So. Cal. Bonefish

[Which Way Out]

I am sure this will peak a few peoples interest.
Let me run this story by you. Appox. 15 years ago I was fishing the cliffs in Carlsbad where the houses are located between the State Beachs blablabla.. Anyway I had never been there so I went to a local tackle shop in town. I asked whats the deal with surf fishing here. The guy says you need this and this. So off I go back to my spot which is a concrete platform at the bottom of the cliff attached to one of the custom homes we had the pleasure to stay at for the weekend. The tackle shop person sold me small hooks and Blood worms.(blood worms are expensive) He said rig it Carolina style and toss it out. Easy enough....
Now the good part. First I am damn glad I rigged it to my Saber Stroker SC196-C 6 footer with 20 pound line on the Daiwa SL20SH, (it was new then). In no time at all with reel in free spool the clicker goes off BIG TIME ! What the @*%$....... I use this rod for Yellowtail sometimes so I pick it up thumb the spool a bit and slam it into gear and hold on. With no idea what was on the line but I can tell you it ran like a Yellowtail and took nearly haft my line. After a great battle up comes this fish I have only seen on TV. BONEFISH what the @%$#. Never heard of them on the west-coast so I was not real sure it was one. Sorry no Pic;s:Crying: Over the years I have told people this story and some have said yea bones have been caught in some of the back bays around San Diego. Never heard anyone else with the same experience here in Calif. so if you know anyone or a story of someone lets hear about it. I can't be the only one. And no it was not a Corbina.

[bsp]

There are a lot of these guys in San Diego Bay, several in Newport Harbor (I think flyngby's caught one), and a few in Alamitos Bay. They're plentiful enough in SD that guys can specifically go out and target them for a day, and have very good success. Pacific Coast Sportfishing did an article on the fishery a while back. Never caught or seen one personally, but I plan to one of these days. Most people from what I've read drift ghost shrimp on fairly light line in the calmest parts of back bays as bonefish like the shallow mudflat environment. You're the first guy I've heard though who's caught one in the actual surf environment though.

[Which Way Out]

Yea bsp I havn't heard of anyone either. It was the end of July and the water was calm and warm then, that may have had something to do with it. Isn't there an esturay nearby Carlsbad? My guess it came out from there.

[Fishbones]

We were hooking up the boat back on the trailer in san diego and the boat next to us was a straight out bonefish boat, so i asked them and sure enuff they said that they were targeting bonefish in the back bays and did pretty good,,, i automatically wanted to catch one and still do!

[JapanRon]

Hi Which Way Out,

Yes, have caught them on the fly but won't say where ! Sorry ..... too vunerable an area. John Gardner, the original local SW guide for hire had a trip filmed where he and his baseball star ?? client were fishing spotties but there were also catching a bunch of Bonefish in NPH.

JapanRon

[cjmedina]

Are bonefish eatable? What type of flavor do they have

[sansou]

Are bonefish eatable? What type of flavor do they have

One can eat anything in this lifetime....at least once.

For the most part, people do NOT eat bonefish. My understanding is that they are boney. Think "sportfish", not "food fish".

With that being said, I am pretty sure that on an open forum such as FNN, if someone posted how, where and what to catch them with, we can safely assume they will be cleaned out pretty quick.

[cjmedina]

One can eat anything in this lifetime....at least once.

For the most part, people do NOT eat bonefish. My understanding is that they are boney. Think "sportfish", not "food fish".

With that being said, I am pretty sure that on an open forum such as FNN, if someone posted how, where and what to catch them with, we can safely assume they will be cleaned out pretty quick.
Hey thanks for the decent response. It means a lot and is better than some just saying its junk fish

[Which Way Out]

Are bonefish eatable? What type of flavor do they have

To confirm the fish we cooked it and NO they taste like crap as I have always heard. So don't be a dummy like me, throw em back:(

[flyngby]

WWO,

I was in fact a witness to one being caught by my brother-in-laws kid who I took fishing quite often back in 2007 to help keep him focused and out of trouble! It was in NPH but good luck in targeting them due to the fact that it was just some "Dumb Luck" and having bait soaking in the right spot at the right time!

I really thought that we finally hooked into a "Mullet" at first glance as they are always putting on a great aerial performance throughout the harbor and she definitely put up a tremendous fight for her size! With that being said, I think you would have a greater chance of getting a "Mullet" than a Bonefish as they seem to be pretty rare catches this far north! We were lucky to get one.

Not afraid to post the pick as this is not the spot to target them the fish was only passing through the area in my opinion! Probably swam by so fast and only was hooked by accident rather than on its own will. It as hooked in the mouth though!
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z286/flyngby/CIMG0597-1.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z286/flyngby/CIMG0596-1.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z286/flyngby/CIMG0594-1.jpg

By the way I do spend a little bit of time in NPH and have yet to get one my self!
Good luck in your search!

Steve

[DockRat]

Never seen one. You would think Bolsa Chica back bays would have them ?


i automatically wanted to catch one and still do!

I thought you had one on your arm ? http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm280/ssf2expansions/Pets/BoneFish.gif


http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg274/Sizuper/Fish%20Pics/Bonefish.pnghttp://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a70/troutylow/LadyBonefish1.jpg

SD Bonefish Youtube videos :Secret:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HekYSEJ1Maw&feature=related


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/dumbrunette2486/Tampa/2005/Scan0010.jpg DR

[fishrebel]

Just got back from fishing san diego bay last week, I was using a guide and he put me in an area that had bonefish. We used ghostshimp. I had a lot of hits and managed to land two. They fight hard with good runs. Never even knew bonefish were there until I saw an article last month. Now that's another spieces I can enjoy catching.
Enjoy the bay, there is plenty of different spieces to catch (and release).
DJ

[Which Way Out]

Just got back from fishing san diego bay last week, I was using a guide and he put me in an area that had bonefish. We used ghostshimp. I had a lot of hits and managed to land two. They fight hard with good runs. Never even knew bonefish were there until I saw an article last month. Now that's another spieces I can enjoy catching.
Enjoy the bay, there is plenty of different spieces to catch (and release).
DJ

You know I always though I was going crazy when I told people about that fish. No one would ever believe me so I always wondered about it. Glad to see confirmation that they exist here and people are having fun with them.

[THROWBACK RANGER]

I have been catching and releasing Bonefish in Marina del rey for about 15 years too !! Venice canal where it spills into Marina's harbour... FISHING WITH 2 lb. and pretty much any small SHINEY/SWIMMING BAITS, they are vicious ! they are always schooled up when the tide is right. and if its the right time of year Mullet come thru like schools of 8-15lb. yellows.... oh yeah beleive it or not the BONEFISH love mussels too ...
I have seen the bigger Bonefish caught at dock 52 (MARINA LAUNCH RAMP AREA)...

I ALWAYS THOUGHT SOME RICH FLYFISHERMAN THAT LIVES IN THE CANALS MUST HAVE RELEASED THEM FOR PLEASURE FISHING IN HIS FRONT YARD ??

PLEASE CATCH AND RELEASE ALL THESE BONEFISH... SNAG THE MULLET AND EAT THEM ALL ! THEY ARE TASTY !!!!!