Go-To Bonefish Flies by Ken Morrish

When it comes to bonefish flies, I have my own ideas, be they right or wrong. When I fish them, they tend to work well, but only if I do my part and deliver them well. Delivery and the illusion of life are of the greatest importance, and next is matching your fly to the conditions at hand. Some of the big conditional factors are water depth, bottom color, bottom type, as well as your general take on the fish being eager or skittish. After that, there are countless nuances and skills that separate decent anglers from great anglers, and some of those basic concepts are outlined in my article: Bonefishing: A Gross Oversimplification

The following are my go-to bonefish flies and some insights into their design stories and applications:

RIO's Morrish Stalking Stuffer

I have always been inclined towards designing and fishing shrimp-like bonefish flies with the eyes in the rear. Not only does this create a far more life-like silhouette and place the eyes in a more realistic location, but it also makes the fly easier to retrieve over grabby, uneven bottom structure. Likewise, I feel that most bonefish flies lack the quality that we call "bugginess" in freshwater flies. Many bonefish flies are clean and sterile to both the human eye and the fish’s eye.

RIO's Morrish Stalking Stuffer brings the best elements of patterns like Veverka's Mantis Shrimp and the Squimp into a new realm where the fly fishes clean on the retrieve and ups the game with a natural crustacean-style bugginess that bonefish, triggerfish, golden trevally and permit all respond extremely well to. They are tied on the highest-quality 3X-strong hooks, so you can feed them to the largest fish without fear of the hook opening when you need it most. This pattern comes in two sizes, with different-sized lead eyes as well as two colors (blonde and natural), making it a go-to fly that can be adapted to a wide range of water depths and bottom colors.

RIO's Morrish Flats Minnow

RIO's Morrish Flats Minnow is a bit of a hybrid, combining elements from proven patterns like the Christmas Island Special with the Clouser Minnow. The Clouser has a pointed, narrow head and fans out broadly in the rear. It is like an elongated triangle, whereas minnows and small fish are broadest in their shoulders and taper continuously towards the rear.This fly may resemble a Clouser at first glance, but it is meticulously crafted with a tapered teardrop silhouette, true shoulders, subtle flash, and breathable, motion-rich materials. These flies are relatively lightly weighted with brass eyes, so they land more softly than their lead-eyed counterparts. This pattern comes in three sizes and weights, so they can be used in a wide range of conditions and water depths. They are all tied on high-quality, 3X-strong hooks that can land the largest fish on the flats. This fly is one of my favorites for fussy fish in skinny water, and its long, sparse silhouette makes it an easy and non-threatening treat for bonefish to commit to. The more I fish this fly, the more I want to fish it, as it has led to some of my best sessions and catches on the water.

RIO's Morrish Crab Cake

This is one of my favorite saltwater flies for bonefish, permit, and other flats species. It is small, it lands very softly, and it has a range of appealing crustacean-like characteristics. I like to fish it when I have a chance at both shallow-water permit and bonefish, and I really like it when fishing over grabby bottom types, as it sinks slowly and has a somewhat neutral buoyancy. I have also used it to catch tidewater kings and as a very effective follow-up fly when swing fishing for steelhead. It's like a wiggly little muddler but different.

RIO's Morrish Puff Pastry

RIO's Morrish Puff Pastry is on the “traditional” end of my bonefish design spectrum. It still has its eyes in the rear, but it has a sparse conventional wing and is tied in a single color that is highly versatile and effective. I tied this fly to cross over into the hallowed waters inhabited by the Gotcha and the Christmas Island Special. Like those two patterns, this one works really well, especially on shallow to mid-depth flats. I have several patterns in my trout and steelhead arsenal that I simply tie on with confidence, as opposed to with considerable thought or observation. This is one of those flies when I hit the flats.