Day Two: Windknots and Self-Loathing

The conditions were challenging, to put it charitably. Winds were steady, then gusting, and constantly humiliating. In better cases, double hauls were thrown wildly off course, and often reduced to a laughable heap. Occasionally, flies were ricocheted off the back of my skull, or drilled in to my shoulder. In a few more regrettable instances, wind knots went undetected in advance of tightening up on a slab bone. That very special rush that goes along with a take, a solid strip-set, and a bolting fish peeling off slack turns instantly to sickness at the popping of tippet as the drag engages. So it goes.

Frustrations and failures aside, I'm still in the Bahamas, and surrounded by incredible bonefish flats in almost every direction from Deep Water Cay Resort. I fished today with a great guide. I had legitimate shots at no less than fifteen fish. I hooked five and landed two, all despite the increasingly frustrating wind.

Back at the resort, the Kalik Gold was waiting, along with the fly-tying station to replenish the day's lost supply. After another incredible meal, I'm late to bed, and looking forward to hitting the flats again early tomorrow morning. Wind, blown chances and lost fish aside, nothing can change the fact that this amounts to a fine day by any standard.