If you’re planning to chase bonefish in the Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) may not be the first destination that comes to mind. It also may not be at the top of the Google search results as you start planning your next warm weather vacation with the family. But if the idea of having some excellent saltwater fly fishing options available during your next family vacation sounds appealing, TCI should be high on your short list.

Whether you are looking to sneak in a quick do-it-yourself afternoon session, wading the flats while the kids hang out at the pool, or you’d prefer to spend an entire day casting from the bow of a skiff, TCI offers quick and easy options to scratch the angling itch without taking you far from your beach chair or breaking the budget. The Turks and Caicos Islands may be the best kept secret for the saltwater fly angler on a family vacation. 

The Turks and Caicos Islands is a British Offshore Territory comprising two groups of islands that sit atop Caicos Bank, east of Cuba and south of The Bahamas. Of the Caicos Islands, Providenciales (with its world-famous Grace Bay beach) is by far the most popular for family vacations. There are plenty of activities, restaurants, and accommodations ranging from budget friendly to luxury. My family and I took our first TCI vacation nearly a decade ago. Explorers at heart, we have generally avoided the resorts, instead indulging our preference for renting houses or condos and embracing the ability to tailor our own experience. Our favorite over the years has been the Chalk Sound area, though the Leeward section of the island has seen development in recent years and has many good options.  

Several airlines serve Turks and Caicos Islands with regular flights into the area’s main airport on Providenciales (often referred to as “Provo”). Given the state of air travel these days, a direct flight is a good idea when possible. While both taxis and rental cars are available at the airport, consider renting a car if you are planning to do any exploring while in TCI; taxis can be expensive. Driving is done on the left, in British fashion, and isn’t as difficult as you might think.  No special driver’s license is required, but be sure to look to the right to check for oncoming traffic.

Resorts have their own excellent restaurants, but if you’d like to explore a bit (and you should), there are many restaurants in and around Grace Bay and several more within a short drive. Fresh seafood is always a good dinner choice. Catch of the day paired with an ice cold Turks Head beer is a fine way to wrap up a day on the beach, shopping, or fishing. For the true do-it-yourselfers renting a home or condo, local grocery stores range from upscale (closer to Grace Bay) to modest (further from Grace Bay) with relative prices to match.  

Bonefish are the focus of fly fishing on Turks and Caicos, though barracuda can also be found.  Guided fishing trips are mainly done on North Caicos Island, which is accessible from Providenciales by a short ferry ride from the Leeward ferry station. Ramsar Nature Reserve on the south side of North Caicos is a system of sand flats, mangroves, and channels. Bottle Creek and the East Bay Nature Reserve on the north side of the island includes five flats protected by small barrier islands. Both sides of the island hold schools of bonefish that see relatively little fishing pressure (over the course of several trips to North Caicos, I’ve only seen one other boat).  There are only a handful of fly fishing guides in TCI, though despite the limited number of guides, trip availability is generally good with reasonable lead time. Last-minute cancellations do happen, so if your schedule is flexible it is possible to find last-minute openings.  

Both sides of North Caicos are home to more than bonefish. In addition to the possibility of finding barracuda, you are likely to see turtles, rays, brilliantly colored box fish, and flamingos.  Most guides charge a flat fee for one or two anglers, so why not bring along a non-fishing family member for some sightseeing and photography? TCI fishing licenses can be purchased in increments of a day or a month, and are inexpensive. They are not available online but can be purchased at most marinas. If you happen to be on Provo, a good place to pick up your license is Turtle Cove Marina, a short drive from Grace Bay.

If you are not able to book a guide, have limited time, or would just rather prefer the challenge of stalking bonefish on your own, there are solid opportunities for self-guided trips on Providenciales. The best is Flamingo Lake, a short drive from the resorts on Grace Bay made by taking Venetian Road off Leeward Highway. There are several spots to park and simply begin wading steps from your car. While there occasionally are flamingos, there usually are bonefish.  The bottom is typical mud over hard sand, standard bonefish territory, and easy to navigate. Be on the lookout for schools of bonefish or cruising fish in singles and pairs. Locate holes and depressions in the bottom and you may also find fish as they tend to prowl these areas in search of crabs and other forage.

