If you read my first fish tale about fly fishing Andros Island, you will remember I lost my first big bonie and landed a tiny one later, and fished with Bonefish Willy. That was day one. This is the tale of day two…Day two of fly fishing Andros Island, for bonefish was a beautiful day, as are most days in the Bahamas. This time I was fly fishing with my long time fishing guide / buddy Paul. Paul is a flats master and is, in my opinion, the best guide in the FLA keys (stripstrikecharters.com). He put me on my first tarpon, permit, bonefish and kickstarted my love for saltwater flyfishing and fishing the flats. I remember when I was 13 years old throwing crabs at 130lbs. Tarpon, Paul behind me the whole way watching and teaching me the ways of flats fishing. Today, however, we were fishing together with our own guide polling us. The first flat we hit turned up nothing. So we moved on and hit another flat and I hooked up with a nice bonefish, my first real bonie in my oppinion. That was all good, Paul also got 2 more on that flat and we decided to move to another spot. When the boat stopped and our guide Rambo killed the engine, I was setting my eyes on perhaps the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. I kicked off my sandals from my blistered feet and hopped in the water barefoot. “You’re a white bahamian,” Rambo said and kicked off his shoes. He couldn’t be outdone by a white boy from chicago. We all laughed and got ready to fly fish. Thirty seconds later a big school of bonefish came around a point on the island. I got ready to throw a cast but they turned and were out of my range. Suddenly, Paulie yelled to me, “Z, big school of bones heading our way!” Giant schools of bonefish were all around us. My heart rate picked up considerably as the fish move evern closer towards us. Paulie was about 30 yards away in front of my and a little to the right. The school came right at him, and of course he threw a perfect cast and was hooked up. The school spooked and 5-6 fish headed my way. I picked up and threw a cast in front of them. Rambo was between us so I was pretty much on my own. I remembered the wise stripping instruction of Bonefish Willy from the day before. I made a long slow strip and then two short ones and I was on. My heart was racing. I yelled to Paul “Dude, I’m hooked up!” He gave me a thumbs up and a way to go. Our fish ran all over the flat passing by each other and darting around tearing through the water. My line was shooting up water as the fish ripping line off my fly reel. Soon we moved closer and landed our fish. As you’ll notice from the picture he is holding his like a pro with his reel showing and I’m holding mine like a total noob. Ok, it was my first real pic and I basically scooped him out of the water and Rambo, after fuddling with the digital camera, snapped the pic. (For my next one I’m putting the rod in my mouth = P) We landed several more bones after that and even got a couple on Paul’s crab pattern. As cool as it may be throwing flies at 100 pound Tarpon or catching your first bonefish. The memory of that day, of those two small bonefish, on that flat, off the beach of some small Bahamian island will never escape me (as some of the tricky bonefish did.)