Striper migration

[Bucksnbows]

My family has always liked eating bluefish. We only eat it fresh, but we all love it. When the bass don’t show along the beach, blues are often the only action. These days both species are in major decline. And nobody knows why the blues have largely disappeared. They aren’t a major commercial catch....


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[hammer4reel]

1 minute ago, Bucksnbows said:

My family has always liked eating bluefish. We only eat it fresh, but we all love it. When the bass don’t show along the beach, blues are often the only action. These days both species are in major decline. And nobody knows why the blues have largely disappeared. They aren’t a major commercial catch....


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so many sand eels 50 miles off they have no reason to come in.

ask any of the tuna guys how thick they are offshore

[hunterbob1]

2 hours ago, bucky said:

Yep but a big pain in the ass when they show up in the chum slick, I prefer they chew through my line before they get to the boat so I dont have to deal with them

Them sons of b****** many times back in the west reach or the TC Buoy I'm killing the weakies, here come the birds bunkers boiling Blues inbound pull them up boys hey I have half of a devoured fish lol

[bucky]

1 minute ago, hunterbob1 said:

Them sons of b****** many times back in the west reach or the TC Buoy I'm killing the weakies, here come the birds bunkers boiling Blues inbound pull them up boys hey I have half of a devoured fish lol

Been there done that...I cant stand those yellow eyed demons!!!  I don't mind catching 2 or 3 big ones after that they become a nuisance

Edited March 23, 2019 by bucky

[hunterbob1]

Blues run mid top water,bass are below getting seconds,If anchored,I'd cast way beyond to get down below them bastard's.

[Bucksnbows]

3 minutes ago, hunterbob1 said:

Blues run mid top water,bass are below getting seconds,If anchored,I'd cast way beyond to get down below them bastard's.

When I see a good bluefish blitz in the surf, I catch a bunch of the yellow eyed devils and then instead of chasing them down the beach, I stay where I'm at and fish my fly low and slow as the bass show up to scarf down the bait chunks left behind by the marauding blues.  That has been a tried and true method for me over the years when both are blitzing bait along our northern beaches.  But I know what a PITA they can be when targeting other species and they show up in your slicks.   

[bucky]

 I will stop chunking for 10 or 15 minutes that will usually make them disappear for a while then resume chunking very sparingly just enough to keep the bass there  

Edited March 23, 2019 by bucky

[hunterbob1]

4 minutes ago, bucky said:

 I will stop chunking,  that will usually make them disappear for a while 

Smart idea!

[bucky]

Also if the blues are on the smaller side switch to big bunker heads as bait that will  keep the bass on the lines but once the big alligators move in nothing works except cutting off the food supply entirely 

Edited March 23, 2019 by bucky

[mightyhunter]

Can't wait to go bass fishing!

[Buckeyes11]

Exactly what I do. Them blues don’t touch the heads but them bass love em

Edited March 23, 2019 by Buckeyes11

[Swamprat]

11 hours ago, SPEARFISH said:

Blues have saved a lot of trips.  They fight better than any striper.  Wish they were better eating. 

If  bluefish were treated like fluke, tuna, etc more people would enjoy them.  Bleed em, ice slush. Cut away any dark meat. 

As already mentioned it's a soft flesh and that turns people off. They do not freeze well. 

I tell a true story that happened years ago. At a BBQ that was in manahawkin. On the water. Next door neighbor returns(to his dock)from fishing. Had bluefish (8-10lb) and some mahi the same size. All the fish had been bled, iced. So cold your hands hurt. Couple people from our BBQ wanna see the fish. Typical non fishing people    lol. He offers some bluefish and they decline. Making comments about taste etc. 

I accept his off of 2 filets of bluefish.  Skin off, trimmed. I head to the kitchen of the house we were at.  No one knows what I have. Grab some foil. Rub some butter on it. Lay the filets down. Salt pepper. Lemon juice.  In the fridge had some dill salad dressing. Rubbed that on the filets. Closed the foil up. Put on the grill for 20 minutes. At this point the bluefish haters are hovering around the grill like wolves. They thought they were getting mahi.  Hee hee. 

They devoured it. Lol. Needless to say I had to go back and get more filets. Lol. 

[hammer4reel]

21 minutes ago, Buckeyes11 said:

Exactly what I do. Them blues don’t touch the heads but them bass love em

Absolutely false .

have had thousands of bluefish eat heads while chunking for bass .

big blues will eat a head as fast as a bass will.

 

.

[Swamprat]

From the stomach of a BIG bluefish my boys caught last summer. 

[Buckeyes11]

Hammer. In my experience that’s what happens. But I forget that u r an expert on absolutely everything