View Full Version : GTC Bonefish Guide recommendations
Since we will be on GTC for Father's Day, my husband has requested a bonefish trip for his Father's Day gift. I have e-mailed Ronnie Sawyer with no reply yet and have also heard Ricky Sawyer is good. Does anyone have experience with a particular guide out of Green Turtle? Also, being sort of ignorant on the subject, is there a season when bonefish are running? Is July a good time to be going? He has taken his fly rod and fished the flats around Gillam Bay to no avail in the past and really wants to get on some fish this time. Thx.
DrRalph
05-31-2007, 07:33 AM
Check out Fishing in Abaco (http://www.drralph.net/FishininAbaco2005.html), there's a list of guides near the end of the article.
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 10:45 AM
Hey JJ,
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]It will be a little bit of a hassle getting from GTC back to Marsh Harbour but get a guide to take your husband to the Marls for a full day of bonefishing. Try Justin Sands, Buddy Pinder, or Justin
BahamaBabe
05-31-2007, 11:09 AM
We've gone bonefishing with one of the Sawyers (not sure which one but I do know it was not Ronnie or Ricky) in the Marls and Stephen went with Ricky Sawyer in the GTC area. Although we caught fish in both places, Stephen preferred fishing in the GTC area because it is much, much prettier. He also liked the gear that Ricky uses. He's got high-quality stuff.
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 11:27 AM
Be careful who you listen to here JJ!!!
Take a look at my avatar. You see me hoisting a very nice 4 pound bonefish caught on a fly rod and using a fly that was hand tied by yours truly.
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Now take a look at the Babe
SamFamAustin
05-31-2007, 01:15 PM
Whoa, I've seen Aussies open bottles of beer with the teeth but any gal that can haul an anchor line that way ... well I got profound respect! :D
Good luck with the bonefishing, JJ, I'm sure your crew will have a blast however you work it out. Some of my best honey-spots were actually from local kids, at least in our neck of the woods here. The old-timers won't let you near them but the youngsters want to impress.
Hey Willy are you going to bring your fly pole down here for your Texas fishing trip? You'll need a perty hefty one for them over-size reds we got! Let me know if you're on the lower coast. /sammie
BahamaBabe
05-31-2007, 03:05 PM
I don't really need to verbally respond to your barbs. What's that old saying..."a picture is worth a thousand words"? The last pic is the trophies we received for Top Boat, Top Tag and Release and First Place Lady Angler at a billfish tournament we were in a few years back. Read it and weep, fellas. :D :D :D
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 05:21 PM
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Uh oh, Sammie
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 05:35 PM
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hey
BahamaBabe
05-31-2007, 05:47 PM
[quote=Willy Landham;9902][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hey
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 05:58 PM
12 pounder that my brother AL caught... with no help from any guide (licks finger and chalks up one for our side).
SamFamAustin
05-31-2007, 07:42 PM
It's all for fun, BahamaBabe, and it looks like Willy has been a little frisky lately, maybe even rather ornery! Full moon? Who knows. But I guarantee your fish look wonderful and I'm quite jealous ... still working on my lifetime goals for:
Tarpon
Bone
Snook
Yellowfin Tuna
SwordQuestion for ya B-B: what kind of grouper was that you were holding a few frames up? Looks awesome!
sammie
Willy Landham
05-31-2007, 07:52 PM
No tutu picher?
TurtleDreams
05-31-2007, 08:53 PM
Boys, I think the Babe is winning this one so far!
SamFamAustin
05-31-2007, 09:37 PM
TurtleDreams - I hope somebody wins something around here! I do like the hunt and helping folks land biggies though. My luck is mixed - I won't starve but I won't get fat, either.
Willy - you'll have to check out the Coalition of Confused Coastal Fishermen for the Tutu thang. It's not a pretty sight. Good thang they didn't make me jump out of a perfectly good airplane in one! :eek:
/sammie
Judging by the pics, I think Willy's fish is alot bigger :)
You guys and gals are hilarious!