While this fishery doesn’t see much in the way of fishing pressure, bones are still bones, and in their shallow-water habitat they are generally skittish. When casting either from a skiff or while wading, try to make as little disturbance on the water as possible (e.g. try not to rock the skiff when casting) and keep noise to a minimum. A fast-action 8-weight rod with a floating tropical line is the standard setup, but don’t be shy about stepping up to a 9-weight to deal with the wind if necessary.

Fly selection for TCI bonefish doesn’t need to be tedious; these fish don’t see many flies in general. If you use darker-colored flies for overcast days and lighter-colored flies for sunnier days in any of the standard bonefish patterns (Gotchas, Bonefish Bitters, Crazy Charlies, etc.), tied sizes 4-6, you won’t be far off. Because TCI bonefish don’t see many flies, presentation is probably more important than pattern, so solid saltwater casting skills are a must.

I recommend plenty of casting practice ahead of your trip. Wind is always a factor, and slack in your cast is your enemy, so strong casting fundamentals are a must. Opportunities at bonefish happen fast, and if you’re not prepared for them, you’ll spend most of your time watching fish swim away. Being able to quickly deliver a fly at a variety of distances with a minimum of false casts will allow you to take advantage of these often fleeting opportunities.

When planning a guided trip from a skiff, practice quickly changing direction and delivering a cast just as you will need to do when your guide calls out a direction and distance. It’s always important to be aware of both wind direction and the location of your guide with respect to your backcast. The ability to make casts from both your dominant side and non-dominant sides is key, as is the ability to deliver a cast in both the forward and backcasts. Having a strong grasp of these skills will not only increase your chances of catching bonefish, but also keep you and your guide safe. An otherwise good trip can go wrong in a hurry if you inadvertently hook yourself or your guide with a weighted crab fly. I’ve pulled more than a few flies out of myself and/or my clients, and it’s always at least an awkward moment and at worst a trip to the local ER.

When delivering your fly, find a spot 8 to 10 feet in front of fish that are on the move, and aim for it. Leading the cruising fish with plenty of distance will avoid spooking your target and allow that fish to stay on its line. Even a well-placed fly may need to be repositioned if your target changes course. If that’s necessary, make as little disturbance as possible as you get your fly out of the water. For every bonefish we see, there are likely many others we don’t, and carelessly ripping line out of the water could send an entire school racing for cover in the mangroves.

Once your fly is in sight of a cruising bone, create lifelike action by slightly twitching the fly.  When it’s clear the fish has locked onto your fly, begin to strip quickly and smoothly, keeping the fly moving without hesitation just as a crab or shrimp would do if fleeing for its life. As in most saltwater fly fishing situations, strip setting is the name of the game. Continuously stripping the fly keeps the fish’s predatory instinct engaged and the fish in pursuit of your fly, so even if you think the fish has eaten your fly, keep stripping. Once you feel the take, strip again to set the hook before raising the rod tip to fight the fish. When guiding freshwater anglers on saltwater trips, I often suggest keeping the tip of the fly rod in the water as they retrieve their fly. Muscle memory from their normal trout-set can be difficult to overcome, so the added resistance of lifting the tip of the rod out of the water can sometimes mean the difference between hooking a fish and disappointment.

Our most recent trip to TCI happened during our town’s public school February vacation. That’s a great time to break up the long grey of winter here in the Northeast with some sun and warmth. Despite the popularity of the week, we enjoyed uncrowded beaches and restaurants.  The fishing was great, too, at least part of the week. Bonefish spawn by forming large offshore aggregations, often during or near new moon periods from late Fall to early Spring. During this time schools of bonefish truly can be here today, gone tomorrow, and such was the case during our trip. The southern flats of North Caicos were teeming with bonefish early in the week, while later that week (coincidental to a new moon) the flats of Bottle Creek on the north side of the island were nearly vacant. As I lamented that situation to my cab driver on the way back to the ferry landing on North Caicos, he casually said, “They went to the ocean to wash their roe.”  That local knowledge lines up with what we know about bonefish spawning patterns. As he drove the cab away, I made a mental note that bonefishing TCI in February, while a nice winter break, could yield unreliable results. The decision to return in May and try again was easy.

