Big Bluefish?

[StriperGirl]

Anyone have any idea why the bigger bluefish aren't in their normal areas this time of year? Smaller blues can be fun, but not nearly as much fun as the big ones IMO

[jmurr711]

Anyone have any idea why the bigger bluefish aren't in their normal areas this time of year? Smaller blues can be fun, but not nearly as much fun as the big ones IMO

no idea

[Ol Pedro]

We killed them all and now we are killing their children . There will be no more Bluefish next year . There must be better food offshore this Season.

[vinntastic]

We killed them all and now we are killing their children . There will be no more Bluefish next year . There must be better food offshore this Season.you got that right,no babys no gators:rolleyes:

[jmurr711]

We killed them all and now we are killing their children . There will be no more Bluefish next year . There must be better food offshore this Season.
thats what i thought but it sounds like theres alot of sand eels on th lumps and stuff thought blues loved them???? hope they come in in the fall i havent eaten a bluefish since may :( & those little ones are bland

[sternline]

O.k., we've got a mystery. Why no big bluefish? And we have another mystery. Dolphins up and down the coast are dying in droves, lots of them sick and/or emaciated. Why? Mystery #3. Why are 70% of the resident stripers in the Chesapeake (the males) emaciated and infected with a kind of fish tuberculosis. Mystery #4. Where are the weakfish?
Clue #1. What's the food that big bluefish need?
Clue #2. What's the food that dolphins need?
Clue #3. What's the food that those resident stripers need?
Clue #4 In the Chesapeake, which is the main nursery for weakfish, what do those young weakfish need to feed on?

So what's the solution to the four mysteries?

[RnK]

Anyone have any idea why the bigger bluefish aren't in their normal areas this time of year? Smaller blues can be fun, but not nearly as much fun as the big ones IMO

Does anyone know they are not? See any reports from the Shark River Reef? It held incredible large blues and albies for almost 2 months last year despite being a daily parking lot out there.

The bluefish boats, after a very slow start of their biz season now have big crowds daily, (revenue up) and the blues, albeit pee wees are thick relatively close in (costs down). So why should they do any different? We were having this discussion earlier with fishing bud and on a non blue fish boat. If the pee wees remain, then maybe it will take till after Labor Day when the vacation and school crowds diminish for anything to change.

Mid range tuna, deep wreck guys reporting big blues "a problem." May-June Raritan Bay was loaded with huge blues. Was on a trip at that time living striper, and 135 bunber were annihilated by gator blues - all you could want, except it was a striper trip. 135 baits, 2 stripers caught, 1 keeper. Rest blues.

So there appears there is nothing the matter with big blues. It's just the bluefish boats are not targeting them while they enjoy their cash flow bonanza.

[sternline]

Anybody else see hordes of big blues in Raritan Bay in May-June. I limited out on stripers every trip but one and never saw a single bluefish on these striper trips. And that was on the Sea Hawk.

[Capt Jimmy Elliott]

Does anyone know they are not? See any reports from the Shark River Reef? It held incredible large blues and albies for almost 2 months last year despite being a daily parking lot out there.

The bluefish boats, after a very slow start of their biz season now have big crowds daily, (revenue up) and the blues, albeit pee wees are thick relatively close in (costs down). So why should they do any different? We were having this discussion earlier with fishing bud and on a non blue fish boat. If the pee wees remain, then maybe it will take till after Labor Day when the vacation and school crowds diminish for anything to change.

Mid range tuna, deep wreck guys reporting big blues "a problem." May-June Raritan Bay was loaded with huge blues. Was on a trip at that time living striper, and 135 bunber were annihilated by gator blues - all you could want, except it was a striper trip. 135 baits, 2 stripers caught, 1 keeper. Rest blues.

So there appears there is nothing the matter with big blues. It's just the bluefish boats are not targeting them while they enjoy their cash flow bonanza.


Another expert,

First we were catching big blues on may and part of june. 2nd if ya read the reports there were a couple boats that ran the 35 miles in july to catch the big ones . Once it gets passed that point there is just not enough time in a day to go past that find em chum em and get the customers home . I have first hand info of some blues on the Helen H on a Nantucket Trip . That is our of the question .Just have to wait for a fall run
There are boats and we communicate with bottom boats (which fish the reef daily so they would tell us) draggers ( who I know) scallopers ( which I own) daily. If they r in reasonable range we will target them . There haven't been any in the last month in reasonable range. Also yes we are in business to actually turn a profit these aren't non profit organization

