# More Bad News for the East Coast and Bluefish



## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

After getting screwed by NCDMF on rec Flounder fishing in 2019. The Hits just keep on coming, now severe restrictions on Bluefish for rec and comms. Who really that rec fishes keeps very many of these fish? 
WTH? 


http://www.thefisherman.com/index.c...mgoZFojml_mxGVVO0AFD3e3hhfxYsZc8ampwBUuIpfJLQ

Copy n Pasted

Last week, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) approved new recreational fishing regulations for the 2020 Atlantic bluefish fishery from Florida to Maine. These measures, which include a 3-fish bag limit for private anglers and shore-based fishermen and a 5-fish bag limit for for-hire fishermen, represent a substantial reduction compared to the federal 15-fish bag limit that has been in place since 2000.

The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters (0-3 miles from shore), while the Council will forward its recommendation for federal waters (3 – 200 miles from shore) to the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Administrator for final approval.

The most recent operational assessment of the Atlantic bluefish stock concluded that the stock is overfished but not experiencing overfishing.

During their joint meeting in October, the Council and Commission adopted a recreational harvest limit (RHL) of 9.48 million pounds for 2020 and 2021, which is an 18% decrease compared to the 2019 RHL. Using the current regulations, the recreational sector is projected to land 13.27 million pounds, which will exceed the RHL by 28.56%. Therefore, the Council and Commission met last week to approve new recreational management measures to constrain harvest to the reduced RHL.

The Council and Commission considered several combinations of bag limits and minimum size limits, including options to set a single set of regulations for all fishing modes or different regulations for shore/private modes and the for-hire mode. Although the Council’s Bluefish Monitoring Committee recommended a coastwide 3-fish bag limit, the majority of comments from the public and Bluefish Advisory Panel (AP) members expressed opposition to this option, noting that it would have severe economic consequences for the for-hire sector, which was only responsible for 3.6% of coastwide landings from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, AP members and the public emphasized that these proposed reductions come at a challenging time for for-hire stakeholders as they are also facing new restrictions on striped bass, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup.

After an extensive discussion and thorough consideration of public comments, the Council recommended and Commission approved a 3-fish bag limit for private and shore modes and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire mode. No restrictions were made to minimum fish size or seasons.

“For many years, bluefish has been one of our most abundant recreational fisheries,” said Council Chairman and ASMFC Board member Mike Luisi. “The Council and Commission are fully committed to the effective conservation and management of this stock, but we also recognize that a sudden change in regulations could have severe socioeconomic consequences for some stakeholders. After evaluating a wide range of options and considering numerous comments from the public, we feel that this approach is the most fair and effective way to achieve the necessary reduction in harvest next year.”

The Council and Commission are continuing to work on development of a rebuilding plan as part of the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment. Additional information and updates on this action are available at mafmc.org.


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## NH Paul (Sep 7, 2017)

The only time I keep any is for drum bait when I don't have anything better which is rare. Blues especially the smaller ones have been a real nuisance in the surf when fishing for other species. This past year there's been a lot around, sometimes chewing up both bait and lures as soon as they hit the water. At least in North Carolina there seems to be too many.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Come check out DE and NJ and even the charters in the bay over summer. The 10-15lb blues that come through in recent years have guys out there every day for weeks trying to get 10 so they can keep em for "shark bait." I've met locals along the coast who would brag about have 1000lb of blues in their freezers for "shark bait." Bunch of greedy cock suckers. The charters in the bay trolling for spanish get into them too and load up on em. I bet A LOT of those fish from both groups go in the freezer and then go to waste.

I'm all for 3 fish, I just wish they made it 3 fish for the charters as well.


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

The limit of 3 seems really harsh from 15 , I've never kept but what I would eat that day since they don't freeze well and only 2 or 3 in my bait bucket if I'm Pin Rigging . I don't see a lack of Blues expect the Big Chopper Blues from back in the day .


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

So my wife and I do keep blues to eat. Here’s how we do keep them fresh. When I catch one she will immediately fillet it out and fillet off the skin. (Woman can fillet a fish now; just saying!). Then we put fillets in a ziplock bag and on ice until we get back to the camper. We then vacuum seal them in seal bags and freeze them. Three months later they are fresh and not mushy like some people say.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

It won't matter without proper enforcement, most who keep that many don't follow the rules either way. Still haven't figured out the need for 15 blues or Spanish. Still won't matter with Omega killing all the menhaden and the shrimpers killing everything else that's left.