Over the years my family has enjoyed vacations on the Turks and Caicos Islands, and there’s no doubt others would, too, as there’s a little something for everyone, even some great fly fishing.  If time and budget allow, hiring a guide is a good option. You’ll cover more water and have a better chance of locating fish. If you have less time or budget, you don’t have to give up your fishing plans because there’s great bonefishing within a short drive that can be done very simply. The ease of access, lack of fishing pressure, and overall likelihood of success make TCI a great place to have your first bonefishing experience and a unique destination for fly anglers planning a Caribbean family vacation.

Bio: Captain George Sylvestre, CCI is lead guide and instructor at Sylvestre Outdoors, a veteran-owned, family-operated fly casting instruction and fly fishing guide service offering both saltwater and freshwater fly fishing trips from Cape Cod to the rivers of Massachusetts and Connecticut. He is a Far Bank Pro and saltwater fly fishing instructor. If you would like additional information on fly fishing the Turks and Caicos Islands, he can be reached at george.sylvestre@sylverstreoutdoors.com.

The post BONEFISH IN TURKS AND CAICOS first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post BONEFISH IN TURKS AND CAICOS appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

• Vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases. 

• They cause more than 700,000 deaths each year.

• More than 3.9 billion people in over 128 countries are at risk of contracting dengue.  There are an estimated 96 million cases per year.

• Malaria causes more than 400,000 deaths every year globally, most of them children under 5 years of age.

Many of these diseases are preventable by taking protective measures before being exposed.  Since so many saltwater anglers travel to areas where mosquitoes are endemic, this information could help you prevent serious health issues.  Even if you do not travel to remote places, some of these diseases can be contracted within the continental US. In our globalized society, there is even a phenomenon known as airport malaria when a mosquito simply enters a plane and travels to places where it should not be. It feeds on an unknowing person who in turn contracts malaria or any other mosquito-borne disease. This is a rare but frightening reality.  The following is a comprehensive but not entirely complete list.  It contains the most common mosquito-borne illness contracted around the world.

CHIKUNGUNYA (CHICK-GUN-GOON-YAA)

DESCRIPTION

A viral illness that presents with symptoms of fever and severe joint and muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Joint pain can be debilitating and can vary in duration, which is very similar to dengue. After a mosquito bite, the onset of symptoms of chikungunya usually occurs between four and eight days, but can present in two days or as far out as 12 days. Symptoms can be very mild and the infection may go unrecognized, or misdiagnosed in areas where dengue also occurs. Most patients recover fully, but in some cases, joint pain may persist. Rare cases of eye, neurological and heart complications have been reported, as well as gastrointestinal complaints. Serious complications are uncommon, but in the older population, it  can lead to longer duration arthritic pains and rarely, death.

GEOGRAPHY

North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Chikungunya is in over 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Originally believed to be isolated to the tropics, mosquitoes carrying this virus have spread to Europe and the Americas. There was an outbreak in northeastern Italy in 2007, and outbreaks in France and Croatia in 2008.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

There is no specific vaccine or treatment for chikungunya. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms, using anti-pyretics, analgesics for pain and fluids to maintain hydration. There is no commercial chikungunya vaccine. You can protect yourself with repellents, clothing that covers exposed skin and use of nets when sleeping.

ZIKA VIRUS

DESCRIPTION

Zika is also a viral disease, but the symptoms are usually mild and can include mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms normally last for up to seven days and seem like an ordinary virus. Zika infection during pregnancy is particularly bad because it can cause microcephaly and other fetal brain malformations, so if you are planning to get pregnant, it should be a consideration if you are traveling to an endemic area. In rare cases, Zika is also a cause of Guillain-Barré Syndrome – a neurological condition that can lead to paralysis and death.

