Pepper Park-Did I see Bonita??? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

kobra · 05-26-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakman619

I was fishing Pepper Park in the AM today (5/26)...Sometime around 1300 I got tired of being pounded by the wind and hit the Marina. While I was there, I saw what looked like Bonita boiling on the surface; they all looked like 2ft, 10 lbs, silver footballs, lol...Never caught a Bonita, and I'm new to salt water, could these fish have been anything else?

I threw a swimbait into the boil, but couldn't get them to take the bait. I ended the day with a metric ass ton of Spotties, but I guess I can't complain considering how bad the wind was.

They could have been bonita but the silver part makes it sound more like shortfin corvina. A metric ass ton of spotties sounds like a fun day.

yakman619 · 05-26-2012, 07:31 PM

I don't know...They were pretty thick. I wish I got a better look at their profile...and wish I knew a little more. I was surprised to see such big fish in the Marina.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobra

They could have been bonita but the silver part makes it sound more like shortfin corvina. A metric ass ton of spotties sounds like a fun day.

tasteslikechikn54 · 05-26-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobra

They could have been bonita but the silver part makes it sound more like shortfin corvina. A metric ass ton of spotties sounds like a fun day.

X2 on the corvina... It's about that time. I'll take mine butterflied over mesquite with a little olive oil, butter, salt and pepper and a bit of lime.... Or ceviche, too.

Aaron&Julie · 05-27-2012, 07:46 PM

Your location says Southbay, are we talking about San Diego Bay? If so, it might have been bonefish, although they're not known for boiling like bonito do.

sdfishman · 05-27-2012, 08:19 PM

Almost 100% sure it was a corvina. Lots of them in that marnia chasing smelt.

tasteslikechikn54 · 05-27-2012, 09:10 PM

Pepperpark it is, then.... I've been hitting the bay a lot. But, I've been hitting up shelter island and a cool little launch I spotted the other day that puts me in right in front of seaport village. Spottie city.... I think ill change it up and hit up pepperpark this week. Where does one fish around there? Never launched there before....

kobra · 05-27-2012, 09:25 PM

Launch from the boat ramp and head west. You can fish the channel or wait till you get to the other side. Once to the other side you can follow the channel north or south or keep going west and fish the flats.

taggermike · 05-28-2012, 12:46 PM

Bonito have been scarce the last few years but they do get all the way down in to the J St. boat basin. I saw a few spots of small ones boiling in the channel a few months ago and I have caught decent bonito, 5lbs or so, in the basin over the years. I've seen the bones go so crazy in there that they were pushing bait right up on to the launch ramp. Last week I did see a few spots of mackeral working bait in the basin between the fishing pier and the first line of boats. Vina are in the basin but when they boil it is kinda slow with just a swirl or deep boil. Macks show little flurries with small spashes. Bones on the other hand really boil, especially the larger ones. If you saw any thing that resembled a tuna foamer with tight areas of working fish, lots of splashing, and even fish coming clear out of the water it was bonito. There are swarms of small, 1-2inch, smelt in the basin right now so the fish you saw might have been targeting them. I don't know if any one fishes the ball and feather but that might be about the only way to match the hatch. Mike

05-27-2012, 07:46 PM	#4
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Your location says Southbay, are we talking about San Diego Bay? If so, it might have been bonefish, although they're not known for boiling like bonito do. __________________ "Never say die"

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05-27-2012, 08:19 PM	#5
sdfishman Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 115	Almost 100% sure it was a corvina. Lots of them in that marnia chasing smelt.

05-27-2012, 09:10 PM	#6
tasteslikechikn54 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: san diego, ca. Posts: 113	Pepperpark it is, then.... I've been hitting the bay a lot. But, I've been hitting up shelter island and a cool little launch I spotted the other day that puts me in right in front of seaport village. Spottie city.... I think ill change it up and hit up pepperpark this week. Where does one fish around there? Never launched there before....

05-27-2012, 09:25 PM	#7
kobra Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: oceanside Posts: 880	Launch from the boat ramp and head west. You can fish the channel or wait till you get to the other side. Once to the other side you can follow the channel north or south or keep going west and fish the flats.

05-28-2012, 12:46 PM	#8
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Bonito have been scarce the last few years but they do get all the way down in to the J St. boat basin. I saw a few spots of small ones boiling in the channel a few months ago and I have caught decent bonito, 5lbs or so, in the basin over the years. I've seen the bones go so crazy in there that they were pushing bait right up on to the launch ramp. Last week I did see a few spots of mackeral working bait in the basin between the fishing pier and the first line of boats. Vina are in the basin but when they boil it is kinda slow with just a swirl or deep boil. Macks show little flurries with small spashes. Bones on the other hand really boil, especially the larger ones. If you saw any thing that resembled a tuna foamer with tight areas of working fish, lots of splashing, and even fish coming clear out of the water it was bonito. There are swarms of small, 1-2inch, smelt in the basin right now so the fish you saw might have been targeting them. I don't know if any one fishes the ball and feather but that might be about the only way to match the hatch. Mike