# Bonita report



## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

Spent 4 hours today chasing bonita around. They were extremely boat shy, so catching one was a challenge. Hours went by with only a few strikes. Then at the end of the day,a bobofinally took the fly. 



















Fun fight forthe brand new Temple Fork!


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## YakFlies (Oct 3, 2008)

Nice job thanks for the report!

Pro series tfo? and weight rod did you get? I have a TICRx 12wt and I like it a lot.. I was thinking about getting a TICR or a pro series 9wt


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *YakFlies (11/4/2009)* I have a TICRx 12wt and I like it a lot..


Hey, I've got the same one. It definitely shoots well, I was thinking about getting an 8 wt temple fork one day since I like the 12 wt version. 



Hey Chris, nice work! You'll get the reds next time. I'll have to throw that rod of yours when I'm over there this weekend.


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

It's just a basic 8wt Lefty Kreh series.Feels very nice with a strong backbone.$120 at BPS.

I need you to drive the boat Wade! Doing this by myself today was too hard. We'll get on them Sat.


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

Congrats on the bonito, they are awesome on the long rod. I haven't been out in the Gulf much this year, seems like the winds have always been unfavorable, or maybe I am just a wimp or getting too old! How far out were you when you found them? Any numbers or were the schools on the small size? Great to see a post about them. We went out last night but the full moon seemed to give the dock fish lockjaw, only got 10 short ones.


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

I started to see schools of them near the Mass. They were all broken up into small schools with no big ones. Pretty annoying trying to chase them.


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## First Catch (Oct 1, 2007)

:clap


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## CaptHarry (Oct 13, 2007)

Been working my butt off, but I finally got on the water andgot on them last Thursday.(All alone sucks)Fast moving pods, running about 7 knts when they were moving between bait balls. Got 1 hooked up early on, on a black and purple peanut butter tarpon fly, on the second double back, he got off. (I was rigged for reds) They were down where the condos first start west of the pass on Perdido Key, they were going back and fourth on the clean/dirty tide line, lots of birds working. Found some more a few miles SW of Perdido Pass in Alabama, up down, and real boat shy. Ran back to the Key, and found a couple of pods working, finally got in front of one, shut down, and got a good cast in. Hooked up and landed one, on a Tuitti Fruitti (NC Albie fly). After that, the bite died, I'd been running all day (breaking in my rebuild)headed home.:looser All my buds have been hammering them up in NC, I just couldn't make it up there this year, but the 12+ lbers up live up to the "Where 10wts go to die" saying. Also had a spec on a grass flat on my way out in the morning. I tied up some blood minnow patterns last night, i will be ready next time out!

If you guys have any questions on TFO rods, let me know.(I'm on pro staff for TFO)I also have a few different ones you can come by and cast if you want. I live out on the West side in Crown Point. Give me a shout if you want to try a rod, or wanna get on the water. (Yes this means you FlyLipps:letsdrink)

L8, Harry


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

Well I am glad "all alone sucks", serves you right for not inviting me along in the first place!! Seriously it is good to hear you finally got on the water Capt. Harry. And while it sounds like you had to search hard for them at least you eventually hooked up solid. Congratulations on the catch. My friend Mike and I went out looking for them last Friday, East out of Pensacola pass. Early Friday was rough, but by the time we got the boat in the water around 3:00 it had laid down to calm. Ran around for about an hour and a half and didn't see the first red or bo. Came back in just about dark, winds picked up a touch, so we hit a protected grass flat and again nothing. By now it is dark so we cruise 3mb looking for topwater reds, but didn't waste a lot of time. Went in to Bayou Texar to fish dock lights. Caught one 18- red on Lance's dock. Thought it was the beginning of a good night. Turned out to be the only decent fish all night. Hit several more lights, lots of small specks nothing worth noting. Hit Lance's one more time on the way out and listened to him "rock out" for a while before going to Jerry's for some fried mullet and beer. While not a good night of fishing, it was still a good night! All fish caught on a Topwater Seaducer. And a special thanks to you Lance for keeping the lights on and the music up!


