When do blues show up? 75 more days until stripers in Maine...

[spc06]

When do you guys get Blues? They haven't made it north of Massachusetts in about 10 years, or even longer truthfully, but now and again I see these massive gator blues caught off NJ jettys. Just curious.

https://youtu.be/tbMCFpV3cp8

(Another Best Of Video. This one is stripers only).

[tjd24]

All depends on water temp and bait.

[bulletbob]

Typically early to mid May in the bays, with a straggler here and there in late April some years.. Big ocean blues that the party boats target, later in summer after they spawn... The reason you don't see them north of cape cod anymore is the same reason we don't see whiting or cod/haddock/pollock down here very much.. When there are deep declines in a fish population they don't turn up as much in fringe areas in their range... Blues in Maine are more abundant when the populations are huge down here... The population of blues is NOT what it used to be by a long shot.. With the decline of so many other commercial species, Blues have become much more of a target for netters than they once were... I see them going for really stupid prices these days, just like any other fish thats halfway edible...

[spc06]

Typically early to mid May in the bays, with a straggler here and there in late April some years.. Big ocean blues that the party boats target, later in summer after they spawn... The reason you don't see them north of cape cod anymore is the same reason we don't see whiting or cod/haddock/pollock down here very much.. When there are deep declines in a fish population they don't turn up as much in fringe areas in their range... Blues in Maine are more abundant when the populations are huge down here... The population of blues is NOT what it used to be by a long shot.. With the decline of so many other commercial species, Blues have become much more of a target for netters than they once were... I see them going for really stupid prices these days, just like any other fish thats halfway edible...

Had no idea that the blues bite had slowed down so much down there. Heart breaking to hear that they are being targeted by the gill netters. That has happened to the pogie bite up here. Just when they started to come back, the special interests had their quota increased under emergency measures. Gut wrenching.

[bulletbob]

It is sad... Blues are still around, but the fishing is not close to what it was at one time... I am not certain of the reason, but I think that with so many other food species decimated, the commercial guys started targeting blues, especially fish in the 1-3 pound class, which I usually see sold fresh inn the round... Bigger blues I see as those ugly grey fillets... Someone is buying them though.. I have been seeing 2 packs of whole smaller blues, locally here in NY state, 225 miles from the nearest salt water.. Packed in white foam trays covering in clear plastic- looking very fresh, full color, bright eyes, red gills, firm and clean ready to go into a pan... About $11-12 bucks for 2 small ones... They are always available, year round, so someone is buying and eating them, which also means someone is fishing for and catching them,, year round...
I fear they may go the way of Weakfish.. Too many taken from the water and eaten.

I used to think blues would never be accepted as a commercial food fish, they just are not all that great to eat.. I was wrong...
10 pound Weaks were not great eating either, and they took every one they could find.. So,,,,, here we go again... bob

[Ol Pedro]

The Bluefishing hasn't been the same since Sandy. I think more fish are staying further offshore. I have caught them on The mid shore wrecks and even one in The deep off The Hudson. The Partyboat night bite has changed so much that some boats fish night Ling and only target Bluefish on the weekends. I think the water has changed with global warming. Why are we catching Bluefish in December Sea bass fishing? The comms. Have been targeting Bluefish the whole time. The smaller fish have always brought a higher price than the larger fish. Some people like stronger tasting fish. As more people migrate to the U.S. from Europe/Africa Bluefish and Croakers are some of their favorite fish. I don't think that commercial fishing is as much a problem as changing conditions.

[bulletbob]

Yeah gotta disagree with you on the GW thing.. I have kept an eye on ocean water temps year round since the 70's.. They are the same now as they were then,, Some years we get a late winter and the water is cold later in the season.. Last year we were in the 40's this time of year, and now its still around 39... Global warming would NOT have an impact on Blues up in Maine in summer, as the OP was alluding to... They would be there if the water got too warm for them in the NY Bight.

Blues like warm water,, Florida has plenty of them..

No the reason the Bluefishing is not as good as it was, is the same old same old.. Its not environmental, its not temp or water quality or Sandy or different migration patterns of their food sources.

Its the simple fact that they are being caught and eaten with abandon, compared to years ago, just as it was with other more desirable species before them..... Years ago, the ONLY place I saw fresh Blues for sale on ice was the jersey shore/NY metro area... Now I see them fresh as a daisy, hundreds and hundreds of miles from any salt water, and for prices that are crazy, but people are buying them and eating them every day.- Until they are gone, and some other species takes their place... bob

[Ol Pedro]

Bullet, it's ok to disagree.

[bigfishy]

Well said!! Direct and to the point

[WhaleFart]

The decline in bluefish in our waters is 100% due to overfishing (both commercially and rec) and the demand of seafood globally. I work for the Fulton Fish Market and we even have shortage problems with bluefish. Trust me if they were 60 miles offshore in numbers that we saw a decade + ago inshore, they would be stacked up in the market like many other species. The bluefish has always been a disrespected fish, I cant even fathom to think how many hundreds of thousands of tons of fish have been trashed due to people being careless. Hopefully regs (both commercial and rec) help bring the stocks back to where they need to be.

[Solemate]

Usually end of April beginning of May.