Bonito: Fly Fishing For The Hard Tail High

by | Salt Water

Bonito Video

I am addicted to fly fishing for anything with a hard tail. In the Northeast, fly fishing for any tuna species is right up my alley. It’s fast, it’s very visual and hard tales have a way of exposing every weakness. And, above all that, they rip. Tuna species are rocket ships and built for speed. I recently went on a great Bonito fly fishing trip with fellow hard tale addict Tom Rosenbauer, of The Orvis Company. We fished with our now good friend, Capt. Mike, who is also as addicted to hard tales as we are. Tom brought 6 or 7 rod and reel setups, and several of the fly rods were supposedly some new top secret rod that Orvis is working on. I always enjoy my fly fishing trips with Tom, because there is never a lack of gear and he always has something new that he is working on or testing. Anyway, Mike got us on good numbers of Bonito. As always, they were up and down fast and success was dependant on seeing which way they were feeding, positioning the boat perfectly and getting a good cast at a feeding fish. Tom was using an epoxy fly that he tied, Mike was fishing a white bucktail fly and I was using a larger sized epoxy fly. Fortunately, these fish were hungry and eating. The trick was getting the fly in the zone! Tom and Mike hooked up and landed their first Bonito and I was next. Mike positioned the boat perfectly and the fish were busting and moving towards me. I tried my best to not get too amped up (which is very easy to do) and throw senseless casts. I waited till the opportune time to throw one solid cast. Here they come, closer, closer … fire! I was leading one fish and the fly landed where it needed to be. Strip fast, faster, faster … he’s on it! He ate it! The line jumped up when the fish started his first run and it kinda got all wrapped around my arm and reel. I thought it was going to get hung up but somehow I managed to unravel all of the unwanted wraps with both hands and my teeth, and when the fish cleared all the line I had cleared all the wraps and my reel began to sing. If you watch the video you will see what I am referring too. I spend so much time chasing these fish from boats and foot and they are very elusive fish, they typically trick me more than I trick them. They are always one step ahead of me and find some way to burn me, even when I think I have them beat. So, needless to say, I was in high heaven when I had a nice Bonito on my line! I really prefer to fish for hard tales with guys that are as equally passionate about them as myself; because it always gets crazy out there chasing hard tales around. And, a fly fisherman who is not accustomed to the hard tale game might find it a little too fast and too frustrating. However, for those who love chasing the hard tales when they are feeding inshore on the surface on natural bait; it is intoxicating and the ultimate fly fishing high.

12 Comments

  1. ChrisR on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Sweet Bro! Looks like Capt. Mike found some seriously niced sized pods of bones out there. I’ve heard they’ve been a spotty game lately. Everything still seems to be a week or two out. Killer video as always. Soon those Albies will be here dude.

  2. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Nice outing guys. Man do you know how to sniff them out! It must be tough to keep your composure and exercise discipline while watching the madness unfold. I would be frothing at the mouth and flailing away shooting errant casts all over the place. Awesome!

  3. Fisherboy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Congrats you guys…over the years i have figured out how tough these fish are to locate and get an even halfway decent cast into them. And of course, landing them is a whole different story. Such great footage and awsome fish like that DEMAND respect. You guys got the job done, and captured the whole essence of the addiction. Nice work!

  4. Boz on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Those are some beautiful fish for sure, and your smile in the top shot says it all. The video and tune were sweet too! Loved the shots of the bonito right off the bow of the boat..well done. Looks like you all had some solid shots at em and made your casts count when it mattered most. Nice work! Get it done in one…

  5. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    whippa … oh, don’t be fooled by the end result of the video … keep in mind that is all edited down and only shows the “good” stuff … maybe at some point i will put together “hard tale bloopers” … believe me, these fish get in everybodies heads .. there is alot of flailing, line wrapped around toes and props, hooks in backs and ears etc…. i would definately have to bleep out alot of the audio too, as the hard tales have a way of making even the most composed fly fisherman act a bit rough around the edges …..

  6. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    fisherboy — you know the deal … 3 years of chasing albies and bonito for you .. and nothing but heart break ….. i think this is your year though … and that’s what makes hard tales so addicting …. it is the norm to spend alot of time chasing, zigging when you should have zagged, foiled casts at opportune times, going here when they were there, seeing them just out of casting range, dropping the hook etc…. but, when it all comes together .. after usually alot of mishaps and hard lessons learned … it is a very rewarding fish to catch ….

  7. NiC on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Great story and cool video Jeremy.
    I really have to try these fish out some day…

  8. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    good stuff as always! Those little tunie are the bomb! Great video!

  9. ChaChing on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Man.. You sure know how to heat up things.. Awesome Job!!!

  10. capt_gordon on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Nice backpack.

  11. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    huh?

  12. joey on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Sweet vid j$ looks like a blast wish they had bonito in the colorado river.