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Bonito Flood Into The Bay

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mel Berman.

Ordinarily, bonito are found traveling offshore with their mackerel cousins and other deep-water pelagics. But this year, great numbers have set up shop around the Sunshine Skyway bridge and have swept up into Tampa Bay.

According to captain Marc Noe, large bunches of bonito have been following several small bait schools from just outside the Skyway, along the shipping channel up to around Bahia Beach.

"I thought we were going to get into some mackerel, and next thing we know, there are tons of those small-size 'torpedoes' attacking our bait. And I have to tell you, no fish is more fun on light tackle than the bonito," Noe said.

Noe also reports excellent redfish action along the South Shore, as well as good numbers of snook in the rivers and Bishop's Harbor. He said decent-sized catch-and-release trout have been all over the flats, accompanied by schools of frisky ladyfish, occasional blues and sand trout.

On Tuesday, Riverview's Neal Cline fished offshore with captain Jay Serio. The day was mild, and the winds were uncharacteristically light. Working some spots off Bayport, Cline cranked up about 18 keeper grouper, several grunts, snappers, hogfish and a cobia.

"When I got 'rocked up' by a 32-inch fish, captain Jay put on his scuba gear and got that big fish out of the rocks for me," he said.

Hear "The Captain Mel Show" Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on WFLA, 970 AM. Also, visit

"Fishing Florida OnLine

Magazine" at capmel.com. Magazine" at capmel.com.

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