Do It Yourself Bonefishing - by Rod Hamilton (Paperback)

About the Book

Bonefish are considered to be among the world's premier fly game fish sought after by anglers. They inhabit shallow waters close to the shore and pose a challenge to even the most experienced fisherman, though they are seldom eaten. This book explains all you need to know about bonefishing, whether you use a fly rod or spinning gear.

Book Synopsis

Do It Yourself Bonefishing is the authoritative guide written for DIY anglers targeting bonefish on the fly. Divided into easy-to-reference sections, this book will help you tackle the why, where, and how of self-guided bonefishing. Informed by twenty years of experience on the flats, Rod Hamilton and Kirk Deeter describe the allure of matching wits with one of fly fishing's most elusive targets and discuss the reasons why more and more fly fishermen are seeking the challenge of catching bonefish without the aid of a guide. Do It Yourself Bonefishing is packed with useful tips to help all levels of fly fishermen locate and catch more of one of the world's premier gamefish. Learn stalking strategies, how to spot bonefish, appropriate fly selection, and where to find the fish.

As you plan your bonefishing trip, the authors' destination chapters and "Seven-Day Sample Trip" itineraries suggest where to fish, how to get there, and places to stay. Included is a list of more than 300 individual bonefish hotspots located throughout the tropics, complete with maps and tips specific to the flat or creek system. Within the "Spousal Rating" section are Hamilton's opinions on how suitable the destination is for nonfishers; the "Nonfishing Activities" section highlights things to do when not fishing. Whether you need help deciding where to go or simply desire greater success while wading on your own, Do It Yourself Bonefishing is where you should start.

Review Quotes

...A must-have if you plan to visit the Caribbean on your own, on foot, in pursuit of bonefish.-- "Bonefish on the Brain"

Do It Yourself Bonefishing is a true guide for anglers looking to explore the flats on their own. Hamilton breaks down all necessary information, from understanding tides and how they impact bonefish behavior, to what type of documentation and currency to carry...This book is an outstanding resource for bonefish fly anglers!-- "The Venturing Angler"

DIY bonefishing is like completing a handyman project around the house that's just a bit over your head--it takes twice as long as hiring someone else, but it's also twice as gratifying. In this book, Rod's gear is minimal, his advice is practical, and his enthusiasm evident and contagious. Do It Yourself Bonefishing will help increase your odds.--Tom Bie, owner, editor, and publisher of The Drake Magazine

DIY Bonefishing opens up a host of opportunities that all my fishing buddies can enjoy in addition to the joys of stalking and hooking bonefish all on our own.--Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die and Why I Fly Fish

Hamilton eloquently writes about the ethos and motivation of bonefishing on your own...The text is engaging and conversational. There's no ego, no wasted words. Just honest, genuine passion for the flats. The advice is straightforward and easy to understand. Moreover, this is the ticket to help any serious angler who doesn't have the means or interest in paying several thousand dollars to visit bonefish Nirvana to find success. The meat of the book is the most detailed "where to" guide on bonefish flats in the Western Hemisphere...Buy the book. Then go fish. On your own. You won't be disappointed.-- "Field & Stream"

Rod Hamilton and Kirk Deeter is a unique and authoritative DIY guide for anglers targeting bonefish on the fly. In this book the authors help you tackle everything from the why, where, and how of self-guided bonefishing to fly selection and techinque tips, maps and suggested trip itineraries, and advice to help anglers at all levels of their game.-- "MidCurrent"

Rod's book captures the essence and spirit of DIY bonefishing. It's not about the numbers of fish caught but the thrill and excitement of exploring new areas and putting the pieces of the DIY bonefishing puzzle together on your own.--Vince Tobia, owner, Cattaraugus Creek Outfitters

This book is the complete guide for finding and stalking bonefish without the help of a guide or lodge. Rod has written the dollarwise bonefishing bible, and I am so pleased he has!--Conway Bowman, author, TV personality, and guide

This is the one we've been waiting for--the graduate course in that needle-threading of tactical skills and planning needed to truly score in this increasingly popular game of on-your-own bonefishing. This angler's only wish is that he'd written it twenty years ago.--Jerry Gibbs, former fishing editor for Outdoor Life

What you get in DIY Bonefishing is a very honest manual for the DIY adventurer that can (and should) be read in its entirety, as well as kept in a place of easy access for reference. There really isn't a better written option in regards to the subject matter. It's all here, in detail, and extremely honest and accurate. Rod just wrote the DIY Bonefishing blueprint, which, as anyone who has done it themselves can tell you, is worth more than its weight in gold.--Vince Stegura, founder of Skinny Water Culture

About the Author

Rod Hamilton has been an avid fly fisher for more than forty years--chasing salmon, trout and steelhead from his home base in British Columbia, Canada during the summer, and flats species in the tropics during the winter. Through his website diyflatsfishing.com and blog, diybonefishing.com, he shares his passion for catching bonefish and permit on the fly with like-minded fly fishermen from around the world. In addition to the book and his online outlets he writes for a variety of magazines and is currently working on a DIY bonefishing video and his next book on tropical fly fishing. He lives in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada

Kirk Deeter is the editor for TROUT magazine, Angling Trade, and an editor-at-large for Field & Stream magazine. He is the author of five books, including The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing, which he coauthored with the late Denver Post outdoors editor, Charlie Meyers, and The Orvis GuidetoFly Fishing for Carp. He lives near Denver, CO.