Some of the first ladies to catch Bonefish on flies in the Florida Keys.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Beulah Cass, Bonnie Smith, and Frankee Albright. The below excerpt is from the history of the Bonefish Bonnies website

www.bonefishbonnies.com

"In the late 1930s, the Georgia native, Bonnie Laidlaw married fishing guide Bill Smith of Islamorada, the developer of bonefishing on a fly (previously believed to be impossible). Bonnie took fly-fishing lessons with the dean of Keys guides, Preston Pinder, and in turn taught her sisters Beulah Cass and Frankee Albright.

In her book, 'Reel Women: The World of Women in Fishing', Lyla Foggia explains how Bonnie got her nickname: 'In honor of her Midas touch with the game fish that everyone admired but few could catch, Bonnie became ‘Bonefish Bonnie’ within the saltwater fly-fishing fraternity.'

Together, with her sisters, she kept the guide business going through World War II while Bill served in the Armed Forces. After the war, 'Bonefish Bonnie' and Bill Smith were guides to such stars as Ted Williams, Herbert Hoover, and Madeleine Carol. In addition to guiding and teaching, 'Bonefish Bonnie' was credited with the first recorded permit catch on fly by a woman."

Photo courtesy of Ben Estes.




Frankee Albright was Jimmy Albright's wife.

Jimmy Albright was a very famous guide in the Florida Keys.

He developed the "Albright Knot."

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Today, we have lots of women in fly fishing.





My wife, Marilyn, went 3 times to Christmas Island and fell in love with the island, the fisheries, and the people.


She could cast well to about 60 feet which is further than you need to cast when wading for Bonefish.

With one of her favorite guides, Simon, she landed over 30 bonefish in one day.

On one of the trips in the 1990s, she landed a Bone that was 10 pounds. They chased it a long way to land it.


Over the years we took old Singer 300 sewing machines and CB units they used to communicate around the island.


I still highly recommend putting Christmas Island on your "Bucket List."


I went there with groups from my fly shop 13 times and am glad I did.

I think it is a good idea to go with a group out of a fly shop or travel service.


Flywater Travel in Ashland, Oregon

https://farbank.com/products/fly-wat...and-outfitters


Flyfishing Specialties in Sacramento has group trips every year to Christmas Island.

https://www.flyfishingspecialties.com/