Fish-Skull Xmas Island Special | Christmas Island Bonefish & Trevally Fly | Shrimp & Baitfish Profile | Bead Chain & Dumbbell | #6 & #8 | Tropical Flats | Flymen Fishing Company

Saltwater Flats Fly. Christmas Island Origin. Shrimp & Small Baitfish Profile. Durable Lifelike Materials. Bead Chain & Dumbbell Weight Options. #6 & #8 Hook. Bonefish, Trevally & Tropical Flats Species.

The Fish-Skull Xmas Island Special by Flymen Fishing Company is a versatile saltwater flats pattern originally developed for the fisheries around Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Pacific — one of the world’s premier destination fisheries for bonefish and giant trevally on vast, remote coral and sand flats. The Xmas Island Special is designed to broadly mimic shrimp and small baitfish, the two primary forage categories on tropical flats worldwide, using durable materials selected for lifelike movement in the water. Its effectiveness across both bonefish and trevally — two species with very different feeding behaviors and strike profiles — makes it one of the most versatile single patterns a tropical flats angler can carry. Offered in both bead chain (lighter, slower sink) and dumbbell (heavier, faster sink) versions and in two hook sizes (#6 and #8) to cover the full range of depths, tidal conditions, and flat types you’ll encounter across a week-long destination trip.

Christmas Island — Why the Fishery Shaped the Pattern

Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Republic of Kiribati is one of the largest coral atolls in the world, with miles of exposed sand and coral flats that hold some of the highest concentrations of bonefish on earth — a fishery where anglers routinely encounter dozens of fish per day in conditions that range from gin-clear, calm lagoon flats to exposed ocean-side channels with significant tidal current. The Xmas Island Special was designed to work across all of these conditions: the shrimp-and-baitfish profile matches the natural prey on both the sheltered lagoon side and the windward ocean flats; the materials are selected for durability against the abrasion of repeated coral contact; and the bead chain and dumbbell weight options cover the full depth range from ultra-shallow lagoon tailing fish to deeper channel fish feeding in current. A pattern that works at Christmas Island is a pattern that works anywhere in the tropical Pacific, Indian Ocean, or Caribbean — which is why the Xmas Island Special has become a go-to pattern for destination anglers traveling to Seychelles, Andros, the Maldives, and beyond.

Bonefish vs. Trevally — Why This Pattern Works for Both

Most bonefish patterns are designed exclusively for bonefish — small, subtle, crustacean-matching flies that land softly and sit on the bottom. Giant trevally and bluefin trevally, by contrast, are aggressive ambush predators that respond to larger, faster-moving presentations. The Xmas Island Special occupies a middle ground that works for both: the shrimp-and-baitfish profile is realistic enough to produce on wary bonefish feeding in calm conditions, and the fly’s movement and profile are strong enough to draw a trevally’s attention from a distance with a faster, more aggressive retrieve. On GT-focused days, upsize to the #6 with the dumbbell weight and fish with longer, faster strips to produce the fleeing baitfish action that GTs respond to. On bonefish-focused days, downsize to the #8 bead chain and use the standard short-strip-and-pause retrieve. One fly, two very different species and retrieves.

Bead Chain vs. Dumbbell — Which to Choose

• Bead Chain — lighter, slower sink rate; best for very shallow water (6–18 inches), calm tidal conditions, and spooky fish in clear water; the softer landing and slower sink allows the fly to settle gently without alarming fish feeding in ultra-thin water; produces a subtle hop-and-settle on the strip-and-pause retrieve; ideal for lagoon-side tailing fish and calm, clear flat conditions
• Dumbbell — heavier, faster sink rate; best for deeper water (18–36+ inches), stronger tidal current, and fast-moving fish that need the fly on the bottom before they arrive; produces a more pronounced hop on the retrieve that can trigger aggressive fish; the go-to choice for channel edges, incoming and outgoing tidal rips, and for GT presentations where a larger, more substantial action is needed to draw a strike from a fast-moving predator

Hook Size Guide

• #6 — larger profile; more visible at distance; effective in deeper water and stronger current; the preferred size for trevally presentations and for bonefish in conditions where a larger fly is needed to cut through current or reach fish feeding in slightly deeper water
• #8 — smaller, subtler profile; least alarming in ultra-shallow, calm conditions for spooky fish; most effective for bonefish in thin water where a large fly’s splash would put fish down; matches the size of smaller shrimp and juvenile baitfish on the flat

How to Fish It

• Bonefish — Lead, Sink & Short Strip — cast 4–6 feet in front of a moving fish and 2–3 feet to the side; allow the fly to sink to the bottom before the fish arrives; retrieve with short, 3–6 inch strips to hop the fly off the bottom and settle back; watch for the tail-up rooting behavior that signals the fish is on the fly; stop moving the fly as the fish closes and let it eat; set the hook with a sharp strip of the line hand rather than a rod lift
• Giant Trevally & Bluefin Trevally — Fast Strip — cast into the path of a cruising or active GT and retrieve with long, fast, continuous strips; GTs respond to a fleeing prey action and will accelerate and commit to a fly that appears to be escaping; use the #6 dumbbell version to get the fly in front of a fast-moving fish quickly; set the hook hard with the strip on the take — GTs have a hard, bony mouth and a soft hookset will not penetrate; maintain pressure throughout the fight as GTs will attempt to return to the coral or rocky structure they patrolled before the take
• Mixed Flat Fishing — Versatile Retrieve — on flats where bonefish and trevally share the same water, vary the retrieve speed based on what you see; slow and deliberate for bonefish tailing in pods; faster and more aggressive if a trevally shadow materializes behind the fly during the retrieve; the Xmas Island Special’s dual-species effectiveness means you don’t need to change flies when the flat transitions between species

Target Species

Bonefish • Giant Trevally (GT) • Bluefin Trevally • Permit • Pompano • Triggerfish • Any crustacean- or baitfish-feeding flats species in tropical and subtropical saltwater environments.

Specs

• Pattern: Xmas Island Special (Christmas Island origin)
• Profile: Shrimp & small baitfish imitation
• Hook Sizes: #6 | #8
• Weight Options: Bead Chain (lighter) | Dumbbell (heavier)
• Orientation: Hook-point-up (inverted ride, snag reduction)
• Target Fisheries: Christmas Island, Seychelles, Maldives, Bahamas, Florida Keys, Belize, and tropical flats worldwide
• Brand: Fish-Skull by Flymen Fishing Company

In stock and ready to ship. Select hook size and weight from the variant menu.