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October 21st, 1999 Question: FALSE ALBACORE AND BONITO "My two questions are:
Thanks" Noz O. Question: CHUMMING FOR BONITO?"I was wondering if bonito can be successfully chummed to the boat, and if so what chum material works best. What little I know about bonito is that you can't chase them around and you should set up near structure or bait or both and wait them out. I would think chum might enhance your spot by drawing small fish, silversides, snapper blues, then the larger gamefish. What do you think?" Mike H. Answer: Former fisheries biologist, contributing editor to Fly Rod & Reel, and native North Carolinian fly fisher Buzz Bryson (flyfishr@intrex.net) replied: "I can only answer this from what I've seen here in North Carolina. We do occasionally see albacore moving in what appears to be a pattern, for instance along a beach, or perhaps around a point. That motion may be a large circle; I'm not sure. Sometimes there isn't any apparent movement pattern, but the fish seem to hang in a general area because of a concentration of baitfish. Perhaps the answer is they move if the baitfish aren't concentrated, but if they are, why not just stay and enjoy the lunch! Typically, we see some bonito in the spring in fishable numbers around Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington. The false albacore are mostly seen in the fall, at least inshore, and primarily around Cape Lookout. I've never seen a bonito caught then. I would note that the false albacore are caught through much of the summer farther offshore and farther north, particularly around the wrecks/reefs off of Oregon Inlet. The short answer is that here, there's very little overlap." "Chumming has just caught on here for the albacore. Typically, it is used when there is little bait available, and the fish are concentrated behind the shrimp trawlers. If a boat hooks up behind a trawler, they will start chumming in the hopes of keeping the fish in that same area, which were already attracted to the fish going through the net or being tossed overboard. I've also seen anglers do this on open water -- chum after locating some fish. It works, best I can tell. I'm not sure that it would work if there were no fish already in the area; I'd say not. Nor do I think it would work if there's already plenty of bait in the water, but then why would you need to chum then." Answer:Alan Caolo (mouliet@aol.com), who guides anglers in pursuit of stripers, bluefish, tautog, as well as the fish in question, out of Westerly, Rhode Island, provided this reply: "Little Tunny, like all members of the tuna family, respond very well to chumming. Atlantic bonito are also easily drawn to a boat in this way. You’re right about the futility of chasing these high-speed fish. The smart approach is a disciplined and patient approach (to "wait it out") whereby the skiff is positioned to drift (or be stemmed) by way of combined wind and tide effects, within the corridors where the tuna have been feeding. The fish are intercepted by alert anglers who can now easily cast their flies in the path of the fish as they blow by the skiff." "Would chumming enhance this approach by drawing the tuna right to the boat, and maybe even hold them there for a bit? Absolutely! Your idea is a good one – it has worked well for many fly fishers who are willing to go through the extra effort involved with chumming. The chumming concept you described, however, is a little off. Bonito and albacore (especially albacore) show a marked preference for very small bait. My experience has been that anchovies, silversides, and sand eels (in that order) are what they prefer. Bonito, with their larger, well-toothed mouths are apt to feed on larger fish (herring, bunker, etc.) as bluefish do. These baitfish are not drawn to chum, however, as snapper blues or mackerel are. Your best chum would be to get a couple of pails of the prevalent forage and grind it up (cast nets are the ticket here). If this were not possible, then ground fresh menhaden would be the way to go. Also, consider tossing the hook (anchoring -- Editor's note) if conditions permit." "Bonito and tunny feeding patterns are cyclic, or repetitive, and make these fish somewhat predictable during a day’s fishing. This allows anglers to "post up," and intercept them. The shape, size, and frequency of the pattern depend on many factors that include tide, structure, water depth(s), bait school locations and movement, tide rips, and others. While some locations may be exactly patterned day in and day out, generally you must make an assessment while on the scene (watch for birds, bait, and surface activity). The fish seek to hit the bait where and when it is most vulnerable, then move on to the next balled-up school. A return to previous schools occurs when the bait has re-schooled and is once again vulnerable. To answer your last question: yes, bonito and albacore may be found in the same general area, but they rarely mix together in a single school. Very good questions Mike - good luck." Question: LEADERS - TIE YOUR
OWN? Capt. Bob Rodgers replied: "Hi Bob, tying your own leaders gives you a lot more control over how they perform than buying a knotless leader from a shop. Until recently, most knotless leaders available for purchase were freshwater leaders with stronger tippets. The butt section diameters were too small to transfer the energy from the unrolling flyline, and hinged badly. Even though knotless leader designs have improved, I still feel that customizing a leader for given conditions and fly styles is much better. Conditions can change quickly on saltwater. The wind can pick up or lay down, or a change in tactics may require a larger, heavier, or lighter fly. Since you'll have to make adjustments to your leader anyway in order to optimize your delivery in these changing conditions, the experience you've gained by building your own leaders will serve you well." "Now, just to prove there are few absolutes in fishing, there are times where knotless leaders can save you headaches. Knots are weed magnets, so if you are fishing in an area with floating grass, such as shallow water redfish or dolphin on weedlines, you'll have better luck getting a fly through clean with no leader knot connections. One other point worth consideration is the fact that, at the cost of a little time, you can tie a lot of knotted leaders for the price of a few knotless ones. I've had best results by sticking to monofilament from the same manufacturer through all the connections." Question: SPOTTING FISH IN THE
WATER Capt. Bob Rodgers replied: "Capt. Allan Finkelman wrote a good article about this subject in the June/July 1999 issue of Saltwater Fly Fishing magazine. William, successfully spotting fish takes practice. In other words, the more fish you see in the water, the easier it will become to pick them up. I believe the main reason guides spot fish before their clients is because they know what color to look for on a given flat. Of course, knowing where the fish tend to hang gives us a huge advantage, too. A lot of anglers tend to focus primarily on a given point, for instance between 11 and 1:00 o'clock. The best anglers keep their eyes moving and cover as much water around the boat as possible. It's never a bad idea to take a peek over your shoulder occasionally, fish have a nasty little habit of creeping up in your blind spots. Concentration is another key ingredient. The moment you start daydreaming is when the fish bump into the side of the boat. I'm often asked how far from the boat I concentrate my search. This varies with conditions - on a sunny day it may be one hundred yards, while on a cloudy day, only a boat length or two. Poor visibility makes the most demands on both the angler and the guide. Short, quick casts are the norm, you just won't have the time for anything else. Always be alert for other signs of fish activity (I'm primarily speaking of bonefish here) such as the muds schools of fish make as they feed across the bottom, and the flashes you'll see from them on bright days. It's a good idea to look behind the boat as your guide starts across a new flat to see what color the mud is as it comes off his pushpole. That will be exactly the same color as the muds the fish make on that particular flat. Carefully check out any motion you see on the flat. Bonefish and permit are rarely static and the motion as they swim is often easier to spot than the fish themselves. Finally, always wear a hat and good pair of polarized sunglasses. You may have to do a little experimenting to find the color that works best for you. I prefer a brownish-amber tint, but I'm also partial to the vermilion color." In the next edition of GuideLines we:
We truly appreciate your fascinating questions, - Keep'em coming! Bob and Sandy Rodgers Reel-Time Homepage | Back to Guidelines |
