Fish

Roundjaw bonefish (Pacific bonefish, oio)

Macabí del Pacífico (oio)

Albula glossodonta

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

3–8 lb; Hawaii and Aitutaki give up fish over 10 lb.

Depth

1–60 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

8 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A bright silver bonefish with a pointed, overhanging snout, a forked tail and faint dark lines along the back — almost identical to the Caribbean bonefish (macabí), but with a rounder lower jaw and different teeth. Called oio in Hawaii.
Typical size: 3–8 lb; Hawaii and Aitutaki give up fish over 10 lb.
Maximum size: About 3 ft and around 19 lb (8.6 kg published; bigger fish reported).
Diet: Crabs, shrimp, clams and worms dug from the sand.
Behavior: Moves onto shallow flats with the tide to feed, tailing and mudding like the Caribbean bonefish; very spooky and fast.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Hawaii, South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea, Guam & Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), Philippines and Red Sea & Arabian Gulf (Egypt, Oman, UAE). Sand and coral flats, lagoons and channels: Hawaii (Oahu, Molokai), Christmas Island (Kiritimati), Aitutaki, Palau, the Seychelles and other Indo-Pacific islands.
Habitat: Sand and coral flats, lagoons and channels: Hawaii (Oahu, Molokai), Christmas Island (Kiritimati), Aitutaki, Palau, the Seychelles and other Indo-Pacific islands.
Depth: 1–60 ft.
Fishing depth: 1–4 ft on flats.
Best season: All year.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: The incoming and early outgoing tide on the flats.
Best weather / conditions: Bright sun and light wind for spotting fish.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Shrimp, crab and squid on a small hook (popular in Hawaii from shore).
Best artificial lures: Small shrimp and crab flies; small jigs.
Tackle setup: 8–9 weight fly rod or 7 ft light spinning rod.
Hook size: Size 4–1/0 hooks.
Line: 10–15 lb braid with 200 yards of backing.
Leader: 10–16 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Sand and coral flats, lagoons and channels: Hawaii (Oahu, Molokai), Christmas Island (Kiritimati), Aitutaki, Palau, the Seychelles and other Indo-Pacific islands.
Rig up: 8–9 weight fly rod or 7 ft light spinning rod. 10–16 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Shrimp, crab and squid on a small hook (popular in Hawaii from shore). Lures: Small shrimp and crab flies; small jigs.
Fish it: Wade the flats on the rising tide, spot tailing or cruising fish, lead them by a few feet and strip slowly.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. The incoming and early outgoing tide on the flats.

Fishing techniques: Wade the flats on the rising tide, spot tailing or cruising fish, lead them by a few feet and strip slowly.
BigJoe's tip: Pacific bonefish are bigger and spookier than many Caribbean fish: make long, soft casts and don't line them.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Usually released — a sport fish more than a food fish.
Cooking suggestions: Bony; in Hawaii oio is traditionally scraped and made into fish cakes, but almost all sport-caught fish are released.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sunburn, coral cuts and reef shoes needed; watch for stingrays, stonefish and moray eels on the flats.
Regulations: Hawaii has a minimum size and bag limit for oio; Kiritimati, Aitutaki and Palau are catch-and-release with licensed guides. Listed as vulnerable (IUCN). Check current rules. Rules differ by island: Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa need no license for recreational saltwater fishing, but size and bag limits, closed seasons and marine preserves apply; other Pacific nations require permits, and many reefs belong to villages, so ask permission.
Conservation: Release every bonefish; fishing tourism depends on them.

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Sources & photo credits