There are a multitude of opinions as to what an angler needs to bring for gear when fly fishing in the Bahamas. Years ago, when I was fishing on Martha's Vineyard, I was on the jetty in Menemsha, waiting for the bonita to show up. A couple of fly fishermen pulled up in a Land Rover and got out. Between them, they were wearing every fly fishing accessory known to man. One of them was smoking what appeared to be an ivory Sherlock Holmes style pipe. I imagined that the bonita would regard these guys as being in the peak of fly fishing fashion. Orvis and Patagonia should be grateful.
If you are coming to the Bahamas to bonefish, it can be done with a minimal amount of equipment. I am a bare bones kind of fisherman. I wade the flats in my bathing suit, barefoot when posable and wear a small fanny-pack that holds flies, clippers, needle-nose pliers. spare tippet and a hook sharpener. The bonefish don't seem to mind that I am not a Patagonia Poster Boy. This is not a judgement on fly fishermen who enjoy the trappings of fly fishing. Much of the clothing is necessary covering for the fair shinned angler in a tropical sun. Most of the fly fishing clothing is well made, dries quickly and is comfortable.I have a pile of it that is hardly ever used.
The most important bonefishing accessory to bring o the Bahamas, is a working understanding of the delicate nature of flats ecology. Many fly fishermen, new to bonefishing, wade these flats in the same manner that they wade a beach on the New England coast. I have had stripers and bluefish swim into my legs chasing silversides. The coast up that way is rugged and durable. The fish are aggressive.It is a different ball game to fish in a strong current or pounding surf. Being heavy footed will not work on a bonefish flat. Too many fly fishermen on a small flat is also unproductive. Bonefish are astute little creatures and notice that sort of thing. The quickest way to NOT catch bonefish is to have to many rods and too much activity on a flat. Flats ecology is largely about who is feeding and when.
At this point I must admit to catching two bonefish at Seaside Beach in Alice Town, Eleuthera, with swimmers in the water not twenty-five feet from me. That same school of bonefish was up against the shoreline swimming around the feet of people coming in to swim.
Several guides have said that bonefish are friendly by nature. If you sit still in the water, they will swim right up to you I have been told that you can even pet them. The bonefish that is on the Home Page of this website was four feet from me when I took that photograph. He was thirty feet away when I first saw him and he first saw me.
Paul Petty, a well know Eleuthera bonefish guide, told me "if you want to see how to move on a flat, watch the birds". They move slowly, lift their feet completely out of the water and stand still a lot. When I can remember to do these things, I catch bonefish.
I plan on doing some underwater photography of bonefish before the water here cools off this month. I can test the theory about bonefish letting people pet them. I will be sure to wear my best fly fishing attire on the way to and from the flats. Wouldn't want to disappoint the paparazzi.