Here are five ways to find and catch bonito
False albacore and bonito are often mixed in with striped bass and bluefish. They can be caught from the boat and the shore with lures and even on the troll.
Atlantic bonito are part of the same mackerel family (Scombridae) as tuna. Their meat has a darkish color and a firm texture, with a moderate fat content. They are often grilled or baked. A rhyme that helps us identify bonito from false albacore is: "Bonito have teeth and are good to eat." False albacore are usually not eaten.
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Here are five tips on how to catch them:
Keep it simple. “Use as little hardware has possible," said local bonito and false albacore specialist Susan Lema. "Tie directly to a 25-pound fluorocarbon leader with a uni knot and no swivel. This keeps things simple with no hardware flashing in the water to spook the fish.”
Find them at outflows. “Fish the outgoing tide in front of rivers, coves and ponds as the water and bait have to be moving," said Susan Lema's husband, Roger Lema.
Lighten up. “These fish have large eyes and rely on their sight a lot when feeding, so the more you have in the water in terms of line, leader thickness and swivels, the greater the chances are that these fish are going to see it and not bite," said Ed Parisi, a false albacore specialist. "I use a 15-pound braid with a 10- to 15-pound fluorocarbon.”
Be prepared to mix it up. “We have five rods ready to go," Roger Lema said. "Some prepared to cast silver lures like Deadly Dicks and Kastmaster lures. But, we are also ready to troll [at 4 knots] with broken back lures, shallow swimming and deep swimming lures to use depending on where the fish are in the water column.” Epoxy jigs, metal jigs and Albi Snax work well, too.
Anticipate where the fish are. “Anticipate where these speedsters will surface again and be there when they do," Roger Lema said. "Fish the sides of the schools rather than getting out in front of them.”
Ponaug Bait & Tackle has community roots
Tom Olson, owner of the new Ponaug Bait & Tackle at 287 Arnolds Neck Road in Warwick (the old Ray’s Bait location), grew up in Warwick and is a graduate of Toll Gate High School. He worked for Ray Chase, owner of Rhode Island Boat Moving at Ponaug Marina, which his son, Dave Chase, runs today at the same location. The new shop has all the bait anglers are interested in this time of year, i.e., squid, silversides, crabs, eels, clam worms, shiners and others. He also has a variety of tackle, new gear and some slightly used gear for sale.
Where's the bite?
Striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and bonito. This week, the bluefish were being caught throughout Narragansett Bay, with the hot spot being between Gould Island north of the Newport Bridge to Hope Island and Prudence Island. “We caught about a dozen school striped bass and monster bluefish off the southern tip of Prudence Island trolling tube and worm Saturday," said angler Max O’Connell of Cranston. Jay Marshall of Sam’s Bait in Middletown said: “The bluefish and striped bass bite from the beaches off Middletown and Newport has been very good. Most anglers are using top water lures with success with customers also catching false albacore off the Sakonnet River.” Ponaug Bait & Tackle's Olson said: “The bluefish bite has been outstanding in Greenwich Bay and even Apponaug Cove in Warwick. Fish are hitting all types of swimming lures.” Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle in Charlestown reported:“The false albacore bite has been good from outside of the Breachway down to Point Judith. Dozens of schools of mackerel, peanut bunker and rain bait. Epoxy and metal jigs rigged with a teaser, Albie Snax and small swim baits are working with bonito being caught, too."
“Tautog fishing is fairly slow in the Bay and rivers around dock piles but fish are being caught off Newport,” said Marshall. “Tautog fishing seems to be heating up a bit with fish to around 7 pounds caught this week along local reefs,” O’Donnell reported.
Black sea bass, scup and summer flounder. “Scup fishing is good throughout the Bay with a fairly strong black sea bass bite in the lower Bay," said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle in Providence. "Not many fluke being caught in the Bay.”
Tuna and mahi fishing. “There are giants being caught off Narragansett," Henault said. "Fish in the 700-pound range are common with anglers who have never fished for bluefin or yellow fin school tuna buying gear and catching fish." O'Donnell reported: “Offshore, the tuna bite south of Block Island continues to produce well for yellowfin and bluefin. Fish are being caught on the troll, jigging and chunking with quite a few mahi around the high-flyers and debris. More tuna was seen off Charlestown/Green Hill with giants being caught off Point Judith to Beavertail."
“Freshwater fishing for largemouth bass remains good with many anglers using shiners," Henault said. "Ponds producing include Olney Pond at Lincoln Woods and Stump Pond in Smithfield."
Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Here are proven ways to find and catch bonito in Rhode Island waters
