How to Safely Handle Bonefish

As far as saltwater species go, bonefish are a strong contender for the perfect game fish. Firstly, they are found in beautiful places around the world, from The Bahamas to the Indo-Pacific, bonefish are found in warm-water, scenic fisheries. They are also a challenge: most often targeted in shallow-water scenarios, their tails giving away their position, demanding an angler make a precise and timely cast. Finally, pound for pound, few fish exhibit the same level of strength, peeling of a hundred yards of fly line with ease in a matter of seconds--And most anglers will attest that it is an experience that never gets old. 

With funding support from the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation, Keep Fish Wet has launched the Bonefish In Our Hands program, a series of science-backed steps to ensure anglers understand the best practices for safely catching and releasing bonefish. This is a simple, yet effective tool for mitigating risk, ensuring each bonefish hooked stands to fight another day and reproduce for future generations. Furthermore, safely releasing bonefish protects a resource that is the backbone of many communities and national economies, contributing approximately $170 Million annually to The Bahamas alone according to Bonefish Tarpon & Trust. Through these measures, anglers can play their part in conserving bonefish for the betterment of future anglers and the communities who rely upon them!

Follow the steps below from Bonefish In Our Hands to increase the survival rates of bonefish and put conservation to practice!

1. Crimp the Barb

One simple way to reduce physical injury and handling time is to simply crimp the barb on your hook. While anglers might think the barb will help them land the fish, if the hook is strip-set properly, this shouldn't be an issue. Additionally, it means you will force you to keep appropriate pressure on the fish which will only make you a better angler and land the fish faster. Also, science shows that if your bonefish is deeply hooked, it is better to just cut the line than try to dig the hook out.

2. Be Mindful of Conditions & Prepare Accordingly

Like most other fish, bonefish are ectotherms and water temperature directly influences their metabolism. When the water on the flats is heating up, bonefish are already stressed, amplifying the need to reduce, or better yet, eliminate air exposure, and reduce fight and handling times.

Some say that pound-for-pound, bonefish are one of the strongest fighting fish in the sea. As bonefish fight at the end of a line their muscles become fatigued (just like a runner at the end of a long sprint) and it can take as long as four hours for them to physiologically recover. Match your tackle to the size range of bonefish you expect to catch and adjust your drag so that you don’t overplay the fish.

3. Reduce Fight Time

Some say that pound-for-pound, bonefish are one of the strongest fighting fish in the sea. As bonefish fight at the end of a line their muscles become fatigued (just like a runner at the end of a long sprint) and it can take as long as four hours for them to physiologically recover. Match your tackle to the size range of bonefish you expect to catch and adjust your drag so that you don’t overplay the fish. Anglers too often do not apply enough pressure to fish for fear of breaking off a fish, but by having the appropriate tackle (generally #12 - #16 leaders/tippet), you can fight the fish appropriately to get it in as fast as possible. 

4. Limit Air Exposure

Science on bonefish shows that keeping air exposure to 10 seconds or less is critical for their survival after release. Air exposure, after putting up a fight on the end of a line, prolongs recovery, making it easier for sharks and barracuda to prey on bonefish after release. Once landed, keep your bonefish fully submerged and then let the person with the camera call the shots: 3 - 2 -1, lift, and click. You can also get creative with camera angles or use an underwater housing. If there are lots of predators in sight and/or the water is excessively warm, then don’t air expose bonefish at all. 

5. Know When to Release

For fish, there is a direct relationship between physiological stress and coordinated fin movement that would normally keep them upright and able to swim - also known as their ability to maintain equilibrium. Science on bonefish has shown that factors such as air exposure and handling time can significantly increase the loss of equilibrium, making them more susceptible to predation following release. If your bonefish rolls upside down but is still breathing, attempt to recover it before letting it go, but know that it will still be more susceptible to predators. Then use this experience to adjust your handling to minimize the chances of your next bonefish losing equilibrium.

6. Watch for Predators

Sharks and barracuda are important members of the flats community, but they also love to eat bonefish. If you are seeing a lot of predators on the flats, move to a new location rather than continuing to feed and even habituate sharks and barracuda to the potential of getting a free meal when anglers are around. Science shows that bonefish excrete ammonia and urea after being stressed, which likely helps lemon sharks hunt them down following release. Post-release predation can be as high as 40%--Underlining the importance of being mindful of predators and releasing the fish in as best shape as possible. 

These are some very simple but impactful steps all anglers can take to protect one of fly fishing's greatest species!