Missing bluefish

[Abrasion]

It's really a shame how bluefishing is no longer a summer long fishery. No more night fishing too. If there was ever a time to reduce limits and increase min size this is it. N my opinion the party boat fleets catching 1lb bluefish that are smaller than bunker and loading the boat everyday is a shame. In a few years when the bluefish are gone and the party boat captains are complaining they'll have nobody to blame but themselves.

[Gerry Zagorski]

This is a very cyclical fishery and very seasonal as well... Lots of big bruiser blues around in the spring and like last year, difficult to find in the summer. I also think they will be thick in the fall when the bait like Sandeels show up.

I also think your are barking up the wrong tree when you say that Party Boat catches are responsible for the lack of them... The rod and reel fishery can hardly put a dent in the populations.

Time for more restrictive regulations??? I think not. According to this http://www.asmfc.org/species/bluefish the stocks are in good shape.

[bunker dunker]

like Gerry said,they cycle and we are on the down side this last few years.its been this way forever.then when we start to cycle up everyone will bit&h that they are everywhere and destroying gear.

[Abrasion]

If its cyclical, its a big downward curve.

We dont believe the governement for fluke surveys but we believe them for bluefish?

I remember as a kid, party boats gaffed every bluefish that came over the side. They used to store them in blue poly barrels until they ran out of room.

I think Capt. Ron was the first captain ive seen advocating netting blues instead of gaffing them all. Some captains would tell me that they didnt want to ruin a net on a bluefish.

Theres a massive bait surplus, and no real blues to speak of. It's not coincidence in my opinion.

I can make this same call with Porgy. 50 per person? Seriously? In a few years people will be lamenting that there are no more porgies to catch. So many photos of guys with 150qt coolers filled to the rim with porgies. Its just a shame.

[tombanjo]

Bluefish aren't here because the water temp is too high and July has traditionally been a slow month due to spawning. The LI Sound has no shortage of big fish right now and I'm sure you'd find plenty offshore somewhere. Bluefish complaints from the tuna boys should be right around the corner.

[HK1490]

Look for the birds you find blues they're still around got them last week and this week.

[Gerry Zagorski]

I would like to see the regulations as favorable as possible for us while sustaining a fishery for the future.

And if you are very conservation minded you can always throw back what the law allows. That is your personal decision and I'd rather we're given the opportunity to make that decision ourselves rather then it be forced on us.

Having said this, I personally don't keep many fish but don't begrudge the people that do, as long as they are put to good use.

To each his own.

[Flukemeister1]

Bluefish aren't here because the water temp is too high and July has traditionally been a slow month due to spawning. The LI Sound has no shortage of big fish right now and I'm sure you'd find plenty offshore somewhere. Bluefish complaints from the tuna boys should be right around the corner.

Exactly.

From Bob Stearn's Ultimate Guide to fish temps:

Species Lower Avoidance Optimum Upper Avoidance Comments/Updates
Albacore 59 62-65 66 ¿
Amberjack 60 65-75 80+ ¿
Atlantic Bonito 60 65-75 80+ ¿
Atlantic Cod 31 44-49 59 ¿
Atlantic Mackerel 40 45-55 70 ¿
Barracuda 55 72-80 86 RDS (Florida)
Bigeye Tuna 52 62-74 80 RDS (Equador)
Blackfin Tuna 65 70-75 82 ¿
Black Marlin 68 72-82 87 RDS (Panama/C.R.)
Bluefin Tuna 50 60-72 82 RDS (Cozumel)
Bluefish 50 66-72 84 ¿
Blue Marlin 70 74-82 88 ¿
Bonefish 60 72-84 92+ RDS (Florida)
Dolphin (fish) 70 72-78 82 ¿
Fluke (Summer Flounder) 56 62-66 72 ¿
Haddock 36 42-48 52 ¿
Jack Crevalle 65 70-85 90 ¿
Kelp Bass 62 64-68 72 ¿
King Mackerel 65 68-76 88 ¿
Permit 70 75-85 92 RDS (Florida)
Pollock 33 40-50 60 ¿
Pompano 65 70-82 85+ ¿
Red Drum (Channel Bass) 52 70-90 90+ RDS (Florida)
Red Snapper 50 55-65 70+ ¿
Sailfish 68 72-82 88 ¿
Skipjack Tuna 50 58-62 70 ¿
Snook 60 70-82 90 ¿
Spotted Seatrout 48 68-78 88 ¿
Striped Bass 50 55-65 75 T. Mleczko
Striped Marlin 61 68-76 80 ¿
Swordfish 50 60-70 80 ¿
Tarpon 70 75-90 100+ Once at 62F
Tautog 45 50-60 76 Updated info from SWS reader
Weakfish 45 56-68 78 ¿
White Marlin 65 68-78 80+ ¿
White Seabass 58 64-68 74 ¿
Winter Flounder 35 48-52 64 ¿
Yellowfin Tuna 64 72-82 80 RDS (All Oceans)
Yellowtail (Pacific) 60 62-66 70

