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21 January 2011
Posted in
Captain's -
Blog
Well actually I can!
A woman’s touch! Third time’s the charm! If at first you don’t succeed!
Leslie’s fuchsia
....take your pick.
A friend had joined me on two different occasions to target Bonnet Head Sharks on the fly. We were trying a new shrimp pattern I had tied for sharks. On both occasions we had a pick- up when we first arrived on the flat. Both times the sharks picked up the fly, but we were unable to get a good hook-set. On the second trip I had tweeked the fly, adding bright orange legs, a rattle, and more weight to make the fly sink faster. The fly needs to sink to the bottom quickly, so the shark can swim over it and pick it up. On the second trip we had a few more follows than we did on the first trip.
So back to the drawing board! I felt the fly and hook were too big.
That evening my wife, Leslie decided she would “help me out”. Well any of you that know Leslie, knows once she gets an idea in her head there’s no stopping her. I decided to downsize my fly to an arctic fox crab pattern in a salmon color on a #4 wide gap bonefish hook. Well, Leslie had other ideas. She pictured a fuchsia rabbit strip fly with a red Estaz head, heavy lead dumbbells and a rattle, tied on a short #2 TMC 600 SP hook. I began to tie it, making derogatory comments about her fuchsia colored fly as I tied them. She would not be swayed.Well, Leslie and I hit the water. Her fuchsia fly tied on an 8 weight outfit with a sinking line, I had decided to humor her. As you have probably gathered by now, Leslie had the last laugh. The second shark Leslie cast to picked up the fly. She missed it, but she was excited to see the shark pick up the fly. Then she handed me the rod. I made a few casts, but the sharks changed direction, as Bonnets often do. Then I made a presentation, allowing the fly to lay still on the bottom, until a bonnet head swam above it. Moving the fly in short strips to kick up the sand, the rabbit strip came alive and the bonnet head pounced on it. After allowing the shark to turn it’s head, I struck! Oh, what fun on an 8 weight! After a 15 minute battle I brought the shark broadside.
After 3 more Bonnet Head Sharks on Leslie’s fuchsia fly we headed for home. Yes, you’re right I never even wet my fly pattern. Oh well, that’s a fly for another day.
Get on the water ----
Bend a rod !!!
Capt. John Hand
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