Atlantic bonito

A small tuna with a blue-steel back crossed by 5–11 dark, slanted stripes running down and forward, and plain silver sides and belly. It has a mouthful of small, sharp teeth (other small tunas don't).

18–26 in and 3–8 lb.

About 3 ft and over 20 lb.

Anchovies, sardines, sprats, horse mackerel, sand eels and squid.

Fast schooling fish that blitz bait at the surface, often under diving birds. In the Black Sea they make famous autumn runs through the Bosphorus.

Found from Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), France, Italy & Malta, Greece & the Adriatic, Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea & Caspian, Morocco & West Africa, United Kingdom & Ireland, Virginia & Chesapeake Bay, North Carolina, Delaware & New Jersey, New York, Long Island & Connecticut, Rhode Island & Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Maine, Georgia & South Carolina, Florida Atlantic Coast, Northern Gulf (AL–TX) and Mexico Gulf Coast. Coastal waters of the Mediterranean and Black Sea and the Atlantic from Norway (rare) to West Africa and from Nova Scotia to Florida and the Gulf.

Coastal waters of the Mediterranean and Black Sea and the Atlantic from Norway (rare) to West Africa and from Nova Scotia to Florida and the Gulf.

Surface to 100 ft.

Surface to 30 ft.

Late summer and fall in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and U.S. Northeast; spring and fall migrations elsewhere.

Early morning and late afternoon.

Moving current around points and inlets.

Calm to moderate days with clean water.

Live or dead sardines, anchovies and sand eels; chum with chopped sardines.

Small metal jigs, casting spoons, minnow plugs, feathers and small trolling lures.

7–9 ft medium spinning rod with a 3000–4000 reel.

#1–2/0 hooks or single-hooked lures.

15–20 lb braid.

20–30 lb fluorocarbon (bonito are line-shy).

Run and gun to feeding schools and cast a metal jig past the boil, then crank fast; or troll small feathers and plugs at 5–7 knots along points and current lines.

Match the bait size: when bonito are on tiny anchovies, a small, slim jig on a light fluorocarbon leader outfishes big lures.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Bleed and ice it right away. The red meat is rich and tasty grilled, baked, or salted and cured (the Turkish 'lakerda' and Spanish 'mojama'-style).

Sharp teeth and a hard, flapping tail; use pliers.

Some countries set minimum sizes and limits (for example in Turkey and the Black Sea states); U.S. states mostly have no specific limit. Check local rules. Every country sets its own rules: sea fishing licenses or registration in some countries, a national or regional license plus a local permit for fresh water, and minimum sizes everywhere. Check before you fish.

Keep what you will eat fresh; bonito is best the same day.