I am a fish eater and not much of a fisher (too impatient), so the thrill of catching a fish that you can't eat eludes me. But this is for my husband, not me. He has tried fishing the flats around Gillam Bay and has not had any results, so he would really like to catch some fish this time. I am taking it that Ronnie and Ricky are the only ones on GTC. Neither has responded to an e-mail yet so I will try a phone call. Fishing the Marls sounds great but I think he wants to stay around GTC. I will be sure to post some pics if he is successful!
If you want quantities of bonefish, fish the Marls. If you want quality, fish GTC. I fished with Ricky Sawyer a few years ago and this was the result :D
SamFamAustin
06-12-2007, 11:44 PM
Wow Willy, I think his bone is bigger than yours! :eek:
Maybe it is the grape but that was possibly the funniest thing I have ever said.
sammie
sail pending
06-13-2007, 06:31 AM
These guys are truly world famous in bonefishing circles. Theres no reason to go to Marsh Harbor from GTC to fish for bones because there is plenty of fish around GTC. If you want to fish the marls get with Ronnie. He has a new skiff on treasure that he puts in on the back side to fish the marls. He is likely booked but I would try to call him rather than email.
Got through on the phone with Ronnie (his wife I think, actually) and booked a trip for next week!
I need some help if I am going to keep this a semi-surprise (he asked for it for Father's Day and knows I am trying to book it, but when he mentioned it last night I told him I had not been able to get through to anyone so I am going try to keep it a surprise until Sunday (Father's Day) that I booked it). She asked if he would be flyfishing or using spinning reel. I asked if Ronnie supplied gear and she said yes. I don't think my husband owns salt water fly fishing gear, just fresh water (he informed me he was using a spinning reel on Gillam on our previous visits so I guess I was wrong in my first post). If someone knows how to flyfish/enjoys flyfishing is that the preferable way to go? He went on a bonefish trip in the FL keys a long time ago and I am pretty sure the guide brought the gear and I also think it was fly fish gear.
Thanks again!
SamFamAustin
06-13-2007, 12:35 PM
Whoa, if one knows how to fly fish, that's definitely the way to go. You just don't want to learn how to fly fish on an expensive guide trip. Saltwater fly action is exactly the same as for trout and such, although the gear is a little more beefed up - and those bonefish can really fight like the dickens.
I am so envious! I don't have a good fly-casting form and haven't ever caught a bonefish. A trip like that is a once in a lifetime experience and a wonderful Father's Day surprise.
sammie
Abacoparrott
06-13-2007, 08:29 PM
that JJ got the fishin' trip lined up.....as for the pics, I'm votin' for 'Babe......has nothing to do with the fish.........:D Ken
Well, the Father's Day bonefish trip gift was a hit. Ronnie's boat broke and couldn't go out on Thurs. as scheduled but it all worked out for Friday. Here is my husband with the 7-pounder he caught.
sail pending
06-25-2007, 02:11 PM
Congrats on a nice Bone!
He caught more (I think he said 4 total) but this was the largest.
Nice Bone - looks like he had a pretty day to fish as well.
R.
Wonkee
07-16-2007, 08:19 PM
I would place Bonefish near the top of the list of my Favorite Fish to eat. The only thing I really like more is Cuda. I can promise you that I am not the only one that feels this way. but eat with Caution, they are Called "Bone"fish for a reason.
You guys and gals are hilarious!
I am a fish eater and not much of a fisher (too impatient), so the thrill of catching a fish that you can't eat eludes me. But this is for my husband, not me. He has tried fishing the flats around Gillam Bay and has not had any results, so he would really like to catch some fish this time. I am taking it that Ronnie and Ricky are the only ones on GTC. Neither has responded to an e-mail yet so I will try a phone call. Fishing the Marls sounds great but I think he wants to stay around GTC. I will be sure to post some pics if he is successful!
SamFamAustin
07-16-2007, 08:49 PM
LOL, Wonkee, I love how you can break through all the norms and tell it like you see it. Myself, I like Nassau grouper but don't tell anybody! I was thinking that in some oriental restaurants, barracuda is the most expensive thing on the menu (aside from toxic pufferfish). Maybe de bonefish give you de "style?" :D
vBulletin® v3.8.3, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.