Singing The Blues

[Billfish715]

While reminiscing about the old days of fishing around here, the topic of the good old days of fishing for bluefish came up. We talked about "spots" like the Klondike, Manasquan Ridge, Barnegate Ridge, the Acid Waters, etc. etc. The bluefish fleet was extensive. There were even bluefish boats sailing from Atlantic Highlands and Highlands and the bayshore area. There were boats that sailed day and night trips. There were boats anchored on pieces that made it look like a fleet when you saw it. The night fleets looked like cities when they were all lit up and fishing near each other. That was then, which raises the issue about now.

So, where are the gators, choppers, yellow eyes or whatever you want to call the bluefish? I know they are in the area of Block Island and Massachusetts but why are they not around here? I have no guesses. If I thought it was bait, I'd be wrong. If it was water temps, I'd be wrong. If it was draggers, I'd be wrong.

Umbrella rigs, bunker backs, Bingle Bananas, Pony Tails, Squid Spoons, Pet Spoons, wire leaders, burlap bags, planers, Penn 500's and 114's, 50H Daiwa's, buckets of bunker chum, ladles, chum grinders, bloody decks, 3406 Mustad Hooks, rubber core sinkers, and more were standards for catching blues. Now, we have party boats that were traditionally packed with fishermen looking to catch bluefish, currently fishing for anything with fins supported by
"groupons" to get customers to the rails.

Anyone care to weigh in?

[shrimpman steve]

It is a sad state of affairs. People forget that the party boat fleet was built on blue fish.

I used to love those night trips on the cock robin

[CadiShackFishing]

I miss those days as well filling those big burlap bags till they were overflowing. Then getting back to the dock and there were people willing to buy the fish for like $2 each. Then to the laundromat to wash the blood out of your clothes. Not sure what happened to the bio-mass but I know it was a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by CadiShackFishing

I miss those days as well filling those big burlap bags till they were overflowing. Then getting back to the dock and there were people willing to buy the fish for like $2 each. Then to the laundromat to wash the blood out of your clothes. Not sure what happened to the bio-mass but I know it was a lot of fun.

Fishery was over-fished recreationally and never rebounded. Prior to possession limits being implemented, burlap sacks of big bluefish cooking on the deck without ice killed the fishery. Fishery never rebounded. That and to a lesser degree fillets in the supermarkets the color of cardboard wasn't helping. Check the attached link for historical landing and destruction of biomass. You'd think we'd learn. No fishery no matter how healthy it appears in today's day and age of technology can't be wiped out in a matter of years.

http://www.asmfc.org/species/bluefish

[a-baum]

Originally Posted by CadiShackFishing

I miss those days as well filling those big burlap bags till they were overflowing. Then getting back to the dock and there were people willing to buy the fish for like $2 each. Then to the laundromat to wash the blood out of your clothes. Not sure what happened to the bio-mass but I know it was a lot of fun.

How can not correlate your experience and memories with the downfall of the fishery. Boats stacked up like a city at night, people filling burlap bags full of bluefish, and then the next line is "Hey what happened to the fish?"

Seriously?

[RAMMFISH66]

Yes, I used to do three charters a year for my company for blues and we were battling the blues along with party boats from Brooklyn in NJ waters and NJ party boats too. All the blues you wanted 'till your arms were sore...That was the way it was--10-to 15 years ago....now I can't even surf fish for them....o'well, that is the way it goes

[Rocky]

They are becoming like blowfish cyclical. I remember my friends looking for them for shark bait without any luck 3-4 years back and then the next year I couldn't get away from them the Raritan bay.

[RAMMFISH66]

Nice chopper Rocky..haven't seen one like that is a while

[krob8979]

My first ever trip on a party boat was with my father. Remember it was on the Gambler. Fishing was so good that we didn't dock till like 4am. Best trip of my life.

[tombanjo]

The old timers used to say that the blues were gone for like 5 years in the 70's...or was it the 80's? Being an old timer now myself it's hard to remember. Put me down for cyclical.