Venezuela - Pelicans, Minnows and Mahem
Aggressive bonefish. Two mutually exclusive words I hear you say. How could that silver shadow of the flats that normally exhibits such elusive tendencies possibly be anything else? I have been fortunate to hunt bonefish on many varieties of saltwater flats across the globe, and I have only seen bonefish with attitude in one place - Venezuela
On a recent foray there with my wife Elisabeth, I re-experienced this strange phenomenon with Chris Yrazabel and his team of experienced guides on Los Roques.
Los Roques has been one of the top saltwater destinations in the world for over ten years. Located about 100 miles off the northern coast of Venezuela it has interesting and unusual fishing possibilities across its archipelago. The flight to Caracas takes about ten hours, and on arrival clients are met and transferred to a hotel in La Guaira 15 minutes from the airport. An early flight the following morning taking 35 minutes has you stepping on to the tarmac of Gran Roques, and the guides carry your bags to the lodge while you head for the breakfast table. Twenty minutes later you are wandering straight onto the beach, fifteen yards from your waiting boat.
What makes Los Roques unique is the larger average size of bonefish to most of the rest of the Caribbean. Around every beach you will see what appears to be a band of darker water, which on passing looks like dirt or silt in suspension. If you look closer you will find that it is entirely comprised of small inch and a half long silver sided glass minnows. The entire ecology of Los Roques revolves around these minnows, and what has developed is an extraordinary symbiosis between the bonefish, the minnows and the pelicans.
Los Roques is particularly famous for its pancake and beach flats. The beach flats come into their own when the tide is too deep for wading. You will see white lines appearing through the minnows. This is how you track the paths of the bonefish as they come marauding through them like jacks into a baitfish ball. In the feeding frenzy that ensues, the bones change character completely. Gone is the timid, spooky, camouflaged quarry that we are used to. Instead it is replaced by a hunter capable of extraordinary speed. These fish have learnt that as a pelican dives into the water it collects a beak full of minnows, some of which escape and some of which are stunned. They therefore charge towards it and eat the minnows before they have a chance to recover. In extreme cases they will actually attack the pelican to try and steal them from their mouths! Not only do these bonefish become very aggressive feeders, but they are broad and powerful. The average size of fish in Los Roques is about 4 lbs with many topping the 6 lb mark.
By using a minnow pattern, either a flash minnow, or the slightly more salubrious rubber minnow known as a Gummy minnow, fishermen can cast directly at the white lines or at a diving pelican. Stripping the fly back induces in incredibly savage take. Fish often hit the fly with such force that they bust the leader, so it is very important to be using at least 12lb breaking strain. I have seen fish chase the fly right up the sand, sometimes nearly beaching themselves in their eagerness to chomp minnows.
Elisabeth and I stalked along the beach on Crasqui one morning, peering in to the water. I had seen a number of fish, but had been slow to react as they raced by. Suddenly three pelicans lumbered into the air in front of us and like a synchronised squadron arched round and dive bombed. Almost instantaneously I saw three lines ripping towards them, and sure enough I saw the bonefish attempting to relieve them of their meal. Elisabeth beat me to the punch, and cast the hot flash minnow straight at the pelicans. Two bones broke off from the beleaguered birds and charged across the surface, competing to eat it. She sped up the retrieve, the line went tight, and the winner tore off into deeper water. I watched in disbelief as her backing began to stream out of the rings. The grin said it all as she regained some essence of control and began to frantically wind line back on the reel, and then some of the fly line… the fish had other ideas and dropped down a gear as it shot off in the other direction. It was not coming quietly. After two more screaming runs she gained some control of the situation, and I was gently holding him. A beautiful six pounder, her first Venezuelan bonefish. After a quick photo we quickly slide him back into the water. A splash of the tail and all that was left was a white line streaking for deeper water. It proved to be the first of a number of fish of this size for the week.
When I go fishing without Elisabeth I fish solidly, rarely taking the time to relax and appreciate the beauty of where I am. This trip we spent some time under the shade of an umbrella with our cooler of drinks and some chairs, enjoying the sun. Occasionally we took a dip in the aquamarine water or sat under the shade of the bimini on the boat. Each boat is equipped with deck chairs and an umbrella stowed in the forward hold.
Acuarela has 16 air conditioned rooms in a combination of doubles and triples. The roof terrace is a perfect place to watch the world go by while enjoying an evening drink. They also offer massage treatments, a perfect way to iron out sore muscles after a long days fishing. The food was excellent, a wonderful blend of western and local cuisine. Los Roques requires no fixed entry and exit days, and with regular flights on a number of carriers a trip can be tailored to any length you might require. There is good species variation in the fishing, although conditions must be right for the tarpon and permit. If you have not cast a fly at aggressive bones, I would encourage anyone to try it, and the ability to combine days of fishing and days of lying on the beach if you choose provides the balance that couples and families are often searching for.
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Location:
Los Roques
Saltwater:
Blue water, Flats wading, Inshore fishing
Country:
Venezuela
Capacity:
10 per week
Season:
Year-Round
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