SaltwaterBonefish Puff
The Bonefish Puff is a simple yet effective pattern often used for bonefish in shallow flats. The design allows it to land softly on the water, minimizing disturbance, while the sparkly chenille head and grizzly hackle collar give it the profile of a small shrimp or crab.
Year Round
Beginner
Bonefish
Nov 2025
Overview
The Bonefish Puff is a simple, impressionistic bonefish pattern built around a short, rounded silhouette. A white calf tail wing topped with grizzly hackle gives it built-in movement, pearl Krystal Flash adds a touch of sparkle, and a fuzzy Woolly Bugger chenille head fills out the profile into a buggy, shrimp-like shape. Small bead chain eyes provide subtle weight, letting it settle slowly for spooky fish on shallow flats. It's most often tied in pink, matching local shrimp and small crab forage.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- #04-08 Tiemco 811s
- Thread:
- Pink UTC 140
- Eyes:
- Silver Medium Beadchain Eyes
- Wing:
- White Calf Tail
- Wing 2:
- Grizzly Hackle
- Flash:
- Pearl Krystal Flash
- Head:
- Shrimp Pink Woolly Bugger Chenille
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Tiny shrimp in ultra-shallow water exhibit jerky, hovering movements while picking through turtle grass and sandy pockets. During midday when larger prey burrows, these bite-sized crustaceans remain active and accessible to tailing bonefish.
Where Trout Eat It: Shallow turtle grass flats in 6 inches to 2 feet where bonefish tail and root for prey.
How to Fish It: Let the fly sink slowly, then use short, quick strips once fish approach to imitate fleeing shrimp.
Best Water: Work grass edges, sandy pockets, and flats during midday periods in ultra-shallow zones.
Strike Type: Feel the line accelerate as fish inhale the slowly sinking fly.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12 foot leader with a 12-20 pound fluorocarbon tippet. Bonefish have excellent eyesight, so lighter tippet may be necessary in clear water.
Seasonal Timing: Effective during peak feeding periods when water temperatures and conditions support active feeding behavior.
Pro Tips: The Bonefish Puff sinks slowly, allowing bonefish to spot it easily. The sparkle dubbing adds flash and visibility under water.
Entomology
Small shrimp in ultra-shallow water exhibit jerky, almost hovering movements as they pick through turtle grass and sandy pockets, their tiny bodies barely disturbing the surface film. During midday periods when larger prey items burrow or hide, these bite-sized crustaceans remain active and accessible, offering easy meals to tailing bonefish. Their diminutive size and soft bodies make them the preferred target when fish are spooky or feeding selectively in gin-clear skinny water.
- Organism Type
- crustacean
- Life Stage
- general
