April is a much anticipated month here on the Crystal Coast of NC. It’s always the time when warm Spring conditions and cool water temps make their permanent debut! It’s also the time when we see the arrival of one of the best seasonal species arrive off our coastal beaches, the Atlantic Bonito! Let’s talk about these delicious fish with the how, when & where to catch them up!
Atlantic Bonito, not to be confused with false Albacore (Albies), but usually will be, are a migratory fish that arrive in our areas early April through early May. They travel here from the south to eat and spawn on our local reefs which make them very easy to find and catch. You can be sure to find huge schools right on local Artificial Reefs all up and down the coast. They are very active and hungry early at sunrise. Providing amazing drag screaming fights on light tackle such as 4K reels and fast action rods. They can also be caught with several varying fishing techniques! Early in the Season you can get instant hard hits throwing metal jigs such as silver stingers with a fast retrieve. As the Season progresses using live bait on top water or even slow trolling silver spoons on small planers will always provide plenty of non-stop action!
These strong fish range from 5 to 14 lbs and are a very delicious table fare. If your tastebuds crave a delicate Tuna style fish then the Atlantic Bonito should be on your next bucket list. They make great Sashimi, Poke bowls or even just blackened and seared. Treat and prepare them just as you would your favorite Tuna. A very simple trait to look for to distinguish from other species that may look the same such as Spanish Mackerel or False Albies is that Bonito sport very small razor teeth and a plaid like pattern on their bodies.
Now let’s keep in mind you have a very short doorway to catch these amazing fish so make sure you plan your trips from early April to mid May ! As always feel free to contact Top Gun Fishing with any questions we can help you with or to just plan a fun day of fishing for your Family.
Thank you and best fishes,
