# Why are Florida bonefish so incredibly wary? What preys on them?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-florida-bonefish-so-incredibly-wary-what-preys-on-them/445225>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 13, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-florida-bonefish-so-incredibly-wary-what-preys-on-them/445225 "2008-04-13T23:53:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-florida-bonefish-so-incredibly-wary-what-preys-on-them/445225/1 "2008-04-13T23:53:39Z")

</div>

[Bonefish](http://www.simms-flyfishingoutfitters.com/simms/toolbox/bonefish.aspx) are considered one of the world’s premier game fish, in part because they are so wary and skittish, approaching hem close enough to cast a lure is very challenging. Re their ecology I can’t really see much reason for them to be so incredibly wary despite the clear water.

They are among the larger predators of the flats. What makes them this way? What preys on them that this would be good adaptive behavior?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-florida-bonefish-so-incredibly-wary-what-preys-on-them/445225/2 "2008-04-14T00:00:14Z")

</div>

[They don’t want to get eaten](http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Bonefish/Bonefish.html):

> [@](#):
>
> Sharks and barracuda often prey on bonefish. Bonefish are built for speed out of necessity, as the only defense they have is to flee their predators. Bonefish are alert and wary; whole schools may be easily spooked, making them difficult for fishers to catch.