GEOGRAPHY

Outbreaks of Zika virus have been recorded in Africa, North and South America, Asia and the Pacific. Female mosquitos carrying the virus are found in over 130 countries. 62 countries and territories have reported mosquito-transmitted Zika virus in the last five years. There has been a rise in local Zika transmission in the USA since 2015. The World Health Organization announced a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 1 February 2016.  Mosquitoes infect humans but this one is also transmitted via sexual transmission from person to person. Zika has been detected in blood, saliva, semen, spinal and other body fluids. Mother to child transmission in early pregnancy has also been reported and causes fetal demise.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. Personal protection with repellents, clothing that covers exposed skin and use of nets when sleeping.

To reduce the risk of sexual transmission and pregnancy complications related to Zika virus infection, people living in/traveling to/or returning from affected areas should practice safer sex, and consider abstinence or condoms.

DENGUE

DESCRIPTION

Flu-like symptoms occur 4-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito; high fever accompanied by severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rash may occur. It is also called “breakbone fever” because of the excruciating joint pain, which I can attest to, having contracted dengue in the Maldives in 2013.  The disease can develop into a more severe form, which is a leading cause of serious illness and death among children in some Asian and South American countries. Symptoms of severe dengue include decrease in temperature, severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, fatigue, restlessness and blood in vomit. Medical care is critical for the first 48 hours after symptoms appear to avoid complications and risk of death.

GEOGRAPHY

Dengue is endemic in more than 128 countries, with 3.9 billion people at risk. It is found in Latin America, the United States of the America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Dengue is widespread throughout the tropics, in rural and urban areas. Recently, cases were reported in Florida, the Yunnan province of China and in Japan. Dengue is very also common in Central and South American countries and has been reported in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Malaysia and Vanuatu.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

There is no specific treatment or vaccine for dengue. Early detection and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates to below 1%. A dengue vaccine has been licensed in a few countries by some National Regulatory Authorities for people 9-45 years of age living in endemic settings, but it not recommended for travelers who visit these endemic areas.

WEST NILE VIRUS

DESCRIPTION

West Nile virus can cause a fatal neurological disease. Approximately 80% of those infected will not show any symptoms, but after 3-14 days, 20% of people infected may develop symptoms of severe disease including headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, bleeding, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. People over 50 years old, and the immunocompromised, are at highest risk.

GEOGRAPHY

The female Culex is 1 of 3 of the most common mosquitoes to be found worldwide, except in the extreme northern parts of the temperature zone. West Nile virus is found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia. The Culex also transmits Japanese encephalitis.

These mosquitoes feed on infected birds and transmit the disease to humans and horses. They bite from dusk until dawn. In 1999, a West Nile virus circulating in Israel and Tunisia was imported to New York, producing a large and dramatic outbreak that spread throughout the continental U.S. in the following years.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

No vaccination exists for humans. Recommended personal protection and mosquito control includes repellents, clothing that cover exposed skin, window screens, and destruction of breeding sites, especially polluted water bodies. Treatment for patients with neurological type of West Nile virus includes hospitalization, intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections.

MALARIA

DESCRIPTION:

Symptoms appear seven days or more (usually 10-15 days) after the bite of an infected mosquito. The first symptoms are fever, headache, chills and vomiting. These symptoms may be mild and difficult to recognize as malaria. There is one particular type of malaria that is concerning and fatal called P. falciparum malaria.  It can progress rapidly to severe forms of the disease, especially in the immunocompromised. Severe P. falciparum malaria is almost always fatal without treatment.  Travelers are susceptible to this type unless they have had some type of exposure and immunity.

GEOGRAPHY

In 2015, more than 3.2 billion people were at risk, and ongoing malaria transmission was found in 95 countries and territories. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionately higher share of the global malaria burden, with 88% of cases and 90% of global malaria deaths. P. falciparum is the most prevalent parasite in Africa and is responsible for most malaria deaths globally. The Anopheles mosquitoes are the primary vectors and bite mainly at night, from dusk to dawn.  If you’re going to western Africa for a record tarpon, bring your bug spray.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Antimalarial medicines can be used to prevent malaria. For travelers, malaria can be prevented through chemoprophylaxis, the act of treating yourself prior to contracting the disease.  This is a common practice when visiting places like western Africa, Central America and South America.

