# Lookin' for shoreline Bonita!!



## wtbfishin

Hit the beach about 7am in hopes of spotting a few winter Bonita running the lip. Lots of bird and bait action in the water but my action came from some fun sized Blues fairly consistent for a couple of hours . Condition were right for casting w/that gentle N wind blowing.


----------



## PBTH

Nice job. Nothing wrong with some decent bluefish action. I'm looking forward to getting out for beach bobos in a few days.


----------



## benjarmouche

Usually now - January they'll be going nuts off Ft. Pickens point. I guess getting out there can be a challenge now, though.


----------



## jwhitefish

Nice fish Wtb!! About how far off the shore are these fish? Also which beach Is better this time of Year, JB or Pensacola Beach? I have never fly fished from The Beach, and I really Wanna give it a shot!


----------



## wtbfishin

jWF it was pretty sweet out there again this morning if you like that kind of thing :yes:still no Bonita. It was different condition from yesterday. Yesterday fish were feeding on top and birds following was a dead give away. Today I was casting at moving shadows, there was a ripple on the water I couldn't really see through. It took an hour before I ever found any . I saw a few Reds which I spooked. I walk out about crotch deep in pants waders and head west, deeper and my stripping basket is more problem than it's worth, and I'm casting around 60'>75'. I'm actually over in Walton Co east of Destin so I have no idea which beach to suggest over that way. I bet their there though. When the beach looks like it did today if I can I'm going.


----------



## TeaSea

I haven't done much SW fly fishing (moved here from Arkansas). Just wondering if wooly buggers work ok in the surf. They sure catch every other kind of fish I've targeted with them.


----------



## flyfisher

TeaSea said:


> I haven't done much SW fly fishing (moved here from Arkansas). Just wondering if wooly buggers work ok in the surf. They sure catch every other kind of fish I've targeted with them.


I'm sure wooly buggers would work well at times...depending on the color and size. Just be sure to pay attention to the size of the prevalent bait and "match the hatch". 

Probably the equivalent of a wooly bugger up there is the clauser minnow down here. It's a pretty universal pattern.


----------



## wtbfishin

TeaSea said:


> I haven't done much SW fly fishing (moved here from Arkansas). Just wondering if wooly buggers work ok in the surf. They sure catch every other kind of fish I've targeted with them.


r

They would work. _Your going to need a heavier hook than a trout tie, and their going rip off that Marabou tails pretty quick. I caught these Blues on different color Clousers._
I also do alright w/Seducers and I like Gummy minnows.

PS I'm hoping to get after some large Browns and Bows in Arkansas in '14.


----------



## TeaSea

thanks flyfisher and wtbfishin. I thought I might tie some more durable WB's to use here. I've seen the gummy minnows and they look good. Also have some Clouser's but too small to use here. Have a box of smallmouth and largemouth patterns I plan on trying up Escambia way a 'see what happens'. Figured I'd take a 5 weight and an 8 weight and just try a bunch of different stuff.


----------



## flyfisher

TeaSea said:


> thanks flyfisher and wtbfishin. I thought I might tie some more durable WB's to use here. I've seen the gummy minnows and they look good. Also have some Clouser's but too small to use here. Have a box of smallmouth and largemouth patterns I plan on trying up Escambia way a 'see what happens'. Figured I'd take a 5 weight and an 8 weight and just try a bunch of different stuff.


Why don't you try to join us for our Christmas get-together...you'll learn a little and it's a good group of people.

What size are the Clausers? I wouldn't automatically assume they're too small. I've got bonita on #4 Clausers and Glass Minnows. Actually...now that I think about it...I like the Glass Minnows better because of the body flash.

The Glass Minnow is an old, old pattern that was around way before the Clauser...like going back to the 1980s. I'll bring some for you if you can make it to the party. They're fairly durable also.


----------



## benjarmouche

TeaSea said:


> I haven't done much SW fly fishing (moved here from Arkansas). Just wondering if wooly buggers work ok in the surf. They sure catch every other kind of fish I've targeted with them.


They work great with dumbell eyes for specks and reds, too.


----------



## TeaSea

thanks for the invitation flyfisher. When and where? Really interested in meeting some local flyfishers.

Also: I've seen some flies at Dizzy Lizzie's (sp?) but not a huge selection. Where else do you guys get flies and tying supplies (other than the big box stores) around Pensacola? Didn't see any at Outcast but may have just missed them.


----------



## flyfisher

TeaSea said:


> thanks for the invitation flyfisher. When and where? Really interested in meeting some local flyfishers.


