# Destin Pass



## tmv1976 (Nov 19, 2011)

Due to work I haven't been out to the pass area for a month or so. Just curious what you have seen there now, last month it was flooded with bobo's. Want to see what I will be getting into tomorrow

Thanks


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## CComfort12 (Jan 24, 2012)

Last week was bobobs EVERYWHERE, wouldn't hit a dang on thing. Some a guys on the west side jetty all the way out casting into beach side surf grab a nice red, prob a20"


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## tmv1976 (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks for the update. Sounds like it is about the same as it was last month. Last time I went I hooked up with a bobo on my 2nd or 3rd cast and thought I was in for a fun day but after that they didn't touch anything I threw out there. Hopefully I can hook into some tomorrow.


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## albacized (Nov 25, 2011)

tmv1976 said:


> Thanks for the update. Sounds like it is about the same as it was last month. Last time I went I hooked up with a bobo on my 2nd or 3rd cast and thought I was in for a fun day but after that they didn't touch anything I threw out there. Hopefully I can hook into some tomorrow.


Next time you're out there, try to go against the norm of chucking metals, etc and throw an unweighted soft plastic in the 4" range...We have the same problme with our own false albacore up here in New England...fussy as heck when they're on small bait and seemingly nothing will work while trying to match the hatch...that's when the soft plastic thing (which for all I can tell is the 'anti imitation'...LOL) works when nothing else will.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

Try smaller jigs like he said the bait is smaller in the winter And you wanna match what their eating. Even as small as a pompano jig will work.


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## flyfisher (May 31, 2008)

*Bonita baits*

FWIW, I've the same experience when flyfishing for them. If I keep getting refusals, I keep going smaller in size. Color and shape don't seem as important as size. It's amazing how small you have to go sometimes to get them to eat a fly.


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## tmv1976 (Nov 19, 2011)

Great advice, I switched a bunch of lures but never really tried going smaller or to the plastics. I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Walked out to the jetty today with my wife and the wind was blowing hard, there was a ton of bird activity on the east jetty though.


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## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

flyfisher said:


> FWIW, I've the same experience when flyfishing for them. If I keep getting refusals, I keep going smaller in size. Color and shape don't seem as important as size. It's amazing how small you have to go sometimes to get them to eat a fly.


X2 on going smaller.


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## albacized (Nov 25, 2011)

Speaking of flyfishing - have you guys heard of 'gummy flies' down there? I had some in my hands today that were probably no longer than a half inch long. From a realism point of view, they're a spitting image of the rainbait (little anchovies)...but they don't have any action to them and designed to draw a 'reaction' strike (vs having a fish track it down from a distance)...I bet these would work well down there on the albies (er...I mean bonita)


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## flyfisher (May 31, 2008)

albacized said:


> Speaking of flyfishing - have you guys heard of 'gummy flies' down there? I had some in my hands today that were probably no longer than a half inch long. From a realism point of view, they're a spitting image of the rainbait (little anchovies)...but they don't have any action to them and designed to draw a 'reaction' strike (vs having a fish track it down from a distance)...I bet these would work well down there on the albies (er...I mean bonita)



I haven't used them for bonita off the beach but have used them for night fishing...with mixed results. You're right they're very realistic looking but there's something to be said for the natural movements of marabou and rabbit strips for the lights.


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## tat (Oct 8, 2007)

I can't say where I saw it, but a while back I saw a post (or article?) saying that the small Gummy Minnow was THE fly for bonitos. May not be as cool as a more classic, natural material, but if it works . . .


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

Use smaller baits in the 1/2 inch to one inch range. This time of year they are crashing anchovy larvae that are tiny (they almost look like worms with eyeballs). A bubble rig works wonders. Take your clear plastic bubble, fill it up halfway with water, rig it above a swivel and bead, tie on ten to twelve pound flouro., and tie on any anchovy fly or soft plastic crappie minnow with tiny hooks (yes, crappie minnows, FINS to be exact). Get upwind/current from the blitz and cut the motor. These rigs can be cast a 1/4 mile. Throw to the edges of the schools and pop the bubble violently. Hang on. Use a little lighter drag due to the force at which they hit.


