imported_Anonymous
07-17-2004, 01:00 AM
In one of the articles, ref guides in Florida Jimmy Albright, I noticed a reference to the first fly rod capture of a bonefish. History records the following.
Joe Brooks made mention of the earlier efforts of fly rodders in the salt in his many books and articles. In his book ?Salt Water Fly Fishing? published in 1950 he records that the first bonefish were taken on fly in 1926 by Colonel L.S.Tompson while fishing for tarpon with spinning tackle and bait at Long Key in Florida.
While the claimants for the 'First Bone on Fly' title are many and cover a wide range of years, one J. P. McFerran of Louisville Kentucky is said to have caught a bonefish on fly around 1891, which put him in the Dimock and Towbridge era.
Homes Allen 'accidentally' caught a bonefish in 1924 and Colonel L.S. Thompson caught a few in 1926 while fishing for tarpon. When the fishing dropped off Colonel Tompson got out his fly rod and fished for small tarpon. He caught a few bonefish but considered that as an accident.
Bonefish were caught on fly by four other anglers between 1926 and 1947, one of whom was Bill Smith, a Florida guide. The record states that the first deliberately, rather than accidentally, caught bonefish was taken in 1947 by Joe Brooks while being guided by Jimmy Albright at Islamorada Florida.
With all due respect to the late Joe Brooks, who is one of my fly-fishing idols, and, like Lefty Kreh, something of an American National Treasure, I think catching a fish is simply catching a fish and whether you set out deliberately to catch it or not. It is stretching things a bit to claim a first after someone else had actually landed one. Accidentally maybe, but it was landed. The fish does not know ?accidental? or 'I shouldn't be eating this, it isn't put there for me'
Joe Brooks made mention of the earlier efforts of fly rodders in the salt in his many books and articles. In his book ?Salt Water Fly Fishing? published in 1950 he records that the first bonefish were taken on fly in 1926 by Colonel L.S.Tompson while fishing for tarpon with spinning tackle and bait at Long Key in Florida.
While the claimants for the 'First Bone on Fly' title are many and cover a wide range of years, one J. P. McFerran of Louisville Kentucky is said to have caught a bonefish on fly around 1891, which put him in the Dimock and Towbridge era.
Homes Allen 'accidentally' caught a bonefish in 1924 and Colonel L.S. Thompson caught a few in 1926 while fishing for tarpon. When the fishing dropped off Colonel Tompson got out his fly rod and fished for small tarpon. He caught a few bonefish but considered that as an accident.
Bonefish were caught on fly by four other anglers between 1926 and 1947, one of whom was Bill Smith, a Florida guide. The record states that the first deliberately, rather than accidentally, caught bonefish was taken in 1947 by Joe Brooks while being guided by Jimmy Albright at Islamorada Florida.
With all due respect to the late Joe Brooks, who is one of my fly-fishing idols, and, like Lefty Kreh, something of an American National Treasure, I think catching a fish is simply catching a fish and whether you set out deliberately to catch it or not. It is stretching things a bit to claim a first after someone else had actually landed one. Accidentally maybe, but it was landed. The fish does not know ?accidental? or 'I shouldn't be eating this, it isn't put there for me'