Allthough yesterdays surf conditions did not promise good things for an offshore trip I did join Diamond Dave and Mark this morning to go offshore fishing with Capt. Mike Malay out off Bonita Springs. Since I got motionsickness easily going on a boat when the surf was 3ft. or more was maybe not a brightest idea.
The masterplan for the day was to find a shrimping boat and fish for Bonito's aka false Albacore. I brought a 9 weight plus spinning rod with me, Dave had a 12 weight and Mark also had a 9 weight fly rod with him. Capt. Mike had plenty of tackle aboard but I guess we all wanted to fish with our own gear first. We headed out of Big Carloss Pass to get bait for chumming first. After the livewell was loaded it was full speed ahead to find a shrimper offshore.
On our way. To the left Capt. Mike Malay, to the right Mark Ward of Everglades Angler.
At the first shrimper no fish responded to the chum. Obviously the vessel had not been fishing previous night. Further out we found another shrimper that was just busy sorting out the catch of the previous night.
The High plains drifter from Fort Myers Beach.
Just as Capt. Mike predicted all hell broke loose when a bunch of scaled sardines was thrown overboard. Like lightning Bonito's appeared from the depths and intercepted the handouts at light speed. Flies where tossed and Diamond Dave and Mark where soon both into a fish.
In the mean time my motion sickness reached barfing level. So I turned green and started to chum to fish personally. I just hope the guys have not videotaped that embarresing episode of this trip. Medical wizzkid Diamond Dave had motionsickness covered and handed me the antidote, I slowly returned to fishing level.
Into fish.
It is unbelievable how strong these Bonito's where. Both guys had to work hard to get the fish reeled in.
Double hookup, double landing.
I tried to get the fish on my nine-weight but as Capt. Mike indicated those fish where tacklebusters. First my leaders failed. After the Capt. provided me with a leader one fish took me all the way under the shrimper and the connection between flyline and backing broke. My reel was obviously not built to handle the Bonito's. The drag was full on but it was way too light to handle the fish. So the line was gone. Diamond Dave also was into tackle problems when his 12 weight TFO snapped. What an ugly sound.
Capt. Mike offered his custom 12 weight equipped with a train stopping Fin-nor Ahab reel and Diamond Dave was back in business.
Diamond Dave, very happy.
Mark had his tackle moments when knots broke and hooks straightened out. At least his rod stayed intact and he hauled in the fish.
Mark Ward in action.
We took turns fishing from the bow of Capt. Mike's 30ft. Contender.
Diamond Dave and I used the 12 weight from Capt. Mike and I finally landed some fish. My first Bonito on the fly. Even though I was more or less seasick I had a ball of a time. This was the best saltwater flyfishing experience I had so far. Unbelievable how strong these fish where. The drag on the reel was so tight that I could hardly pull line of myself but the fish ran right into the backing and beyond on their first run.
First Bonito on the fly.
Another one for barfboy.
Everytime we headed to the stearn of the shrimper the Bonito's where everywhere feeding on the bycatch of the shrimper. They where also feeding on bait nearby in the open water. It was awesome to see the Bonito's chase Ballyhoo through the 3ft. waves offshore.
In the mean time I was in to fish nr. 3 or 4 and the impossible happened.
I broke what could not be broken, the 12 weight from Capt. Mike.
I decided to take a break and motionsickness came drifting up again.
Feeding Bonito's off the shrimper.
Near the end off our trip we visited another shrimper and I took out
my St. Croix spinning rig. Mark Ward had brought out his spinning rod and was fishing with a red white plug. I joined the action and fished a red/white plastic shad. It did not take long before we both where into a fish. I fought the fish hard and when I had the fish near to the boat that ugly sound of a snapping rod was heard again. The middle section of my 3-piece tidemaster snapped under the pressure. The fish could still be landed though. So the Capt. was right on the mark when he said these fish where tacklebusters.
This day I lost a flyline, broke the flyrod from the guide, broke my spinning rod and lost my dinner from the night before.
Diamond Dave lost his flyrod and Mark just lost some lures.
At least I gotten a couple of fish and had the pleasure to meet the awesome Bonito. Did I mention the sighting of a Blackfin Tuna and that big Shark behind the shrimper. If you are in town try that fishing offshore for a change and don't forget they are tacklebusters. For more details see the Everglades Angler site at:
http://www.evergladesangler.com/portal/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=36
Next time I will surely go on an offshore trip again, when it is calmer though
So now I have to save for a decent heavy rod and reel for next year's encounters with the Bonita's
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