On the way out yesterday I saw a ton of gannets, a few of them were diving but for the most part they were just flying around or floating in place. Are these worth checking out? I was in about 40ft so I figured there might be bonitas around but I didn’t see anything busting.
It’s always worth checking them out if you’re close by. That extra 5 minutes may end up being a great fishing day. I’m with you that it’s probably bonita, especially this time of year.
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We saw the same running in sat around 3 pm.I saw some bonita busting and we threw a shimano waxwing out but no love. Really just stopped to see what was up. Pretty sure it was bonita.
Are Bonita fish big?
quote:5 to 25 lbs. The Bonita (little tunny) push the bait toward the surface where the birds can dive and get em. You gotta be pretty hungry to eat a bonita
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
quote:
Originally posted by natureboyquote:5 to 25 lbs. The Bonita (little tunny) push the bait toward the surface where the birds can dive and get em. You gotta be pretty hungry to eat a bonita
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Many years ago we caught a few, everyone told me to throw em back… Oh no, I’m not wasting fish! Yuk, they don’t taste good at all. They do make good shark bait.
quote:
Originally posted by natureboyquote:5 to 25 lbs. The Bonita (little tunny) push the bait toward the surface where the birds can dive and get em. You gotta be pretty hungry to eat a bonita
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Unless you eat it raw. Don’t bleed them, or you are getting rid of the tastiest part. I recommend everyone taste one at some point. The really dark part which some people call the “bloodline” is the most tender and juicy. It’s basically the “filet mignon”. It totally melts in your mouth. I promise you, if you taste one, life will never be the same for you again.
Enjoy!!!
quote:
Originally posted by skinneejquote:
Originally posted by natureboyquote:5 to 25 lbs. The Bonita (little tunny) push the bait toward the surface where the birds can dive and get em. You gotta be pretty hungry to eat a bonita
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Unless you eat it raw. Don’t bleed them, or you are getting rid of the tastiest part. I recommend everyone taste one at some point. The really dark part which some people call the “bloodline” is the most tender and juicy. It’s basically the “filet mignon”. It totally melts in your mouth. I promise you, if you taste one, life will never be the same for you again.
Enjoy!!!
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quote:
Originally posted by TheMechanicyou have issues
Nothing that my therapist isn’t already aware of.
quote:they’re trophy fish,so yeah they get pretty big.
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Sunday we trolled by a couple of birds just lazily chilling on the surface near the ledge and ZINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. 50 pound hoo in the boat a few minutes later.
Good times
“mr keys”
quote:thanks Derek lol
Originally posted by sleytownquote:they’re trophy fish,so yeah they get pretty big.
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
quote:
Originally posted by smanquote:thanks Derek lol
Originally posted by sleytownquote:they’re trophy fish,so yeah they get pretty big.
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Im glad you spelled Derek correctly. A skill many don’t have these days 
“mr keys”
I cooked my first bonita yesterday. Removed the blood line, soaked it in water for three hours, then in orange juice for a bit longer. Rinsed, patted dry, rubbed in olive oil with salt, black & red pepper, and garlic. Then I seared it over medium high heat. It actually was not too bad, not my favorite fish, still with a little strong flavor, but edible. I imagine other folks would have better preparation methods than me. Maybe worth a try guys. It is a tuna.
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bonito, blackfin tuna = cat food
quote:
Originally posted by skinneejquote:
Originally posted by natureboyquote:5 to 25 lbs. The Bonita (little tunny) push the bait toward the surface where the birds can dive and get em. You gotta be pretty hungry to eat a bonita
Originally posted by smanAre Bonita fish big?
Unless you eat it raw. Don’t bleed them, or you are getting rid of the tastiest part. I recommend everyone taste one at some point. The really dark part which some people call the “bloodline” is the most tender and juicy. It’s basically the “filet mignon”. It totally melts in your mouth. I promise you, if you taste one, life will never be the same for you again.
Enjoy!!!
That’s just mean. LOL!!
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Black fin tuna are actually pretty tasty if you eat them fresh. Don’t freeze nearly as well as yellowfin.
Bonita makes great bottom chunk baits and Ive not used them but strips are used for trolling down south. Im going to try and pull some strips this year.
Blackfin are very good. Closer to Bluefin than yellowfin. The loins are small and the bloodline is very bad to eat. I prefer trolling bonita strips over ballyhoo, but it must be fresh or the strips will fall apart if frozen
If your seeing stuff in 40ft its most likely blues this time of year, Possibly weakfish.
The Bonita are usually in shallow like march and November.
Fresh blackfin sushi is better then majority of the sushi you can get around here. A fresh bled bonita served sushi style is good as well. You should do a blind test on some one and see what they say. I don’t eat Bonita because if I catch a Bonita I’m catching better fish to eat that same day and a fresh local Bonita is great bait. I don’t cook or freeze my bfins at all. I eat them fresh or give them away if I have to much to eat fresh. I don’t like cooked tuna. I lightly sear at most.
SkinneeJ, Thanks for the pro tip about eating Bonita. Next fall when your in the woods find a Persimmon tree. It’s best to find them before the frost gets them. The red ones are pretty to look at but take a big bite from a green one and life will never be the same for you again. Enjoy!!!
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