Hi All,
Got a buddy going on a cruise, and they will be doing some bone fish flats type fishing. He want's to get set up with the correct equipment to start with. I am going to let him use one of my flyrods to humiliate himself in the back yard with so he can work on some casting technique before he makes the plunge... He is an experienced angler, just not a fly angler. I told him to expect to be standing in the yard with fly line draped around his ankles and neck for a while, but I'm sure he will catch on to it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.....

Joe

Bonefishing on the flats? Definitely have to go with Dan Craft Sig III 1 wt.

Joe,
Depending on where he is going, anything from 6wt - 10wt. will work. If he will be in the Bahamas or the Carribean, and if the winds are light, a 7wt. is perfect. If he will be in the Keys, an 8wt. or 9wt. may be better.
I have not Bonefished all that much, but in my experience, the key is being able to spot fish, and make QUICK, ACCURATE presentations. All that rubbish about being able to cast 100 feet is just that...rubbish. Most shots will be from 25 to 6 feet, and they will happen VERY fast. Be sure he learns the "Speed Cast", so that he can hit 60 feet in two false casts or less.

Andy Dear
Lamar Manf.

Joe,
I think Andy hit it right on the head...speed and accuracy in casting over distance...especially figuring out how to "lead" the fish without spooking them. I think an 8wt is a good "all-round" choice. I'm a budget conscious guy and built a saltwater Tigereye 8wt for my 1st and only trip to Belize. It performed like a champ...light enough to cast all day, wind & all. Nice, budget sensitive rod, especially if this could be just a 1 time fly fishing experience. If the fly fishing becomes more than a 1 shot deal, then he'll have a good rod for bass, redfish, stripers, etc.

2 cents,

Tim

All the above comments are great. IMHO, though, I think a Dan Craft FT 9' 7wt and matched with an 8 weight line would be great. I suppose a 8 weight FT and 9 weight line would be my next choice. Also (and this is just me being weird) I would use a down-locking seat with no fighting butt to minimize line tangle when shooting long casts in cross winds. As mentioned above, though, the single most important factor is not equipment but casting ability.

Casts of 100 feet may not be frequently necessary, but I've never encountered a flycaster who could make a 100 foot cast who could not make shorter casts both quickly and accurately.