Bluefish completely disappeared for nearly 70 years at one point. No one knew where they had gone. When they finally showed up again folks didn't know what they were.
There are no responsible fishermen that want to see any species overfished. Bluefish are doing just fine.

[Super]

Bluefishing is never good in July because of the spawn. I’m a little surprised it hasn’t picked up, but this year has an odd weather cycle. Record warm water temperatures. Chub mackerel a mile off the beach instead of off-shore. Cownose Rays in early August. Bunker dying off all over.

And party boats have been loading up with bluefish for longer than I can remember, and it never made any difference. It’s not like last year the party boats doubled their keep.

I have a suspicion that we’re going to see good bluefishing when the water cools a bit and it may last until December.

[tjd24]

My buddy & I had a 1/2 mile of birds on 2-3 lb blues last Saturday off Coney Island for about 3 hours. No other boats around for the 1st hour or so. Sure they were small, but if you match the tackle to the fish, it's lotsa' fun. We lost count at 20+ fish each, but all were released.
It finally ended when 2 NY PB's began running over the schools. Each time, splitting the schools until they broke up.

[Capt Sal]

Bluefishing is never good in July because of the spawn. I’m a little surprised it hasn’t picked up, but this year has an odd weather cycle. Record warm water temperatures. Chub mackerel a mile off the beach instead of off-shore. Cownose Rays in early August. Bunker dying off all over.

And party boats have been loading up with bluefish for longer than I can remember, and it never made any difference. It’s not like last year the party boats doubled their keep.

I have a suspicion that we’re going to see good bluefishing when the water cools a bit and it may last until December.
Exactly. To say the party boats are are causing a decline in bluefish numbers is ridiculous.There are more blues every spring in Raritan Bay than any place in the world. Big ,med. and millions,so how are the numbers down???? They have changed there pattern and that is a fact When the fall comes you will be able to walk on them.

[Chris G]

There was a solid mile of Blues blowing up the peanuts yesterday in the bay.

[Chrisper4694]

You don't think big blues are going to pour into the bay with these temps...once the temps drop they'll come in and annoy the crap out of us like every year haha. Good to salvage a day though!

[reason162]

If its cyclical, its a big downward curve.

We dont believe the governement for fluke surveys but we believe them for bluefish?

I remember as a kid, party boats gaffed every bluefish that came over the side. They used to store them in blue poly barrels until they ran out of room.

I think Capt. Ron was the first captain ive seen advocating netting blues instead of gaffing them all. Some captains would tell me that they didnt want to ruin a net on a bluefish.

Theres a massive bait surplus, and no real blues to speak of. It's not coincidence in my opinion.

I can make this same call with Porgy. 50 per person? Seriously? In a few years people will be lamenting that there are no more porgies to catch. So many photos of guys with 150qt coolers filled to the rim with porgies. Its just a shame.

50 porgies, 15 blues...whether it's sustainable or not I don't know, but it sure is ugly at the end of the day.

[Abrasion]

My point is we should get ahead of any potential issues. Slow it down now then move it up a bit.
I am all for keeping fish. But seriously, what do you do with 15 bluefish? And those little blues that get vacuumed out by the barrel-full would be a great answer to the massive amount of bait hanging around if they were still swimming.

