Snake Guides: Bahamas Day 3

In running it's called negative splits. In bonefishing it's called a strong finish.

For most of the day we fought high wind, high tides (the fish can get back into the mangroves during high tides and it makes them tough to find) and low light. We had plenty of shots but the fish seemed to be a bit closed mouthed. Flies were ignored or they spooked the fish. It was a tough day on the flats.

By late afternoon/early evening we had boated a couple of fish when ST suggested that we get out and wade.

With the tide falling, ST put us on an outside flat and we started walking. ST and CA took the deepside and I went on the inside. The logic...nobody can see a bonefish better than a bonefish guide and the deeper the water the harder they are to see. I headed up into the mangroves exploring creek mouths and when I emerged I saw STR pointing with the cuda rod. I kept wading and scanning and glance up from time to time to keep my eyes on the duo.

It wasn't long before CA hooked up.
Bingo.

I waded within 150 yards, zoomed in and started snapping photos. The cool thing about having a camera is that action is action. It doesn't have to be your fish for it to be a good time. I had the Lumix set on 12 shot bursts and fired away.

The fish bolted and the image of CA braced against a bonefish heading for New Jersey was priceless.
After 2 long runs, he started cranking. The Bonefish was about 15 feet away when the shark hit it. ST took only a moment to grab CA's line, follow it down to the bloody melee and, using the butt of the cuda rod, issue a blow to the shark's head...

The gallant effort was just a little too late...CA was left with only the eating half of the bone.

You don't see that every day.

ST suggested we get out of the wading mud slick, took the bonefish head and threw it on the mangrove mud to be picked up on the return for dock/shark chum.

And we continued.

ST suggested we change places but I was happy where I was. I waded along peering into the dropping tide and the bonefish started coming...

One fish I'll not soon forget tracked my fly until the leader loop hit my tip-top. I dropped the rod and slowly swept it to the right, pulling the fly along the bottom until the bone's tail started to wag and I felt resistance...I hope I am forgiven for the trout set that followed...right, wrong or otherwise, the hook stuck and I went from leader to backing in a moment.

We each landed a few nice bonefish on our end of day hike.

On our wade back to the skiff we stopped to collect the front half of the bonefish that CA caught.
A few yard past the fish I saw a bottle glinting in the marl. Remembering back to my last trip ( http://snakeguides.blogspot.com/2012/05/side-note.html ) I stopped to take a look. I was thinking "Miracle Whip Jar" but instead found another liquor bottle from the 1800's.

Strong Finish.

Back at the lodge after dinner we hung the bonefish off a wire on the dock. It took about 3 minutes for the first shark to arrive. It wasn't long before the rest showed up.

Once the most eager shark consumed the bonefish, ripping the wire from the dock, I thought about the first day and the stringer of snappers I was planning to attach to my belt loop...

At the very least I would have ruined a pair of pants...at worst...who knows.
Lessons are learned every day, if you pay attention.

With the water all bloodied up, CA took his cuda rod and hung a chunk of flesh. It really didn't take long before we started marveling at the strength of 12 lb mono...