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

NC KingFisher said:


> It won't matter without proper enforcement, most who keep that many don't follow the rules either way. Still haven't figured out the need for 15 blues or Spanish. Still won't matter with Omega killing all the menhaden and the shrimpers killing everything else that's left.


If you are only down for a week and keep care of them like Papa-T. Then 15 will last for a couple of meals back home. I cannot believe that shore based fisherman can be the problem.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

surffshr said:


> If you are only down for a week and keep care of them like Papa-T. Then 15 will last for a couple of meals back home. I cannot believe that shore based fisherman can be the problem.


Part of the problem, between recreational and for hire. The whole system is flawed regardless, you can't keep 15 blues if they aren't around. I remember being able to go out and plug blues as long as the water was decent in the mornings, rare now.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

I keep bluefish. My smoked bluefish is in *high *demand among family and friends. And, a fresh skinless fillet is mighty fine cooked numerous ways.
Virginia limit is currently 10 fish. I could catch 10X that in 2 hours at a certain place in early May. Don't be fooled, rec anglers can put a hurting on stocks too.

I believe 5 for both private angler and charter customers would be most fair.

Looks like I'm gonna need to recruit some of my consumers to help me fill the smoker this spring.


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## ASK4Fish (May 4, 2005)

Dr. Bubba said:


> I keep bluefish. My smoked bluefish is in *high *demand among family and friends. And, a fresh skinless fillet is mighty fine cooked numerous ways.
> Virginia limit is currently 10 fish. I could catch 10X that in 2 hours at a certain place in early May. Don't be fooled, rec anglers can put a hurting on stocks too.
> 
> I believe 5 for both private angler and charter customers would be most fair.
> ...


good luck getting Mark to go down there now with the ATV patrols...


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Most people on this site are relatively young and would not remember what fishing for Bluefish on the OBX was like in the 1970's which you could come and pretty much guarantee large bluefish into the 20 pound range at Thanksgiving. Folks from New York and New Jersey came down to Hatteras in big groups in the Fall to fish for the Choppers. There would be major blitzes. Hysteria on the part of the fishermen. Tackle shops loved it because of constant need to replace terminal tackle and lures lost to sharp teeth. These days I do not see the big fluorescent Green and Orange floats with long shank heavy hooks. A heaver was over kill but on a light Spinning rod, it was a lot of fun.

Then the Bluefish went away and NC took steps to remedy.

NC put a size limit on Bluefish that required them to be at least 12" in the 1990's. It created an issue with Pin Rig fishing as well as the folks unfamiliar with the rules.
None of the other States at the time had any limits. The favored size Bluefish for King Mackerel fishing was 8". There was a lot of conflict between the King Fishing fellas and Marine Fisheries. Marine fisheries SUV's would be slam full of confiscated Bait Buckets.......If the bucket had any undersized Bluefish in it, the bucket got confiscated.

I have not seen a 20 pound Bluefish since 1980's, you had to be real careful getting the hooks out of them, as they wanted your blood scary critters cause they remained active snapping at you and eyeing you malevolently:redface: They chopped up all the other fish when they were around.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

ASK4Fish said:


> good luck getting Mark to go down there now with the ATV patrols...



We haven't stopped...just been a little curtailed for a couple years. The heat seems to be waning 
You should join us! Will you donate your 3 fish to me?


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

3 is plenty. Perfect legal amount even for a big family for a fresh meal. They are nasty frozen. Fun catch and release fish. I don't see why anyone needs more than 3.


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## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

My late grandfather used to take the family to Hatteras for the bluefish blitzes in the '70s, and the way Dad talks about it they were great trips. 

I still have a Dam Quick 440(?) that they used to take on those trips. Anti-reverse mechanism isn't the most durable, I was able to get it fixed but don't trust it for hardcore fishing anymore, as parts are hard to come by. Not shy to break out the Mitchell 306 or Zebco Cardinal 7. 