[Harpoon]

My point is we should get ahead of any potential issues. Slow it down now then move it up a bit.
I am all for keeping fish. But seriously, what do you do with 15 bluefish? And those little blues that get vacuumed out by the barrel-full would be a great answer to the massive amount of bait hanging around if they were still swimming.

Have you been to a fisheries meeting to state your views? At least that would prove you are serious about the topic...

[makosnax]

All the gators are in the sound

[dales529]

My point is we should get ahead of any potential issues. Slow it down now then move it up a bit.
I am all for keeping fish. But seriously, what do you do with 15 bluefish? And those little blues that get vacuumed out by the barrel-full would be a great answer to the massive amount of bait hanging around if they were still swimming.

While I think while your intentions are probably good the last thing recreational fishermen need is more arbritrary regulations. We have enough based on bad landings data and stock assessments. You insinuated an overfishing / catch landings based on pictures and or reports but have little to no actual data on the fisheries you are concerned about or at least you didn't support the statements with facts.

There are plenty of bluefish and as others stated they are cyclical but abundant by all on the water accounts. The Past of many years ago was a different story and yes overly greedy but yet the bluefish have come to our shores and offshore haunts year in and out other than the normal spawning or warm water cycles.

As for today there are only a few party boats fishing for them this time of year and since Hurricane Sandy the Private Sector is waaay down as well. I mainly fish weekdays and from MI to AH the ocean is a ghost town. Not enough boats even at the current limits to support your concerns. As others have said before there is no way recreational fishermen could even make a dent in the blue fishery or Porgies as it stands today

I don't know of many charter boats specifically targeting blues either but am sure they will if they need any sort of catch for their customers. That being said I don't get where you could possibly come up with any landings data that would include even possible overfishing of Blues or Porgies for that matter.
Have you done the math with accurate boat count, angler count to current limits or are you doing what the government does and just guess that if all these fish are being caught by a few then everyone even sailboats, Tug boats and Ferries are catching full limits as well.
Just sayin enough of internet pictures = TOO MUCH catching when most know its not.

[mike1010]

My buddy & I had a 1/2 mile of birds on 2-3 lb blues last Saturday off Coney Island for about 3 hours. No other boats around for the 1st hour or so. Sure they were small, but if you match the tackle to the fish, it's lotsa' fun. We lost count at 20+ fish each, but all were released.
It finally ended when 2 NY PB's began running over the schools. Each time, splitting the schools until they broke up.

Please identify the PBs. A little public shaming could be a good thing.

[Capt Joe]

please identify the pbs. A little public shaming could be a good thing.

wtf ?

[tjd24]

Please identify the PBs. A little public shaming could be a good thing.

Why?

[SaltLife1980]

The blue fish are around. Just need to know where to look. My myself. I dont keep blue fish. I dont like eating them and i know one person who doesnt fish that enjoys to eat them. Dad and I throw em all back. There are boats fishing for them right now. They are catching the smaller ones right now but im sure when the water cools off the bigger ones will be back. They were all over the bay this year when i was bass fishing.

[Capt Sal]

Please identify the PBs. A little public shaming could be a good thing.

Why also? Obviously you don't know anything about this. Shaming hard working captains and mates making a living is stupid. I am sure Jerry would not allow that on here!

[bulletbob]

While I think while your intentions are probably good the last thing recreational fishermen need is more arbritrary regulations. We have enough based on bad landings data and stock assessments. You insinuated an overfishing / catch landings based on pictures and or reports but have little to no actual data on the fisheries you are concerned about or at least you didn't support the statements with facts.

There are plenty of bluefish and as others stated they are cyclical but abundant by all on the water accounts. The Past of many years ago was a different story and yes overly greedy but yet the bluefish have come to our shores and offshore haunts year in and out other than the normal spawning or warm water cycles.

