RI - bonito

[RIJIMMY]

looks like there are lots of reports of Bonito around RI. I've never caught them, I've never even seen them.....but if I run into them. Whats the reg on the size? I dont see anything on the minimum to keep them?
I heard they're really good to eat.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

looks like there are lots of reports of Bonito around RI. I've never caught them, I've never even seen them.....but if I run into them. Whats the reg on the size? I dont see anything on the minimum to keep them?
I heard they're really good to eat.

No regs, keep as many as you want. Most folks don't like to eat them, dark red oily meat, a lot like a bluefin. I've had them just toasted on the outside and raw on the inside and thought they were pretty good cooked (or not cooked) that way.

[fish4striper]

delicious, use tin to catch them, pt jude work nice, yozuri crystal minnows, casting egg with flies work also

[RIJIMMY]

thanks gentlemen, it would be cool to run into them.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

No regs, keep as many as you want. Most folks don't like to eat them, dark red oily meat, a lot like a bluefin. I've had them just toasted on the outside and raw on the inside and thought they were pretty good cooked (or not cooked) that way.

You must have lived in Florida at some point. For some reason Little Tunny are "bonito" there.

Atlantic Bonito (sarda sarda) has very white meat and is fairly mild.



Little Tunny, aka "bonito" in Florida, aka bloody mackeral, aka false albacore in New England (Euthynnus alletteratus) are challenging to prepare, at best.



I'm a big fan of Atlantic Bonito as table fare. I release them all. On the grill...

[RIJIMMY]

thanks Pete, I was suprised by Mike's response since I always heard they were delicious. Now I know I can keep 'em and I know they are good to eat, now i just need to find them!

Are they morning /evening or are they around all day?

[Clammer]

Thanks for the photo,s Pete ;;

now I,ll have no excuse for keeping the wrong one ><><

[fish4striper]

Pete, awesome pics.

Gotta get some of those yozuri minnow jigs, how do you work them?

[MakoMike]

We have two types of bonito around here, Atlantic AKA oceanic bonito that are very good eating and green bontio that have very red meat. I wasn't confusing Little tunny with bonito. Most of the bonito caught close to shore are the green bonito, which is what I thought Jimmy was asking about. The reason they are called green boniton will be obvious as soon as you catch one.

Any small metal lure will work on them as well as the little tunny. Litle castmasters, hopkins, etc.

[big jay]

Interesting.
Pete- how many of those tasty little buggers would you say that you and the guys nailed this/last season?

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by big jay

Interesting.
Pete- how many of those tasty little buggers would you say that you and the guys nailed this/last season?

Tough to say. They were like bluefish this weekend and on Monday, raging along certain stretches of the RI coast. There were multiple triples with 3 people on the boat. Never seen it quite that good before.

After filleting we had an honest 60 pounds between two boats. A large scale grilling event has been taking place the past few days with many people enjoying the bounty. Good times...

RIJimmy I find they tend to go all day. Tide seems to drive them as much as anything, I like it to be moving. I like some chop on the water too. They're very willing to eat right now; if you can find them, you'll catch them. I don't want to burn any spots but lets just say they're right where they're expected to be each year. PM if you want details.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by fish4striper

Pete, awesome pics.

Gotta get some of those yozuri minnow jigs, how do you work them?

I wish those were mine and that I was that good. A friend of mine took those, Dave Skok. www.dwskok.com

Nothing magic on the retrieve, accuracy is all you need. Fire it into the wheelhouse and retrieve at a medium pace and usually they'll eat. Great fly rod fish as well.

[kippy]

Bonito are delicious table fare. I caught some on a charter a few years ago. The captain left the skin on for grilling. I brushed it with some mayo and essence and cooked it skin side down on the grill..delicious! The taste is stronger than bluefin though but still very good.