Bluefish FishingThe funny thing about bluefish is that they aren’t truly blue. They are actually a greenish color that fades into silver on the lower sides and underbelly. Bluefish fishing is a lot of fun because when they are schooling, they hit hard and often. Rig two hooks and you can catch them two at a time-- one fish puts up a fight, two fish pulling in opposite directions is an even bigger fight!Bluefish will hit on many different kinds of bait. Mackerel, menhaden, squid, shrimp and other baitfish will draw bluefish your way. Glow in the dark tube lures and shiny spoons are quite effective when fishing for blue. When a school of bluefish goes into a feeding frenzy, they will hit on nearly any bait or shining lure. The Gotcha-lure probably catches more bluefish in the Gulf Shores area than any other single lure.
Many fishermen prefer to fish for blues while trolling. It is best to get your lure or bait close to the bottom without having it touching the sea floor. The easiest way to do so is to release about ten feet of line for every foot of water. So, if you are in 10 feet of water, you will need to let out about 100 feet of line. The rule of thumb is quite easy to remember. Chumming the water helps to draw the bluefish to you. Freshly cut up menhaden works very well. Some fishermen prefer to use frozen chum. Most concur that fresh chum is the best chum. It is best to re-chum the water about every five minutes or so. This keeps the fish interested in the area and will increase your chances of a good catch. Many anglers enjoy night fishing for bluefish. One Captain from a New Jersey fishing vessel gives all of his fishing tour guests glow sticks. The glow sticks get attached to line and then the hook gets baited with either squid or menhaden. That Captain claims that the glowing objects draw the blues in and people on his boat almost always have great results! Once you’ve got a blue on your line and set your hook, reel it in. You will need to remove the hook from the fish. Experienced fishermen always use pliers to do so. Remember, bluefish have teeth and if you try to get the hook out without pliers you will likely get bitten... and they very often draw blood. Some people prefer to fish from the shoreline. It is advisable to use a floating rig with natural bait. The floating rig keeps the bait from settling down on the sea floor hence keeping it protected from crabs that will steal it. There aren't any "best places" for bluefish. I have caught them from a boat in Perdido Pass, I have caught them in Terry Cove and I have caught them while surf fishing. If you see swells, cast into them. They like to trap and eat smaller fish there. When bluefish are biting, they usually bite for awhile, sometimes they will still be biting when you run out of time. Now that you’ve been bluefish fishing and kept some for dinner, here is a quick and easy recipe for grilled bluefish that is truly delicious. You will need: • 4 bluefish fillets • 1 cup of orange juice • 1/3 cup of lime juice • 1/3 cup of lemon juice • /3 cup of olive oil • 1/8 cup of white wine • 1/3 cup of citrus seafood rub • Orange zest • Lime zest • Lemon zest Mix the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine and seafood rub in a large bowl. Gently put the fillets into the bowl and marinade for one hour. (You can even marinade them overnight in the refrigerator). Coat the grill with oil or a non-stick grill spray. Preheat the grill on high. Once hot, place the fillets on the grill. Cook them for 4 minutes on each side. Place on a serving dish and garnish with the orange, lime and lemon zest.  New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
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