At Tranquility Hill we feel fortunate to live and fish in one of the world’s most pristine marine habitats. We strongly believe it is our responsibility to protect and preserve this environment. With this in mind, we would like to ask our guests to be particularly careful when fighting and landing bonefish.
Research has shown that long fights tire fish to the point that they cannot escape sharks and other predators. So please, have fun, get into your backing a few times, but get the fish to the boat in reasonable time.
When landing a bonefish and removing the hook, try to handle the fish as little as possible. Removing the slime from a bonefish not only exposes the fish to disease but also allows the fish’s odor to escape into the water, making it easy for sharks to track and catch an already tired fish.
If possible, try not to touch the fish at all. Hold the leader near the fish’s mouth, clamp your pliers around the hook shaft and remove the hook with a quick twist of your hand. If the fish has swallowed the hook, cut the leader as close to the hook as practical. The hook will become encapsulated and will fall out in a matter of days.
Finally, if you want a photo of a particularly wonderful fish, get the photo set up with the fish in the water. Take the fish out of the water by supporting it with two hands under its belly. Quickly get the shot and put the fish back in the water as fast as possible!
Thank you for helping us keep our fishery one of the world’s best.