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

Also if you are gonna use flies make sure to use epoxy anchovy flies because even thogh gummy minnows do work they last one fish apiece. Land 12 on a "Albie Anchovy."


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

I threw so Orvis anchovies at them the other day no takes, put on the Gummy and BAM three in a row, and still fishing the same Gummy. Most of been a good one, I found some @ $3.75 ea online instead of $6.40 @ BP, I think it was Riverbum.com. Maybe one day I'll start tying


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## albacized (Nov 25, 2011)

wtbfishin said:


> I threw so Orvis anchovies at them the other day no takes, put on the Gummy and BAM three in a row, and still fishing the same Gummy. Most of been a good one, I found some @ $3.75 ea online instead of $6.40 @ BP, I think it was Riverbum.com. Maybe one day I'll start tying


Good luck tying them - the material involved ('sili skin') is one of the hardest materials to work that I've encountered since getting involved in fly tying a number of years ago


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

Not the orvis version. The albie anchovy is a #6 hook with tan calftail, very durable ez body tubing and epoxy over the tubing. It's like concrete and never been refused by a Bobo, even when they are in small, scattered packs. They cost about $0.25 a piece if you tie your own. The fly should be trimmed to half an inch.


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## albacized (Nov 25, 2011)

tailfisher1979 said:


> Not the orvis version. The albie anchovy is a #6 hook with tan calftail, very durable ez body tubing and epoxy over the tubing. It's like concrete and never been refused by a Bobo, even when they are in small, scattered packs. They cost about $0.25 a piece if you tie your own. The fly should be trimmed to half an inch.


Yeah, the candy flies are pretty easy to tie (and even look a lot better with a piece of ez body tubing slipped over the body then epoxied over) - if the ez body tubing has a little mylar flash weaved in, all the better...I was actually referring to the gummy flies and the sili skin material used to make them...it's pretty much hell to work with. As so as you make one bad fold, it's fatal to the fly and you have to start over (and that's while it's sticking to your fingers and everything else it touches, including folded over on itself)


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

albacized said:


> Good luck tying them - the material involved ('sili skin') is one of the hardest materials to work that I've encountered since getting involved in fly tying a number of years ago


 I'm to messy to start tying anyway, but I believe you can save some money on Salt water stuff.
Charles @ BP acted like they'd be an easy tie hmm, and said all of that materaia had been sold out in Destin BP at that time.


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

tailfisher1979 said:


> Not the orvis version. The albie anchovy is a #6 hook with tan calftail, very durable ez body tubing and epoxy over the tubing. It's like concrete and never been refused by a Bobo, even when they are in small, scattered packs. They cost about $0.25 a piece if you tie your own. The fly should be trimmed to half an inch.


Have you seen Henry Cowan's version of that fly, he knows his stuff and it looks like a great pattern, like your talking about. He is a regular poster on the NGTO site and is a super guide from what I've heard.
The ones I caught on the Gummy were off the beach coming in groups of 1-4 fish at a time, mucho fun! Seems they have left the beach where I was anyway.


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

I have! That's an excellent tie as well. As far as the Gummy Minnow, it is very difficult to deal with. There are a hundred similar patterns that work just as well and are easier to tie. They just might not appeal to the angler as well as the gummy minnow, I leave it up to the fish to decide.


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

I like the way you think TF!! If you ever want to point out a few places in our bay you wore out let me know. I've been crazy about FF for cold water trout, but have recently realized what I been missing out right under my nose, and I love the casting that goes hand in hand w/fishin' salt:yes:


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

Will do! Eglin flats in front of the giant hangar south and west of boggy bayou are good too. Look for an old silo looking building on the shoreline and fish west of it in the grass out to the dropoff. And the mouth of lake pippen next to mid-bay bridge. Good luck, let me know how it goes.


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

thanks, for the info. I'll need to trailer my boat over there, it is a bit of a run from my place via water, but I know where you mean. Not much happen on my end most of the year. I'm about a mile up east end of Chat Holley on the bay, just desert out there, fishes ok in the late summer and fall. I'm straight accross from Alaqua S side.


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