Categories
Aluco Lures - Bonefish and Permit Flies
This page is aimed at Bonefish and Permit stalking on the shallow-water flats. For other inshore species, please see the appropriate page.
Back when the Flats fishing on Cuba was only $60 a day, including guide and boat, we could catch Bones all day on whatever we threw at them. With increasing pressure on many flats now, the fishing has changed, and the angler has had to evolve too. Some of our flies are tied for specific destinations, with smaller hooks and less weight for the heavy-fished places.
Constant feedback from Flats guides on the Pacific islands, combined with our three decades of Caribbean flats fishing experience (and, of course, input from our clients!) has allowed us to build a catalogue of flies invaluable for any Flats angler
We show only a small selection of our extensive catalogue of shallow-water flies here. At Aluco Lures we pride ourselves on providing high quality flies tied on the very best hooks, ensuring our clients get exactly the right products to make their flats trip a success!
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Unsure of what to fill your boxes with? We have SELECTIONS for many of the most popular destinations, including Mexico, Belize, Cuba, Venezuela, T&T and Aruba, along with Hawaii, Christmas Island and many others.
Clouser, blue
A basic, tough and productive fly which is invaluable when the Bones are feeding on smaller baitfish. This maybe doesn't happen often but, when it does, you'll be glad you have several of these in your box! This fly is also great for opportunistic casting to the many shoals of snapper, triggerfish and jacks found on the flats!
Bonefish Bunny
One of our favourites! A highly mobile fly ideal for fishing over slack water or small tides, this has maximum movement for little effort! Perfect for wary fish!
Angora Shrimp, brown
A pseudo-snapping shrimp imitation ideal for wary fish..... it's slim profile doesn't make much commotion on hitting the water but its shrimpy profile ensures this fly receives the right kind of attention.
Cuba Charlie, brown
The fly I first cast to tailing fish all these years ago, it's just as popular now as it was then!
Stealth Charlie, brown
Using smaller lead eyes means a fast sinking fly which doesn't splash too much on contact with the waters surface. Ideal for really skinny-water flats!
Mantis Shrimp
Our biggest seller worldwide! Tied originally for Permit but many clients now use this as their number one Bonefish fly. Easy to see why...
Cuba Charlie, olive
Ideal for the flats which have an abundance of eelgrass, but also used on the edge of many flats at the drop-off to deeper water.
Permit Crab
Our own take on the many furry-foam crab flies, this has been slimmed down and heavier lead eyes added to get the fly on the bottom quick. A must-have fly for Permit on the deeper flats.
Stealth Charlie, pink
Using smaller lead eyes means a fast sinking fly which doesn't splash too much on contact with the waters surface. Ideal for really skinny-water flats, or heavily-fished areas. A favourite of Bahamian anglers.
Sparkle Shrimp
With hi-vis legs, lots of flash and mobility, this is an ideal fly for conditions where visibility may be a problem. A great early morning/late evening fly!
Cuba Charlie, tan
As with the other Cuba Charlies, I wouldn't think of heading to this destination without a dozen or so in the flybox. Works well in many other destinations also.
Cuba Puff, tan
A lightweight shrimp ideal for casting among the mangroves.
Stealth Charlie, tan
Using smaller lead eyes means a fast sinking fly which doesn't splash too much on contact with the waters surface. Ideal for really skinny-water flats, or heavily-fished areas. A favourite of Bahamian anglers.
UV Mantis
Tied originally for clients visiting Christmas island, this seems to catch anywhere the fish like a little UV flash in the fly!
Aluco Mantis Shrimp
Our shrimp for every situation! Too many trigger points to mention, this one has accounted for several 10lb+ Bones! Our first-choice fly!
Gotcha, bahama
Tan, pearl and pink..... the classic Bahama bonefish colours!
Charlie, chilli
Hot colours for CXI, this fly really stands out! The fox-wing slims in profile when wet, giving that shrimpy profile!
Crabbit, tan
Our own take on various Permit crab patterns, this gives a great profile and plenty movement, which makes the difference with shy fish!
Crab, black and blue
A favourite for the Australian Permit and Trevally flats angler, these are tied with heavy nickel-plated brass eyes, meaning the fly gets down quick, but also much tougher than the standard lead eyes.
Tough flies for tough fish!!
Crab, black and red
A favourite for the Australian Permit and Trevally flats angler, these are tied with heavy nickel-plated brass eyes, meaning the fly gets down quick, but also much tougher than the standard lead eyes.
Tough flies for tough fish!!
Crab, blue
A favourite for the Australian Permit and Trevally flats angler, these are tied with heavy nickel-plated brass eyes, meaning the fly gets down quick, but also much tougher than the standard lead eyes.
Tough flies for tough fish!!
Crab, olive and chartreuse
A favourite for the Australian Permit and Trevally flats angler, these are tied with heavy nickel-plated brass eyes, meaning the fly gets down quick, but also much tougher than the standard lead eyes.
Tough flies for tough fish!!
Charlie, chartreuse
Sometimes the flats fish 'key in' to this colour... always worth having a few in your box, just in case.
Gotcha, chestnut
A great fly for the darker flats, channels and under the mangroves.
Charlie, chocolate
A slimline version of our Chocolate Gotcha.... again, great for the darker bottoms or shaded areas.
Gotcha, chocolate
Just a little heavier dressed than the Chocolate Charlie, but still in that great colour!
Charlie, coral
All fish love that touch of pink, and with the highly mobile, yet tough Tanuki fur wing, this one is a sure-fire winner for both bones and Permit!
Crimps
What can we say about this fly? A compromise between a crab and shrimp pattern which, according to our clients, works everywhere it's cast! A tough little fly with attitude!
Flats Bunny
Tied with a highly mobile rabbit-strip tail and wing, shrimp legs and a pearly body. All good trigger points in the one fly!
Foxxy Charlie-type Fly
A very 'shrimpy' Charlie-type fly... pale pink body and red fox wing. One of our biggest sellers!
Ghost Flea
One for the lighter flats... Bahamas, Crooked Island etc. This works well on the almost-white sands, but also as a 'searching' pattern at dawn or dusk!
Charlie, olive
A great fly for the channel edges and alongside the eelgrass patches found on some flats.
Gotcha, pearly tan
One of our standard destination flies. Tan fox wing and a reinforced tan-pearl body makes this one a must for the flats angler.
Sand Flea
With a highly-mobile rabbit-strip wing, pearlescent body and silicon legs, this just screams 'eat me'...
Sand Flea, chartreuse
Same as our standard Sand Flea, with a chartreuse body. It works! This is also a great Mangrove Snapper fly for casting into these tight spots!
Sand Flea, ginger
One of our Cuban favourites, this works well throughout the Caribbean.
Sand Flea, pale pink
Another of those flies which screams Bahamas! Works well on most light-coloured flats.
Gotcha, sand
Perfect for the golden-coloured flats or early morning/late evening stalking!
Simram
This classic flats fly need no introduction!
Angora Shrimp, tan
Understated and highly effective Mantis Shrimp imitation!