R. Valentine Atkinson

Bonefish researcher Dr. Andy Danylchuk (left) and Patagonia's Bill Klyn lead the way on a bonefish tagging foray in the Bahamas.

R. Valentine Atkinson

Pictured left to right: Yvon Chouinard, Tom McGuane, Michael Keaton, Tom Brokaw, Lefty Kreh, and Bill Klyn.

R. Valentine Atkinson

Writer Tom McGuane is a long-time tarpon, bonefish, permit, steelhead, salmon, and trout junkie, and a survivor of the ‘60s and ‘70s Conch Republic.

R. Valentine Atkinson

The group meets up with Dr. Aaron Adams, director of operations and research for Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.

R. Valentine Atkinson

Tarpon and bonefish (pictured) have been around for millions of years, yet scientists know very little about them.

R. Valentine Atkinson

The camera crews stealthily capture the action, shooting some 240 hours of film in total.

R. Valentine Atkinson

Finding a leeward break in the wind finally allowed Dr. Danylchuk (with a hat cam) to stalk, cast, and hook a tailing fish. The cameramen, and producer Kevin Fay, focused on the fight.

R. Valentine Atkinson

The cameramen spent eight to ten hours a day lugging equipment across varied surfaces, from hard-and-sandy to boot-sucking bottoms.

R. Valentine Atkinson

Chouinard, Brokaw, Kreh, and McGuane share sordid lies and fish tales.

R. Valentine Atkinson

On the last evening, the group recapped their experiences, including tagging thirty-two bonefish, learning new catch-and-release practices, and seeing a pre-spawn aggregate of 2,000 bonefish. They filmed, for the first time, a bonefish tracking and taking a fly. They also realized more needs to be done to understand these fish and to ensure their protection.