May 8, 2003

[Captain Bouncer]

Sharks on Fly and a Lot More

What a trip to Bimini. We ran to Bimini in the Bahamas on Monday morning to meet 6 anglers to fish with us on 2 boats through Wednesday. When we got there, they were out bone fishing with local guides. When they returned they were bubbling with tales of catching bonefish on flies and bait, plus lost permit and missed tarpon. We had our work cut out for us after that start.

We split up in the two boats. We took the light tackle and fly fishermen and the other boat took the brawny young anglers. We ran to a wreck in about 18 feet of water. Barracudas were everywhere. Both boats caught some on plugs and jigs. We kept one and after cutting the filets off so they hung from the fish, we hung it over the side. Soon the sharks were zeroing in on the scent of fresh barracuda flesh.

When the sharks reached the boat we offered them flies on a ten weight flyrod. They were not easy to fool. We hooked one in the dorsal fin. That lasted 5 minutes, till he jumped and broke the tippet. The next was hooked in the jaw. We released him at the boat about 45 minutes latter. He was a beautiful 100 pound blacktip.

That was the start of some often awesome and sometimes frustrating fishing over 3 days. Both boats caught numerous bonefish, nice groupers on plugs and jigs, snappers, loads of sharks, assorted jacks, dozens of cero mackerel up to a pair of 11 and 12 pound beast and a couple cobia. Yellowtail snapper were easy if you could get them to the boat before a huge amberjack or shark stole them off your line.

I guess we have to surrender as losers of the contest for best catch. We stacked the deck with our fly fishing, but with their 40 pound amberjack on 12 pound test, the 2 biggest grouper and all their sharks on heavy tackle, they had the sorest arms. We will have to beat them next trip.

This was our first trip to Bimini this year. We are available for these trips from now through October, so let’s go have some fun on Bouncer’s Dusky 33.