The gray ghost, AKA bonefish, has been on my bucket list since I first saw one on TV years ago. These flats phantoms are incredibly hard fighters, extremely difficult to see, super hard fighting and super skittish – all of these factors make bonefishing one greatest challenges in all angling.
Islamorada Bonefishing
The bonefish of Islamorada are legendary, not for numbers like in the Bahamas, but for size. It was well known that if you wanted the best chance of catching a trophy-sized bone (10+ pounds) or even a world record-sized fish, you’d fish in Islamorada.
Strangely, within the last 20 years, all of the big fish seem to have disappeared. Sure, now and again a 9-10 pound fish is caught, but the giants of yesteryear have all but vanished. Organizations like Bonefish and Tarpon Trust have investigated this phenomenon and much of the research seems to point to water quality issues as well as the freeze of the early 2010s. There was a period in the Keys when bonefish were very hard to come by.
Today, thanks to smart conservation efforts, the bonefish population seems to have rebounded quite well and on any given day, bonefish can be reliably targeted. However, the gargantuan bones of the past are just that, a thing of the past.
The Trip
The trip was set for the first week of March; we would drive down on Monday, fish on Tuesday and spend the rest of our time until Thursday relaxing and enjoying the Keys. However, a few important details needed to be ironed out, specifically, where to stay, where to eat and who would be our guide to the elusive silver bullets I had been chasing and dreaming of for so long.
The food wouldn’t be an issue, seeing as I have been going to the Keys every summer (or close to every summer) for almost 15 years. There are tons of great places to eat and hang out, a few of which I will mention, but for a full itinerary to help you plan your trip, you can read my piece, “Islamorada Itinerary” here.
For our lodging, price was certainly a consideration. The Keys are expensive, there’s no way around it. With us spending three nights there, we wanted to make sure that we got the most bang for our buck. We ultimately landed on the La Jolla Resort. The La Jolla was clean, quiet and gave us everything we needed. It is located right across the street from the Islamorada Brewing Company, is five minutes from Bud n’ Marys and is right on Florida Bay, which provides great views as well. Additionally, at the La Jolla, there are free bike and kayak/SUP rentals, which we made great use of.
The final piece of our bonefishing adventure was who to book as a guide. We would be fishing out of Bud n’ Mary’s and my choice was easy: Captain Jim Willcox.
Bonefishing Success!
Jim Willcox has been fishing out of Bud n’ Mary’s for 25 years. He’s been featured on numerous television programs as well as print media and has a great social media presence. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he’s as legit as they come.
We set up at our first spot, and within five minutes, we had a fish on. The runs these little muscle tubes go on are simply relentless. No fish in the ocean fights as hard as a bonefish for their size. Constant changes in direction coupled with breakneck speed and headshakes are the markers of a bone. The entire time that I was hooked up, I kept thinking, “Please stay on”. Eventually, I was able to steer the fish into the awaiting net and my quest was complete. My first bonefish.
We got two more bites at our first spot, both of which popped off. After this, we moved spots every 20 minutes, looking for fish. We caught three more ghosts in the day, each just as exciting as the first – I could catch these guys all day long.
In the down periods between bonefish, marauding bonnethead sharks gave us plenty of action. These sharks made hard initial runs, which caused a great stir, however, they lacked the stamina of bonefish, which clued us in to the disappointment that was on the end of our lines. Strangely, this was the day, no other by-catch, no signs of rays or mullet, just empty water until either a shark or a bonefish was hooked.
A special thanks goes out to Captain Willcox, he’s a great guy to spend a day in a skiff with. He was very friendly, and his passion for these fish matched mine – he was just as excited at us catching fish as we were! A 25-year veteran of the game who has undoubtedly caught hundreds or even thousands of bonefish but was still passionate about it. He was great with my girlfriend, and I can’t recommend him enough!
Other Islamorada Fun
After our successful day of bonefishing, a big breakfast was warranted. We chose Mangrove Mikes, and a good choice it was- with great portions, a reasonable price and delicious.
We spent the rest of the trip kayaking, bike riding, visiting art galleries and seeing other sites around the island.
One place of note that we stopped at is the Green Turtle Inn and Florida Keys Outfitters. The fly shop is very well appointed and has a ton of great products and gear. The shop also plays host to many trophies of famed Keys tournaments such as the Spring Fly, Sail Fly and Herman Lucerne Memorial, whose winners include Alex Adler, Tom Rowland, Andy Mill, Paul Ross, Harry Spear, Steve Huff and more.
After stopping in the fly shop, be sure to visit the attached restaurant. I am not a key lime pie fan and I can honestly say that their key lime pie is spectacular.
For dinner, be sure to eat at Lazy Days – my favorite restaurant in the Keys – and be sure to get your fish Lazy Days style.
That’s a Wrap
Our trip was a great success, and not just because we had a great day of bonefishing! Every time I visit Islamorada, I have the time of my life. It is something that I look forward to every year. We explored a ton of new spots, yet there is still more that I want to see and do. Hopefully, next time, I will knock even more sights and places off the list.
Islamorada holds a special place in my heart, I can’t wait to go back.
Until next time, tight lines.
