In 1999 I had the opportunity to accompany a friend on a fly fishing trip to Argentina.
I spent an unbelievable week of fishing in Patagonia near the town of Esquel. During my week there, I was fortunate to be assigned a guide by the name of Robert Eddins. Robert was from Oregon but guided out of Bozeman Montana. During our winter he headed to Patagonia. Through out the week Robert and I discussed the possibility of a Montana excursion. He set me up with The Bozeman Angler Fly Shop. It was here I met the owners of the shop Rod and Pam King along with manager Travis Morris during the summer of 2001. One morning while my son and I were in the shop before our day of fishing, I noticed Travis building several salt water leaders. After inquiring he informed me that they were for a client who was heading out on a bonefish trip. My ears perked up as I stated to Travis that a bonefish trip was something I had always wanted to do. Travis stated, “If you are interested in bonefish, then I have the trip for you.”
It turns out that several years prior, while exploring in the Bahamas, shop owner Rod King’s brother Gary spent several months on Long Island near the small town of Dead Mans Cay. It was here he met a quiet gentleman by the name of Sammy Knowles who would take him out onto the nearby flats to explore and fish for bonefish. It was apparent that the population of bonefish along the islands was incredible. It was not uncommon to see schools of bones numbering in the thousands. Even better, they did not encounter another angler. Gary recommended to Sammy that he start a bonefish lodge. A small no frills package that offered the basics and was affordable to most anglers. He formed a first class operation with the help of friend Wade Smith and the rest is history.
In June 2003 I made my first trip to Long Island in the Bahamas to fish with Sammy Knowles. It was perhaps the best week of my life. I learned more about bonefishing being with Sammy one on one that I could have learned on several trips. I landed more than 80 fish in six days which is unheard of with most bonefish destinations. Since then I have returned three times and am looking forward to my next trip to Dead Mans Cay. A trip to Long Island is like stepping back in time. It’s a quiet peaceful destination and allows you a little taste of island life. The price is quite reasonable and the guide service is simply the best. I could bore you with all the details or you can find all the information you need to plan a trip at www.deadmansbones.com. You won’t be disappointed.
Ken Vallino
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