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Bonefish Tips By Al Caucci People call me the "bug man" because Bob Nastasi and I conducted extensive research in freshwater entomology which precipitated four books on the hatch matching subject. Most people are unaware that both my roots and Nastasi's are in salt water. I've fished the surf for stripers, blues and bonita since the early 60's. I started flyfishing for bonefish in the Keys in the early 80's and set up my Bonefish Schools in the Bahamas in 1985. I believe they were the first nationally recognized bonefish schools. Today I run  6-Day programs on Andros Island, Bahamas in November and March. Let me tell you a little about bonefish flies and tactics: The Crazy Charlie is "the" classic bonefish fly. Retrieve a Charlie in 3" to 6" erratic jerks and pulses to imitate a fleeing shrimp. The same retrieve is used to imitate a crab. When a bonefish lines up on the fly and follows, you may need to speed up the retrieve with longer strips, interspersed with pauses. This is exciting stuff! You will feel a resistance when the bonefish pins the fly to the bottom - at this time, continue your short retrieves until you feel a solid resistance. Bonefish will often pin a fly several times before they suck it in to their mouth. Don't strike with your rod, instead "slip strike", which is merely a continuation of your retrieve, only a longer stroke. Then bring the rod to one side and set the hook. If you set the hook by sweeping your rod back, you will pull the fly away from the fish and the game will be over. The Hoochy Caucci imitates a crab or shrimp and I use it when fishing for large bonefish on medium-to-deep flats. I designed it to hit the water with a plunk to get the attention of big fish. It dives to the bottom fast and its fine textured craft hair wing and marabou tail pulsate enticingly when you pause the fly or retrieve at slower speeds. Works great in sizes #4 and #2 in deeper sand, mud and coral flats where big fish cruise in singles, doubles and triples. A 16 lb. bonefish was taken by Jerry Wolland on a tan Hoochy Caucci on Andros Island in November of '93. On spooky thin water flats, I prefer the #6 and #8 versions with small eyes. Al's Glass Minnow is another of my designs and works well when schools of bones gather around mangroves and channels waiting for higher tides so they can enter the mangroves. Note: A good rule on bonefish patterns is to match the fly with the color of the flat you are fishing. Stark white flats -white flies Tan flats - tan flies Turtle grass - brown and olive flies and so on. Also, take the time to check the colors of the resident crustaceans on the flats that you fish. Conversely, they school up at the same spots as the tide drains the mangroves so they can swim off to the flats together as the tide recedes. During these times you will see fish flashing near the surface as they turn to feed on small glass minnows. At this time, cast to the edge of the school and fish near the surface with an erratic streamer-like stripping action. Works great on spooky school fish. The Clouser Minnow works well on deeper flats because the lead dumbbell gets the fly down quickly. Fish it the same as the Hoochy Caucci. It's a great all around pattern for bonefish, stripers and bluefish. The Gotcha is a Bahamian pattern that works well - especially on Andros Island. It is equally effective in other areas that have extensive pinkish and tan sand flats.

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