More Bonito Jigminnows

Bonito Jigminnows

Happy Holidays

October Tunoids

Albie Time

More Bonito Action

More shore bonito action yesterday! I used my Jigminnows exclusively... My friend Jason Zimmer (pic below) displays a nice bonito, earned the hard way.

 

Bucktail Jigminnows and Bonito

Bonito snacks! Responsible for two shore bonitos in one afternoon... The first version of this fly called Ghostly Jigminnow I tied back in 2009...see this post. I tie the current version on 30 degree bend hooks, which improves the action of the fly.

Bonito Squid

Small squid imitation, size 1, Owner Gorilla hook.

This Year, So Far

So far, this year has been a year of 4wt to 7wt (yes, small) stripers, and also the year of the bonito. We'll have to wait for the fall to see the rest of it...

Feathertail Sand Eel and Sightcast Minnow

Feathertail Sand Eel (L): colored tubing, thin saddle feathers and UV resin.
Sightcast Minnow (R): worm hook, bucktail and faux bucktail, bleached peacock

Winter Fishing in Med

I just got back late last night from Samos, Greece. I had a great time, partly due to wonderful Greek family who were my hosts. The fishing was quite slow, the main culprit being very cold weather which rolled over during the second part of my stay and shut everything off. I fished through most days, skipping only the coldest/wettest mornings. Managed to catch only scad. First several mornings looked quite promising, with decent amount of surface activity. I did have one hit/miss from a bonito, since some were around during most mornings. Also threw at barracuda who lingered near the pier, without takes. I observed either large false albacore or baby bluefin in the middle of the bay, smashing through schools of finger mullet. Nothing close within fly range, though. The piers and jetties did harbor a good amount of bait. I am hoping to return for another round in the future... Best time to go would be September-November, which is not surprising.

Baitfish Variety

Baitfish comparison...  Hooks sizes 2/0 and 3/0, narrow vs wider profiles.

Sardinella aurita

Round sardinella (Sardinella aurita), another important Med baitfish for small tunas...

Sardina pilchardus

Tying few more for Med... European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), tied somewhat more elongated than the naturals. Small tuna attractor, 6" on 3/0 hook. Versions on the second photo are slightly smaller.

Colored Tubing Baitfish

Few craft fur candies tied with Hends colored tubing, L to R: pale yellow, olive, pink, sand.

Crease Flies

Olive and pink crease flies... Tied with thicker foam on 3/0 Gamakatsu SP11 perfect bend hooks.

More Magnum Candy

Magnum silversides, and also good imitation of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus.) These imitate full grown specimens, tied on size 2/0 hooks.

Lucky Week

Two fly rod shore bonito last week... lucky indeed!