Anybody else targeting bluefish this year?

[yakscientist]

So although I'm looking forward to catching my first fish from tidal waters in the kayak this year, what I really want to pursue, is some big bluefish. I've caught many large and small rockfish (I actually got tired of this a few years ago after working as a rockfish charterboat mate, and also hook and line commercial fishing for them), small to medium bluefish (20-25"), tons of spot, croaker, white perch, and the occasional catfish; this year, I want to set me sights on some big blues, and maybe some nice slot size red drum. I've caught a few while live-lining spot for rockfish, it's nuts to see how voracious blues are and how crazy even rockfish get, following one into the boat just to snatch the spot from its mouth, should it be spit out. Anyone have experience with spots in the bay, or maybe the eastern shore/OC for big bluefish? I would really like to tag along on a few trips for them specifically, and I see the meet and greet in a few months I think is targeting them. Anyway, just gauging who's got a lot of experience in that department, and partly just bored at work. Thanks for the help.

[buzz]

The bluefish bite usually starts around late spring. I've never seen any big blues on the bay. Mostly schools of snapper blues tearing your soft baits to shreds.

But I bet you can find some in the southern waters near CBBT.


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[suicyderider]

Id tag along with enough advanced notice.. im gonna pedal around Rehoboth Bay some this ear if all goes right for me. Whens best there?

[RavensDfense]

I think we are all hoping the big blues return like they were here last year. It was a crazy spring for them with several people catching blues up to 40 inches. They were literally as thick as you could imagine at CHSP in the spring and made there way into most inlets, including OC at one point or another. Like Buzz said, you typically wont find that class of blue in the bay. I hooked into a high 20 low 30 incher on a top water lure around Crisfield last year, but that was one in a million.

As far as your slot drum goes, I highly doubt we see them return in any numbers like we saw 4 years ago (but I hope we do!). Although we have had a relatively mild winter, red drum cycle and we haven't had that small class of juvenile fish for a couple of years. The reds seem to move offshore once they reach the high 20/low 30 inch class. There is always a quiet bite each summer on the south jetty of the OC inlet. Sheepshead and flounder fisherman quietly pick away at them, but it isn't anything super consistent.

If the blues show up, you are more then welcome to tag along with me. Here's to hoping they do!

[Ken kayak]

Yeah let me know you guy


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2014 Hobie Outback [emoji41]

[Salty Dog]

Absolutely, if and when they show up, and I am in the area, I will be there.

[EMSer]

I am hoping to carve out some time to do get in on some of the action I've heard stories abut from last year. It sounds like way too much fun!

Have folks been doing it strictly from yaks, or was there much action from the beach?

[whenican]

@EMSer: both. Twas crazy!

[yakscientist]

Nice to see a bunch of interest...where/what is CHSP? I'm going down to Avon nc in a few weeks so I'm hoping to find some blues down there

[EMSer]

Cape Henlopen State Park. northern Delaware

[RavensDfense]

Nice to see a bunch of interest...where/what is CHSP? I'm going down to Avon nc in a few weeks so I'm hoping to find some blues down there

Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. Also good flounder and tog fishing there.

[Redfish12]

Rudee inlet in VA beach in April is a good bet. Hopefully the blues come back to CHSP again this spring! Another sure thing is the Jamaica Bay tournament in May up in Brooklyn, NY. There are some past threads on here if you research.

[Dimo]

40" blues thick? Count me in!


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[RavensDfense]

Rudee inlet in VA beach in April is a good bet.

This is on my to-do list every year and for some reason or another it gets bumped off. Hopefully I'll make it down this year because the larger blues are a blast.

[DanMarino]

A 40 inch bluefish sounds very scary to me.