Species › North America · Saltwater › Bluefish

Saltwater

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix · Blues, Snapper blues, Chopper

Water temp
61–75°F
Peak season
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
31 lb 12 oz (14.4 kg)
Bluefish (Fish4397 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg)

Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC. · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Bluefish are streamlined, blue-green over silver, with a forked tail, a large mouth full of knife-like teeth and a broad, powerful body. Young 'snapper' blues of a pound or less flood estuaries in late summer; adult 'choppers' of 8–15 lb are the trophies of the surf. On the US coast they range from Maine to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico, and the same species is found in warm-temperate seas worldwide. Populations swing in long cycles and the stock has been rebuilding under tighter limits.

Blues feed in frenzies, slashing through menhaden, mullet, sand eels and anchovies and leaving oil slicks and diving birds that anglers can spot from shore. They migrate north in spring as water passes about 55 °F (13 °C) and return south in fall, when the biggest fish gorge along the beaches. Because they hit almost any lure, fight hard and strip gear with their teeth, bluefish are the fish that most Northeast anglers learn on and never stop enjoying.

Typical size2–8 lb (1–3.5 kg); 18–28 in
Trophy15 lb+; 20 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareFair — strong, oily flesh that must be bled, iced and eaten fresh; great smoked

Where & when

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Florida and the Carolinas fish best in winter and spring, the mid-Atlantic peaks May–June and again September–October, and New England has fish from late May through October as water stays above 55 °F (13 °C).

Cape Cod and Monomoy, MABig summer choppers on the rips and beachesMontauk Point, NYFall blitzes under the lighthouse with stripersCape Hatteras, NCHome of the world record; spring and fall runs of giant bluesChesapeake Bay, VASummer schools of 2–6 lb fish bay-wide

How to catch

Casting metal to blitzing fishWhen birds and busting fish show, cast a 1–3 oz metal lure or heavy spoon into the melee and retrieve fast, letting it sink a few seconds first to reach the larger fish below the frenzy. Use a single hook or crush barbs to speed release.
Topwater poppersA loud popper or pencil popper worked fast across rips, inlets and surf troughs draws explosive strikes. Attach with a short wire or 60–80 lb mono bite leader and keep fingers clear of the mouth on landing.
ChunkingAnchor up-tide of a rip or channel edge, start a chum slick with ground menhaden and drift a chunk of bunker or mackerel on a 6/0 hook and wire leader. Big fall blues hold deep in current and this method accounts for most trophy fish.
TrollingPull umbrella rigs, bunker spoons or deep-diving plugs at 3–5 knots along beaches and in bays when fish are scattered. Wire line or downriggers put spoons down to the bigger fish below the surface schools.

Gear

Rod7'–9' medium-heavy spinning; 10'–11' surf rod from the beach
Reel4000–6000 spinning
Line20–30 lb braid with a 40–60 lb mono bite leader or short wire

Lures

Metal casting luresPencil poppersSwimming plugsBucktail jigsSoft-plastic shads on heavy jigheads

Baits

Menhaden (bunker) chunksMackerelMulletSquidSand eels

Regulations

A saltwater license or registration is required in all Atlantic states. Bluefish are managed under a federal plan with a daily bag limit that is lower for private anglers than for-hire passengers, and a few states add size limits; check current rules each season.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 31 lb 12 oz (14.4 kg) — Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, 1972 (James M. Hussey). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Do you need a wire leader for bluefish?

Not always, but a bite guard of some kind saves lures. A 12-inch piece of 60–80 lb mono or fluorocarbon works for most casting and keeps more strikes than wire. Switch to a short single-strand wire leader when chunking bait, since blues swallow bait deeper and cut through mono.

How do you make bluefish taste good?

Bleed the fish immediately by cutting the gills, get it on ice and eat it within a day. Remove the dark red bloodline along the fillet, which carries most of the strong flavor, then grill, broil or smoke it. Smaller fish under 5 lb are far milder than big choppers.

Bite forecast — Bluefish

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Bluefish.

Pin: