Sarda sards

Spring Fly Fishing for Atlantic Bonita of the North Carolina Coast

      If you have been exposed to almost any national fly fishing media over the past few years you surely witnessed at least same accounts  of the fall run of false albacore around Cape Lookout, North Carolina.  This fall fly fishing bonanza has been featured in all forms of media, including Flip Pallott's tv show.

      There is another run of small tunas that regularly appear just off the North Carolina coast that receives very little media attention. There is an annual spring run of Atlantic bonito, Sarda sards, that offers another exceptional fly fishing opportunity for the nearshore angler   These small tuna make a dependable April showing three to five miles off the beach in the waters around Cape Fear, North Carolina.  The best of this early season action may only last 15 or 20 days.

      Schools of bonito can appear in a surface feeding spree almost anywhere from just beyond the surf line to many miles offshore.  A good bet for dependable action is in the vicinity of shipwrecks and other hard bottom features that are within three to five miles of the beach.  Two artificial reefs just offshore of Masonboro Inlet are noted bonito attractors.  AR 370 is 3.5 miles ESE of Masonboro Inlet at LORAN TD 27267.8 / 39068.9 and AR 372 is 5 miles SE of Masonboro Inlet at LORAN TD 27261.4 / 39068.9.

      The "hard bottom" off Topsail Island34.27.52N, 77.25.50W is another area that attracts bonito, but it only gets a fraction of the angling pressure that the areas near Masonboro Inlet receive.  Most surface feeding activity will normally be observed prior to noon.  Many anglers will steam to the area near one of the artificial reefs and wait for a school of bonito to erupt in a surface feeding frenzy.  Upon  sighting a school on the surface they quickly maneuver their boat to intercept the feeding bonito.  Often  the bonito will only remain feeding on the surface for a few seconds at a time, only to reappears several yards away in another brief flurry.  Some anglers are very successful at anticipating where the schools will next appear, while others are not.

      Chumming is a proven option to improve your odds.    Glass minnows or finely ground fresh fish will attract bonito to within casting range.    Translucent Clousers and most any glass minnow imitation will do for fly selection.  While most of these fish could be landed with a good 6 wt outfit, light rod and the resulting overplaying of fish will dramatically increase mortality rates for almost all members of the tuna or mackerel families.     

Harry Hall    sefly.com  

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