In the mid-'80s (guessing around the time the chopper blues were getting a little scarce) granddad bought a 28' Stamas cabin cruiser, and played around in the king mack tourneys around Wilmington/CB from late '80s to mid-'90s. I remember watching king after king come over the rails on Crystal Pier at Wrightsville, watching through binoculars from the balcony at Surf motel. Saw a few amberjacks come over the rail too. I was maybe 9 or 10, grandpa and my parents were out on the Stamas, and grandma wasn't going to help me pin rig, so all I could do was watch. By the time I was 12 and could go it alone, the kings and amberjacks were wrapping up. 

I distinctly recall watching a guy catch a puppy drum on a got-cha plug on that pier while I was bottom fishing around that time. I walked to the pier house and bought a matching got-cha, swapped out the bottom rig on my Daiwa 7000C/junky 8' rod combo for said plug, and on the first cast I saw a silver flash, felt a strong tug, and then the line snapped. The guy that caught the drum shook his head and looked at me like I was an idiot! Which I was. 

Lizardfish bite was strong on frozen shrimp that day. 

Seems like drum fishing has gotten noticeably better ( at least for the group of fairweather fishermen I'm in) in the last few years, maybe some of the others can make a comeback too. I still have a whole box of pin rigging crap and a few anchors that I can't bring myself to get rid of yet. Might be something I get to introduce my kids to when they get a little bit older. 

Regarding 3-fish limit, I'm not crazy about it. I like bluefish, and have found that treating it as Papa-T described allows it to do well in the freezer. Seems though that when I've caught my limit, most of it ends up in the deep freeze with the best of intentions, until it's thrown out with freezer burn year later. Anymore I only keep about a meal's worth of fish on any trip, so 6 between me and the wife would be plenty. If we catch enough whiting/pompano/other crustacean eaters for a meal, the bluefish go back. I agree wholeheartedly with others' observations though, NC rec anglers aren't keeping very many blues anyway. Small blues have been a pest the last couple times I fished the coast, last trip they were neck-and-neck with pinfish in terms of #s caught. 

This stinks of "feel good" legislation, and I can not f'ng stand that crap. Not to mention, what are the chances the limit gets raised ever again?


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## 40inchreds (Jan 13, 2018)

I imagine the big blues stay in the menhadden schools and likely get netted too.


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

Menhaden fishery needs to be the focus of regulations. Without a healthy menhaden population all of the predatory species are going to naturally decline.


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## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

Eltonjohn said:


> Menhaden fishery needs to be the focus of regulations. Without a healthy menhaden population all of the predatory species are going to naturally decline.


Rumors are a moratorium goes in effect June 2020.


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## ASK4Fish (May 4, 2005)

Dr. Bubba said:


> We haven't stopped...just been a little curtailed for a couple years. The heat seems to be waning
> You should join us! Will you donate your 3 fish to me?


Definitely donate to the pate.  Glad to hear the heats dying down. Damn shame I've been kept from my early spring specks this long...


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

The Blue blitzes back in the 70's and 80's are some of my most favorite beach/surf fishing memories. Start out on the beach road by the Black Pelican and hit every other walk over until you found the diving gulls close enough to the beach to reach them with a Hopkins or Gator spoon with a wire leader on a 8 - 9' Surf Rod combo.

Catching 3 foot long, 15 - 20 lbs. Blues as fast as you could and as long as you wanted never failed to put a smile on your face and usually an ache in your shoulders.

My group would usually head out right after work on Friday, load the cooler, Coleman stove, cooking gear, rods and tackle then head south. 

We would always keep one 15 - 20 lb. fish that was filleted, skinned, had the blood line removed on the skin side then put on ice in a zip lock to be fried up with House Autry and eaten later while we Drum fished on the Northern Hatteras beaches that night.

One of the best parts was all the free bait and food fish that would beach themselves trying to escape the big Choppers. I can't remember all of the times we filled 5 gallon buckets with Spot, Trout, Croaker and Menhaden.

Good Times !!


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## Joe H (Sep 9, 2015)

jay b said:


> The Blue blitzes back in the 70's and 80's are some of my most favorite beach/surf fishing memories. Start out on the beach road by the Black Pelican and hit every other walk over until you found the diving gulls close enough to the beach to reach them with a Hopkins or Gator spoon with a wire leader on a 8 - 9' Surf Rod combo.
> 
> Catching 3 foot long, 15 - 20 lbs. Blues as fast as you could and as long as you wanted never failed to put a smile on your face and usually an ache in your shoulders.
> 
> ...


