Apparel
|
Joachim
Jan Jonassen
photo
|
Birgitte
Martin Joergensen
photo
|
Fanny pack and
water
Jan Jonassen photo
|
Gear
Martin Joergensen
photo
|
Rods
Martin Joergensen
photo
|
Reel and fly
Martin Joergensen
photo
|
|
Be suitably
dressed! And that means a lot more clothes than you imagine
unless you are used to very intense sun.
Not even the best
sunscreen can keep untrained skin from getting burned if it is
exposed to this sun for hours on end.
Get lightweight,
long sleeved shirts in a quality that dries fast. Get zipoff
trousers of the type meant for warm weather use. Make sure it
has a sunscreening effect. Bring shoes or socks to protect
from sunburns on your feet and bring a cap with a large bill
and preferably a 'skirt' on the back to cover ears and
neck.
If you sunburn easily, make sure that you bring some
gloves. Yes, gloves! The sun is merciless on the back of your
hands, and stripping gloves will not only keep them protected,
but also ensure that the salted fly line does not cut into
your wet fingers.
Sunglasses
The glasses is one of the
most important pieces of equipment you have for tropical
fishing. Spotting fish under water is essential, and good
glasses are utmost important.
Large glasses with good side
coverage will exclude all stray light. The lenses should be
polarizing and dark amber or brown in color.
Mount them on
a cord around your neck for convenience and safety. Glasses
flying over board during fast sailing are unlikely to be
recovered.
Bonefish gear
Bonefish like they are
found in Belize can be handled with rods between 7 and 9
weight. 9' is the length of choice. Longer rods will probably
tire you in the wind.
The lines are floating WF's and make
sure to get lines specialized for tropical salt. Lines for
more temperate fishing will literally melt and become very
limp and even sticky. I used Rio's Bonefish lines and was very
pleased.
Most reels with a good brake will work. And you
will need the brake! These fish take line like none I have
caught before. A bad brake will lead to break offs and bird's
nests.
Leaders are your average tapered, knotted or coated
leaders, but be prepared to fish them long. We managed best on
leaders about two rod lengths and even more.
Tippets should
certainly be fluorocarbon, as this lightly sinking and very
clear line will disturb the finicky fish as little as
possible. 0.30 and 0.28 millimeters will suffice for most
situations.
Tarpon gear
These potential giants
require stuff close to the heaviest gear available. 11, 12 and
13 weights are come into play here, and many fishers prefer
rods with an extra fight handle. You need lifting power, yet
low weight and castability.
The reels are similarly
critical. Large reels with plenty backing and a really good
brake is a must. 2-300 yards of backing is common and the
brake must be guaranteed not to burn down under numerous
explosive runs.
Again the floating WF line must be suitable
for tropical temperatures, and a second spool with an
intermediate line might come in handy. Special tarpon tapers
can be desirable for the heavy flies and leaders.
The
leaders are a story all to itself. Constructing tarpon leaders
is quite a task, and the job should fundamentally be left to
someone with experience. As we are potentially talking 50+
kilos (100+ lbs.) and maybe once-in-a-lifetime chances the
leader is critical, and its many parts and complex knots can
be quite intimidating.
Reef gear
On the reef you chum for fish
and all the typical reef fish will gather. Many can be caught
on a fly including different jacks.
If you want barracuda
or shark different methods have to be applied. Trolling for
barracuda. Baiting for sharks.
The need for equipment will
vary depending on your quarry, but the potential catches calls
for something around and above a 9 wt. and the really big ones
can easily give a 12 wt. a more than decent load.
Lines
will follow the rod. Floaters will usually do, but sinking
lines can be handy too. Make sure you have wire or very heavy
mono to make bite tippets, especially for the barracuda. If
you want to fish bait you might want to bring some bare hooks
in suitable sizes. Stripped down flies can also double as bait
hooks.
Bring snorkeling gear too. The chumming will gather
a wealth of different fish and you will definitely want to
take them in closer eyesight.
Beach gear
Do not cheat yourself of the
pleasure of walking and wading along the beach and fish for
whatever you see. Gear up for bonefish, which are probable
everywhere, but be mentally prepared for everything from shad
to barracuda. Use a long leader and light flies as most places
are quite shallow.
Wear socks and a pair of old tennis
shoes or real flats wading boots if you are so inclined. Do
not be tempted to go barefoot or even in sandals. Shells,
stones and coral sand will kill you. And if that is not the
case the mud will creep in everywhere.
Flies
Needless to say that the water is
salt, and the hooks need to be stainless.
For bonefish you
will need small, mainly tan flies - weighted and not. Crazy
Charlie, Gotcha and similar styles will do. A tan Woolly
Bugger or a Hare's Ear Nymph will too. Tie the bonefish flies
from size 10 to 2 - plenty in the small 6 and 8 range. Make
sure to include some with weed guards. A fly snagging the
turtle grass will stir the suspicion of most bonefish.
For
tarpon you need a selection of standard tarpon flies. Sizes
vary from size 2's for smaller fish to 3/0 and larger for the
bigger ones. The patterns are numerous, but make sure you have
a selection of both colorful ones and more subdued patterns in
white, gray and tan. Use needle sharp hooks of the best
quality! Do not compromise here.
For barracuda a selection
of large, mainly green and blue or gray flies with plenty
flash will work fine.
Remember to bring some thin wire for
bite tippets and pliers to bend and cut it. The fish' teeth
will cut almost any thickness of mono in an instant.
For
the odd permit you need some crab patterns in varying
sizes.
Other species like jacks, snappers, shad and pompano
will take a variation of flies, and most of them are not that
critical.
Sharks
Jan Jonassen
photo
|
'cuda
Birgitte Claussen
photo
|
|
Snorkling gear
Do not miss the chance
for a snorkeling trip under the piers in town and on or behind
the reef. Bring a mask, snorkel and fins on your fishing
outings too - especially if you go out on the reef side. You
will surely see something that will make you want to look
closer. A wet suit can be great if you want to dive or snorkel
deeper, but most of us will be fine without.
Tools
Bring pliers and cutters for
thick mono and cutting and bending wire. A set of artery
clamps for unhooking fish - especially barracuda - will be
practical too. If you are really serious about bigger fish -
from jacks to tarpon - a Boca grip might also be neat to have.
