turks and caicos Archives - Bonefish Unlimited Turks & Caicos Bonefishing

Turks and Caicos fishing update

On March 16, 2013 / Fishing Report

Snuck out for a quick fish today. Saw some very big bones. Stood 50 yards from a draining canal and waited for the fish to come out of the mangroves. These fish operate on time every time. It is literally a 10 minute window on an outgoing tide. Look at the camouflage the fish is sporting once I land her. Stunning. On a different note I polled off the flat and into a battleship barracuda. Absolute monster waiting in a deep hole for the bones to leave the flat. Seeing the fish from way out I was not able to set up a wire leader on my 9 wt in time. Drifting closer and closer the cuda spotted me 15 yards out. I threw anchor and the fish did laps around the skiff. I threw the fly at her many times in hopes of a territorial response. Just a bunch of mock chases but no grab. Big fish are no dummies. Good news is I’ve seen this same fish for the past 2 years now and I know she is a resident. Might have another go tomorrow after a 1/2 day guided trip.

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A relative of todays’ cuda.

A crab pattern for the up and coming full moon spawn.

Irritation is the name of the Cudas’ game

On January 21, 2013 / Fishing Report

Hooking a Cuda in the 40 + inch range has nothing to do with luck. Luck is nothing but the resin of hard work. Feeding a large cuda is no easy feat. Curious and hesitant by nature a Cuda senses the angler from the get go. For this reason spotting a floater that is slowly swimming along from afar could present the opportunity to ring the bell for supper. The angler that can shoot the entire fly line can negotiate a presentation like a stealth bomber. This time of year the trade winds are persistent, making these casts difficult. The past year and a half or so I have almost given up on the increasingly rapid two handed strip. If I do this method one might want to throw a massive mend in front of the boat in hopes of pulling this cruiser away from the skiff. More often then not a Cuda will chase the fly all the way up to the boat with no dice, but a peering eye. A lot of the times it is physically inhuman to strip fast enough to get a Cuda to bite. Lately I have taken the permit approach. Hit him on the head and let the marabou do the rest. Tick Tick Tick with a flick of the wrist and bam.

When hunting Cudas on the flats one must study bonefish patterns. Especially on an outgoing tide. Channels is also the name of the game. Channels with an 8-15 foot depth, encompassed by flats on either side and the occasional structure below. Having a nearby bonefish aggregate site can help (usually a deep hole or impression within a channel, a spawning hole or place to meet before the show.) Sometimes I will drive through the middle of the channel before I poll it. Call me crazy but I do believe this helps stimulate the bite on given conditions. Hence the irritation being the name of the game.