As for today there are only a few party boats fishing for them this time of year and since Hurricane Sandy the Private Sector is waaay down as well. I mainly fish weekdays and from MI to AH the ocean is a ghost town. Not enough boats even at the current limits to support your concerns. As others have said before there is no way recreational fishermen could even make a dent in the blue fishery or Porgies as it stands today

I don't know of many charter boats specifically targeting blues either but am sure they will if they need any sort of catch for their customers. That being said I don't get where you could possibly come up with any landings data that would include even possible overfishing of Blues or Porgies for that matter.
Have you done the math with accurate boat count, angler count to current limits or are you doing what the government does and just guess that if all these fish are being caught by a few then everyone even sailboats, Tug boats and Ferries are catching full limits as well.
Just sayin enough of internet pictures = TOO MUCH catching when most know its not.

Dales... wow. With all due respect. I need to know where you fish.. We are probably fishing different oceans or something.. When I rounded the hook last week at about 7:30 am, it was already a circus, and by 11 am, was out of control, and this was a Thursday.. Just hundreds and hundreds of boats from 14 footers to 100 ft plus head boat that were PACKED.. The bluefish being caught were all of 12 inches with a good stretch when landed, but they were being pounded without relent,, 4 jammed head boats and hundreds of small boats.. Remember this was a weekday.. When we left at around noon it was still insane.. That goes on every day of the week all summer, and then double weekends and holidays.. Again, all respect given to you, but the way you worded your post struck me as odd.. As someone that lived at the shore for years and spent a lot of time on the water, I respectfully disagree. You feel the pressure has lessened, but my eyes show me a totally opposite scenario.. I am overwhelmed at the intense pressure I see on all the fish we like to catch.. Not sure what to do about it of course, but just voicing my opinion that some anglers do feel the resources are getting hit really hard.. I tend to agree with those that feel a little self control would go a long way... bob

[lenny bent rod]

I know this is off the subject of blues, but what does one person do with 50 porgies? My guess, give them away to family and friends who put them in the freezer until they get freezer burnt and then throw them away. Ì m not big on regs but come on 50 porgies!

[jmurr711]

I know this is off the subject of blues, but what does one person do with 50 porgies? My guess, give them away to family and friends who put them in the freezer until they get freezer burnt and then throw them away. Ì m not big on regs but come on 50 porgies!

you vacuum pack them & eat them whenever you want

[Capt Joe]

Why?

Still waiting

[tjd24]

Still waiting

If you are waiting for me to name the boats I mentioned in my Post, you'll be waiting a long time.

[Abrasion]

theres PROaction and REaction. Fishery managers are the kings of REaction. We need to be PROactive. Remember when whiting were the "bluefish of the sea"? So plentiful you could walk on them. Well, I've never seen it but my grandfather used to tell me about it.....

[Gerry Zagorski]

I think recreational fishing pressure is way down from where it once was...

I think if you asked most party boat Captains, they are carrying a lot fewer fares then they used. The economy, not as many kids into fishing as there once was and the regulations all working against them.

I also think private boat fishing is down for some of the same reasons mentioned above and you now need a boating safety certificate.

Lastly, I think people in general are more conservation minded then they've been is the past. Many practice catch and release or only take a few for the table.

[Abrasion]

I hope so. I know it's linking to another page but I can envision a future where this post substitutes the word "porgie" or "bluefish" for the word whiting.

http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/topic/338465-i-miss-whiting-fishing/

[jmurr711]

theres PROaction and REaction. Fishery managers are the kings of REaction. We need to be PROactive. Remember when whiting were the "bluefish of the sea"? So plentiful you could walk on them. Well, I've never seen it but my grandfather used to tell me about it.....
They don't come near nj but is that because we caught em all or is it climate? Bait? Obama? Because if you go up north you can fill sacks with baseball bats & hit the smokehouse

[FASTEDDIE29]

Just got home from walking the beaches in and around Princess Bay! My son and I had and awesome Bluefish Blitz all to ourselves for about 2 hours straight! Outgoing tide! They were smashing Peanuts! All the 2-7 lbers you can dream of! Just need to have the patience to wait for it to happen!

TIGHT LINEZ!:D

[dales529]

Abrasion and Bulletbob,
I respect both of your opinions. I am all for self control and after spending the last 8 years working with SSFFF and RFA-NJ I have learned that you really need to pick your battles. As a working member for both entities our mission statement is conservation while protecting recreational fishing jobs and rights from arbitrary landings data, unnecessary closures of fisheries and strict regulations on any species.

