# about the bluefish bite



## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

I have a question. Do bluefish, tailor size ones, bite at night off the pier?

Thanks!


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Okay, maybe I shuld reword that question*

It's been a long day of school clothes shopping and I am exhausted. Not too tired to go fishing though. I'm too tired to do the search and then read thru the results.

Basically what I am asking is how are the chances of catching bluefish at night off of local piers? I need to choose which baits and tackle to take. If they don't bite well at during the night time, then I will leave all the unnecessary stuff at home. Less for me to lose with my half awake self.


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## inawe (May 24, 2003)

wont know til ya go ive always caught mine in th daytime but as they are an agressive fish i dont see why not aint no telln what ya could catch at nite maybe a big shark amoung just about everything else good luck where ever ya go and dont forget to let me know where ya went so i can go get mine too


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Roger that inawe*

thanks for the response. We will be heading out early in the am. I gotta get some rest if I am to make it out there.


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## inawe (May 24, 2003)

no prob gud luk watch out for those litning strikes lookn kinda rough where im at


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## That_guy (Aug 29, 2003)

Yeah blues bite at night off the local piers. Look for them cruising the lights I usually use a bucktail or plug.


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Thanks and welcome aboard!*

We see a lot of fish in the lights of Harrison. I figured they were trout. Unfortunately I am not using artificials. I hope to use spot or roundhead, if I catch a few, for bait.

Thanks for the response.


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Looks like*

I'm heading out the door for Lynnhaven. Better now than later. If I try and get a nap in, I'm sure not to wake up before 5. 

I'll give a report sometime in the a.m.


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## IGO2C (Oct 15, 2002)

*Caught all my blues at night*

Under the lights is where I've found the action.

JD


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

Yes. Bluefish do bite during the night. As matter of fact, in NC, I have some fishermen who bring a generator and extra light to attract seatrout. During this process, they often catch blues, which they generally are not after.

I have seen schools of blues during the night. I used a hopkins spoon one night to catch over 10. They also bite on the bottom. Cut spot is the best bait. They will also hit squid.

If you are fishing for them exclusively, use a hook with steel wire snell. The larger ones will surely cut your hook line with their sharp teeth. I usually find using wire snells less attractive for other species. I don't know why. The alternative is to use a long hook and hope that they don't bite deep.

The blue's bite is very distinctive on the bottom. You usually get several taps followed by your line being loose. The blues tend to come to the top of the water for the fight. They don't want to stay on the bottom. I suspect they are usually suspended and go to the bottom to get the bait and then try to get back to the upper water level.

A blue over 2 lbs is a lot of fun to catch.


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## GraphixDude (Apr 21, 2003)

Earlier this summer I caught several blue fish on different night time trips to Lynnhaven. I hear people say they bite in the lights, but both times I was catching blues at night I was fishing off the bottom with Squid and Cutbait almost at the end of the pier on the right side. I had been casting as far out as I could throw the bait. Goodluck. see you out there ina few days.


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## baddogg3521 (Aug 26, 2003)

hey i was out at lynnhaeven til about 3am. i was wondering if i saw u out there. i was down on the end. well just wondering


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Well guys, I have good news and bad news*

First the good.... I got out to fish from around 10 pm til 4 this morning(Friday).

Now the bad....I was in such a cranky mood that I even swatted some of those huge moths that kept landing on me.


More goods news.....Thank goodness there I had an alternative pier to go to cause I didn't make it to Lynnhaven.

Now some more bad news....The lights from the ongoing traffic was hard on my tired eyes. With the focused stare I had, I probably could have made it to Lynnhaven. Those darn right and left turns would have been a distraction for me. I couldn't do the 55 mph thing safely so I chose to head to Harrisons.


Good news....The pier wasn't crowded at all. I was able to get to my favorite spot.

Bad news....When it was time to set up I realized I had taken the wrong stuff with me. 


Good news....I managed to get a few small pigfish. 

Bad news....I missed something large. Looked long like a trout. It dropped off as I lifted it out of the water. It hit bloodworm on a gold size 2 hook, that's the only color I had in a size 2 with me. Eyes were too weary to make out what type of fish it was. I will always wonder.


Bad news....I wanted to change hooks to something else. Only thing is all the hooks I had were 1/0, 2/0. 3/0, even 7/0.:jawdrop: 

Good news....My son had brought his own stash of supplies and had them in his pockets. He loaned me, and I do repeat, loaned me a size 6 hook. That made my night. Well almost.


Bad news.... I had only one sinker with me. It was a pyramid 3 ounce. I did not have my store bought leaders that I usually carry. The current seemed to keep the line constantly twisted.

Good news....I looked into the bag I mistakenly took and saw of all things...that 40 pound roll of mono, swivels, snap swivels, etc..



Good news....I was able to use those things to make some leaders that could withstand the twist ups I was getting by having my hooks attached directly to the reel line. And now the

Bad news....I didn't realize I had useable stuff til it was around 3 am. By this time my youngest had lost interest and was losing alertness very quickly. I couldn't really say much cause I had lost alertness before I even left home. Anyway, that was the signal that it was time to go home. 


While we were there, we saw some of the action on the end of the pier. Those guys were pulling up a lot of fish from the lights. And also there was that run on one guys rod that got everyone excited. It took him a while to reel it close to the pier....I sure wish I could cast that far out. Well things got quiet when the light supplier left. Soon after that quite a few others left as well.


