What is the best strategy to catch Pacific Bonito?

Pacific Bonito are a hard fighting fish which look similar to Albacore. It’s for these reasons it is also known as False Albacore. They are known for their strength and loved by many for the challenge they give to fishermen attempting to land them.

Pacific Bonito can be found, of course, in the Pacific Ocean. There are other species of Bonito that can be found in other parts of the world like the Atlantic Ocean.

They are part of the tuna family, however, are not considered to be as good for eating as other tuna species. Regardless, if properly taken care of, Bonito can be made into a delicious meal. If you want to enjoy a good fight with a fish and maybe even a catch and cook, you’re in the right spot. In this blog article, you will learn the best strategy to catch Bonito. 

Where to find Bonito

The most important concept to understand when trying to catch fish is “Where are the fish?” To catch fish, there, of course, has to first be a supply of fish. It’s no different when it comes to this tuna species. You’ll have a greater chance of landing one of these fighters if you know where and when they will be most active. So where can these fish be found?

Bonito fish can be found along the coast from Baja California, Mexico to more northern parts of the California coast. They can even be found up into the Washington coast during the El Nino season.

They are schooling fish and can be found both near shore and offshore. The younger smaller fish tend to stay closer to shore around kelp forests, bays, and marinas. They can be caught off of jetties and piers

The older bigger Bonito fish tend to stay offshore in depths of up to 300 ft. You can, of course, catch Bonito from a boat out in the open water.

Now that you know the best places to go when catching Bonito, it’s best to know when your best chance is to land one. 

You can see from the picture above, this fisherman caught a Bonito on a lipped crankbait with yellow and green colors. This shows your lure doesn’t have to be perfect. However, it’s always a good idea to try to match the bait with what the are eating anyway.

When to Fish for Bonito

Catching Bonito is allowed year-round in California, however they are most active nearshore during the warmer months. When temperatures warm up in the spring, Bonito fish become more active nearshore. However, they can arrive later or even not at all if temperatures are a bit chillier than average.

The best time of day to fish for Bonito is typically first light and last light. They are most active and eating during these times.

Now that you know where and when to find Bonito, it’s time to learn the best strategy to catch them.

Bonito Behavior

Bonito eat mainly squid and bait fish like anchovies and sardines. They are attracted to the bright silver flash of these fish and will chase them even to the surface of the water. It’s for this reason it is a good idea to watch where the birds are. Birds will wait for the Bonito to push fish to the surface and swoop down for a meal.

It’s also a good idea to watch for the water to boil over which is what happens when hundreds of bait fish hit the surface of the water making it look as if the water is bubbling from being boiled.

Offshore

As mentioned previously, Bonito is a fish that likes to chase. For this reason, trolling is a solid technique to cover a large area of water to find where the schools of Bonito fish are located.

A good lure to use for this technique is what’s called a predator-prey rig where you have what looks like small fish being chased by a larger fish. Bonito will see this and they will chase after the bigger lure. This lure causes a lot of disturbance in the water and attracts the attention of the Bonito. 

This concept is also a reason why many use an attachment like a foam ball or feathers with their lure. These attachments cause a big disturbance in the water and peak the curiosity of the fish. 

Once you’ve located the school from getting a hit on your trolling rig, you can switch to a spoon, jig, weedless jerk, or live bait.

Remember, shiny silver or blue will be a good color because it matches the bait fish they will be going after. The bait fish they go after are anchovies and sardines so having those for live bait will be good.

A weedless jerk bait is good when retrieved periodically. Reel it in a few rotations, then stop to let it sink a bit. Then, keep repeating this process to make it look like a dying bait fish. 

Onshore

Attempting to catch Bonito while onshore can be quite similar to offshore fishing, however, there are some important differences. For one, you will catch Bonito which are younger in age closer to shore. As mentioned earlier, the smaller young fish tend to be found closer to shore. This means you will need a smaller setup. To find out more about how to match your setup with the lures and fish you are trying to catch visit our guide for sizing.

Another difference is you will not have a boat to be able to troll. However, this doesn’t have to stop you from using a predator-prey lure. If your setup is large enough, you can still use a predator-prey lure as this setup will create much disturbance in the water. Remember, Bonito love the chase so the idea of adding something like a feather to your lure to create a commotion in the water is still a good idea onshore.

For onshore fishing, you want to get out to the furthest point you possibly can. This means getting onto a pier or jetty. Consider if there is a bay or marina nearby as well as a kelp bed. 

As mentioned before, Bonito like shiny silver and blue so a spoon or surface jig will work great. 

Conclusion

Fishing for Bonito doesn’t have to be difficult. The most basic concept in fishing is the fact you can’t catch fish if there are no fish. So where and when can you find Bonito?

This hard fighting tuna species can be found along the coast of Baja California into the more northern parts of the California Coast. Sometimes they can be found even further north if waters are warmer than average. They like the warmer water and for this reason the best time to fish for Bonito is during the spring. However, they can be fished year round in California.

They can be caught offshore on a boat by first trolling a predator-prey rig then switching to live bait, weed-less jigs, and spoons once you’ve gotten your first hit. Remember, they are schooling fish and can be found as deep as 300 feet.

Onshore fishing is quite similar to offshore with some minor differences. You will be fishing for smaller fish and don’t have the luxury of a boat to troll. However, you can still use the same lures. A predator-prey rig will work because it makes a lot of commotion in the water that attracts the Bonito to attack.

They like the silver and blue colors so finding a spoon, jig, or any other rig that will cause a disturbance is a good idea. 

It’s best to fish from a jetty or pier to get out as far as possible. They are most active during first light and last light. Remember, the younger fish like to be around bays, marinas, and kelp beds.