YELLOW FEVER

DESCRIPTION

After 3-6 days many symptoms begin, including fever, muscle pains, backache, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting. Roughly 15% of patients enter a second, more toxic phase within 24 hours. Symptoms of this phase may include high fever, jaundice (yellow discoloration of your skin from bilirubin building up), and abdominal pain with vomiting. Bleeding can occur almost anywhere but mainly from the mouth, nose, eyes or stomach.  Blood usually appears in the vomit and feces as well, and kidney function can deteriorate rapidly. Half of the patients who go into the toxic phase die within 10-14 days, the other 50% make a full recovery.

Yellow fever can be difficult to diagnose and is confused with severe malaria, dengue, leptospirosis, viral hepatitis or other hemorrhagic fevers, like West Nile virus and Zika.

GEOGRAPHY:

Yellow fever is found in Africa and Latin America, in urban, jungle, forest, semi-humid conditions, and around houses. In May 2016, an emergency committee of the World Health Organization called for intensified national action and international support for yellow fever outbreaks in Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sylvan yellow fever (AKA jungle yellow fever) occurs in Central and South America, Trinidad, Brazil, and Argentina and is carried by infected monkeys. Mosquitoes infect monkeys and then go on to transmit the disease from monkeys to humans, and from human to human.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Vaccination is available for humans and if you did time in the military, you were vaccinated. A single dose of vaccine provides life-long protection against yellow fever disease.  If you aren’t sure, you can take a smaller dose of the vaccine (1/5 dose) which provides 12 months of immunity.

Sources:
CDC – Washington DC www.cdc.gov
The World Health Organization – www.who.org

Holiday in Holbox

The Westside of Andros

Pulling The Trigger

The post MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES – A THREAT FOR TRAVELING ANGLERS first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES – A THREAT FOR TRAVELING ANGLERS appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

BELIZE

The Philip Goldson International airport (BZE) is now open as of October 1st, 2020. Land borders will remain closed.
Limited flights to Belize will be available from  United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta.

BAHAMAS

• The Bahamian government has confirmed multiple cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas.
• Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, entry requirements for The Bahamas are subject to change at any time.
• Restrictions and regulations can change without notice; before traveling carefully review the guidance directly from the Bahamian government at the Office of the Prime Minister’s webpage and Facebook page, the Bahamas tourism page (and that page’s FAQs), and your travel vendors (airlines, hotels, etc.)

Entry and Exit Requirements:

• Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? YES
  • Before traveling, each traveler must go to travel.gov.bs, select “International,” and submit a Travel Health Visa Application. The application will require a negative RT PCR nasal swab COVID-19 test result (see below).
  • Applications take up to 72 hours to process, after which each traveler will receive a confirmation that their application has been approved.
  • Each traveler must present their final confirmation document upon arrival in The Bahamas.
  • 14 DAY QUARANTINE****

HAWAII

Hawaii reopened to U.S. travelers on Oct. 15.

As of this time of publication, international travelers from CDC-prohibited countries are still banned from entering Hawaii. That said, Hawaii is reportedly in talks with Japan to develop a reopening plan for travelers.

The state has launched a pre-travel testing program, which requires all visitors to take a nucleic acid amplification test, such as a PCR test, from an approved testing partner no more than 72 hours before departure to Hawaii. However, not every island in Hawaii has the same rules once you arrive.

MEXICO

Open for air travel only as of October 21. Land borders remain closed.

PUERTO RICO

Open as of September 12, 2020.

COSTA RICA

As of November 1, U.S. citizen tourists for all 50 states and Washington D.C. may enter Costa Rica on flights departing from the United States.  U.S. citizen tourists from these states wishing to enter Costa Rica must complete a digital epidemiological health pass, obtain a negative PCR-RT coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of their departure from the United States, and purchase travel insurance that covers accommodation in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19.

CUBA

• The Ministry of Tourism in Cuba has confirmed that Havana International Airport continues to be shut down with airport reopening to be anticipated for the beginning of November, 2020. Airlines flying into Havana such as American Airlines (Miami International Airport) has opened up bookings to Havana starting November, 2020. NO DATE SET YET.

The post Covid -19 Travel updates first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Covid -19 Travel updates appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.