A report from SteveL
I went out to fish the flats at sunrise on what would be an extreme falling tide.
There was a steady trade wind blowing with occasional higher gusts. I have come to welcome the wind because it keeps most other flyfishermen off the flats. However a couple of fly fishermen were on the water in the distance near $5 flats.
The extreme low tide provided a small window to fish in the deeper sections of the reef. A bit after 7am I hooked up to a real feisty fish which I figured, after fighting so many like it, was a three-pound bonefish. After a 10 minute fight I brought it to net and tagged it. The fish weighed 3.25 pounds and was 21-inches long. Later I made my way out to two of the reef passes hoping to catch moana (Barred Goatfish, Parupeneus multifasciatus) or papio (juvenile Trevally, Caranx ignobilis) but I had no luck.
I was using my striped fly pattern and trying out a new hook made by a French company, DMC. A very strong hook and corrosion resistant. I went later in the morning back to J&E Fishing Supply to buy more hooks. Very inexpensive. A #13 round straight shank is $6.50 for100 hooks and for #4 bait keeper is $12.50 for 100. While I was there I also picked up a 20"x20" folding / extendable net by Promar. It's an investment, as it cost me $47. The net that has served me well all these years probably only cost $15. But hey, I've wasted money on less practical/useful things....so this is OK.