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Atlantic Bonito
ATLANTIC BONITO
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Common Names:
Northern Bonito, Common Bonito, Oceanic Bonito
Range & Habitat:
Relatively rare in the Gulf of Mexico, but scattered reports occur. The Atlantic bonito is a fish that travels in huge schools within 20 miles of the shoreline. It is located in the southern Atlantic and the Gulf Coasts year round and in the northeast during the summer when waters are warmer.
Fishermen with smaller boats usually target the Atlantic bonito. A surface feeder, the Atlantic bonito usually averages from 3 to 8 pounds.
New Florida Atlantic Bonito Record Holder (Conventional Tackle)
In February of 2009, Derrick Salim Jaradi, of Boca Raton, set a new state record for Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) fishing in his local southeast waters. The fish weighed in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces and took Jaradi 8 minutes to reel to the boat and leader. The catch replaces the once-vacant state saltwater record category.
Catching Atlantic Bonito
Bonito are commonly caught by trolling anglers looking for a bigger catch. However they are a favorite target fish among light and medium-tackle anglers. Anyone targeting Atlantic bonito should try trolling feather lures pulled close to the boat. Bonito prefer a lively bait, so consider trolling a little faster for this species. A 3 or 4 ounce sinker at about a 5 knots trolling speed should keep your lures at the proper depth. Because they are surface feeders, you want to keep your bait just below the surface while trolling. You have to be able to adjust your trolling speed or your set up to make sure that you are trolling at the proper depths. Spoons and feather jigs often work best for Atlantic bonito.
Chumming can also be effective, but they will often feed on the chum and refuse to eat any of the baits that are set up with hooks. Using lighter line and small hooks are a must. By burying the hook completely into the bait, will increase your chance of fooling the Atlantic bonito.
Identification & Biology:
This is a small and quite streamlined tuna. It is the only tuna with longitudinal stripes on its back. The skipjack tuna has longitudinal lines, but they are on the belly rather than the back. The back and upper sides are steel-blue.
Atlantic bonito are relentless predators from the time they hatch. Adults eat all types of fish, including herrings, menhaden, hake, mackerels,anchovies, as well as shrimp and squid. They are known to live at least 9 years, but are not large fish. They typically reach sexual maturity at age 2. Spawning takes place in the early summer. On the Atlantic coast, where they are more common, Atlantic bonito form large schools, often mixed with bluefish and mackerel.
Food Value:
Atlantic bonito are closely related to tuna. They are very good eating but server little comercial purpose.
Preferred Temps:
64 to 80