Absolutely. Haven't had to use 80# Steelon leaders for decades.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*
"The most recent operational assessment of the Atlantic bluefish stock concluded that the stock is overfished but not experiencing overfishing."*

The most ironic,oxymoron,pathetic,idiotic statement in the whole post................ They are gradually leaning peta's way..... There IS overfishing in many species,this is not one of them.. They populate like coyotes.. There were big ones inshore fish,and with no bait inshore many have moved to wrecks and offshore structure and feed like pigs there... All of this is jmho although based on what I have seen here on Hatteras Island,maybe they have more data that would suggest different... One thing for sure,the same folks that think the spiny dogfish,and sandbar sharks are being overfished are the same folks that think the above statement relates to ALL species..So, get ready to not worry about a cooler to put fish in,just c&r ALL species,and anything you want to eat,buy it from fish farms..


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## 40inchreds (Jan 13, 2018)

Sand bars and dog sharks school and can easily be over fished. There are more fishing methods that effect them then just rod and reel. Down here in the low country a lot of people thought there was less blues then normal. What I think is odd is that Florida has been getting the big blues more then they used to. My personal thought is either that bad freeze up north a few years ago chased them off, or the bait situation up there has changed drastically. I would bet it is the bait situation more then anything.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

40inchreds said:


> Sand bars and dog sharks school and can easily be over fished. There are more fishing methods that effect them then just rod and reel. Down here in the low country a lot of people thought there was less blues then normal. What I think is odd is that Florida has been getting the big blues more then they used to. My personal thought is either that bad freeze up north a few years ago chased them off, or the bait situation up there has changed drastically. I would bet it is the bait situation more then anything.


 No doubt netting and longlining could harm populations of doggies and sandbars over time.. Believe me,they have enough regs on them now that they will NOT BE.. Although,as I said,they are most assuredly not overfished here in Hatteras.. All you have to do is drop a bait in the water here and spineys a well as sandbars will cooperate.. What is being said in my post is not that I'm for NOT HAVING regs,it is that they are overboard on some species and NOT ENOUGH on others..... Yes,the FLA thing baffles many..? Have you ever wreck fished in early spring here in Hatteras?? If you have then you know big bluefish on those structures are as plentiful as doggies and sandbars are on the beach.......


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Drumdum said:


> No doubt netting and longlining could harm populations of doggies and sandbars over time.. Believe me,they have enough regs on them now that they will NOT BE.. Although,as I said,they are most assuredly not overfished here in Hatteras.. All you have to do is drop a bait in the water here and spineys a well as sandbars will cooperate.. What is being said in my post is not that I'm for NOT HAVING regs,it is that they are overboard on some species and NOT ENOUGH on others..... Yes,the FLA thing baffles many..? Have you ever wreck fished in early spring here in Hatteras?? If you have then you know big bluefish on those structures are as plentiful as doggies and sandbars are on the beach.......



I happen to consider myself an expert on Spiney's and Sand Bar Sharks, my personal statistics tell me that there are more Spiney's these days than before. Why? Sand Bar Sharks and Dusky Sharks and large Scalloped Hammerheads experienced a drop off after long-liners went to work on them. Spiney's are a primary source of protein for the Sharks and when the imbalance of having an inordinate proportion large predators removed from the system, the Spiney's ran amuck. Seriously slam overwhelming amuck when the water cooled on the Outer Banks.

But the Obama moratorium on Sand Bars had an effect......big effect on Hatteras Beaches anyway.:redface:

I remember an unseasonable warm January day at Cape Point NC several years ago. The day was devoid of wind and the water was clear. If you looked in any direction all through the afternoon, the Sand Bars and garage door sized boils were happening everywhere where the Sand Bars were taking out Spiney's. Strangely no one was kayaking out that day. Large Dorsal and Tail fins of 6' to 8'+ Sand Bars cutting the waters, a frenzied moment of shaking....afterwards only a pink stain to mark the passing of a Spiney....:redface:

Acting on impulse I tied on a 5 ounce Hopkins on a 1507/SL30SH and began chucking it on out there. On the very first retrieve the lure suddenly went heavy, as in 300 hundred Pounds Heavy Another Hatteras Friend also hooked up to big Sand Bar on Hopkins using a big Spinning Rod setup. Hooked up a few more times before I lost my last 5 ounce Hopkins. 