I'm not sure that's been determined but just monitor the thread under this one. I think maybe they have a date but not a place. I'm not 100% sure.


----------



## TeaSea

ok flyfisher, thanks


----------



## wtbfishin

I hadn't seen a Bonita yet, but the Blues are supplying me w/good fun for these mornings :yes:!


----------



## iJabo

Thats a video from a guy I'm subscribed to. Goes to show that you can find them haha.


----------



## wtbfishin

Need a like button for that one! Pretty cool, he must of seen them from the road?:shifty:


----------



## steelhead

wtbfishin said:


> Need a like button for that one! Pretty cool, he must of seen them from the road?:shifty:


Look for the birds while you're cruising around. If you have a good vantage point, you can see the albies slashing the water.


----------



## flyfisher

Also: I've seen some flies at Dizzy Lizzie's (sp?) but not a huge selection. Where else do you guys get flies and tying supplies (other than the big box stores) around Pensacola? Didn't see any at Outcast but may have just missed them.[/QUOTE]

BTW, we live over in Fairhope and have a shop over here called The Church Mouse. Spenser Johnson owns it and is a good guy. He has a nice selection of tying materials and is good about special ordering anything you need.

I get most of my stuff there or, sometimes, Bass Pro. I prefer Spenser's shop since it's locally owned, however.


----------



## steelhead

flyfisher said:


> Also: I've seen some flies at Dizzy Lizzie's (sp?) but not a huge selection. Where else do you guys get flies and tying supplies (other than the big box stores) around Pensacola? Didn't see any at Outcast but may have just missed them.


BTW, we live over in Fairhope and have a shop over here called The Church Mouse. Spenser Johnson owns it and is a good guy. He has a nice selection of tying materials and is good about special ordering anything you need.

I get most of my stuff there or, sometimes, Bass Pro. I prefer Spenser's shop since it's locally owned, however.[/QUOTE]

Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle has enough stuff to get you going. I've never caught albies on the fly yet, but plenty on white jigs. A gent I know has caught plenty with a very sparse white craft fur and w/flash pattern. Nothing fancy at all. He brings a pair of scissors w/him to trim the fly when the albies are keyed in on glass minnows and such.


----------



## flyfisher

I've never caught albies on the fly yet, but plenty on white jigs. A gent I know has caught plenty with a very sparse white craft fur and w/flash pattern. Nothing fancy at all. He brings a pair of scissors w/him to trim the fly when the albies are keyed in on glass minnows and such.[/QUOTE]

Not bragging but I have caught quite a few and echo the experience of your friend. Smaller is almost always better. If you're getting refusals, try dropping down a size (from a #2 to a #4, for example) or, as you mentioned, trimming your fly back a bit.

One thing to keep in mind is to try and determine which direction the school is moving and get in front of it. If you can, let them come to you. Some days they pop up and down and you'll run yourself ragged if you try to run from school to school. Other days, they stay up and are a lot easier.


----------



## CaptHarry

Depends on the bait, but these sure seem to crush 'em :yes:



























L8, Harry


----------



## ARslinger

where can i get those!^


----------



## CaptHarry

Out of my cold dead hands :brows:
PM me your address and I'll spin a few extras for ya next time I'm at the vice.
L8, Harry


----------



## ARslinger

CaptHarry said:


> Out of my cold dead hands :brows:
> PM me your address and I'll spin a few extras for ya next time I'm at the vice.
> L8, Harry


Looks so damn realistic! Pm sent!!


----------



## kayakfisherman

Please excuse my ignorance, but do you guys use wire tipped leaders when fishing the surf for blues and bonita?


----------



## flyfisher

kayakfisherman said:


> Please excuse my ignorance, but do you guys use wire tipped leaders when fishing the surf for blues and bonita?



You won't need wire for the bonita. With the blues, unless they're very large, you'll be fine w/o wire. I would just either use heavier mono as a shock tippet or just tie your flies starting at the bend of the hook and use the hook shank as a "bite tippet"


----------



## wtbfishin

I did have issues w/those Blues. I was using a 30#flouro shock tippet and I lost several patterns that day. Probably landed 1 out 3 hook-ups. I think the followers were what was cutting me off, ea landed fish was hooked in the lip and the school was trying it's best to take it out of it mouth.

I've seen the BoBos in big schools about 100 yds or more off the beach but nothing along the lip yet what about you guys?


----------



## flyfisher

That's interesting about being cut off. You might need to step up to 40#...just try and keep it as light as you can get away with. The more
natural the presentation, the better.


----------



## kayakfisherman

Awesome. Thanks for the tips guys.


----------

