Species › North America · Saltwater › Bonefish

Saltwater

Bonefish

Albula vulpes · Gray ghost, Bones, Macabi

Water temp
72–82°F
Peak season
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
16 lb (7.25 kg)
Bonefish (Bonefish Albula vulpes.jpg)

Photo: Brian Gratwicke · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Bonefish are torpedo-shaped, silver fish with a greenish back, faint dark bars, an underslung mouth and a forked tail that often breaks the surface as they root for food. Their mirror scales reflect the bottom, which is why anglers struggle to see them in clear water. Albula vulpes is the Caribbean and western Atlantic species, found from South Florida through the Bahamas, Belize, Mexico and the Caribbean islands; related species occupy Hawaii, the Seychelles and Christmas Island. Florida Keys fish average larger than most destinations, with 8–10 lb fish taken regularly.

Bones move onto shallow flats with the incoming tide to hunt shrimp, crabs, worms and small fish, pushing water in nervous wakes or tailing in a few inches of depth, then slide back to channels and deeper basins as the tide drops. They spook at a shadow, a slapped fly line or a dropped push pole, so success depends on stealth, accurate casting and reading the tide. The reward is the fastest first run in shallow water and a fishery almost entirely devoted to catch and release.

Typical size3–6 lb (1.4–2.7 kg); 20–26 in
Trophy10 lb+ in the Florida Keys; 7 lb+ elsewhere
Table fareMostly catch & release — bony and protected in Florida

Where & when

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Keys and Bahamas fishing is best in spring and fall when water sits between 72 and 84 °F (22–29 °C); winter cold fronts push fish off the flats and midsummer heat moves them to the edges and early-morning tides.

Islamorada and the Upper Keys, FLThe biggest bonefish anywhere; oceanside and backcountry flatsBiscayne Bay, FLTrophy bones within sight of downtown MiamiAndros Island, BahamasEndless flats and the largest bonefish in the BahamasTurneffe Atoll, BelizeBig schools of smaller fish; easiest place to learn

How to catch

Fly fishing from a poled skiffA guide poles the skiff into the tide while the angler stands ready with 50 feet of line stripped. Lead a cruising fish by 3–6 feet, let the fly settle, then strip in short pulls when the fish is close; strip-set on the take, never lift the rod.
WadingWalk flats slowly with the sun behind you on a rising tide, watching for tails, wakes and mud puffs. Wading puts you lower and closer, which lets you present a fly or lightly weighted shrimp to tailing fish without the hull spooking them.
Spinning with live shrimp or jigsHook a live shrimp through the tail on a 1/0 hook with a small split shot, or use a 1/8–1/4 oz skimmer jig, and cast beyond the fish so you can draw the bait into its path. Twitch the jig slowly along the bottom; stop it when a fish follows.

Gear

Rod8 wt fly rod (9 wt in wind); 7' medium-light spinning
ReelLarge-arbor fly reel with a smooth sealed drag and 200 yd backing; 3000 spinning
LineWeight-forward tropical floating fly line with 10–12 ft, 12–16 lb leader; 10 lb braid with 15 lb fluorocarbon

Lures

Shrimp-pattern flies (Gotcha, Crazy Charlie)Crab-pattern fliesSkimmer jigsSmall soft-plastic shrimp

Baits

Live shrimpFiddler or small blue crabsFresh shrimp pieces

Regulations

Florida designates bonefish catch-and-release only and requires a saltwater license; the Bahamas requires a flats fishing license and prohibits harvest for non-residents, and most other destinations are release-only by law or lodge policy.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 16 lb (7.25 kg) — Bimini, Bahamas, 1971 (Jerry Lavenstein). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Why are bonefish so hard to see?

Their scales act like mirrors, reflecting the sand, grass or sky around them so the fish disappears against the bottom. Look for movement instead of fish: nervous water, tails flashing in the sun, shadows gliding over sand or puffs of mud where they feed. Polarized glasses and a high sun angle help.

What tide is best for bonefish?

The first half of the incoming tide is usually best because fish move onto the flats with the rising water and feed actively, and the last of the falling tide concentrates them in channels and drains. Dead low and slack high are slow. Tide timing shifts by location, so lean on a local guide's knowledge.

Bite forecast — Bonefish

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Bonefish.

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