Bluefish
The only member of the Pomatomidae family, the bluefish is an extremely voracious and cannibalistic saltwater fish. A fierce opponent, it has gained a reputation among marine anglers as the hardest fighter per pound. These fish put up a long battle, even though they are typically caught in the 5- to 12-pound range. True to their scientific name (saltatrix means "leaper"), they will also jump if not caught on very heavy tackle. Schooling bluefish are particularly aggressive, often rampaging through a pod of baitfish. They have distinguished themselves as an occasional menace to bathers, and have attacked and lacerated bathers. They have also been known to run up on the beach when frenziedly chasing baits in the surf wash.
Bluefish are an important commercial fish, noted for a strong but delicious flavor; the flesh becomes soft if not eaten fresh and does not keep well if frozen for a long time.
Identification — The body shape of a bluefish is fairly long, stout, and compressed, with a flat-sided belly. The mouth is large and has extremely sharp, flattened, and triangular teeth. The first dorsal fin is low and short and consists of six to eight spines, whereas the second dorsal fin is long and has one spine and 23 to 28 soft rays; the anal fin has two spines and 25 to 27 soft rays. Both the second dorsal fin and the anal fin are covered with small, compact scales. The coloring is greenish or bluish on the back, and silvery on the sides; a distinguishing characteristic is a dark blotch at the base of the pectoral fins. The tail is dusky and deeply forked, and, with the exception of the whitish pelvic fins, most of the fins are dark.
The bluefish is distinguished from the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) by the spine in the second dorsal fin, the absence of markings on the head, and the lack of a space between the dorsal fins. The absence of finlets easily distinguishes bluefish from mackerel.
Size/Age — Bluefish can grow to about 45 inches in length and more than 44 pounds in weight, averaging 1 1/2 to 2 feet and 3 pounds, although it's not uncommon for fish to weigh around 11 pounds. The rod-and-reel record is a 31-pound, 12-ounce fish. They live for about 12 years.
Distribution — Found worldwide in most temperate coastal regions, bluefish inhabit the eastern Atlantic from Portugal, Madeira, and the Canary Islands southward along the African coasts to South Africa, including the Mediterranean and Black Seas. They are also present in the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Canada to Bermuda and Argentina, as well as in the Indo-West Pacific, but are absent from the eastern and northwestern Pacific. They are also rare between southern Florida and northern South America.
Habitat — Favoring temperate to tropical waters, bluefish range along rocky coasts and in deep, troubled waters, although they are known to be sporadic, if not cyclical, in occurrence and location. The young are often found in bays and estuaries. Adults migrate along coastal areas and are caught from the beach by surf anglers, on shoals and rips inshore, or farther offshore.
Food and feeding habits — Insatiable predators, bluefish feed on a wide variety of fish and invertebrates but target schools of menhaden, mackerel and herring. These fish have earned the nicknames "marine piranha" and "chopper" because they feed in large groups, viciously attacking schools of smaller fish. This feeding frenzy destroys everything in their path, including their own young. A bluefish may continue to attack its prey even when it is no longer hungry. These creatures are said to consume twice their weight in one day.
Anglers must use care when landing and handling these fish; even when a bluefish has been taken out of the water, an angler can lose a finger if not wary. Most bluefish enthusiasts use a dehooking tool to steer clear of the snapping dentures of this fish.
Angling — Historically, bluefishing has been a feast or famine pastime for East Coast anglers, and in recent years these fish have been overexploited, in part because bans on commercial fishing for striped bass set a higher priority on bluefish. Nevertheless, recreational anglers have been responsible for more than 80 percent of the catch in the past decade. Blues have long been a favorite among party boat ventures, and in the past party boat anglers have caught and kept copious (indeed excessive) numbers of this species when they encountered a lot of fish.
Availability and abundance are somewhat unpredictable, however. Bluefish roam widely, at times staying well offshore and at other times venturing up into the surf. They are sometimes caught in marshes, brackish rivers, and estuaries, however, although these are usually small fish, called snapper.
Birds working a slick are a dead giveaway to bluefish plundering schools of baitfish. Casting, jigging, and trolling on the perimeter of the slick are standard tactics. At other times, however, blues are a little harder to locate; they often favor deep water, tide rips, and unruly water, particularly inshore on a moving tide. Bluefish feed on a wide range of small fish, usually preferring whatever is most available, but they can be selective feeders and will also scrounge the bottom for sandworms and eels.
Bluefish succumb to a host of angling techniques and terminal tackle, in large part due to their aggressiveness. This is true for boat and shore anglers alike. Trolling may be the most employed boating technique, using diving plugs, thick-bodied spoons, and surgical tubes; a fast speed is preferred. Drifting and jigging are popular where bluefish are known to linger; metal jigging spoons and bucktails, sometimes tipped with a piece of meat, are preferred offerings. Live baits work better than dead baits, but some anglers chum for blues and successfully drift hooked pieces of cut bait amidst the chum. Casters use a variety of plugs, as well as streamer flies, when the fish are thick. Shore, surf, and pier anglers can stillfish with baits in current, or cast surface or diving plugs and squid-imitation spoons. There should always be movement to the offering, as still lures or baits go untouched. Some anglers, incidentally, "sniff out" bluefish by smell, searching for a fresh-cucumber odor where blues have been plundering baitfish.
Tackle varies widely, from heavy boat rods for trolling and deep jigging to light spinning tackle and fly rods. The reel drag should be of good quality, and anglers should use a gaff for fish that are to be kept. It bears repeating that bluefish have extremely sharp teeth; great care is a necessity when handling these fish. Many an angler has been scarred, or worse, when unhooking a lively blue.