Bluefish heaven and hell

[fishinggod]

so earlier in the day on the outgoing tide i got into the stripers again on the pier as usual and after keeping my two allowed over 20 i give it a rest to get some things done before i have to work all weekend..... well after i ate dinner i let the dog out and there are a hundred birds all around my beach and pier and there are splashes going off for a half mile down the beach. i flip out and grab my rod and on the first cast WAMMO and my line breaks. I, in my amazing wisdom felt i must of had a nick in my line so i tie on another of my go to lures and second cast WAMMO and my line is cut again. i now go into panic mode as i don't have many left of my striper killer so i grab the swimsuit on braid and make a cast and SLAMMO i reel in my first bluefish ever. the past hour has been nonstop catching bluefish. most were around 8-10 inches but one went 16 inches. that one fought like a beast. not sure what is considered a big one though. i guess its time to only cast my favorite baits on braid. ill post a pic of the big girl tomorrow as i have to upload photos using my work email. oh and by the way, i think they taste amazing!!! just enough oil to pan fry. very moist. sure hope i can keep catching the larger ones.

[JohnE]

3' or so is a big one (if you think 16 incher snapper put up a good fight, you won't believe what a big chopper blue feels like). 16" is not bad eating size. I kept a couple from my trip last weekend...brined them overnight and put them on the smoker for a little while. Best to bleed them out right away if caught on the yak. You will want to crimp up some wire leaders (not braid) if you are throwing lures you want to keep when they are blitzing like that.

[Big Mike]

I love bluefish poke. Sorry about the lures, I know how you've bonded with them.

[Salty Dog]

Smaller blues are definately tastier then bigger blues. but give me the fight of a bigger blue any day and I will make it just as tasty. Congrats.

[fishinggod]

3 foot!!!! holly crap that must be an amazing fight. i just assumed since all the ones i caught were under 10 inches except the one that 16 inches was decent. ill stick with braid and cheap swimbaits if i get into them at the house again. thanks Mike, you understand my love for that particular bait!!! i think the 10 inchers might not be worth the effort of cleaning but the 16 was very easy to filet.

[JohnE]

Yeah, really is pretty amazing on the kayak. We got into some back during tog season in Delaware and 3 foot, give or take, was probably close to the average size. Growing up around here fishing back in 80s, we would get into larger chopper blues out on the Bay occasionally. Seems like 20" is big these days. Would be really cool if the bigger blues returned someday.

-You should be able to catch them with just some plain jig heads and soft plastic/gulp, no need to throw anything more expensive. I am hoping to get into some out near BT tomorrow myself.

[J.A. Veil]

JohnE describes the fantastic run of large bluefish near the mouth of Delaware Bay last May. I only got to fish the big bluefish run for one morning. I was fishing from my Slayer Propel 10 and had two large blues on at a time on two occasions. Given the fish pulling power and the swells, I had little control over where the kayak went while I was fighting them.

I could not lean back far enough to get the entire fish on the Hawg Trough in the frame of the photo.

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[bignose]

You are a brave man putting that fish on a hog trough between your legs!

[Yak67]

Man you a representing the "Slower Lower" very well. Those backyard fish are killing me, what an adventure. Me and Big Mike have to get with you soon one weekend to have a meeting of S.M.O.G.( Southern Maryland Old Guys), we may have to card you since you are still working. Look forward to getting out soon.

Yak67
2015 Hobie PA-14

[fishinggod]

20150828_192955_resized.jpg HAHA, Yak67, I sure feel old but I don't retire till December next year. (CAN'T WAIT)... This is a pic of the big one, but obviously its not really that big. but for sure you two are welcome any time. its all about the weather at my house. the wind will mud up the water quick and then the bite is completely off. an outgoing tide or low tide is always the best for all species. an outgoing tide to a low tide in the evening is the best. if there Is a little chop but water is still clear then the bite can still be on. I literally just walk outside every hour or so to see what it looks like, then make a few casts with different baits and then go in if I don't land anything. often times for stripers, I will hook the first fish without even seeing splashing going on. but after the first fish, its like I spark the school and it becomes chaos quickly. but again, it changes so quick being on the main bay.

[HereFishyFishy]

Mmmmm. Smoked bluefish


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[mtnmike.ma]

Sounds like a great time. Cheap (and durable)spoons work great on blues when they're breaking like that. We've even caught them on bare hooks when they're in a real frenzy. You should see bigger blues coming in next month but I think they all taste great.


Mike

[silasvirus82]

I just brought back my dad's smoker this weekend, looks like I need to get something on it

[daolai]

16" is the perfect size eating blue.. split it down the middle and toss it on the grill with some seasoning... I def bleed them as much as possible too