This is the worst season fish wise and people carrying wise in the past 10 years. Lots of boats are down 30-40 % and a nite business is almost non exsisting. Last Friday nite we were out with 10 people and before that 9 people. Some nites going down and waisting a couple hours of our time not even to get out Don't get me wrong the next 2 weeks we might carry some tourist because its the last hooray for people to get out.If you think this is a cash cow bonanza maybe you should by a bluefish boat for $500,000 pay $30,000 in dockage $20,000 in insurance $20.000 in advertising $20,000 in maintenance plus a lot of other expenses and pay your mortgage stand in a lot every morning and every nite ( sometimes feeling the a male prostitute to put people on a boat) and show us how its done and what a cash flow bonanza this is .:mad:

[darrenflynn]

+1 capt Jim, tough season for you guys, if it was a cash flow bonanza and a easy killing everyone would have a bluefish boat

[darrenflynn]

And on another note the pee wees are way better eating anyway

[ReelNauti]

So there appears there is nothing the matter with big blues. It's just the bluefish boats are not targeting them while they enjoy their cash flow bonanza.


Just SHOOT ME NOW!!

are you kidding me?! REALLY?!

just give me a HINT of numbers to run to, within 25 miles, i will PAY your fare and YOU show me WHAT WE ARE MISSING while we bring these ALLEGED wheelbarrels of money to the bank

Good Grief

[tombanjo]

Looked up my records and saw almost the same situation last year. Pee wee city for weeks, regulars grousing, albie fanatics going through withdrawl foaming at the mouth and on 8/14 one boat, I believe it was the Golden Eagle, went off and found the big blues, skippies and albies and called some of his friends up to join the party. What's today? Oh, the 14th. let's hope history repeats itself.

[jswany04]

On one trip on my boat in the raritan we had big blues swimming on top of the water all over the place. It was awesome. We must have caught 30 plus fish

[jswany04]

Also the big blues are up north.

[StriperGirl]

Does anyone know they are not? See any reports from the Shark River Reef? It held incredible large blues and albies for almost 2 months last year despite being a daily parking lot out there.

The bluefish boats, after a very slow start of their biz season now have big crowds daily, (revenue up) and the blues, albeit pee wees are thick relatively close in (costs down). So why should they do any different? We were having this discussion earlier with fishing bud and on a non blue fish boat. If the pee wees remain, then maybe it will take till after Labor Day when the vacation and school crowds diminish for anything to change.

Mid range tuna, deep wreck guys reporting big blues "a problem." May-June Raritan Bay was loaded with huge blues. Was on a trip at that time living striper, and 135 bunber were annihilated by gator blues - all you could want, except it was a striper trip. 135 baits, 2 stripers caught, 1 keeper. Rest blues.

So there appears there is nothing the matter with big blues. It's just the bluefish boats are not targeting them while they enjoy their cash flow bonanza.


Cash flow bonanza? Yea ok. I think some more knowledgeable people have explained that. I think I share the same sentiment that most people really enjoy the big tacklebusting blues. I don't care to eat them, but enjoy fishing for them. That's why I asked. Hopefully they pick up in the fall.

[Ol Pedro]

Cash flow bonanza? Yea ok. I think some more knowledgeable people have explained that. I think I share the same sentiment that most people really enjoy the big tacklebusting blues. I don't care to eat them, but enjoy fishing for them. That's why I asked. Hopefully they pick up in the fall.
This has been the worst year that I can remember . When some of the night boats are carrying clams to ling with after trying for the larger units for a couple of hours then you know that it's bad . This shot of small fish isn't enough to get our regulars who like the big fish to come down . You have to take what Nature gives you . Taking 15 fares fishing or not getting enough to sail isn't a Cash Bonanza . Throw in the weather and you have a forgettable Season . I haven't gaffed a fish in a month and a half !

[captainrich]

Well whoever said the 14th may have been on to something.

After catching the smaller ones for a while last night, we took a shot, made a 12 mile move and ended up picking away at the 10 to 15lb Blues the rest of the night. See the GOLDEN EAGLE'S post.

Maybe its time for them to start. We will see tonight.

Re the "cash cow" - where did you get your MBA from so I don't send my kids there?

[kcritch]

Re the "cash cow" - where did you get your MBA from so I don't send my kids there?

That's funny....Love it.

You can't even pay attention to a report/comment like that. I'm a freshwater guy that does a couple of salt trips a year with sponsor boats from this site and even I know that if there's a shot at catching fish you guys actually try to go catch them and sometimes.... dare I say it...even WANT to catch them. It's an amazing concept I know but trust me it's I've seen it happen.

Keep up the good work captains and mates... most people on this site really appreciate it and trust your make up as honest hardworking people.

[tombanjo]

Well whoever said the 14th may have been on to something.



Glad I could help Cap. Skippies due in on the 17th, albies on the 18th. Be there!

[slammer]

There must be a ton of bait offshore that the big blues like to keep them out there, only the fish gods know for sure. Tombanjo l hope your dates are right I'm ready for some gators,albies and bones:D