A report from Eric for mikescatchreport.com
I went out fishing today after the end of a great 2013.
I meet my friend at our usual spot to try our luck--hopefully catching a big bonefish to kick off 2014. We strolled down the beach and waded out around 9:30am on the falling tide.
The wind was down but the air had a slight chill to it, but not like the chill that I had the week before when I was in Pasadena, Calif., to watch my niece march in the Tournament of Roses Parade for the Westfield High School marching band from Chantilly, Va. It was a great parade.
I started out with a fly that I always wanted to try but never did. I fished with it for about 45 minutes but no bone wanted it. So I switched to my go-to fly and after two casts it was “fish on.”
I could tell that this fish was a big one but instead of dashing for the open ocean to shred my leader on all the coral around the reef edge it went left. I had a chance. The fish peeled off backing then took it all out again after I managed to get it back on the spool. I finally got it in and it was a fat one. It weighed in at 7 pounds. After another hour of fishing I had to call it a day so I could pick up my son after his Boy Scout troop hike.
The new year started out great and I hope 2014 will be a good year for BIG bones.
EQUIPMENT: USe a fast action 8 or 9 weight rod and floating line with an aggressively tapered leader and heavy tippet.