Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

R BONEFISH
enowned by anglers for Nevertheless, tarpon and
their wariness and fighting bonefish are greatly prized by
spirit, bonefish are stealthy sport anglers for their wily
and speedy residents of the nature and tenacious spirit.
shallow bays and backcountry Gray Ghosts of the Flats
of south Florida. They are a Range and Habitat
major target of sport anglers, especially in the
Bonefish reside in inshore marine waters. Adults
Florida Keys. However, they are regulated as
frequent shallow flats, occupying seagrass beds,
catch and release only.
sandy bottoms, and occasionally hard bottoms
and deeper water habitats. They are often found
Description in quiet backwaters along mangrove-fringed areas.
These torpedo-shaped fish often resemble gray Salty water is preferred, but they also inhabit lower
ghosts as they streak through the shallow salinity habitats such as the Indian River Lagoon
backwaters and along the fringes of mangrove system. Though mainly tropical, theyve been
forests. Their silvery color often casts reflections found in brackish river mouths near Jacksonville,
of blue and green, and dark streaks punctuate the and juveniles have been collected as far north as
gaps between the scales on their upper body. Rhode Island. However, the wayward young
Bonefish have a conical, scaleless head with a (carried northward in ocean currents) likely do not
black-tipped snout and small mouth. They have a survive the cold New England winter temperatures.
single, sail-shaped dorsal fin, a powerfully muscled Worldwide, bonefish occur in coastal and
body, and a deeply forked tail. inland waters of tropical seas. Scientists have
Bonefish are related to tarpon, ladyfish, and discovered twelve species of bonefishes. A few of
eels. These fish have a similar larval stage, but the these were recently identified and two are currently
only other characteristic they share is that most in the process of formal scientific naming and
of them are not considered good to eat. species recognition. Areas of species overlap occur,

Scientific name* 
Albula vulpes
*Three species of bonefish occur in Florida and throughout the Caribbean.
Scientific names are pending for the two newly discovered species.
Size To 3 feet, 15 pounds
Range 
Albula vulpes is found throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico,
and Florida Atlantic waters.
Habitat Shallow, inshore seagrass beds, mud flats, or sand flats
Status Catch and release only
such as in Australia, Hawaii, Brazil, and throughout
the Caribbean. In Florida waters, scientists have
recently confirmed that three species occur
Albula vulpes and two others for which formal
recognition is underway. The three Florida
bonefishes are very similar in appearance. At
present, they can only be distinguished with
certainty by genetic testing.
Life History
Recent research has found bonefish spawn in deep
waters offshore, from November through May or
June. Females produce anywhere from 400,000 to
1.7 million eggs. As with other fish species, heavier
and older females produce more eggs.
The eggs hatch into larvae called leptocephali,
strange-looking, transparent creatures with large
eyes and a ribbonlike body. Bonefish leptocephali
look like tiny eels with forked tails. Although
similar in appearance to tarpon larvae, bonefish
leptocephali are largerreaching a maximum size
of about 2.5 inches. Larvae float in ocean currents
for months before settling in nearshore waters.
The duration of the larval phase varies among
species (approximately 41 to 71 days for Albula
vulpes). When the larvae transform to juveniles,
each individual looks like a tiny bonefish and will
take up residence in the shallows, where it will
spend most of its life.
Bonefish grow rapidly for the first five to six
years of their life, after which their growth rate
slows considerably. For Albula vulpes, growth
rates also vary substantially between fish in
Florida waters and those in the Caribbean. Males
reach sexual maturity at a younger age and
smaller size than females. In Florida, males
mature at an average of 3.6 years of age and
17.4 inches. Females reach maturity at about
4.2 years and 18.8 inches. They are typically
found in groups, or schools, of a few to 100 or
more individuals.
Bonefish can live to at least 21 years, and
females, of the same age, are slightly longer than
males. Having a fairly non-discriminating palate,
bonefish eat a variety of food, including small
crabs, snails, worms, shrimp, and other
crustaceans, as well as toadfish. Because they

HOWABONEFISH LOOKSASITGROWS

A Sleptocephalus
tage I larva,

7.8 mm SL

B Sleptocephalus
tage I larva,

33.5 mm SL

ED.R. Peebles
BB. Eldred, 1967
A, C, DE. Alexander, 1961. A contribution to
C S37.1
tage II larva
mm SL
the life history, biology and geographical distri-
bution of the bonefish, Albula vulpes (Lin-
naeus). Dana-Rep. Carlsberg Found. 53.

