Rosie Manins was living in the Cook Islands when its government implemented a bonefish management plan. This year she twice returned to the island of Aitutaki to see if she could catch one, with the help of friend and master bonefish guide Itu Davey.
If I can catch a bonefish, so can you.
And there's no better place to spend a day - or five - than on the water in Aitutaki where life is the lagoon.
Itu Davey (35) has become Aitutaki's premier bonefish guide and, fortunately for me, is willing to help even the most amateur angler.
As we ventured out in one of his three boats on a stunning day, I told him my success would confirm whether he really was as good as everyone said.
He soon discovered my special talent for tangling fishing line and hooking anything without a pulse.
My first foray into fly fishing was on the Buller River about 17 years ago.
Mum, a keen angler and member of the Fish and Game Council at the time, bought my younger brother and I fly rods in the hope we would find our own dinner.
I was about 10, my brother about 8.
The trout were safe, despite our enthusiasm.
My fly kept catching willows on the bank.
I can't recall where my brother's ended up, but Mum had enough common sense to pull the pin before we hooked each other.
Inevitably, our rods spent some years gathering dust in the garage.
So I felt a sense of familiarity about knotting my line less than 10 minutes into my trip with Itu.
God, I love fishing.
Realising my utter lack of ability, Itu cast a few times for me, handing me the rod once the fly was in ''the milk''.
Bonefish are bottom feeders and during mealtime they stir up the lagoon's white sandy seabed, creating patches of ''milky'' water.
The first time I heard Itu talk about fishing in ''the milk'', a couple of years ago, I thought a box of Anchor UHT might have something to do with it.
For all I knew, Aitutaki's bonefish could be summoned with a few splashes of nature's best.
That revelation confirmed for Itu his suspicion that my expertise - whatever it was - had nothing to do with bonefish.
Rosie 1, Itu 0Our morning on the lagoon wore on, my sunscreen melted and Aitutaki's bonefish remained as elusive as ever.
Itu hooked one but let me reel it in and, sensing my poor technique, the fish took its opportunity to free itself.
From then on I insisted Itu let me ruin my own attempts.
A serious guide, he does all he can to see his clients succeed, but this was fishing as friends so I laid down the rules of competition.
A bonefish trumped anything else, including the very real yet larger-than-life 50kg giant trevally (GT) in Aitutaki's lagoon.
I had found a way to cast and strip my line to some degree of success, freeing Itu to try his own luck on the fly.
Using a large spinner and popper technique, he also caught the attention of some GT, although none took the bait.
Thinking it was a pleasure just to be on the lagoon, in the sunshine and away from the office, I casually cast out with little expectation and less concern.
Only then did a tug on the line jolt me back to reality.
Forgetting all Itu's advice, I jerked the rod and furiously started reeling while jumping up and down with excitement.
Laughing and barely able to control myself, I managed to wind my catch close enough for Itu to confirm it was a bonefish.
Hallelujah, sweet Jesus.
Grinning like an idiot, I followed Itu's instruction to slowly guide the bonefish in the right direction and keep it swimming alongside the boat.
I pulled it to the surface, he scooped it into a net and we brought it aboard.
Despite its small size - about 500g - I was proud as punch.
Itu had the camera ready and within minutes my approximately 1-year-old bonefish was safely back in the lagoon and I was in the lead.
Our afternoon brought plenty of trevally to the fly but my bonefish remained a one-hit wonder that day.
My second day of fishing with Itu's brother Rua and self-proclaimed Aitutaki bonefish ambassador ''Papa Jon'' Hall, from the United States, was more successful.
Within 30 seconds of my first cast I landed a 1kg bonefish, and soon after hooked a couple of larger specimens but they outsmarted me and I lost them near the boat.
Finally, after much tutoring from Rua and Papa Jon, I managed to get a 3.4kg bonefish on the fly and into my eager grasp for a photo.
Mission accomplished.
Game-changerCatch and release is a relatively new concept for Itu and the people of Aitutaki.
Generations have netted bonefish in the thousands, providing villagers their favourite raw delicacy.
Itu's father taught him to net bonefish and as recently as 2008 he was doing so with great success alongside his brothers.
Known as the best net fisherman on the island, Itu was approached by the Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources to help form and implement a new bonefish management plan.
The Government recognised the need to preserve the fishery, as well as the potential tourism benefits of Aitutaki boasting the largest bonefish in the world and being an idyllic holiday destination.
It was hoped thousands of anglers worldwide would pay to stalk trophy bonefish in paradise, where their family and friends could enjoy myriad other tropical pursuits.
Those notions were spot on.
Believing in the conservation of bonefish for Aitutaki's future generations, Itu hung up his nets and committed to becoming a catch-and-release guide.
With his extensive knowledge of the fishery, he mapped out spawning areas for reserve under the management plan and undertook training to become certified as a bonefish guide.
It took a while for Aitutaki's residents - particularly the elderly - to be convinced bonefish were worth more alive than dead, and some resented being told they could no longer fish by traditional means.
But eventually the management plan was passed in Parliament and took effect, allowing Itu and a select few other guides to operate their new businesses effectively.
The gamble has paid off.
Itu now operates three boats and has involved his family in the business.
Hundreds of people from around the world book months in advance to fish with him, lured by the 10kg bonefish on offer.
Itu says a good day is one when a single bonefish is landed, but his clients often revel in far greater numbers.
Papa Jon regularly hooks and lands 10 or more bonefish in a day, including many ''doubles'' (4.5kg or more) and trophy bonefish by any standard.
Getting there
Aitutaki is one of 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands.
It is part of the southern group of islands and a 45-minute flight from the nation's capital, Rarotonga.
Air Rarotonga flies daily between Rarotonga and Aitutaki, for between about $200 and $300 each way.
Accommodation ranges from luxury resorts to beach bungalows.
The island is set up for tourism so there is plenty to see and do if fishing is not your thing.
Aitutaki's lagoon is, in my mind, the most pristine and beautiful you will find a reasonable distance and price from New Zealand.
More information about fishing with Itu can be found on his website: www.e2sway.com.
