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Info on Florida Saltwater Fish - Rules & Fishing Tips |
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The bluefish is pound for pound the hardest fighting fish around. It has been known to barricade schools of other fish in a back bay until the trapped fish begin to die rather than trying to run through the line of waiting hungry school of blues. The bluefish will eat until it is full and then disgorge its stomach to eat again if bait is near. I would much rather be in the water with a school of sharks or I. R. S. agents than blues. But lets talk about how you get them in the boat. Bluefish arrive on the east coast in early May following the atlantic mackerel up north. At this time they will invade the back bay areas in mostly the 2 to 6 pound range. Thus, there are two methods for fishing for blues in early May and June. The first is the most fun. Start with light tackle 6 to 12 pound test. Cast towards the banks about two hours from the top of the tide using any kind of medal lure. Gaitor spoons and Hopkins are recommended. Move the lure fast if the water is warm, 60 degrees and above, and slower if it's cooler, 55 to 60 degrees. If this doesn't work switch to a popping plug. Whether in the bay or in the ocean always look for working birds. This doesn't mean a seagull with a union card, but instead birds that are going down into the water to pick up cut pieces of floating fish from a school of feeding blues. Remember that there are usually striped bass under such a school. Cut bait is not a good idea this time of year since now with a cooler water temperatures coming the blues like a moving lure. Thus, how about trolling. Trolling, other wise known as letting the boat do all the work. The question to be answered this time of year is are the fish up or down? Here is a reason to buy more equipment. A must is a set of outriggers and either down riggers or planers. The hot color for a lure this time of year is green or anything that looks like a mackerel. For this deep diving Rappels work with out the bother of using planers or down riggers. If you are smart, and I am not always, you will take the treble hook off of the middle of the lure. Why? Bluefish always strike from the back and never from the side or front. So why bother with a second hook while dealing with a very angry fish. A good idea is to keep several extra lures already rigged. This way you can put the fish into the box with the lure and deal with it after it dies; which in the case of bluefish is only several minutes. At this point something should be said about wire line rods and reels. Wire line will allow lures to drop about 25 to 30 feet depending on speed with about 160 to 200 feet of line out. These rods are a great combination to use with bunker spoons and trolling drails. This will pick up big blues and striped bass in the late fall. But more about this type of fishing in an other article this fall. The choice to use riggers either up or down will depend on the first strike. Go with the depth that first starts catching on at least two out of the four lines in the spread. Use the same method for the color that first takes a hit. After you have found the working birds; have the right color and depth; the most important factor is the speed of the boat. If I could answer this question with any certainty I could be president without the intern problems. The over all usual best speed is between four and one half and six miles per hour. Note I have had small two pound blues hit Bonito lures at eleven M.P.H., so go figure. What ever speed you use, NEVER LET THE LURES SKIP OUT OF THE WATER. If skipping occurs add a trolling drail rather than reduce speed. Just like the people on the Jerry Springer show or kids in your house, blues love a commotion. Thus drag beer cans tied to a string , only if they are empty. this means someone on the boat will have to drink the beer. I like the use of a bird since this will create a commotion, spin and flash which looks like a school of bait fish. It is also easy to pull in the boat when the fight begins. To slow the speed upon a hook up or not? My answer is not right away. Since blues are usually in schools changing the speed will lessen the chance that other fish will strike the lures. You will know in about one minute if other fish will be on the line. If not, slow the speed just enough to keep the lures in position. Fight the fish and bring in only those lures that will get in the way. Never reduce speed if there are more hook ups than anglers on the boat, unless your hobby is untying knots. A note for the table. The single most complaint about bluefish meat is that it is strong or oily. One way to deal with this problem is to bleed the fish as soon as possible by making a cut on both sides of the fish just forward of the tail fin and just behind the gills. Removing the blood will cause the meet to be as white as flounder meet. ALWAYS KEEP BLUES ON PLENTY OF ICE TOO PRESERVE THE MEAT FOR THE TABLE. Regulations Minimum size 12" (fork length); no closed season; 10 fish per person per day limit Heads & Tails intact, fish may be gutted. General Information This fish travels in schools and migrates up and down the Atlantic seaboard following schools of bait fish. The meat is good to eat and is best when eaten fresh. It does not freeze well. Schools of bluefish will go into a feeding frenzy when the encounter a school of baitfish. Anglers around when this happens can cast bare hooks into the melee and catch fish. Distribution The best time to fish for bluefish in Florida is during the winter months. The largest concentrations and the biggest fish are caught on the Atlantic side of the state. Fish tend to be smaller and less numerous along the Gulf coast. Bluefish schools travel close to shore and that means surf and ocean pier anglers and nearshore boaters have a good chance of finding and catching these fish. Tackle and Techniques Surf fishing, especially along the Atlantic coast in the winter, is a popular place to find bluefish. Anglers who fish here will need a a big surf rod so they can cast far enough offshore to reach the troughs where the fish congregate. A smaller rod and reel with 12 pound test line can be used off the ocean piers. Bluefish have a mouthful of sharp teeth so you will need to use a 50 pound test or heavier leader to avoid cut offs. Bait Live baitfish is one of the most reliable baits for this species. Gold and silver spoons and jigs tipped with shrimp that are worked through school usually attract attention. Pieces of cut bait and large spoons work when trolling. If the feeding frenzy is hot and heavy, a bare gold hook will create enough flash to attract a bluefish.
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