Hi Pete, I am fishing in Shark Channel and the surrounding mangrove islands and flats. It is located in the lower keys on the Atlantic side. I am watching the tides but usually I spot the bonefisb when it's too late and they've spooked. For the past day I have been mainly trying to land a tarpon and catching barracuda for my brother who is also trying to catch a shark (with "conventional" methods). He has continually gotten broken off at the braid after his leader, the leader is 6 feet so it says something about the length of the sharks... most of them are lemons. I have only hooked one with the new leader, the fight lasted 30 seconds or so and the leader broke at the improved blood knot between the 20lb and 60lb, so I must have messed up that knot.I have a 550 grain super fast sink integrated line and will try that tomorrow in the channel for shark with clousers.
James, the split ring is a great idea, I will try that if I can find some.
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Hi Andrew
It is easier to spot bonefish when the sun is high.
Unless you have tailing fish then spotting fish early or late is difficult. Incoming tide at midday is ideal.
Pete
It is easier to spot bonefish when the sun is high.
Unless you have tailing fish then spotting fish early or late is difficult. Incoming tide at midday is ideal.
Pete
IANACI
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Pete, that would depend on where you are. The low tide was the best in Mahe. On high tide you would have almost been under water completely.
I'm here just for the chicks.
-Sakke
-Sakke
Castable Shark Leader?
Sakke
You misunderstand me. The tide must be moving and incoming is best.
It is easier to see the fish when the sun is high, not the tide.
You misunderstand me. The tide must be moving and incoming is best.
It is easier to see the fish when the sun is high, not the tide.
IANACI
Castable Shark Leader?
Yeah, the sun's best position is high and not behind any clouds. Take the wind away too, please.
On Mahe, the fish may have been there all the time, but I only saw and reached them when the tide had dropped enough. They disappeared when the water rose too much. Best time seemed to be maybe an hour before the lowest point of the tide.
On Mahe, the fish may have been there all the time, but I only saw and reached them when the tide had dropped enough. They disappeared when the water rose too much. Best time seemed to be maybe an hour before the lowest point of the tide.
I'm here just for the chicks.
-Sakke
-Sakke
Castable Shark Leader?
If you're going to use them I'd suggest you put them on your flies before you go out as they're a PITA to fit when fishing. I've just been adding some to the flies I posted - I'm going to buy some split ring pliers for next time! Threading the wire is easy though so you can change fly on the flats.Andrew wrote: James, the split ring is a great idea, I will try that if I can find some.
James
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quick update to the trip, forgot all about this thread.
All in all must have gotten 13 reasonable shots at bone fish. 8 were doomed from the beginning because my best fish spotting day was also the day i forgot to wash the sunscreen off my hands which got onto my flies. So frustrating to see the fish turn to your fly and get close and then run away. I only got one to eat but i did a strip set and a trout lift at the same time, pulling the hook out of the fish's mouth. The barracuda were much easier to catch, I lost count of how many i caught, maybe 40? It was interesting to fish them in different situations, like where you only saw their shadow lurking under the mangroves, or when there was a mini channel and the barracuda were literally lining up in the current like trout. For the sharks on the last two days i hooked 6 in total but the longest I fought one was probably 5 minutes or even less as after a while the shark would pull my anchor, meaning I was getting pulled out into open water with 1-3ft waves which was not nice and once I had gotten close enough to the shark from the flat i broke them off. For the tarpon I had 9 in total but 6 of them were less than 20 sec connections as they would jump or go back into the mangroves, breaking my tippet. I saw a lot more tarpon but most of the time they were busy getting chased by sharks.
All in all must have gotten 13 reasonable shots at bone fish. 8 were doomed from the beginning because my best fish spotting day was also the day i forgot to wash the sunscreen off my hands which got onto my flies. So frustrating to see the fish turn to your fly and get close and then run away. I only got one to eat but i did a strip set and a trout lift at the same time, pulling the hook out of the fish's mouth. The barracuda were much easier to catch, I lost count of how many i caught, maybe 40? It was interesting to fish them in different situations, like where you only saw their shadow lurking under the mangroves, or when there was a mini channel and the barracuda were literally lining up in the current like trout. For the sharks on the last two days i hooked 6 in total but the longest I fought one was probably 5 minutes or even less as after a while the shark would pull my anchor, meaning I was getting pulled out into open water with 1-3ft waves which was not nice and once I had gotten close enough to the shark from the flat i broke them off. For the tarpon I had 9 in total but 6 of them were less than 20 sec connections as they would jump or go back into the mangroves, breaking my tippet. I saw a lot more tarpon but most of the time they were busy getting chased by sharks.
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That sounds like a fun trip, Andrew! 
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So knowing that you were going to get pulled into open water and would have to pull for a break, you continued to cast at the sharks?Andrew wrote:. For the sharks on the last two days i hooked 6 in total but the longest I fought one was probably 5 minutes or even less as after a while the shark would pull my anchor, meaning I was getting pulled out into open water with 1-3ft waves which was not nice and once I had gotten close enough to the shark from the flat i broke them off.
I think this shows a lack of respect for your quarry, if you're not intending on retrieving your fly and safely releasing the fish then don't fish for them! How about telling the anglers on your local trout stream that you're going up there to hook some fish and then smash your leader - how would that go down?
Sharks should be treated the same way as any other fish.
James
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I am curious why so many use swivels. I've only used swivels (snap swivels at that) when trolling for the convenience of switching out lures/baits. I've never used them fly fishing for blacktips or anything else.