One of the common misperceptions about flats fishing in general and bonefishing in particular is that it’s only a springtime sport, with fall better left to bird hunting and football. But October is the month when action picks back up at most of the saltwater flyfishing destinations around the Caribbean, with hurricane season ending and bonefish waters again approachng optimal temperatures.

Bonefish are very sensitive to water temps, able to notice even the slightest change of a fraction of a degree. Consequently, the five biggest, best months of the year for bonefish are generally October, November, March, April and May. In fact, accordng to Dick Brown’s excellent book, “Fly Fishing for Bonefish,” researcher Gerard Bruger, from the Florida Marine Research Institute, found that the largest concentrations of bonefish on the flats of Florida were found in April/May and October.

So if you’ve always wanted to take that bonefishing trip, October may be an easier, less expensive, and less crowded time to go than March or April. Bimini, in the Bahamas, or the Upper Florida Keys, from Key Biscayne to Islamorada, is an excellent choice and easy to reach for East Coasters. Especially considering that all five of the International Game Fish Association Fly Rod Records have come from these two destinations, and that three of them were taken between September and November.