Bonefish

Download the mobile app!

Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.

Check out our new Android or iOS app for Fishing Status.

The long awaited return of our mobie app is back on Apple App Store and Google Play

Bonefish

Species Information

Scientific Name:Albula vulpes
Common Names:bonefish
Environment:Inshore, Surf
Ideal Temp:70-85ºF (21-29ºC)

About Bonefish

 

Bonefish is a popular gamefish and are known as "grey ghosts of the flats" because they are stealthy, fast swimming fish that are fun and challenging to catch. Bonefish mature at three to four years of age (17-18 inches total length), may live longer than 23 years, and grow to be three feet long and 15 pounds.

Description: 

Body elongated, silvery, with darkish areas at the tip of the snout and at the base of the pectoral fin. May display faint bars. Dorsal fin single, tail deeply forked. Mouth short, underslung, ending before the eye.

Size up to 1 m.

Habitat:
Inhabits shallow coastal waters, estuaries and bays, over sand and mud bottoms, down to 84 m. Often in schools, except for large individuals that are solitary. More or less pelagic, but feeds on benthic worms, crustaceans and mollusks. Tolerates oxygen poor water by inhaling air into a lung-like airbladder.

Distribution:
Abundant to occasional South Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean; rare North Florida.

Catching:

Live shrimp and crabs make good bonefish bait, but bonefish also respond to fies and artificiallures. They also can be enticed to bite by anglerschumming with chopped shrimp. Casting is another test of the angler’s skill; casting too close to a fish will send it scurrying, whereas a line dropped too far away will never get its attention.Once hooked, a bonefish makes a mad dash for deeper water, often breaking the line on rocks or corals as it streaks across the bottom. Most anglers use 10-pound test line on bonefish. Although bonefish can be caught any time of day, tailing fish are most likely to be spotted in the early morning or evening. In the winter, bonefish are not as numerous in the shallows, and deeper waters are a better choice for the angler

Bonefish Fishing

World Record:8.61 kg (19 lb 0 oz) Zululand, South Africa
# Fish Caught:64360 documented in database.
Earliest Record:7/2/1758 12:00:00 PM and located at 11.00000, 72.50000.
Latest Record:6/17/2024 9:31:00 AM and located at 25.78888, -80.25030.
Common Techniques:Casting, Fly
Popular Lure Types:Flies, Plugs, Spoons, Topwater
Fishing Spots:10 Bonefish fishing spots.


Latest Bonefish Fishing Reports and Spots

November 21-30 2024 Report - 12/2/2024 11:39:00 AM

Welcome back everyone to my monthly report. It's been a crazy busy month as I've been on the water almost every day and the last half of the mo (View)

Spring 2024 Newsletter - 11/28/2024 6:47:46 PM

96 Spring 2024 Newsletter Spring 2024 Newsletter View this email in your browser Spring Newsletter 2024 This Spring has seen some fantastic fis (View)

November 12-20 2024 Report - 11/20/2024 1:32:00 PM

Well folks I have to admit November weather has been highly disappointing. As I've mentioned before November weather is usually absolutely perf (View)

November 1-11 Report 2024 - 11/11/2024 4:50:00 PM

Wow November has not been like it typically is. Usually November we have absolutely perfect weather conditions but this November we have been b (View)

End of October Report 10/17-31 2024 - 10/30/2024 3:10:00 PM

It's been a good month with excellent fishing and then a nice long vacation before my season gets cranking and I have no time off.  So far this (View)

Week 1 Report. October 1-6 2024 - 10/7/2024 11:02:00 AM

Well the first week of October provided both great weather and terrible weather. The terrible weather has been courtesy of now hurricane Milton (View)

September 1-25 2024 Report - 9/26/2024 9:28:00 AM

Welcome back guys or should I say it's good to be back.  I had some trips in the early part of the month and then took a nice long vacation and (View)

Month End Report August 18-31 2024 - 9/1/2024 9:16:00 PM

The month of August always allows me to take a breather from an otherwise really busy season and while many don't travel this time of year it i (View)

Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 30 August 2024 🎣 - 8/30/2024 3:04:27 AM

96 Recfishwest Newsletter View this email in your browser Recfishwest Fishing Report 30/08/24 Fremantle Ports have confirmed that vehicle acces (View)

Weekly Report August 1-17 2024 - 8/21/2024 9:38:00 PM

These two weeks have been hot but they have been fun!  Fishing with a number of clients I've had the opportunity to fish for different species (View)