BONITO
Family: Scombridae, MACKEREL and TUNAS
Sarda Chiliensis

Description:  The body of the Pacific bonito is cigar-shaped and somewhat compressed. The head is pointed and conical, and the mouth is large. The color is dark blue above, dusky on the sides becoming silvery below. There is a number of slanted darkish stripes along the back. Pacific bonito are the only tuna-like fishes on the California coast that have the slanted dark stripes on their backs.

Range:  Pacific bonito occur discontinuously from Chile to the Gulf of Alaska, with the greatest area of abundance in the northern hemisphere occurring in warm waters between Magdalena Bay, Baja California, and Point Conception, California.

Typical Location:  Fishing for bonito generally takes place offshore in 300 to 600 feet of water, but may occur next to kelp beds when the fish are near shore.

Fishing Methods:  Once a school is aroused they will take almost any bait or lure that is tossed their way. Most Pacific Bonito are taken by a combination of trolling and live bait fishing. The schools are located by trolling feathers and squid pieces are used to bait the fish once located.

Largest Recorded:  40 inches, 25 lbs.

For more information on each particular species of fish, please click onto the name of the fish you would like to see more information.

Black Marlin:   Avg. Weight - 125 lbs to 300 lbs avg
                            Fishing Methods - Trolling Mullet and or    Mackerel often in combination with plastic squid, trolling live skipjack, bonito, trolling lures, konaheads and plastic squid.

Blue Marlin:  Avg. Weight - 125 lbs to 300 lbs avg
                          Fishing Methods - Trolling Mullet and or    Mackerel often in combination with plastic squid, trolling live skipjack, bonito, trolling lures, konaheads and plastic squid.

Striped Marlin:  Avg. Weight - 125 lbs to 250 lbs avg
                             Fishing Methods - Trolling Mullet and or    Mackerel often in combination with plastic squid, trolling live skipjack, bonito, trolling lures, konaheads and plastic squid.

Swordfish:     Avg. Weight - 200 lbs to 500 lbs avg.

Sailfish:           Avg. Weight - 60 lbs to 80 lbs avg
                          Fishing Methods - Trolling strip bait, often in combination with plastic squid. Trolling surface lures. Trolling or drifting live bait mullet or mackerel. Deep trolling baits or lures.

Dorado / Mahi Mahi:  Avg. Weight - 10 lbs to 30 lbs avg.
                                       Fishing Methods - Trolling dead Mullet, Mackerel or Squid. Trolling strip baits, often in combination with plastic squid. Trolling smaller lures, konaheads, minnows and poppers. Drifting with small live bait, often with chum.

Yellowfin Tuna:  Avg. Weight - 20 lbs to 40 lbs avg.
                               Fishing Methods - Trolling lures, konaheads and plastic squid. Trolling natural or strip baits often in combination with plastic squid. Trolling in front of dolphin schools. Drifting or at anchor with live bait and chum..

Wahoo:           Avg. Weight - 30 lbs to 60 lbs avg.
                          Fishing Methods - Trolling lures, minnows or feather lures close to reefs. Trolling strip bait, often in combination with plastic squid. Drifting live bait mullet, yellowtail scad or mackerel.

Skipjack:         Avg. Weight - 5 lbs to 10 lbs avg.
                          Fishing Methods - Most skipjack are taken incidentally to other fishing activities, especially albacore or tuna fishing. They bite a feather eagerly and will readily come to the boat when live anchovies are used as chum. Most anglers do not actively seek skipjack because of their small size and the undesirability of the meat when fresh. However, skipjack is good if processed and most is consumed after it is canned. Most fish taken off California weigh 2 to 12 pounds, with the vast majority in the 4 to 6 pound range.

Bonito:            Avg. Weight -  Up to 25 lbs.
                          Fishing Methods - Once a school is aroused they will take almost any bait or lure that is tossed their way. Most Pacific Bonito are taken by a combination of trolling and live bait fishing. The schools are located by trolling feathers and squid pieces are used to bait the fish once located.