# AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED AND MADE INNOVATION #

## Designed to imitate a small mantis shrimp fleeing across the flats ##

Bonefish are one of the world's great sport fish, they frequent shallow flats in exotic locations, are hard to spot (even in 12 inches of clear water), have amazing eyesight, are easily spooked by a clumsy presentation or angler, actively hunt prey, have amazing bursts of speed courtesy of their oversized tail and are beautiful to handle. As such they have long been in the realm and dreams of the Saltwater Flyrodder.

But what IF you could target them using artificials with a light tackle spinning outfit?

Following on from the original success of my Shrimp Fligs in 2021, I travelled back to the Cocos Keeling Islands in January of 2023 with a new flig design to test, the Mantis Flig. Designed to have a smaller 'profile' in the water compared to the same size shrimp flig, this smaller profile combined with the extra movement of three pairs of barred rubber legs was a revelation. The first full days testing saw 25+ bonefish landed between two anglers along with some interesting bycatch.

Over the 12 days of testing, the Mantis Flig proved itself in a variety of scenarios, from chasing bonefish in calm backwaters to wading and drifting open flats. Species caught during this testing period included bonefish, barred trevally, bluefin trevally and giant trevally.

Target Species:

• tropical flats predators such as bonefish, barred trevally, golden trevally.
• Australian estuary species such as flathead, black bream, black snapper, mulloway.

Features:

• 'premium' size 1/0, XH Mustad black nickel hooks.
• approximately 1/4oz.
• innovative head design means flig will always land the right way up.
• neutral coloured flig heads to blend in with the flats environment.
• natural shrimp colour schemes.
• coyote fringe material for maximum action with the slightest movement.
• krystal flash antenna.
• three pairs of barred rubber legs.
• quality Enrico Puglisi body materials.

Colour Schemes: (Left to Right)

• Tan - white head, tan binding, tan body/beard, coyote fringe, grey barred legs, brown antenna, amber OR black eyes. (recommended for Bonefish on a flat containing dark substrate interspersed with sand)
• Sand - white head, tan binding, sand body, sulfur beard, grey barred legs, pearl antenna, amber OR black eyes. (recommended for Bonefish on a predominantly light coloured flat)
• Firetip - white head/binding, pearl body, sulfur beard, coyote fringe, firetip legs, pink shrimp antenna, black eyes. 

• (recommended for Bonefish on a predominantly light coloured flat)

Pro Tips:

A small, quality spinning reel, full of premium 10/12lb braid with a 20lb fluorocarbon leader matched to a fast taper, 7 foot plus spinning rod is the key to maximising your casting distance and effectiveness with these fligs. For bonefish, a slow and constant retrieve speed that causes the flig to puff away sand as it moves along the bottom interspersed with little jumps forward to trigger or initially attract the fish, has proven to be the most effective retrieve style to date. Try and sight cast to fish, and then adjust your retrieve to stimulate a bite. Excessive random casting will spook fish that you never knew were even there.

HOW TO VIDEOS

To see these innovative Fligs in action on bonefish, please check out our 'Big John's Jigs' YouTube channel.

## INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS ##

Due to their ultra-light weight, our Australian made Fligs are a great option when it comes to International Shipping. Up to 20 Fligs will fit in to our cheapest rate International parcels. This is great value, especially considering all our prices are in Australian Dollars. The exchange rate certainly works in your favour.

Eg. The standard shipping charge (including tracking) for up to 20 Fligs to the USA is $20.50AUD (approximately $14.50USD).