Top 10 Flies for Bonefish

Top 10 Fly Fishing Flies for Bonefish

Ask a dozen flats guides for their deadliest bonefish pattern, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers—but ask them which flies they refuse to leave the dock without, and the list narrows fast. From the shimmering estuaries of the Yucatán to the legendary marl flats of Andros, certain patterns have proven themselves so consistently that they’ve become universal currency among serious bonefish anglers. The following ten flies represent that hard-won consensus: a curated arsenal of shrimp imitations, crustacean fakes, and minnow patterns that fool wary bones from Belize to the Bahamas. Whether you’re tying on a classic Gotcha for first light or tossing a Longstrip to a cruising giant, these are the boxes we check before we ever push the skiff off the beach.

These flies make for the best bonefish fly patterns. No matter where we are chasing bonefish - and we do it all over the planet - these are the bonefish flies we have to have with us on the flats.

• Gotcha
  
  
  
  When we go on trips to saltwater destinations like Mexico, Belize, Honduras or the Bahamas, the one fly we make sure EVERYONE has is the Gotcha. This is a must-have.
• Bonefish Scampi Beadchain
  
  
  
  This is an excellent bonefish fly for Belize, the Bahamas or the shallow flats of the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Longstrip Bonefish Fly
  
  
  
  The Long Strip Bonefish fly is designed to imitate the shrimp bonefish feed on for trips to Andros Island in the Bahamas. Big bones love them and little bones usually leave them alone. If you're hunting the big girls, this is it.
• Clouser Foxxee Red Bonefish Minnow
  
  
  
  The Clouser Foxxee red minnow is a versatile fly for bonefish, permit, carp and even smallmouth bass.
• Sili Legs
  
  
  
  Here’s your meat and potatoes. Designed by Barry and Cathy Beck and tied by Umpqua Feather Merchants, this bonefish fly will work anywhere you try it.
• Ververka Mantis Shrimp
  
  
  
  The Ververka Mantis Shrimp is an excellent bonefish fly but also works well for other saltwater species like permit.
• Borski Bonefish Slider
  
  
  
  You’ll want the Borski Bonefish Slider in your fly box when you’re fly fishing the flats. You can also give them a try in freshwater – throw them at carp or smallmouth bass as a crayfish imitation and you’ll get bit.
• Hot Butt Pseudo Shrimp
  
  
  
  Pat Ehlers developed this fly to dominate the saltwater flats of Andros Island in the Bahamas. This will work anywhere there are bonefish and lead eyes are needed.
• Puff Pastry
  
  
  
  The Puff Pastry is a fantastic small shrimp imitation fly designed by Ken Morrish. This works as a great saltwater fly fishing pattern for bonefish and even carp fly fishing.
• Bonefish Junk
  
  We always carry Charlie Craven’s Bonefish Junk when we go on saltwater fly fishing trips where we know there will be bonefish.

Need advice? Contact the fly shop and we’ll recommend the bonefish flies you should put in the fly box for your next trip.