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Another Epic Bonefishing Adventure
 I
opened the door to the rental car slowly, not
sure if it was still attached to the vehicle.
The causeway hardtop had been completely washed
away by hurricane Ike. In places the road is no
more than a bed of limestone making the drive
from North to Middle Caicos a bit rough at
times. I walked towards a young man at the boat
shed. "I'm looking for Tucker", I said. I knew
immediately from his big smile that I had found
him. "We're going out tomorrow morning, be here
just before eight o'clock." he replied. As we
spoke, Tucker positions himself with his back to
the sun. His face is already parched from too
much exposure. Three full days of scouting
Bonefish flats shows upon his sun-scorched face.
Walking around behind the airboat he pronounced,
"Just got back in. Got one thing to say about
tomorrow, it will be EPIC."
The Guide
Tucker Brubaker arrived at the Blue Horizon
Resort only four days ahead. It was not a
problem that I was going to be his first client
here in Middle Caicos. In fact, I relished the
idea of being the first to try out the new
territory. After all, we are talking about
fishing flats that have been virtually
untouched. It's not as if Tucker is new to the
sport any way. His background is strong and
saltwater fly fishing runs deep in his blood.
His grandfather,
Bruce E. Brubaker Sr.
(better known as "Hush Puppy") is a pioneer of
the sport.
Leaving the
Blue Horizon Resort we headed south to Lorimers
Landing, a scenic point at the far east edge of
the island in the mangroves. Off in the distance
we could see East Caicos. Our mode of
transportation is a shiny new airboat. One like
they use in the everglades with a brand new
Corvette engine. It is a smooth ride. Once the
airboat powered across the flats I could see why
it is absolutely essential to our voyage. The
draft of the boat is zero inches. We needed that
to reach these areas that would otherwise be
inaccessible. Most of the trip we traveled 35-45
mph through waters of less than a foot in depth
and in one instance we drove over a sandbar
around 50 yards wide. "You could drive this boat
down the highway if you wanted to." he said.
From his perch above, Tucker could see easily
across the vast expanse. Perhaps vast is an
understatement. The enormous extent of these
flats is well beyond anything I had imagined. As
we rode I lost count of the Bonefish we saw
along the way. Some in schools but other larger
ones drifted along as solitary monsters. It is
the size of the fish here that is extraordinary.
The airboat has no underwater prop and gets you
right on the fish before they have the slightest
idea you are there. Many fish we spotted en
route are in the six to eight pound range. One
had to be 12 pounds, if not bigger.
The Flats
Finally, we reach our destination, a
particularly good looking flat. By now my heart
is racing. Tucker went off to the right with my
fishing partner Clark. I went about 100 feet to
the left. Walking forward conditions seem close
to perfect with both the wind and sun to our
backs. Having no clouds in the sky Tucker is
able to quickly locate fish. "Two groups coming
this way!" he shouts. Happy fish headed slowly
towards us, their dorsal fins and tails exposed
in the shallow water making them easy to see and
giving us the advantage. I laid out the first
cast of the day, about 40 feet and let the fly
sink slowly to the bottom. Three quick strips
and I've got their attention. Now I let the fly
sink to the bottom again. The first Bonefish in
the school goes vertical, nose down and tail out
of the water. "I've got you now," I whispered.
One quick longer strip brings the fly off the
bottom and in an instant the fish attacks. "Fish
on!" Clark exclaims. As I gaze his direction I
see he is not talking about mine, he has his
own. Fifteen minutes into the trip we are
doubled up.
The Bottom
The bottom of these flats is made of oolitic
sand, a blend of coral and ground up pieces of
marine shells. Their grains are rough and a
handful reveals many sizes and colors. A
harmonious blend of tiny bits of reef, algae,
organic debris, and shells (calcium carbonate)
blended from billions of minuscule carcasses
formed in the wave-agitated water rolling along
the bottom. The sand is larger in size and stays
on the bottom. The flats are also littered with
countless very tiny black snails, peppered
across the salt laden bottom. Walking the flat
is like walking on carpet. Most of the wading is
barefoot and easy. No long pants required.
Absolutely no glass or sharp objects to worry
about, they just can't get here. One is quick to
notice there is no trash and no other signs of
human existence as far as the eye can see. This
crystal clear water is absolutely perfect for
growing large Bones and we are the only ones
here to witness it.
The Pattern
Prior to this job he was Fishing Director and
Lead Guide at Ambergris Key, located at the
extreme southern part of Turks and Caicos. It
was there that Tucker gained the local knowledge
needed to learn how Bonefish worked these flats.
"I haven't got them completely dialed-in yet,
but for the most part they will be leaving the
flats and headed up the creeks as the tide comes
in." he says. We saw the larger Bones work the
flats and stay solitary in deeper channels. The
Bonefish in Middle Caicos are generally larger
than the ones they have in North or South
Caicos. As the tide rolls in we, and the Bones,
head up the creek. Surrounding the flats,
numerous Mangrove lined creeks extend into the
heart of the Caicos Islands. Getting there is
easy when you have a boat that goes anywhere.
For awhile we stood on the front of the boat as
our guide pushed us along with a long pole. Our
preference however, was to get out and wade. As
good as the flats had been for finding fish, the
creeks were even better. We went on to catch a
few more before returning back to the Blue
Horizon Resort.
Day 2
Day two fishing with Tucker. This time my
fishing partner is my son, Hampton. He arrived
on the island the evening before, having a week
off from his studies at Wake Forest University.
Like his Dad, he seems ready for a break from
his hectic schedule. It will be his first "real"
Bonefish fly fishing trip. My daughter Lane
preferred to stay at the Blue Horizon Resort
with my wife while the boys fished. One good
thing about the resort is that it is nice enough
to bring the girls along.
We made it out to the flats again, although we
saw several large Bones, at first we could not
get any to take the fly. Being high tide, we
elected to try the creeks. We left the airboat
and started again on foot. My son positioned at
the mouth of the first creek with Tucker. I
walked up stream a ways and spotted a school
containing about twenty Bonefish. "Big school
headed your way!" I cried. Hampton eased towards
the creek bank. I could see that he and Tucker
had crossed over to the other side to gain a
better view.
From my vantage point I could see the only the
top half of his fly rod bend above the bushes as
he made the cast. Then the rod lowered beneath
the bushes and out of my sight. Momentarily the
rod lifted again. This time bent over double
from powerful pull as his first Bonefish ever on
the fly raced up the creek. As I watched I
almost missed sight of the second school passing
right in from of me. I quickly casted upstream
in front of them and stripped gently drawing the
gotcha across the current. The school approached
as the fly disappeared into the dark water in
the creek bend. That is when he took it and ran.
Doubled up again, Tucker got a photo of Hampton,
released his fish and made it up to me as the
large Bone on my rod made his third run. "Still
got some fight in him, take your time," he said
as he waded across the creek nearly out of
breath. We caught more in that spot before
heading back to the airboat. That day I
witnesses my son, Hampton, catch his first,
second, and third Bonefish ever on the fly. I am
not sure who was the most excited or satisfied.
The guide with his first clients on his new job,
the young man with his first Bonefish on the
fly, or the father reflecting on another EPIC
Bonefishing adventure.
Click here to see more photos.
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