Bonita Blitz off of Siesta Key
I ran a tarpon charter on Sunday, working the inshore Gulf of Mexico just off of Point of Rocks on Siesta Key. We saw quite a few tarpon and had several very good shots, but they just would not eat. While we were waiting for pods of tarpon to come by, we noticed incredible fish activity a few hundred yards out. It looked too good to pass up! So, I idled out to investigate and found huge schools of bonita (AKA false albacore) tearing up small baitfish. My angler Bob Goohs from NYC cast a white #8 Rapala X-Rap into the melee and instantly hooked up with a fish around 5 pounds. It was landed in short order, another cast made, and another fish on! This one went closer to 10 pounds. The action continued all morning, with some decent sized Spanish mackerel also being landed. No tarpon, but some epic fishing none the less! A somewhat unusual Sarasota fishing report/