Dana Point Bonito - Questions

After the past few weekends of 60+ bass (edit: all small, maybe one keeper per day, almost a nuisance sifting through the little ones) days up in Long Beach, thinking of trolling for some bonito tomorrow instead of doing the hoop net shuffle. Sounds like the 60 fathom line outside of dana point has been biting, but as a first timer, any colors I should start with? I have accumulated quite the rapala collection but am wondering what you guys are using. I'm in a 14' tinny so bones on light gear should be fun. I appreciate the help in advance!

 

Hey Henry. I’ve caught bones on about everything but keep going back to a plain Jane bonito feather. Prolly caught a hundred bones with my kids over the years on them. Troll 7 MPH or so. Bones are a hoot on heavy bass gear.

I used this last Sunday on bones between Izors and the farm, oops, I mean THE SECRET SPOT lol.

 

Last year I was killing them on a small sardine patterned flat fall

 

Anything works for Bones, they are the most fishermen friendly fish ever. My personal favorite (for small tuna too) is a small jethead, like the 4" sumo ones.

Plugs work great, but I'm not a fan of a hot fish bouncing around with trebels. A single or double hook are preferred.

 

Finding birds and casting into them or were you marking them?

 

I've converted 90% of all of my stick baits to single hooks for this exact reason. I'll look into the jet heads. Bass are fun but I want to try something different and this looks like it's in the realm of my little boat.

 

troll around. drag anything with a hook

 

This^^^

 

I would usually mark them. I found them under birds too, but mostly just marks around 100' of water.

 

Awesome, thanks to all. I'll report back tomorrow either way. Going to head out tonight and drop anchor outside Doheny for the Eric Church concert and make sure the boat floats with the new thru-hull. If anyone else is out there and wants to link up, call Tinacious on 72.

 

Hogans Tackle is right by the harbor. They sale the Bonita / Bonito feathers if you need them. Good luck.

 

Troll bonito feathers on 20# red n white my fav.

 

ALL GREAT IDEAS I WAS OUT LAST WEEKEND WITH STRAIT CEADER PLUGS AND KILLED THEM THEY LOVE THOSE DARN CEADER PLUGS BEAR WOOD GO FIG NEVER KNOW WHY SINGLE HOOK CRAZY SMITTY OUT

 

They cant resist the 1oz/1.5oz Megabait/coltsnipers

 

That. Megabits and cold snipers at 6 to 7 knots. Gonna go try it right now.

 

How was it? Sounds like others struggled to bone up on things.

 

Didn't get back from the concert until almost 1am so I slept in, audibled and headed to Long Beach. All the short calicos you want at the Esther rig and some 2 pounders at the wall. Trying for the bones first thing tomorrow morning. Seems like theres a window early before the big swells start to roll in but we'll see. I'll be the yahoo in the aluminum boat and will be on 72 if anyone else is out there

 

I've had great luck with with the rapala clak mag 15, in bunker color

 

Anything shiny. Bonito love the bling. Blue and chrome is a good go to color for me, whether it be Yo-Zuri Hydro-mags, Tady A2’s or Colt Snipers.

 

trolled a few hours this morning for nada from the Clemente pier up to the point from 160' to 220'. Rapalas in blue/silver/purple and colt snipers in green mack. Was a beautiful morning and then the wind started picking up around 9:30 so I worked my way back in. Water temp was 67ish. Take that for what it's worth as I was as noob as it gets. Tough to really get things dialed in with one hand on the tiller but we all have to start somewhere.