The day after a passing cold front can be great if the front blows through clean and you have blue bird skies, even if it’s cold and blowing hard out of the northwest or north quadrant. Usually under these conditions the bonefish will be moving on the ocean side shorelines, most of the time into the wind, and in very large schools. The key is to find the depth the fish are moving in. Several years ago, light tackle expert Bill Linsay and I headed out of Black Point Marina and the air temperature was 38 degrees, and the wind was blowing 20 out of the northwest. We ran across the bay to the outside shorelines and the bonefish were stacked out in 10 ft of water. We caught 13 bonefish that day. The fish were sunning themselves, kind of lying there like laid-up tarpon, finning and flashing. I’m not saying that bonefish are going to be in ten feet of water all the time after a cold front. But if you move around a little bit, poling different depths and checking your water temps you can have some killer days as far as numbers of bonefish you catch.

A few days after the front has blown through, water temps are cool. Sometimes they drop into the 60’s and even colder. That’s when you head to your neighborhood tackle shop and buy a bunch of shrimp, and go chum some bonies up. This method can be deadly on day’s when you are not seeing many fish on the shorelines. What I like to do is set up on an edge were I know the fish travel. It could be the edge of a channel i know the fish live in, or an outside shoreline bonefish use as a highway. It’s very easy guys! Stake up and cut some shrimp into dime size pieces, usually a fist full. Pick a spot that doesn’t have much grass on it. On sunny days you can actually see the bonefish come in to your chum and sight-fish them as they come in and eat the pieces of shrimp you threw out. Give a spot 30 minutes. If nothing comes in move. A good sign is if the bonnet head’s are around there should be bonies around.

As far as tackle goes a spinning rod loaded with 10 to 12 lb line is the way to go. Keep some different size split shots in the boat. The last couple of years I’ve been using a bass hook made by Gamakatsu that has bait holder barbs on it. My client’s catch ratios went up dramatically using this hook in a 2/0. Rods I use are 8 foot 4 to 6 lb Biscayne rod. I like the longer rod for chumming, just because that extra length keeps my line above sea fans, and other debris. As for fly, a 7 to 10 weight will work. I prefer a 9 to 10 weight because of the wind this time of year. Flies you will need are simple, weighted Clousers, Gotchas and Merkins in different weights. Usually medium to heavy eyes is what you will need for this type of bonefishing.

I hope that these few tips I’ve shared with you will make your next winter time bonefish trip a success.

Two anglers. Two weeks. Hundreds of huge peacock bass.

The Unini River in Brazil is a tributary to the greatest river in the world — the Amazon. It’s unique and sometimes dangerous waters also spawn some of the biggest peacock bass on record. Rob Fordyce and Joe Rodriguez set out to search the black water for a world record and in the process they learned life lessons about their abilities, their friendship and themselves.

Every day the two old friends placed a wager with the payoff ranging from catching an alligator by hand, to swimming the river with the piranha to serving the winner as houseboy. While they never lost their sense of humor, they sometimes lost their pride.

The two anglers caught over 40 fish heavier than 15 pounds. But they also made a new friend. Their companion for the week was a modern day Tarzan; a man raised in the jungle who could call the jaguar, track the wild pigs, and cook the native fish over an open fire streamside. You’ll fall in love with Gonzega, just as we did. He will remind you of another era in our own country, when men survived by instinct and skill.

Meet the Record Hunters

Rob Fordyce

Growing up in South Florida Capt. Rob was able to pursue many outdoor activities year round. These activities included team sports such as baseball and football as well as fishing and hunting.

After attending the University of Tennessee on a baseball scholarship, he returned home and began guiding on a fulltime basis. Capt. Rob has been guiding fulltime for 17 years and spends 280 to 300 days per year on the water.

His line of expertise is guiding light tackle and fly fisherman to bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook, redfish and huge sharks and jewfish. Most of his time is spent in Miami’s Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys or deep in the backcountry of the Everglades.

Rob was fortunate to start fishing at a young age which has provided him over 25 years of experience fishing these areas. Rob credits his father with fostering his interest in the outdoors, and still hunts and fishes with him often.

Rob Fordyce has become one of the top light-tackle fishing guides in the country and has held world records for bonefish and pompano. He has also guided clients to 6 world records. His boat is the VooDoo Daddy and although we don’t know what voodoo he puts on the fish, we know it works.

Joe Rodriguez
Born and raised in South Florida, Joe has lived and fished in and around the Miami area his whole life. With a total of over 25 years fishing, he has turned his life passion into a successful career.

Best known for his incredible skill in fly fishing, especially for tarpon, Capt. Joe spends over 200 days a year on the water. In addition to professional inshore guiding, he also fishes an average twenty tournaments a year. He fishes primarily bonefish and tarpon tournaments in the spring and fall.

Joe is a first generation American of Cuban descent, who is a licensed and insured United States Coast Guard Captain.

Has held world records in saltwater and has guided clients to records as well.

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