I still have several large 10" long Gibbs Popping Plugs that I was going to chuck out into the "Death Zone" but I never got around to taking the hooks off. Hooks on meant certain loss to a $18 lure.

Large Drum came back only because they were removed from having a target on their backs.

Where am I going with this? I am not sure but Sand Bars are getting mighty big these days after possession was outlawed. Never did see anyone take a Kayak out that winter


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## 40inchreds (Jan 13, 2018)

I'm waiting on good weather to give it a try for some Sandbars, sand tigers, whites, dusky and the not so known about winter hammer. You really don't know what you will catch since it's kind of a unfished fishery. I just need a day where it's not blowing 10 plus and 2ft plus waves/chop and 50 degree water and air because it takes like 30 minutes to drop a bait to my favorite spot and it's one thing to get your ass kicked but it totally sucks to get your ass kicked, freeze and catch nothing. I have a feeling 2 of the 3 can be avoided. When I get a few days of good weather leading into a day I can fish I'm gonna yak out some baits and do some winter surf fishing. How cold of water have you seen good size sharks caught up there?


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

40inchreds said:


> I'm waiting on good weather to give it a try for some Sandbars, sand tigers, whites, dusky and the not so known about winter hammer. You really don't know what you will catch since it's kind of a unfished fishery. I just need a day where it's not blowing 10 plus and 2ft plus waves/chop and 50 degree water and air because it takes like 30 minutes to drop a bait to my favorite spot and it's one thing to get your ass kicked but it totally sucks to get your ass kicked, freeze and catch nothing. I have a feeling 2 of the 3 can be avoided. When I get a few days of good weather leading into a day I can fish I'm gonna yak out some baits and do some winter surf fishing. How cold of water have you seen good size sharks caught up there?


The Sand Bars hang out on the beach at Cape Point all winter long. Water Temps drop into the low 50's unless it gets really cold. No need to yak at Cape Point, just chuck a big bait out in a cut or over the bar with a heaver and it will happen. Seven or Eight Foot Sand Bar on 20 pound test line is all the Shark I need Hooked a few that refused to even show themselves or slow down. Most often a Sand Bar will jump at the Hook set, kind of surprising sometimes how shallow and close they will be. Once I underhanded a head from a 7 or 8 pound Jumping Mullet in the first trough off the sand. I was talking trash to the Red Head and knew a hit was on the way... Took all of ten minutes to have a monster on. Brought around 300 five to eight footers to the beach winter of 2017. Got stripped ten or so times by the larger ones. I kept trying for a Winter Drum and I kept getting Slammed. I also had to retire two Daiwa SHV reels that got toasted. Daiwa should send me some new ones and I will demo them on Hammers.....

In winter I have a few good spots to cast net Big Mullet, you have to do it in the dark with a big net.

No one was yaking that Winter, it would have been a sure thing to have the Sharks either hit the yak directly or at least breach on it as soon as it crossed the bar. A lot of days it was splash bite.....they were stacked up

Suckers are there waiting in the Hook Tonight looking for Christmas Dinner right as I type, yak on out


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## 40inchreds (Jan 13, 2018)

Down where I'm at our sand bars don't jump but they fight hard. A 8ft sandbar on 20# is a achievement. My biggest sand bar is about 7ft. I know they can get to 9 but it's rare. Sand bars are actually pretty cool, they can tuck there fins a little and slime there body to swim faster and can stick there fins out to produce more lift when swimming slower. Most the Sandbars I catch are on a lot heavier then 20# but they give one good first run and then hold and swim side to side, they are pretty sporty. 
The biggest I know of being caught in my area was 99 inches tail length. Some of them get pretty fat. My buddy caught a 9ft sandtiger and it was fat as hell, probably 300-350lbs. A lot of people don't know about the cool water hammers. They are the Carolina hammer and we're only classified a few years ago. They look exactly like another hammer head, I can't remember off the top of my head if it's the smooth or scalloped but they have different behavior patterns and tolerate cooler waters very well. The only way to tell them apart is by the number of vertabrates. I've caught the baby's in the 3ft range in 56-58 degree water in the spring. The thing about cool water sharks is they have to stay active to keep there body temps up which means they have to feed a lot more from all the extra activity that speeds up there metabolism. Majority of the time if they are around they will eat. I've never specifically sharked fished in the winter but we did a trip on warm foggy night in the end of February and paddling out with the headlamp in the dark was hard because your breath would get caught in the light and you could only see your breath and the foggy moist air made it way worse. To top it off conditions were way worse then forecast and the waves were 2-3 ft and of course I must of ran into that one wave you read about on forecast that can be 2 to 3 times the size of a normal wave in a 24 hr period. My breath whited out my view and then I'm staring at a huge wave/swell that's the top is creating over on itself and about to form into a big curler. The tip crest on me and the whole wave creat right as I got over it. It sounded thunderous and if I would of been about a half second behind where I was I would of got demolished in the dark of night when it was so foggy you couldn't see 30ft with a spot light. No body got a hit but we weren't at my secret spot and fishing can be hit or miss. That was the only trip I've done in the winter specifically for sharks. But I've heard sandbars are catchable in cool waters.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

