Backing. Since Florida Keys bones can strip off 100 to 200 yards of backing on their first run as they exit a large grass flat, you need 200 yards of 20-pound backing. There are several ways to attach your fly line to the backing. I prefer the loop-to-loop method because rather than carry extra spools with different lines, I like to carry extra fly lines and change lines when conditions change. There are several ways to make the loops, but I use the following method.
I use a Bimini Twist knot to tie a 6- to 8-inch loop in the backing. I cut the end of the fly line at an angle, fold the fly line over 1 1/2 inches, and whip a 1/2-inch loop on the end of the line with thread from my fly-tying bobbin. I use thread of approximately the same color as the fly line. To connect the loops, I pass the Bimini Twist loop through the fly line loop and around the reel to form the loop-to-loop connection.
Between the fly line and backing I install 50 feet of brightly colored 20-pound-test monofilament to act as a shock absorber during the fight with the fish. This optional section of mono is made with loops on each end.
Lines. With few exceptions, you'll cast to bonefish in water that is from one to three feet deep, so a weight-forward floating line works best. Most line companies sell floating lines designed for bonefish. Floating lines designed for freshwater bass fishing will also work because, like bonefish lines, they turn over heavier flies easily.
Bonefish didn't get the nickname "gray ghost" by staying around waiting for you to cast to them, and they are as weary and skittish as any species. Some guides and anglers feel that brightly colored lines can spook bonefish while the line is in the air. That may be true, but I haven't experienced it.
At the other extreme, I once used a clear floating line that I thought would be an ideal bonefish line. Surprisingly, that clear floating line was too clear. When sight-casting to bonefish, I could not see the end of the line on the water, so I could not tell where the fly was in relation to the fish.
One brightly colored floating line I use is a florescent-orange Scientific Anglers WindMaster. This line is not intended for everyday casting but is good for days when the winds exceed 15 knots. Its bright color is easier for me to see on the rough water of a windy day and does not spook fish because the water is so rough the fish can't see it as easily as they might on a calm day.
Leaders. Tapered one-piece leaders can work in saltwater but only with small saltwater flies. The heavy flies used in saltwater require stiff, hard-material leaders. You can rely on a guide for a leader or build your own leaders. If you build your own, lubricate each knot before pulling it tight. There are several widely available books on fishing knots, and these can help you tie better knots.
I use Ande Monofilament (available through mail-order catalogs) to tie my bonefish leaders because I like its stiffness and abrasion resistance. I don't use loop-to-loop connections here because they can prevent the leader from turning over properly with heavier flies and in windy conditions.
To make my 9-foot bonefish leaders, I start with four feet of 30-pound-test monofilament secured to the fly line with a nail knot. To this butt section, I attach three feet of 20-pound-test mono with a blood knot, then three feet of 15-pound-test mono. The knots use up six to eight inches of mono on each end, so I end up with a 3-foot section of 30-pound-test mono, a 2-foot section of 20-pound-test mono, and a 2-foot section of 15-pound-test mono. I attach a class tippet of about two feet to the end of the leader.
If the bonefish are particularly spooky, I extend my leader from about nine feet to 11 feet. I do this by tying a 3- to 5-foot piece of 8- or 12-pound-test mono class tippet with a blood knot to the leader.
Bonefish have soft, almost leathery mouths with nothing around their mouths to cut or abrade the leader, so I attach my fly to the tippet with either a Uni-Knot (if I want the fly to swing freely) or a clinch knot. Other knots also work; use one you are comfortable tying.
Flies. Most bonefish in the Florida Keys have seen a fly more than once and will ignore Gotchas, Bonefish Charlies, and many other flies that work well on the flats at other bonefish destinations.
Flies that are brown or tan and resemble a crab or shrimp work well in the Keys. Puffs and snapping shrimp patterns (shown in Lefty Kreh's Saltwater Fly Patterns book often work, as do a variety of Tim Borski's bonefish series (shown in Umpqua Feather Merchants' Fly Patterns book. Sizes range from #4 to #1/0. Some have lead or bead-chain or eyes, and most have monofilament weed guards. Heavier flies are used to reach bottom in deeper water. A 9- or 10-weight rod can make it easier to cast the larger, heavier flies.
The flies available at Florida Keys fly shops are often your best bets. Choose the ones that have been working during the week before your arrival. If you tie your own flies, ask your guide for a list of patterns when you book your dates. Better yet, ask him to sell you one of his favorite bonefish flies and have him send it to you in advance so you can tie your own. That way you'll be sure to have enough of the flies that both you and your guide know will work.
Walt Jennings is a Fly Fisherman editor at large. He lives in Venice, Florida.
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