Reports from Hatteras Island have been coming in the last few days of 10 to 15 pound bluefish being taken from the surf. If your looking for a serious pull on your rod, then pack your SUV and surf fishing tackle and motor down to the Outer Banks. Voracious, tough and toothy predators. One to five pound Blues frequent the NC surf, providing surf casters action from March through December. When bait is frequent and conditions right the schools of larger Blues follow the bait close to shore. The world record was caught at Hatteras by Jim Hussey in 1972. This Blue weighed in at 31 pounds 12 ounces. Regardless of size, when hooked expect the Bluefish to put up a good fight. They hit hard, make long runs and jump to shake free of the hook. Their survival instinct is strong. When you muscle a hooked Blue close to shore, expect the fish to renew its struggle, one more desperate push for survival can be expected. Pound for pound this proves to be one tough fish.
Bluefish generally travel in schools of like sized fish. Should you find yourself catching four to five pound Blues, don't expect a 15 pounder to be lurking in the school. Bluefish are indiscriminate hunter killers. The small Tailor Blues find themselves on the menu for the larger Chopper Blues. As a point of survival, smaller Blues avoid larger Blues. Like some species of shark, Blues attacking a pod of bait fish can get worked up to a frenzy. Dashing wildly about, teeth slashing, the Blues descend upon their prey ripping fin and flesh. In their wake, the prey are left torn in half eaten pieces. To witness a Blues Blitz is to see an awesome sight. Once while fishing Hatteras Inlet, I waded out about twenty yards to waist deep water in order to cast my bait a little further out to a fishy looking rip just out of reach. Suddenly, all about me there was a flurry of Blues and bait tearing up the water. After a half moment of shocked disbelief, I high tailed it back to shore in fear of getting my waders (or something else) punctured by an over zealous Bluefish. My father laughed as he tossed a rig in the area I vacated and pulled out a respectable five pound Blue.
In most cases, light casting or spinning tackle is sufficient for catching the average bluefish in the surf. Wire or heavy mono leaders are a necessity, otherwise you will have to deal with cutoffs by the Blues' toothy mouths. They are not picky eaters, so virtually any bait will work. Live or fresh cut fish, squid, or shrimp work just fine. When fishing bait for Blues, I like to use a two hook fireball rig. This is your basic two hook rig, made up of a leader of heavy fluorocarbon with a swivel at the top to attach to your shock leader and a duolock attached at the terminal end for attaching a pyramid sinker. Along the length of the rig are two dropper loops. Each loop has a brightly colored Styrofoam ball and a hook.
Many artificial lures are successfully used on Bluefish, I like Hopkins Lures and Gotcha Plugs. Cast out and wait a couple of moments to let the lure sink, whip your rod toward you and retrieve your lure quickly. Keep fishing your lure all the way to shore, the Bluefish could well be in the suds when he takes the lure.
Bluefish are perfectly fine to eat. The key to good tasting Bluefish is to clean and prepare the Blue quickly. During the bite, take a moment to get your catch on ice and after the bite go ahead and gut and bleed the fish. Do not let the Blues sit in your cooler all day. They are best if caught, cleaned and eaten all on the same day. When you fillet the Blue, trim away the dark meat, this will help in keeping the meat from getting too fishy in taste. Cooking can be simple - just pan fry or broil until the flesh is white and easily flakes with a fork. If you are making hushpuppies and have some buttermilk to spare; let your fillets bathe in a shallow bowl of buttermilk for about thirty minutes. Pull them out of the buttermilk bath and pat dry. Dredge your fillets in flour, give a quick dip in an egg bath, next dredge through cornmeal, salt and pepper to taste and pan fry in butter. Broiling is even simpler. After bathing your fillets in buttermilk and patting dry, salt and pepper and brush with a coat of melted butter. Set your fillets on a well greased pan, place in a pre-heated oven about four inches from the heating element. Should take about four to six minutes per 1/2 inch thickness. Should your fillet be over 1/2 inch in thickness, turn once halfway through broiling.
Good Luck and Tight Lines,
R. M. Callaway
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| Early morning catch - Emerald Isle Fall 2010 |
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| My Girls and Father -in- Law checking out that evening's dinner |
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