2
 frequently feed along the bottom, they may
incidentally ingest plant matter.
Examination of the stomach contents
of bonefish has revealed that they eat
at least 106 different types of food.
These fish are built for speed, and for good
reason. Bonefish are often preyed upon by sharks
and barracuda, and their only defense against
these attacks is to flee. They are very wary and
alert animals, and these characteristics make them
a challenge to catch.
Economic Importance
Before fishing for leisure came into fashion, bonefish
were historically of low economic importance in
Florida. Since World War II, bonefishing in the flats
of Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay and the Upper Keys
has become an extremely popular and profitable
enterprise. Today, dedicated bonefishing enthusiasts
D J51.2
uvenile
mm SL
E Aca.dult584 mm TL
3
can buy rods, reels and specialty flat-water skiffs
named after their favorite quarry.
Bonefish are an economic lifeline for the many
charter fishing guides in the Florida Keys, and the
thrill of snaring these savvy backwater gladiators
has infected celebrities, athletes, and even U.S.
presidents. Baseball legend Ted Williams, a
renowned outdoorsman, devoted a chapter to
bonefish in his book of favorite fish and fishing spots.
In Florida, bonefish are now regulated as a
catch-and-release fishery. A 2008 study estimated
the economic value of flats fishing (all targeted
species, including bonefishes) in the Florida Keys
at $427 million. Since 2000, the average annual
catch total is roughly 20,000, as reported by the
Marine Recreational Information Program
(maintained by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration). There was a steep
decline in catches following a 2010 cold spell,
which caused a significant fish kill in The Keys.
However, reported catches have rebounded since
2013. The Middle to Upper Keys, including Florida
Bay, Islamorada, and Key Largo, are the focal
points for bonefishing.
Standard length (SL): to
end of vertebral column
Total length (TL): when caudal
rays are squeezed together

Biscayne Bay is an excellent bonefishing
locale, and large specimens can be caught
in sight of Miamis high-rise skyline.
Fishing Tips
Because they inhabit shallow water and are easily
spooked, catching a bonefish takes skill and
experience. Most anglers hire fishing guides to lead
them to the best spotswhich are usually very
shallow areas that can be entered only by cutting
off the boat engine and using a push pole. Poling
also provides a good way to sneak up on these
nervous fish, as does quietly wading in shallow
flats. The more shallow the water, the more skittish
the bonefish are likely to be.
Bonefish are often caught in water only a foot deep.
Experienced guides sight-fish for bonefish by
searching for their telltale silvery shapes in the
shallows or watching for plumes of mud stirred up
by these bottom-feeding fish. A bonefish feeds with
its head down and its tail protruding from the
watera behavior known as tailingand this
activity provides another clue to its whereabouts.
Live shrimp and crabs make good bait, but
they also respond to flies and artificial lures. They
also can be enticed to bite by anglers chumming
with chopped shrimp. Casting is another test of
the anglers skill; casting too close to a fish will
send it scurrying, whereas a line dropped too far
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Avenue SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 896-8626 MyFWC.com/Research
away will never get its attention. Once hooked, a
bonefish makes a mad dash for deeper water,
often breaking the line on rocks or corals as it
streaks across the bottom.
Although bonefish can be caught any time of
day, tailing fish are tide dependent, and are most
likely to be spotted in the early morning or evening.
In the winter, bonefish are not as common in the
shallows, and deeper waters are a better choice
for the angler.
Research
Many questions remain regarding their life cycle
and behavior. However, researchers at the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions Fish
and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg
are currently involved in a variety of studies to
expand their knowledge of these fascinating fish.
They are using DNA testing to identify bonefish
and to map the distribution of Albula vulpes and
the two newly discovered species in Florida waters.
They are also partnering with numerous national
and international collaborators to help better
understand these gray ghosts of the south
Florida flats.
Fishing license revenue and the
federal Sport Fish Restoration
Program are important sources of
funding for sport fish research. The
Sport Fish Restoration Program is a
user pays public benefits system
funded by an excise tax on sales of recreational
fishing equipment and boat fuel. The program
supplies $3 for every $1 provided by the state for
projects that improve fishing and boating
opportunities.
August 2017