We as posters on the internet can unintentionally do a dis-service to all by throwing arbitrary fishing participation and overfishing comments out there especially on a species that is not in trouble and shows no signs of being in trouble. Even the faulty Government science landings not only show Blue fish NOT overfished recreationally but allow for some of the recreational pound quota to be transferred to the commercial sector as we don't come close to landing our 11 million pounds. Maybe if bluefish had a higher commercial value (table fare) we may have a different picture.

I understand your concerns that small fish have taken over and the bluefish in general seem not as abundant but please revisit that statement from Oct - Dec 2016 and next spring when the cycles come back as usual. I also respect and encourage your worries of past greed and waste coming back. We have to stay vigilant but my opinion is todays fishermen have learned from the past for the most part, are more conservational in general and practice more catch and release properly than ever before.

Bob I have to believe we fish the same ocean and maybe you hit the perfect storm persay with all those railed PB's and private boaters but from my perspective fishing from AH, Shark River and MI, talking with many PB and charter captains who sail light or not at all on weekdays it certainly is not the norm since Sandy. Even when not fishing a quick check of beach cams during peak Fluke season show small boat counts to the viewing screens.

Good fishing to all and lets be vigilant but not create a window of opportunity for over regulation.

[bassnblues]

I'm very concservation minded but honestly, PBs have been filling buckets and bags with bluefish and porgys since I started fishing in the late 70's/early 80's and I can't remember a time when both were not plentiful.

I can't speak to this year because I've been kept off the water with mobility issues.

[pectoralfin]

You don't have to worry about the availability of bluefish. The NMFS has adopted the policy that whatever the recreational fishermen do not catch from their quota is automatically transferred to the commercial sector. In other words if we practice catch and release, if, for example, we only catch 85% of our quota, 15% is given to the commercials and we don't get it back. And it happens every year until the commercial quota reaches about 10.5 million pounds. The percentage of the total allowable catch for the recreational now is about 80% and it will drop to about 50% when all is said and done. Forget about asking them how they get their data.

I have been corresponding with a representative of the NMFS regarding this and the more I read and attempt to analyze and understand their bulletins, the more pissed off I get. This isn't the only species that we are loosing. Its been over 13 years that winter flounder has been kept at a 2 fish limit. it should be recovered by now. We are being pushed out slowly but surely. Look whats happening with fluke, sea bass, blackfish, etc.

I apologize for my rant, but what I said above is true. Yes, I belong to several groups that are trying to advocate our behalf, but what is happening is a shame.

[Capt Joe]

If you are waiting for me to name the boats I mentioned in my Post, you'll be waiting a long time.


"Please identify the PBs. A little public shaming could be a good thing."

No I'm waiting for Mike1010 to explain this horseshit

" In a few years when the bluefish are gone and the party boat captains are complaining they'll have nobody to blame but themselves."

Matching DUMBNESS! :-)

[NoLimit]

Recreational fishing has never hurt a fishery

Stop passing around that Koolaid

[mike1010]

wtf ?

I meant that knowing the party boats that were misbehaving would be a good thing for the fishing community. Was I unclear, or do you disagree?

[reason162]

theres PROaction and REaction. Fishery managers are the kings of REaction. We need to be PROactive. Remember when whiting were the "bluefish of the sea"? So plentiful you could walk on them. Well, I've never seen it but my grandfather used to tell me about it.....

I think proactive/preemptive limits should be placed on all species. If you have data then go off data; if you don't, go off "common sense." Slap a 20 fish limit on sea robins before Jmur's gospel start spreading! :D

[tombanjo]

Well, what's a long thread without a little humor? Whoever said the two B'klyn PB's (and there are only two so not that hard to figure out) ran through the schools breaking them up to the chagrin of the small boats.....now that's funny!

Talk about ass backwards. You must have been in the bizarro seas.

[Capt Sal]

On face book- Capt Al Ristori said his arms were weary catching blues on top water plugs in Raritan Bay the other day. Shortage of blues?????

[bjd11185]

They are no longer missing appeared in full force check it Big Jamaica night report from last night