40inchreds said:


> Down where I'm at our sand bars don't jump but they fight hard. A 8ft sandbar on 20# is a achievement. My biggest sand bar is about 7ft. I know they can get to 9 but it's rare. Sand bars are actually pretty cool, they can tuck there fins a little and slime there body to swim faster and can stick there fins out to produce more lift when swimming slower. Most the Sandbars I catch are on a lot heavier then 20# but they give one good first run and then hold and swim side to side, they are pretty sporty.
> The biggest I know of being caught in my area was 99 inches tail length. Some of them get pretty fat. My buddy caught a 9ft sandtiger and it was fat as hell, probably 300-350lbs. A lot of people don't know about the cool water hammers. They are the Carolina hammer and we're only classified a few years ago. They look exactly like another hammer head, I can't remember off the top of my head if it's the smooth or scalloped but they have different behavior patterns and tolerate cooler waters very well. The only way to tell them apart is by the number of vertabrates. I've caught the baby's in the 3ft range in 56-58 degree water in the spring. The thing about cool water sharks is they have to stay active to keep there body temps up which means they have to feed a lot more from all the extra activity that speeds up there metabolism. Majority of the time if they are around they will eat. I've never specifically sharked fished in the winter but we did a trip on warm foggy night in the end of February and paddling out with the headlamp in the dark was hard because your breath would get caught in the light and you could only see your breath and the foggy moist air made it way worse. To top it off conditions were way worse then forecast and the waves were 2-3 ft and of course I must of ran into that one wave you read about on forecast that can be 2 to 3 times the size of a normal wave in a 24 hr period. My breath whited out my view and then I'm staring at a huge wave/swell that's the top is creating over on itself and about to form into a big curler. The tip crest on me and the whole wave creat right as I got over it. It sounded thunderous and if I would of been about a half second behind where I was I would of got demolished in the dark of night when it was so foggy you couldn't see 30ft with a spot light. No body got a hit but we weren't at my secret spot and fishing can be hit or miss. That was the only trip I've done in the winter specifically for sharks. But I've heard sandbars are catchable in cool waters.


Sand Bars and Black Tips and Spinners often jump in shallow water as soon as they feel the hook. 

Hammerheads start to migrate down from up North in November at Cape Point. Often they cruise right on the first drop off on the beach in shallow water, I think they are targeting Flounder and Rays. I saw a National Geographic show that had a researcher based in Hawaii. The Hammerhead uses electric impulses similar to sonar, each end of his Hammerhead sends out a pulse to locate Rays hidden under the sand. Like a prehistoric metal detector. Swims around pulsing until presto it nails a hidden Flounder or Ray.

I am not a Sharker, but I encounter them as by-catch for Drum.

As stated in previous posts, I break them off at the shock line, and do not beach them for my safety and for safety of the Shark.

Right now the Sharks will be thick at the Point, happens every Christmas, they hang out until Spring and when the water gets too warm for them the Black Tips and Spinners take over. Point is one Sharky place, if it is hot and I have to take a dip, it is not for long and I certainly do not swim out far.


