I fish here every day. This species we have here that is likely the bigger of our two is Abula Glossodanta which has a range from Hawaii along the coast of India and all the way down East Africa to South Africa where the All-Tackle World Record is held at over 19 pounds. We actually have an endemic species and I have seen a legit 10 pound speciman of that 2nd species we have here but it usually is seen much much smaller and frequents deeper water. So yes, there are definately 20 pound fish in this Glossodanta subspecies in its extended range. In fact an 18 pounder was landed here in Hawaii in 1954 and was the World Record for many years to be broken in South Africa. However a 20 pound bonefish is not a common sight anywhere in the range of this Glossodanta species. We have folks claiming to see fish that size all the time, but I think alot of those "20 pounders" are really 13-17 pounds which we see pretty dang commonly. And some of those 20 pound "bones" folks see are milkfish. I know this for a fact as I have been fishing with a couple different anglers here and seen a milkfish with them, kept it's ID to myself, and then heard the stories of the 22 pound "bonefish" leak out everywhere. Not long ago a guide here and relentless self promoter tried to post a picture of an 11 or 12 pound fish (max) from the local newspaper on the Blanton board and fight for it's validity in being 24 pounds which it was about 12 pounds short of on it's best day. For a "guide" to be that far off (12 pounds minimum?) was a big discredit to all of us here in Hawaii, most of whom are very honest about our fishery and the fish we land. They are big no doubts, but a 10 pound bonefish is big ANYWHERE, including Hawaii. It wasn't even close to 15, yet alone 24. Glossodanta gets exceptionally long compared to Abula Vulpes of Florida fame which looks like a football with fins. Vulpes is the species that holds most line class world records. Rob Arita my partner on Kauai has seen a couple fish that size in 8 years. I have seen only 2 in 2 years I think were even close to or maybe over 20. One was with Jim Bokor a legendary angler from Florida and the other with my good buddy and associate guide Mahalo Bob Tang. Here is a photo of a fish that looks pretty big (28 to the fork and 16 in diameter) and only weighted 12.4 pounds on a certified scale. So look at this pig and imagine 20 plus pounds, or double the weight of this 12 pound fish. In fact this fish is as big as any legitimate pic anyone has shown me of a bonefish landed flyfishing here in Hawaii and it didn't even hit 12.6 yet alone 15 or 16. I guided that angler Mark Hopkins onto that fish. If you look at the pic he is holding it against his body. No fluff there. I have no doubts and am 110 percent sure much bigger fish have been landed on the fly here but no pics have been presented that made the grade. Not yet. I've seen other photos of so called 14, 15 and 16 pounders but they are not as big as advertised nor even close. I say the World Record is definately out there and catchable in Hawaii but not nearly as common as folks want you all to believe. Just keeping it real. Coach Duff
Fly Fishing Hawaii - Trophy Hawaiian Bonefishing with Captain Terry Duffield (Coach Duff) - Bonefish Hawaii