Merry Point

Tackle & technique

Bonefish

Bonefish push onto shallow sand and grass flats with the rising tide to root for shrimp, crabs and clams, often in water under 2 feet deep, and fall back to channel edges and deeper flats as the tide drops. Most fish are sight cast to with a small shrimp or crab fly, a light jig or a live shrimp, which takes bright sun, light wind and a quiet approach. They are catch and release only in Florida, and in Hawaii many anglers also fish bait from shore along sand channels and reef edges.

Giant trevally

Ulua hunt reef edges, rocky points, harbor mouths and sand channels from the shoreline out to deep ledges. Shore anglers slide an eel, tako or crab down a heavy anchored line and fish through the night, while casters throw poppers and plugs over reef edges at dawn and dusk. The first run heads for the rocks, so use heavy line and a tight drag.