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## 40inchreds (Jan 13, 2018)

Our tippers and spinners jump but all sharks can jump. The big tippers usually jump but not like the spinners. 
I hooked what we think was a white once and it jumped in front of a mid size center console and was at least eight foot long and was higher in the air then the guy's head standing up driving the center console, it could of been closer to 12 depending the size of these guys boat because it was around half the length of it or more and the boat was at minimum a 18ftr. It was several hundred yards away so I couldnt get a solid ID on it but it looked like a white to me. I've seen videos of sand tigers jumping and they are known as the least athletic shark. Supposedly the hammerheads head helps them pin down Ray's and eat them. I know the greater hammerheads are known to follow schools of blacktips and cownose Ray's. Every winter we have smaller mid size dolphins wash up bit in half. I beach the shark and tag them and I've had a few recaptures reported already so I know that I'm handling them ok. I have all my release gear and tags ready to go and if it takes longer to dehook then I want I release them without tagging or taking a photo. I file down my Barb's so dehooking is easier and use heavy gear to shorten the fight time and I leave them in shallow water when doing so. That's a 8'4 tiger I caught this October.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

If you really wanna catch sharks, go out for drum or grouper....... For rays go for Cobia........works like a champ, ask my back and burnt up TLD 25


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

Limit of 3 is cheesy (and stupid) for shore fishermen...especially when you drive a long distance to get to the ocean. They should implement regulation similar to that they use for stripers (slot size) and put the daily limit at 5 - 7 fish. Probably not as much time and effort has been put into studying the bluefish population (like they do stripers). I eat the ones I catch, occasionally using one for cut bait to catch other blues, but only if I don't have a Spot that I'm already using for cut bait. I don't think I've ever kept over 10 bluefish in my life. I also haven't seen any bluefish over 10lbs recently. They've all been in the snapper blue range in the bay.


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## dbaugus (Oct 4, 2019)

Bluefish are good to eat if you know what you are doing. You have to bleed bluefish as soon as you catch them, cut into the bottom of the fish under the gills, put it directly on ice. You also want to take the skin and blood line out when you filet. Breaded and fried is the only way I will eat blues. The fresher the fish, the better. Bluefish go bad really fast and should be eaten as soon as possible.


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Even the big ones fry up good too if they're bled and cleaned right away like you stated. 

Chunked then fried with Tampura batter makes great Blue Bites ...


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

Quote From CCA

Managers have stated that the data on bluefish, both scientific and anecdotal, indicates that a reduction in harvest is necessary to increase the spawning stock biomass and end the overfished state. However, the reductions recommended by the MAFMC and approved by the ASMFC, on top of other recent major changes to limits in North Carolina, such as estuarine striped bass and Southern flounder closures, pose a significant challenge for recreational anglers. Many anglers in North Carolina are rightfully frustrated with the state of our fisheries, largely the result of bias - real or perceived - by fisheries managers in favor of unsustainable commercial fisheries until drastic conservation action is necessary.

In the case of bluefish, the reduction from 15 to three is a shock to most anglers and it is particularly frustrating given that managers for years have regularly shifted un-caught recreational bluefish quota to the commercial sector because commercial harvesters had caught all of its allocation. If those fish had been allowed to remain extant in the system rather than shifted to the commercial sector and removed, it is likely the fishery would not be in need of dire restrictions today.


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## poppop1 (Feb 16, 2004)

surffshr said:


> Quote From CCA
> 
> Managers have stated that the data on bluefish, both scientific and anecdotal, indicates that a reduction in harvest is necessary to increase the spawning stock biomass and end the overfished state. However, the reductions recommended by the MAFMC and approved by the ASMFC, on top of other recent major changes to limits in North Carolina, such as estuarine striped bass and Southern flounder closures, pose a significant challenge for recreational anglers. Many anglers in North Carolina are rightfully frustrated with the state of our fisheries, largely the result of bias - real or perceived - by fisheries managers in favor of unsustainable commercial fisheries until drastic conservation action is necessary.
> 
> In the case of bluefish, the reduction from 15 to three is a shock to most anglers and it is particularly frustrating given that managers for years have regularly shifted un-caught recreational bluefish quota to the commercial sector because commercial harvesters had caught all of its allocation. If those fish had been allowed to remain extant in the system rather than shifted to the commercial sector and removed, it is likely the fishery would not be in need of dire restrictions today.


I agree.


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## dboyd (Apr 2, 2011)

" If those fish had been allowed to remain extant in the system rather than shifted to the commercial sector and removed, it is likely the fishery would not be in need of dire restrictions today."

And you expect common sense from a govt agency?

Sorry, not gonna happen.


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