Atlantic bonito
Sarda sarda
Also known as: Bonito
Fast, powerful schooling predator that arrives with the autumn migration.
Habitat
Open water and strait passages; rarely inshore outside migration.
Behaviour
Drives bait schools to the surface — feeding gulls mark the school.
Feeding
Anchovy, sardine, horse mackerel.
Recommended baits
Spoons, minnows, feathers; live anchovy.
Recommended methods
Trolling, casting spoons, spinning over feeding schools.
Safe handling and release
Spoils quickly — ice immediately if keeping.
Confusable with
Mackerel; bonito has oblique stripes along the back.
Regulations
- Minimum size
- 25 cm
T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı · last verified 03.08.2026
- Closed season
- 01.04 – 14.08
T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı · last verified 03.08.2026
Regulation information is not legal advice. Rules vary by country, region and season; every record shows its source and last verification date. Always check the current official regulations yourself.