Big Bones Brah - Maui Fly Fishing

Now there is no excuse not to take the family to Maui, turns out there are some large and challenging bonefish to be taken on the fly.  Its sounds a little crazy but 8-10 pounders are to be expected in Hawaii, with 12 and up not uncommon.  The secret's out about Oahu, but Maui is right up there as a fly fishing destination, only problem is, unlike your typical bone fishery, they're only in certain places at certain times, they're really tough to locate, almost impossible to see and as a result, hard to catch (unless you've been doing it all your life).  Forget what you know about bones, and stalking them on white flats in ankle deep water, Maui is a whole nother game.

 This is one place where you need someone with some local fishing knowledge...wait for the plug.  Captain Jon Jon, owner and proprietor of Local Fishing Knowledge is the only fly fishing guide on the entire island and he know's his stuff.  A lifelong fisherman, fishing is less of a livelihood for this guy, and more of a lifestyle.  

Below is NOT what you're going to find on Maui, that's the easy type of bonefish'n, the kind where you can spot your quarry 40-50 yards out, have time to set up, false cast, cast short, recast and still stick it....it doesn't work that way on Maui.

Now let's say you get a lucky lead from a local about a reef or beach with bones, and let's also say the wind lays down and swell lightens up so you can actually see the fish...what to throw at them?  The right fly is below, but I can't tell you which one it is, only Captain Jon Jon ties them so you'll have to talk to him.  Jon Jon is like a spiritual scientist about reef/flats ecosystems, bone fish ecology and all things fishing.

You may not get the large schools 50-100 strong like you do in Abaco or Kiritmati, but what they lack here in numbers they more than make up for in size.