Bonito and false albacore are usually a run-and-gun, cast-to-the-feed game, but some days they simply will not come up, or they are so scattered you cannot get a cast to them. That is when trolling shines: a small, fast spoon dragged through the zone finds the fish, keeps you tight, and often shows you where a workable school is holding.
When to reach for it
Troll for the funny fish when they are marked but sub-surface, when feeds are brief and far apart, or when you are prospecting a rip or harbor mouth you know holds fish. It is also a great way to keep newer anglers hooked up while you hunt for a surface feed to cast to.
How to do it
- Small flashy spoons (the classic small Clark-style spoon) and small feathers or tube rigs are the go-to, they imitate the tiny bait these fish crave.
- Get them down and back with a small planer or a trolling drail, and keep them well behind the boat, bonito and albies are leader- and boat-shy.
- Troll faster than you think, these are speedsters, and a fast spoon draws the strike.
Tip Long lines and light leaders matter even while trolling. Run your spoons well back from the boat and keep the leader as light as the toothy risk allows, bonito and albies in clear fall water will shy from a short, heavy setup.
Gear
A light conventional or a medium spinning outfit with a smooth Daiwa reel works well. Keep casting rods rigged and ready, when trolling puts you on a school, stopping to cast to a feed is the most fun way to fish them.