Fishing for Blue Fish
by: Todd Lehr
Bluefish (Potatomus salatrix) is a tenacious saltwater fish that
provides some of the best angling thrills on light tackle. They
are mainly thought of as an Eastern United States fish, although
they are found in most temperate waters throughout the world,
except in the cooler waters of the northern Pacific.
Bluefish are schooling fish built for speed and power. They are a
blue green shade along the top of the body near the dorsal fins,
and have silvery sides and a whitish / silver underbelly. They
have relatively large heads that feature powerful jaws and rows
of very sharp teeth. Their tapered bodies end in deeply forked
tails that allow them to be powerful swimmers and fighters.
The average fish weighs between 4 and 10 pounds, with any fish
over 20 pounds being considered a real quality fish. The
recognized IGFA record is 31 pounds, 12 ounce fish caught off the
coast of North Carolina in 1972. Unconfirmed monster fish have
reportedly been caught in the 40-pound range.
Population numbers of bluefish have been documented to follow
cycles lasting about forty years. A recent disappearance occurred
during the 1920s, and anglers are still enjoying a high for the
fish which began in the 1970s. They are migratory fish, following
schools of baitfish such as menhaden shad and mullet, heading
north from Florida in spring, all the way to Maine by the end of
the summer.
When fishing for blues, anglers should remember they are
primarily schooling fish. Schools the size of football fields
have been witnessed, with the fish creating a feeding frenzy of
roiling water and leaping fish. Many anglers often troll for the
fish, as this is one of the most consistent methods of catching
bluefish. Once a fish is caught by trolling, anglers should stop
the boat and throw out casts to try to locate the school. Putting
a lure at the proper depth in areas where bluefish schools are
hanging will usually result in large catches. Fish can often be
caught on any type of fast-moving lure that resembles a baitfish,
including metal spoons, jigs, and tube baits. Wooden baits are
not popular because of the bluefish’s powerful teeth, which will
quickly destroy wooden plugs.
Casting into a school of fish requires the use of moderately
heavy tackle and wire leaders. It is important that black wire
leaders and swivels are used, as the fish will often strike shiny
leaders, weakening and in some cases severing them. Anglers
casting into a frenzied school of bluefish can often catch a fish
on every cast. Therefore, it is important to retie lures and
leaders often, because they will undoubtedly become frayed. The
best results are found by casting along the outer edges of the
school, decreasing the chances of spooking any fish, and also
preventing line breakages. Feeding bluefish have been known to
even attack each other; it is not uncommon for a four-pounder on
the line to be cut in half by a twenty pound blue.
Bluefish can also be caught from the surf at certain times of the
year. Shiny spoons such as the Hopkins brand are consistent
favorites for fishing in surf due to their visibility and
enticing action.
Anglers that use live or cut bait, such as eels or fish, often
catch blues from the surf or from piers simply by letting the
bait sit and waiting for a strike. This method can be useful when
there are no apparent schools of bluefish biting.
Flyfishing for blues has become more and more popular in recent
years. Many of the same techniques and lures used for striped
bass can be applied to bluefish. Bluefish of course require an
extra-strong leader and mostly strikes larger flies which closely
resemble the most popular regional baitfish.
Fly anglers often catch blues incidentally while fishing for
stripers, but some fly and light tackle anglers target blues
specifically, especially when stripers are absent.
Todd Lehr is an avid angler. He run the Fishing Advantage, a site
for american anglers. He can be reached at
http://www.fishingadvantage.com/
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See Also:
Index of All Hunting & Fishing Articles
Index of All Sports Articles
