Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Ascension Bay - Day 3

Tough day today for everyone but Rob. Overcast and dark (no sun) with strong winds all day blowing at 20 mph or so. Almost impossible to see the fish, and very hard to cast. I fished with Shan, the host from Red's Fly Shop, and Rob fished alone (his partner was ill this morning).

Shan and I hunted all morning without a real chance to cast to any bonefish. A couple spooked by the boat, that was all. Then at lunch time, we entered a lagoon and found four or five schools of bonefish tailing in the same area (eating shrimp from the bottom, which puts the tip of their tail above water in the shallow lagoon).
This is about the only way find bonefish on a day like today - see the tails?
We got out of the boat, and worked into a position upwind of the schools so we could reasonably cast. I was able to three schools, and hooked a bonefish from two of them. Lost one on the run, broke another off. After about 30 minutes of stalking and casting they disappeared. That was the last of the fish I cast to that day. So as expected, a difficult, slow day, but always cool when you are able to cast at tailing bonefish. You can also tell my difficult days because I have more pictures of birds than fish!
Flamingos at the other side of the lagoon

Gray Garza

White heron
Rob, on the other hand, went to the far north, and with a guide that had a different strategy (blind casting in deeper water while watching the flat for bonefish) and caught a jack crevalle, barracuda, snapper, bonefish, and snook. Then just outside the lagoon at Punta Allen, found another snook and a giant bonefish. He won the fish lottery today, catching more than the whole group I believe.
Rob's really big bonefish
We were greeted by sting ray towels upon returning, which was the only thing I saw most of the day.
Don't dry yourself with that - that's what killed Steve Irwin!
Tomorrow is supposed to be mostly sunny, which will make for a better day.

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