Umpqua Gotcha Bonefish Fly

Overview

Jim McVay created the Gotcha, one of the best-known bonefish flies of all time, almost by accident in the Bahamas. As Umpqua tells it, McVay clipped fibers during a taxi ride and tied flies from them, and his guide shouted "Gotcha!" every time an angler hooked up. The name stuck, and so did the fly.

It is a sparse, shrimp-like pattern with a pearly body and a soft wing that breathes in the water. Bonefish see shrimp all day long, and the Gotcha's slim profile and subtle flash read as food without looking like too much. That is why it has stayed in bonefish boxes for decades and why many anglers tie it on first when they step onto a new flat.

How to Fish It

• Lead the fish: cast 3 to 6 feet ahead of a cruising bonefish and let the fly settle to the bottom before the fish arrives.
• Strip short and slow: use 4 to 8 inch strips with pauses. When the fish tips down on the fly, keep stripping and strip-set rather than lifting the rod.
• Tailing fish: in skinny water, drop it softly a few feet away and give it one small twitch to get noticed.
• Leader: a 9 to 12 foot leader tapered to 10 to 12 lb fluorocarbon covers most flats conditions.

Choosing Color and Size

Tan/Pearl is a natural, low-key color that blends with sand and turtle-grass edges, which makes it a smart choice on bright days and for spooky fish. Size 6 is a middle-of-the-road bonefish size that works in 1 to 3 feet of water and matches common shrimp.