End of the Daze 2012?

[3bone]

Well, it has been a very difficult bonefishing season this Fall; and I may have to reassess my fishing
methods, months, and means. I have never worked so hard to see so few bonefish. With over 150
rod hours of Fair-weather flats fishing and only 5 hook-ups, I believe the population is diminishing,
as has my energy level, because my efforts have been exhausted. The cooler weather is here
now; so I will try again next year at a different time, perhaps June, when I can take a crack at Tarpon
too, if the bones are not around. Being on the flats is a great experience regardless of catching
fish; but my concerns about bonefish health have increased this year.

I recently read an article from the Miami Herald about the lack of bones in Florida Bay; and Keys
tournament results seem low on bonefish numbers as well, with fishers targeting other flats
species, which also causes me to wonder where the bonefish have gone. With my limited data
collection, I could be wrong; so I hope more information is out there on this topic.

Thank you,

Mark Sanders
mark@threebone.com

[Gettin' Jiggy!]

There was definitely a major die-off in biscayne bay in 2010. I saw so many dead bonefish on my first trip out after the freeze. I think they've thinned out in BB since then, and I still haven't seen a recovery. But that's just me...maybe others will disagree.

[yfarm]

I sold a hpx v to a guide from Islamorada who told me he moved his operation to Big Pine due to no bonefish above Marathon from the winter cold.