwater while the guide gets the camera ready, but with the gills pushed closed the fish can't actually breath.

Here are two easy ways to get a bonefish under control. First, you can actually lip them like you would a bass. This is especially effective with smaller fish (under 5 pounds). Just remember that the fish shouldn't be pulled from the water by the lip like this without also supporting it around the tail with the other hand. Too much pressure on the muscles and bones of the jaw can impair normal feeding activity for fish and lead to slow starvation. Secondly, (and this is better with bigger fish) simply calm them down. There's an easy trick to this. As you're leadering the fish, slide your hand down the leader and cover the fish's head with your hand. This should go a long way to calming the fish down. Now you can lightely grip the fish around the front of the head (taking care not to hold it's mouth closed), while still covering the top of the head with your hand. With your free hand grip the fish by the base of the tail. So long as you keep the head covered the fish should be fairly calm. If you want to get a photo, have your partner get the camera ready and focused, then gently lift the fish from the water while uncovering its head. It should rest calmly enough to snap a quick picture.

Now we come to the final part, removing the hook and releasing the fish. This is actually the easiest part and if you've done everything else right the fish should still be in good shape.

Never push and pull a fish back and forth to revive it. Gills only work in one direction.

Gripping the fish underwater as described above, use your other hand to slide the hook out. If you keep the head covered, again, there should be very little struggling. Remember, the more the fish struggles and fights, the weaker it gets and the greater chance it will become food for a shark or cuda as soon as you release it. Once the hook is out, release the fish and wait for it to get it's bearings and swim off. Try not to make any sudden movements or startle the fish at this point.

In some cases with especially big fish in warm water conditions, the fish may actually need some reviving. Remember, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, never push and pull the fish back and forth to revive it. Gills work in one direction only. If the fish needs reviving, simple push it in a circle around you until it kicks free on its own. If you're in a skiff you can have the guide pole a bit to get water moving over it's gills. In areas of high current, face the fish into that and simply hold it until it kicks free.

Try these simple tips for your next release and you'll be able to rest easy that you've given your precious quarry every chance to humiliate another angler in the future.    << Back to GREEN ANGLER Page

~ Davin Ebanks, Fly Fisherman & Bonefish Guide