The bonefish flats found on the outer edges of the Cosmoledo Atoll, as well as those found inside the lagoon, are all pretty much the same. And for those who are looking for big fish, this is a very good thing. About 90% of the time that guests will be specifically targeting bonefish, it will be on enormous white sand flats that stretch for miles. These flats are some of the largest we've even seen and are hard packed and great for wading. There is very little sea grass or mottled bottom on these flats, which provides exceptional visibility for anglers. When you're on these flats you can see for miles and when the fish are coming in, so long as you have a good pair of polarized glasses, you can see them from a great distance.
When guests are bonefishing, the Zodiac tenders are used to transport guests from the Mothership to the flats. The ride out to the flats is usually no more than about 5 minutes in length, unless the group is exploring one of the remote flats at the north end of the atoll. The zodiacs are powered by Yamaha 85 horse power engines and are skippered by two excellent captains. These tenders are very stable and are ideal for the kinds of fishing environments that the Cosmoledo Atoll offers.
The size of the bonefish found within the atoll is worth the flight to get here! The average fish found on the flats is in the 6-8 pound range. You will see the odd dink swimming with large schools of fish but it is uncommon to catch a fish that is small. Over the 6 days that guests will be chasing bonefish, it is highly likely that anglers will land numerous double digit bonefish. 10 to 12 pound fish are available on a daily basis and its fish of this size that are responsible for so many line cuts, broken or bent hooks and the occasional lost fly line. When a 10 pound bonefish takes your fly in six inches of water, you can expect to have at least 100 yards of backing come off your reel in the blink of an eye.
The most important aspect of targeting bonefish in Cosmoledo is the roll that the tides play in the daily pursuit of these fish. The variance in tidal swings in Cosmoledo is nothing short of incredible and over the course of an incoming or outgoing tide, the water will rise or fall 10 to 11 feet within 6 hours. Ground that is bone dry and far removed from the sea will become flooded. It's difficult to fully comprehend how fast this phenomenon can happen here. As a result, the bonefishing and when we can fish for them, is completely dictated by the tides and specifically, the incoming tide.
We like to have our guests out on the flats at the beginning of the slack tide. With about an hour before the incoming tide begins to pour in, anglers can work the edges of the flats in search of early bones and GT's. Doing this also gives the angler enough time to scout the area while making a few false casts without the pressure of staring down the pipe at a 10 pound bonefish. Once the tide turns and starts to trickle in, anglers have about 3 hours to work the incoming tide. After that, the water gets too deep and the fish move on. An average angler can expect to land between 10 and 20 bonefish during this time period. These exquisite sand flats represent the finest bonefishing on the planet. An added bonus on these flats is the presence of the Pacific Golden Permit. These permit have a beautiful golden sheen and like their Caribbean cousins, are equally challenging to catch. There are good numbers of permit on the flats and guests will likely get a couple of shots a day at these weary fish.
Because bonefish and permit are not the only fish that feed on the Cosmoledo sand flats, it often pays to have an additional rod on hand that can handle larger fish. GT's will often cruise in off the edges of the flats and will aggressively take a fly in shallow water. For those of us who have been to Cosmoledo on numerous trips, we've all watched 30-50 pound GT's swim by while we stood there holding our bonefish rigs, wishing we had a heavier rod. There are several good packs designed to hold a second rod along with flies, pliers and water bottles. For the best options, we have a very thorough gear list that is the bi product of 8 trips to fish this area. Our gear list will be mailed out to guests once a booking has been made.
