Atlantic Bonito: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Massachusetts North Shore and Boston Harbor, MA.

Fishing region

Season in North Shore MA

JFMAMJJASOND

OTW Sept 2025 (South Shore): bonito under birds in mid-September and October; baby bonito in Boston peanut-bunker feeds. OTW Oct 15 2026: baby bonito hitting Sabiki rigs off Boston-area piers. (Our inference)

Season by region

Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
North Shore MA	JFMAMJJASOND
Cape Cod	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Baby bonito off Boston-area piers on Sabiki rigs in October; South Shore beachfronts under birds in fall (OTW).

Schools that jump while chasing small bait, usually beyond casting range from New York beaches.

What to look for

Fish jumping and slashing through small bait; birds over rainbait.

What to throw

Metal casting jig (diamond, Hopkins or Stingsilver style)1 to 2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Fast steady retrieve for mackerel; let it sink and rip it up for blues; jig near bottom for weakfish.

Epoxy jig3/8 to 1 oz, Small, matched to silversides, bay anchovies and sand eels. Fast steady retrieve through the school.

Silver casting spoon (Clarkspoon or Drone style)1/2 to 1 oz, No. 0 to 1 / 2.5 to 3.5 in. Burn it. Fast, steady, just under the surface.

Swimming minnow plug (Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow style)3/4 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in. Steady medium retrieve with occasional twitches and pauses.

Leader

Common mistakes

Lures too large for the micro bait they are eating
Casting into the middle of a moving school instead of ahead of it

Landing

Net or lift by the tail; they fight hard to the end.

Handling

Sharp small teeth
Treble hooks on jigs while it thrashes

Use pliers to unhook.

Keep or release

MA DMF: oily, good for bait or grilled.

Recipes for atlantic bonito

Typical: 2 to 4 lb close to shore (Rhode Island and Massachusetts, 2024). Large: Over 10 lb. NY record 13.45 lb (2020).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

On The Water: What's Biting in September in Massachusetts? (2025) (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: Massachusetts Fishing Report, Oct 15 2026 (Fore River Fishing Tackle, Tomo's Tackle, Fishing FINatics) (Angler knowledge)
The Fisherman: Too Warm, Or Too Cold? Species' Preferred Temperature Ranges (Aguiar, 2023) (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: The Epic Bonito Run of 2024 (Fee, 2025) (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: Long Island and New York Fishing Report, August 13, 2020 (Angler knowledge)
Bigelow and Schroeder, Fishes of the Gulf of Maine (online text): Atlantic bonito (Official source)
NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records Program (Official source)

All the fish of North Shore MA

Atlantic Bonito