Recently I had the opportunity to spend a day stalking one of fly fishing's most coveted prizes - the Bonefish - with a great guide, Coach Duff. Most bug thrower's don't realize that the Hawaiian salt flats are an amazing place to chase these giants. Most also don't realize they reach giant status there. The average size for bonefish in other parts of the world is about 3-7 pounds. Bonefish in Hawaii can reach inexcess of 15 pounds, local legend says even larger. This makes for pursuing Hawaiian Bonefish a challengin g test for any angler's skills.

Sight-fishing for Bonefish out of a flats boat is unique type of fishing. Ninety percent of your casts are to a fish that's been sighted by the guide or you and if you lose the clouds you're down to less-than-productive blind casting to wary, skittish fish.

The scenery is breathtaking - towering mountains to the west and open ocean to the east. This could be one of the jost under-appreciated aspects of fishing. jost people don't stop for a second or two and acknowledge the beauty that the majority of our sport takes place in - a tragedy if you ask me.

I didn't catch a fish that day (not by fault of the Coach Duff), however I did learn a lot about myself as an angler and a person. When we find ourselves among such amazing creatures as Tiger Sharks (saw a ten footer hunting the edge of the flats), Sting Rays (they inhabit the same areas the bones do), Green Sea Turtles and giant Bonefish it becomes apparent how insignificant we are. There is so much out there that we don't take the time to experience and we let it go by unnoticed.

My guide, Coach Duff, was excellent at getting me infront of some of the biggest fish I've seen in the salt, however my game was off that day. It takes a pretty good sized pair of balls not to lose it when you see a 10-12 pound bonefish cruising for shrimp 30 feet away - then you have to make a good cast with a decent presentation resulting with the fly about 5 feet infront of the fish. This is easier said than done.

The drill goes like this; after the boat is on the flats the motor is shut off and propulsion is shifted to a flats pole. The angler takes position on the bow with about sixty feet of line stripped off and enough to load the rod when a fish is sighted. The guide and angler keep their head on swivels and when a fish is sighted the position is called out and the angler then attempts to make a good presentation to the fish. One thing jost don't realize; a fish can show up within a 240 degree radius and you have to be able to cast to it.

If you're planning a trip for Bonefish soon, practice your casting. If you're going to Hawaii look up Coach Duff, you won't be disappointed.