In 2007, numbers of bluefish rebounded back to sustainable levels. Line – 20/8 lb. I think most people don’t spend the money on live or dead bait when fishing for blues. Still, many people at them, especially the smaller 12″ fish, and they love them. The erratic movements will trigger the bluefishes natural predatory instinct. This is a basic setup that works well for bluefish and many other fish. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and also competition at Sebastian Inlet. The meat is oily and fatty and goes bad quickly. The world record for bluefish caught was on January 30, 1972 in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In Florida each Winter they make the trip from northern coasts. One I think all anglers should experience! They are found throughout tropical / subtropical waters and along most of the Continental Shelf. Similar Species: Mullet? Daiwa is fantastic as well. var. Bluefish, even when not activly feeding will have a hard time turning down a wounded fish from a school of bait. We want you to have enjoy all the comforts of home so you can enjoy your time away. ], PRO TIP – bluefish are also called Blues, Savages, Marine Piranha, Choppers, Chompers, Skipjack, Bitefish, and Zombiefish in the USA. Welcome to our “How to Catch Florida Bluefish – A Complete Guide” where we tell you everything we know and could find about catching the wiley Bluefish. Where, I arrived at the cause way about an hour before sunrise. Oh, I forgot, he has 2-lb. How to Catch Redfish, Trout, Tarpon, Snook, Jacks, Cobia, Sheepshead, Snapper, Grouper, Wahoo, Tuna, Permit, Pompano, and many more Florida fish. The name Bluefish comes from the blue hue found on the top of their bodies. Part of the game is reaching them because they don’t always come right up to the pier. When throwing a lure, make sure the retrieve is rapid and erratic. 2 oz. IUCN Redlist Status: Though in Europe, the bluefish is considered NT (Near Threatened), in Florida and other states, it is designated as “LC” (Least Concern). Especially when they’re in a feeding frenzy at the top of the water and eating anything that flashes. Weight: Average weight is a pound to three pounds, but they can get over 20 lbs. Length: Bluefish are usually in the 7-20″ range in Florida, though they can grow to as much as 27 lbs. That certainly doesn’t stop anglers from trying! Finally, when I’m at my wit’s end, he starts reeling in slowly. There are restrictive limits on how much bluefish you consume – and pregnant women are advised to skip it. caught close to Jensen Beach in Port St. Lucie on Florida’s east coast. It may be possible to catch bluefish from a very small fishing vessel like a kayak, but blues are usually in bigger wave conditions and it might not be as fun as you thought when you came up with the idea. If fishing from 3 to 200 nautical miles off the coast of Florida, Georgia, South or North Carolina, you can use this mobile application to stay up to date on the fishing rules on the Atlantic Coast. Do NOT put your fingers anywhere near the mouth or you’ll get a real nice bite, their teeth are very sharp and many anglers receive bad bites when not taking the fish seriously. Chum the waters with live or cut bait. Blues don’t fight all that hard once hooked, they probably won’t even notice they’ve left the feeding frenzy. Menhaden are their primary target for food, so wherever they can be found on Florida’s east coast is where you’ll find bluefish. My favorite fish story ever. I made the drive from Tampa a number of times to meet with people fishing the pier over there for Blues and other big gamefish. Blue Fish Family Grille. It’s one of Florida’s most SAVAGE Fish! How to COOK bluefish for the ultimate meal? Slightly like a mullet. It’s a MASSIVE 45-inch snook. BlueFish Vacation Rentals offers some of the best properties along Scenic 30-A. Any type of live bait fish that has a flashy color and actively moves through the water works well. There is a whole contingent of bluefish fanatics who target the species each year, sometimes every day for months. When bluefish feeding response turns on it wreaks havoc on schools of baitfish. These Lures work like magic with Bluefish. Why stay with us: We are local. There are people who specialize in catching blues far off the piers like at Sebastian Inlet over in Melbourne, Florida on the East Coast. Just throw a Gotcha lure of any color in there and get a hook up fast. braided is perfect for your main line. The Penn brand is hard to beat. The lighter the wire leader the better, almost any wire leader will be strong enough to catch a bluefish, so keep the size down to minimize its visibility. It’s a little bit like eating a Spanish Mackerel. The more erratic a retrieval can be the better. The dock under the, Areas with current that attract bait will also attract bluefish, Inshore Creeks and Flats (though less common). Western Indian Ocean (Fishing Area 51). If you are going to be using live bait, a very light metal leader is recommended. Nothing quite like the law rolling up to you in their little speedboat asking to see your fishing license, driver’s license, catch, and rigs. If you’re on a pier and need to gain more distance on your casts, you’ll probably want to have an 8.5″ rod available for these situations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. test. They are rated as one of the best tasting fish in the sea and one of the best fighters pound-for-pound. Length: 12" Max. We don’t eat fried fish and prefer to broil it instead. Maybe. Because they are pelagic fish they move along the coast following their preferred water temperatures of  66-72 degrees. When they’re not in feeding mode, we don’t target them, so I can’t recommend a rig that might work to find them. These are easily caught in fine mesh cast nets close to shore in areas with some seagrass. t. Long bodied fish that can easily reach 5 feet in length. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In winter, some bluefish make it up into Tampa Bay, even as far north as the Gandy Bridge. East coast Florida in shallow water near the beaches where waves are breaking, or the water is breaking against rocks or a pier is usually a good place to start. The Florida record is 22 lb. Bluefish are often found by looking for large schools of bait being thrashed or birds circling and feeding on the bait chased up by the toothy predators. The best fishing for bluefish in Florida is winter through March when you can find large schools of them close to the east coast. When fishing from piers, docks, bridges or other such structure a medium powered rod with a fast action tip of about 7 foot in length is recommended. in Florida on the east coast. If fishing with artificial baits, a 20 lb test fluorocarbon leader is recommended if using a fast moving lure and a very light metal lure if using a slower lure. Inshore bluefish are most commonly found along the surf zone. It is your responsibility to check the latest laws on the Official Florida Game and Fish Commission here before you fish. They are a sleek, flat sided fish with a forked tail that average 1-2 pounds in shore with a world record size of 31 lbs 12oz. Eventually, I see a fish about a yard under the water. Big fish are called Horses. Florida Record Bluefish: Liz Yates on March 19, 1973, caught a monster bluefish close to Jensen Beach (Port St. Lucie) Florida weighing 22 lbs. The best hooks for bluefish are 1/0 hooks that are really sharp. Bluefish from Maine through the Atlantic coast of Florida make up a single population. Fischer, W.; G. Bianchi (eds.). Some people catch bluefish to eat. However, he was retired and he and his wife and son came down to visit us in Florida in their huge Winnebago mobile home. The best places to find inshore bluefish include: While the forked tail and flat shape of a Bluefish give them great strength for their size the average inshore fish is only around 1-2 lbs, so most gear that is saltwater rated will work well. The type of leader depends on the type of fishing you plan on doing. Florida bluefish limits are split by Florida State waters and Federal waters. NOTE – a full list of rules for fishing for bluefish can be found at the Florida Rules website here. When selecting a lure for bluefish keep their mouthful of razor sharp teeth in mind.