The bonito also belongs to the Scrombidæ family, and ranges from Point Conception to Mexico and south through the tropics.
Body, rounded, tapering rapidly to the tail, which is strongly forked, but not so much as the albacore; pectoral fins, short and placed opposite the eye; dorsal fin, double, with saw-like ridges from the second dorsal and the anal fins to the tail, the same as in all of this family. Color, dark blue on the back, with a metallic luster; sides, silvery white, with dark longitudinal lines. Weight, from six to twelve pounds.
Tackle and Lure—The light tackle specifications of the Tuna Club, given for albacore cannot be improved upon for these fish.
| SPANISH MACKEREL (Scomberomorus concolor) |
SPANISH MACKEREL
(Scomberomorus concolor)
This is another of the Scrombidæ family. It ranges north to Monterey Bay, where it makes its appearance in September, remaining until November, when it goes south to the Santa Barbara channel; remaining in these waters and about Catalina Island during most of the winter. This fish is called bonito by many of the Catalina anglers, which is a misnomer, as it is a much slimmer fish than the bonito.
The pectoral fins are small and located a little above the center of the body and close to the gill covers; front dorsal starts just above the base of the pectorals and extend along the back for a distance a little more than the length of the head, and nearly meeting the second dorsal, which is about the same width as its heighth; ventral fins, a little in front of the pectorals and rather small; front of the anal fin under the back of the second dorsal. Back, steel blue; sides, silvery. Oblique lines, of the darker color of the back, running forward and downward to a little below the lateral line.
Weight, usually from nine to twelve pounds, though they occasionally attain a weight of eighteen pounds.