THE 



CATCH 



of bonito are often marked by diving gulls 

 and terns. "Bonito stay with the bait, so 

 watch the bait," Bahen says. 



Originally, the bonito' s worth as a 

 food fish went unnoticed, and charter 

 fishing boats often used them as strip 

 bait. "But it's a myth that the fish is not 

 good," Bahen says. In the last five to 10 

 years, the bonito fishery has become 



catch a fish on light tackle," Bahen says, 

 "but breaking a line or fighting the fish 

 for too long is bad. You can ruin the fish 

 before you bring it to the boat." He prefers 

 an 8- to 10-pound line for catching bonito. 

 He also recommends using a bite tippet or 

 abrasion-resistant leader, since both fish 

 have teeth and can chafe the line. 

 Catch-and-release methods are 



quickly, stick a knife into it right below 

 the pectoral fin or cut a ring around the 

 base of its tail. If you have time, gut the 

 fish as well. Pack the fish in ice slush in 

 a cooler for the boat ride back to shore. 



Atlantic bonito can be prepared 

 much like yellowfin tuna. Broil it, bake 

 it, or make tuna salad out of it by 

 filleting and parboiling the meat. 



LITTLE TUNNY 



Found in fall, more difficult to prepare, lias both stripes and spots. 



more popular, especially with saltwater 

 fly-fishing setups. 



When fishing for bonito, sight cast 

 with light tackle and a fly, and perhaps 

 some trolling, Bahen recommends. 

 "With tackle, match the size of the 

 artificial lure to the size of the bait as 

 best you can. Fly fishers can really 

 emulate bait." Other kinds of bait include 

 spoons or jigs, and if fish aren't biting, 

 "dredging" with a fly rod and a sinking 

 line may reach below the surface to the 

 Atlantic bonito or little tunny lurking below. 



"It's considered more sporting to 



especially important when angling for a 

 schooling fish like Atlantic bonito or 

 little tunny. "Establish what you need 

 and return the rest," says Bahen. "Since 

 it's a school fish, you could get carried 

 away and catch a boatload of them. But 

 don't let them go to waste." 



For the fish you decide to keep, it's 

 important to bleed and ice them as fast 

 as possible. Both Atlantic bonito and 

 little tunny are warm-blooded fish with 

 red meat; if they aren't bled and chilled 

 immediately, their body heat will cause 

 the meat to spoil. To bleed the fish 



Little tunny, which appear along 

 our coast in the fall, are more difficult to 

 prepare. They have a stronger "fishy" 

 flavor, which can be avoided by cutting 

 out the "blood line" or dark meat along 

 the spine and near the kidneys. This 

 difference in flavor, the spots on its 

 belly, and the time of year when the fish 

 is found mark the only distinction 

 between the tunny and its bonito cousin. 



'The fishing is about the same," says 

 Bahen. "Use trolling, sight casting, and the 

 same lures and artificial bait. Just know 

 that the fish are two separate species." □ 



COASTWATCH 33 



