Malta Fishing Forum

Shore Fishing => General Questions => Ledgering => Topic started by: sargu xih on December 01, 2008, 12:14:45 CET

Title: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: sargu xih on December 01, 2008, 12:14:45 CET
Hi guys,

I wished to share this wonderful experience I had today.  As I have been doing for the past two months, this morning I went fishing for sawrell from the harbour.  I use the running float rig, hook size 6 and shrimps or tumbrell as bait.  Early in the morning I had already caught two sawrell.  However, at about 8am something exciting happened.  I was looking elsewhere when I suddenly realised the running float was nowhere to be seen.  I opened the drag and spinned in.  At first I thought it was a nice sawrella but the fish pulled the line ferociously.  The drag spinned like crazy.  After 10 - 15 mins of fight I managed to drag the fish nearer to shore.  Three other fishermen came to the rescue.  As the fish reached the shore it was clear it was a nice sized fish, and it was very strong.  It was a bonito.  The bonito was now nearer to the surface, and we tried to net the fish a couple of times.  As soon as the bonito saw the net, it just pulled the line even stronger.  I feared the line was going to break sooner or later - and I was right.   After several attempts trying to net the nice bonito, it gave a very strong jerk and managed to escape.  My adrenaline levels were sky high.  I was excited because I never caught such a fish from land but at the same disappointed I didn't manage to land it  :'(.  And I caught a bonito using running float, size 6 hook and shrimp as bait.  Was it just luck?  Or can bonito really be caught this way?
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: shanook on December 01, 2008, 12:27:01 CET
hey its food and I dont think the bonito is going to be choosy about what it finds to eat. I dont think its normal but hey thats fishing. The unexpected can happen. Well done, its a shame u didnt land it, but it seemed u had fun just the same. Better luck for next time.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: bigboy on December 01, 2008, 12:40:56 CET
Sargu xih in which port are you fishing if i may ask ??? Is it the grandharbour by any chance ?
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: sargu xih on December 01, 2008, 14:14:01 CET
yes, its my first experience fishing in the harbour.  I usually always used to fish in open seas e.g. Cirkewwa, Zurrieq, Marsalforn and never imagined a port would be so productive.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: fabrizioviper on December 01, 2008, 15:45:03 CET
even for us spearos the port sometimes can be very productive :o :o :o :o
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Granitu on December 01, 2008, 15:48:52 CET
true but they are dirty too......
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Aab131 on December 01, 2008, 17:40:25 CET
at this time of the period the grand habour is full of Sawrell ta l-Imperjal nicely sized around 1Kg. Near pixkerija they fish it alot with tumbrell. Last year i managed to catch but this year didn't have time to go. Also last february my cousin was spinning from Kalkara from barracuda but to the surprise of everyone she caught a bonito instead. Luckily enough she managed to land it.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: ganni on December 01, 2008, 18:46:27 CET
WOW you have a female cousin who goes spinning??

im glad to hear that cause i rly don't wish fishing to be just for men!!
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Diplodus Sargus on December 01, 2008, 19:14:24 CET
Guys sargu xih is my fishing mate and today he was very exited with what happened to him. I think i was the first one that i knew about his adventure with this fish! I was during my usual day at work when at some time the phone rang! When i saw his name on display my first thought was that he caught something for sure (we always do like that when we catch something biggggg). When i answered he was not so happy about what happened because the fish was only inches away as he explained to me. But thats what makes fishing a challenge, thats what makes you go crazy. Dont worry my friend your time will come for sure keep trying!
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: ramio on December 01, 2008, 20:10:22 CET
Well done, even though you didn't manage the landing. The trill was there and at least you saw what you were fighting against.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: sargu xih on December 01, 2008, 21:56:19 CET
This experience made me crazy.  I just can't stop thinking of the drag spinning, my rod bent like a hook, and the sight of the bonito getting nearer to shore... but then...  snap!!... all was lost.

Tonight I'll dream about it for sure  hehe.  My adrenaline levels are still high.  It is something I'll remember for long, until maybe I'll manage to catch another one but land it this time.

That's why fishing is one of the best hobbies on earth.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: suffrun on December 02, 2008, 06:18:31 CET
That's a nice and exciting experience you had sargu xih!! The positive thing about it is that you managed to reel it in and that is an accomplishment in itself.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Freeman on December 02, 2008, 07:36:40 CET
What diametre where u fishing with ? as from my experiance the bonito is one of the "die hards" from most fish species, it'll rather die than be cought. So very well done on bringing him to shore, I would just sujjest to replace the net with a gaff if it's a fish worth keeping.