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## asago (Nov 11, 2008)

Question for those of you who pursue these wonderful fish out of Pensacola... do they ever consistently school up into any big schools in this area or are you always chasing the small schools around? I know it may be a dumb question but the last couple times I fly fished the Destin pass I've either been real lucky or the fish must really prefer it to our pass because I've consistently found multi-acre schools out of Destin and almost none outside the Pensacola pass.... Is it just timing and/or coincidence? - would like to hear from someone who's been chasing them longer than me.....



BTW - if you're out there and see a green 22' Pathfinder and a guy flinging a fly rod on the front, stop by and say hi!


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

> *asago (11/24/2009)*Question for those of you who pursue these wonderful fish out of Pensacola... do they ever consistently school up into any big schools in this area or are you always chasing the small schools around? I know it may be a dumb question but the last couple times I fly fished the Destin pass I've either been real lucky or the fish must really prefer it to our pass because I've consistently found multi-acre schools out of Destin and almost none outside the Pensacola pass.... Is it just timing and/or coincidence? - would like to hear from someone who's been chasing them longer than me.....
> 
> BTW - if you're out there and see a green 22' Pathfinder and a guy flinging a fly rod on the front, stop by and say hi!


Once it's full force winter, you can find big wads of bobos deep inside the pass. It will almost look like a football field of bonita. Birds will be everywhere and you will see hundreds jumping in the air. 

Were you fishingthe bay today? I saw a green 22 Pathfinder with a t-top right next to me. 2-stroke Yammy?


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

Nice job CaptHarry! With the flyrod, I know how you feel. They are a challening fish to go after.


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## CaptHarry (Oct 13, 2007)

My ride is a Parker 18, doubt there is another in the area, so it's me, come on over and lets have a beer; unless I'm runing and gunning to the next pod:shedevil










L8, Harry


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

In the winter the bonita get thicker than white on rice in the pass. It is a turkey shoot. They get packed in there right on the edge of that sand bar that extends west from fort pickens and just stay in there. There is no chasing the wolf pack of only 10 bonita, they are everywhere! See here:

<EMBED height=344 type=application/x-shockwave-flash width=425 src=http://www.youtube.com/v/T1HQ-lymc0s&hl=en_US&fs=1& allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></EMBED>


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## troutbuster (Sep 4, 2008)

@True King,

Wow !!!!!!

:hoppingmad:hoppingmad:hoppingmad:hoppingmad:hoppingmad:hoppingmad


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## asago (Nov 11, 2008)

Anyone been brave enough to go look for 'em lately? Been too cold for me. Upside is that I've tied an entire box of flies....


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## Hunter (Sep 16, 2009)

got a few Q's.

do yall think a 7wt Temple fork can hold up to a bonito?

and what kinda flies would you want to use?


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## CaptHarry (Oct 13, 2007)

> *asago (1/4/2010)*Anyone been brave enough to go look for 'em lately? Been too cold for me. Upside is that I've tied an entire box of flies....


If ya wanna know, you gotta go Last couple of times I've been out, nada on the bobos, might have seen one pod up and down quick but that was it for me. If you think it's cold here, you should fish the NE this time of year. When ice forms on your rod guides, it's getting cold.:

Hunter, 7wt will handle the bonita around here with no problems. A good fly would be a Tuity Fruity clouser (Pink, Chart. White), or any silver side/blood minnow pattern. I'v had a few around here eat a big menhaden pattern as well. They are not usually picky unless you get on sippers eating really small stuff.

L8, Harry


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

I actually took the yak out today at around noon. Water was extremely clear and flat. I saw a nice school of bobos just past the second bar and a smaller one on the inside. It may be cold but now is a great time for the flyrod


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## CaptHarry (Oct 13, 2007)

Thanks for the report. I was sitting in flourescent lit hell, aka work.

L8, Harry


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