
Recommended Tackle
 Fly Rods
Bring an 8 weight and a 9 weight. Better yet, just make it a couple 9
weights, one for back up.
Odds are good that you’ll be casting in 10
to 15 mph winds.
Fly Line
Weight forward,
floating line with a saltwater taper in the weight appropriate for your
rods. Bring an extra spool of line and
backing. Fly lines have been destroyed by fish ripping them through
mangroves and across coral or lost to weak
knots.
Leaders & Tippets
Generally a 9ft leader with a couple three feet of 16lb to 20lb
fluorocarbon tippet works
well. Most store bought leaders have weak butts that collapse onto your
fly line when pushed against the wind. Add a couple feet of 30lb or 40lb hard mono to your fly line then
tie your leader to that. You can also build your own leaders with
hard mono or fluorocarbon. There are formulas regarding the proper
length for each section. It's all overkill. Equal parts or lengths works
just fine. A good high wind leader is 3ft of 40lb, 3ft of 30lb, then 3ft
of 20lb. A good light wind leader can be built using 3ft of 30lb, 3ft of
20, then 3ft of 16lb. Then tie on a couple three feet of 16 to 20lb
fluoro tippet. Do not be concerned about the tippet size spooking fish,
they don’t mind. If it does concern you use 10lb to 14lb tippet.
Flies
You could ask any guide on Andros what the single best fly is and each
one would tell you something different. The point is,...the fish aren’t
selective. Bring the usual suspects, gotchas, charlies,
bitters, shrimp and crab patterns, etc., in white, pink, pearl, brown, and tan. If you do get
a couple refusals
change the fly. Size 4's, the only exception is during the
winter months you may want to throw a smaller fly. Not often but on the
coolest days during January and February the bones can be picky. You
will want to tie on a #6 or #8 natural buggy looking fly like a Bitters,
tan puff,
tan Gotcha, mantis shrimp, etc.

Bring a couple of weighted flies, you may be
fishing the deeper edges for bigger fish or poling a high tide and
need the weight to get down. Also, you might need to drill a cast into
the wind. A fuzzy Pink Puff on a long leader might
get blown back into your face while a shorter leader and a weighted
fly has enough momentum to roll over.
Fly Reels – Large
arbor with 200 yards of 20-30 lb backing. Nearly every fish
you hook will be into you backing.
Wading boots
.......and socks. A little sand in you boot without the socks will
rub your feet raw. Sand guards can prove helpful.
Wading Pants/shants
You can wear shorts January through March but come April the doctor
flies come out with the first rains. They are like giant deer or horse
flies and
they bite....Hard! Pant are recommended. Even then where your pants are wet and sticking to your calf the
doctors
will still bite through. Wearing knee high socks will keep the flies from biting
through.
Chest, Fanny Pack Wading Belt
You may be wading for hours and the boat will be just a spec on the
horizon. Be sure to bring a wading belt to carry your flies, leaders,
tippet, clippers, a water bottle, camera, etc..
Tools
Pliers, hemostats, knot tying tool, snips, hook sharpener.
Rain Gear
Light and breathable. Bring your rain gear with you on the boat everyday
no matter how clear it looks. Squalls pop up quickly and the boat ride
can be wet.
Sunglasses
Polarized and bring two pair. Amber lenses are the best. A good pair
will set you back a hundred bucks or more but well worth it.
Hat
Black under the brim.
Spin Rod, reel, jigs
If you’re a spin fishermen you can do quite well bone fishing and we’re
happy to accommodate you. You’ll need a six to seven foot rod with a
6-15lb line rating. A Shimano 2000 or 3000 series or 4500SS Penn reel or
equivalent with at least 200
yards of line. Use 8-10 lb test, make sure the spool is full. The jig
selections are limitless. Bring small plastic jigs in twister, shrimp,
crab patterns, D.O.A. shrimp, wiggle jigs, gotcha style jigs, flat or
round jigs in white, brown, tan, or pink buck tail, marabou, or
synthetic fiber with a little flash. What works best?..... flat or
wobble jigs in pink, white, or tan. No more weight than you need to cast them, 1/8th or 1/4th oz.
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