Oh and yes, running float is a method for catching bonitos, where I spin I see many ppl using running float with tumbrell or live lacci.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Aab131 on December 02, 2008, 07:52:57 CET
Quote from: ganni on December 01, 2008, 18:46:27 CET
WOW you have a female cousin who goes spinning??

im glad to hear that cause i rly don't wish fishing to be just for men!!

Yes she is the sister of my cousin. Rarely she come with us but during the summer when we go by boat she won't miss it.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: sargu xih on December 02, 2008, 20:42:26 CET
Quote from: Freeman on December 02, 2008, 07:36:40 CET
What diametre where u fishing with ?

Well, I was using a 0.35mm fluorocarbon line, and it got loose from the swivel - the one I use to separate the main line with running float from the line having the ledger and hook.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: LapsiBoy on December 02, 2008, 22:33:06 CET
Sargu Xih...I think what probably happened 99.9% was that a sawrella was caught and you didnt realize and the bonito caught the sawrella...A good thing to do is take an extra rod with you and bait a whole live sawrell on and  either use a running float or else i would suggest tying a balloon on and let it drift out...tie the ballon at the depth you want to fish and you'l know if you have a bite because the balloon will burst or you see it moving harshly...Always remember to tie the rod to something solid and leave the drag a bit open because you cant tell what can happen..like this you'll have much a greater chance of landing a bonito ..and as freeman said it woulndt be a bad idea if you carry a gaf around with you..when fishing always expct the unexpected mate ;) :) Good luck hope you  land a big one hehe
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: SPITEC on December 02, 2008, 22:41:56 CET
Did you ever try this method lapsi? It's new for me but I think it's a good idea.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: LapsiBoy on December 03, 2008, 06:01:13 CET
I have tried it and caught a lampuka once...But the places i go fishing they do it alot because it takes no effort and you just leave it there !
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Aab131 on December 03, 2008, 08:15:06 CET
This summer I saw it being used quite alot, but from boat. As regards fishing for bonito on hand line(from boat), my friend uses a 1Ltr empty bottle as a float. He has found it quite effective. 
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: suffrun on December 03, 2008, 15:30:51 CET
one other question which might sound silly, at what depth was the running float set? was it near the surface?
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: sargu xih on December 03, 2008, 20:29:58 CET
I set it so the hook is just hanging above the seabed.  It all depends where you're fishing though.  Where I go I always had more success fishing deep.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Freeman on December 04, 2008, 17:40:34 CET
This morning I was passing by one of my fishing spots and decided to spin for a short time, I always carry a rod and an xrap in my car, I saw 1 person fishing with 3 rods using running float, I asked if he cought anything and he said he cought 1 bonito and 2 cudas, I didn't see the fish but he's a regular there and i've seen him catch many fish. He was fishing with live bait which he was catching from there, either lacci or voparelli, not sure. As for me I spend less than 30 minutes fishing, landed a small bonito 1kg range, and than got my lure taken away by another fish, didn't see it at all but i suspect it was a cuda as it wasent a powerfull fish, not sure how he managed to cut a fireline braid but he did. Oh and the bonito was realeased aswell, not a clean place to eat your fish from. That was my only lure so I headed home.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: ramio on December 04, 2008, 19:10:23 CET
Pity for the lure, atleast you had some fun. Well done for the release back of the fish, that is what we are trying to encourage.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: suffrun on December 05, 2008, 07:20:29 CET
thanks sargu xih.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: SPITEC on December 05, 2008, 11:28:58 CET
Prosit freeman for the CATCH and release
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Freeman on December 05, 2008, 15:06:56 CET
It's not a big deal really, u'd have to hate your cats if you try to feed them fish from there, let alone eat them yourself so it's either kill for nothing or set it back maybe you'll catch it again.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: bigboy on December 05, 2008, 19:51:53 CET
Were you spinning from ras hanzir freeman ?
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: Freeman on December 05, 2008, 22:38:46 CET
yep
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: barracuda02 on December 08, 2008, 19:31:30 CET
Ras Hanzir isn t accessible any more am I right?I used to go there often.Last time i went was surrounded with a wire mesh.At night i loved to spin for cudas there ,since the sea was high lighted with a flood light.
Title: Re: Almost managed to land a bonito!
Post by: camkev on December 08, 2008, 21:13:03 CET
We are going there by boat and still no catches >:( Trolling in the port for hours...for nothing..qed naqta qalbi issa :P