Well my arm band is still good so I will probably make it back out tonight. Minus my usual companion. He just can't hang with mom. Shoot...when I found a good spot and the fish started biting a bit better, he was down for the count. I could have stayed out there til 8 am.


Well that's the report. We didn't get any blues, but we did catch a lot of small stuff. I kept the ok size pig fish and my son.......let's just say he had small stuff in his cooler, nothing illegal, just small.


Thanks for all the responses guys.


BTW: baddogg3521 I will try and make it out to the pier SUnday Night. I promised my son he could go to Lynnhaven one last time before the start of school. And a promise is a promise. 

Graphixdude, it will be good to have you back. Surely the blues will make an appearance for such an event. Hope to see you out there Justin.

ccc6588, there seemed to be at least 9 or so guys fishing the single light source. I was tempted to go down and try and see if they were gentlemanly and would let me crowd in if I said "pardon me, can I share the light." Since I can't swim I felt it best to stay right where I was. Would have loved to given it a try. My son had bought some wire line 1/0 hooks with him too. I'm not sure if he would have loaned me one of them. See...he is obsessed with catching bluefish. I think those hooks are off limits to everyone. After seeing a shark on the pier, it seems he now has found something else to obsess over. Now he wants all his fish to weigh as much as that shark does. Oh my! Guess he'll ask for a pier net for his birthday or Xmas. 


I gotta go now. Need some sleep before I start the bill paying process. I do need to be alert when dividing the *cha ching* 
to it's rightful recipients.

Thanks again everyone. I will give it another go at the pier.


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## inawe (May 24, 2003)

well thanks for the report sounds like all wont lost just remember a [ A BAD DAY FISHN BEATS A GOOD DAY AT WORK ]


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## baddogg3521 (Aug 26, 2003)

sounds like u had a eventful night of fishing. well i think i will be out at lynnhaven saturday but i may try something new. u never know. chances r i will be out at lynnhaven sunday night.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

Yes, bluefish will definately hit at night. The best experience i have had with them was at avalon pier during the second week of may this year. Me and 3 other kids were renting a house a block down and got bored, and went to the pier, we were all bottom fishing and lauren threw a gotcha and located some fish, we caught blues every cast for about 4.5 hours until the morning crew showed up. They started out at the MIDDLE of the pier, but eventually worked a school of anchovies into the surf, we were almost throwing plugs into breaking water, it was a very memorable night....Every plug except the chrome ones seemed to work exceptionally, because FISH SEE AT NIGHT!!! not at long distances as during the day, but they can see at night, also has anyone caught any spanish at night before???


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*Well we didn't get any bluefish at night*

But Sunday while on Lynnhaven Pier, my son got his first try at using a gotcha. He was so excited when he saw a blue follow it up to the pier. Unfortunately the blue didn't strike the gotcha. But it got close. He also tried working the lure at the end of the pier after all the more experienced anglers had left. There were some fish around the piling. One guy hooked one just below the end. It got off though. 

Blues were caught by some anglers earlier in the day. Seemed the white body/neon green head gotchas were the color of choice. We only had the white body/red head ones. We're gonna add a little variety during the off season. 

I'll also have to get him a rod and reel for using those gotchas. And also a cord for his eyeglasses. 

Any suggestions for a suitable setup? Keep in mind this is "thrifty angler" asking this question. 

Thanks!


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## DavB (Apr 15, 2000)

Hi Thrifty.

You'll have to work the "thrifty" thing out on your own!  

Pluggin is about my most favorite style of fishing. Main ingrediants in my order of importance are:

High speed spinning real with some quality behind it. I do well with the upper range Shimano 2000 series. You're looking at $50.

Decent 8LB test line with a 17LB leader. Learn how to tie a Surgeon's double overhand style blood knot. Pretty easy!

A decent and cheap gotcha rod is a Diawa brand I got just last season. I think it carried the Heartland name. Looks like it is working it's way up the line as my favorite gotch rod. 

Fresh water bass spinning rods do well for this type of fishing. Somewhere around 6'. My shorty rod is like 5'3" or something. Used to be my favorite small mouth rod on the James River here.

If your son is still a shorty, go for the shorter rod and bring a milkcrate for him to stand on.

Technique is important for this fishing. Learn underhanded casting so you can cast your day away without snagging your neighbor!


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*DavB*

He was using his regular multipurpose setup, a 5'6" Maxam Caster with a (probably too large) spinning reel. He did ok for an hour or so til his arm wore out. Something light is definitely what he needs. My son's height is around 5'7", and still growing. 

I was thinking about a 4 foot medium action boat rod (spinning). It's a bit stiff but can handle a good size blue. Will this do?

About the reel...a guy there that day had a tiny reel with 15 pound test line. I asked him about hooking up a gotcha and he showed me how he had done it. He had a 12" or so store bought plastic coated wire leader with a snap (minus a swivel) at one end and a plain swivel on the other end. He had attached the swiveless snap to the gotcha and the plain swivel end to his reel line. I thought it would have been the other way around with the swivel (the snap type) attached to the gotcha. I thought it needed the swivel to help with movement. Well, there goes that theory. He did catch blues earlier in the day.

I'll look up info on the Daiwa Heartland rod. And check on reels as well. He'll be ready for those blues next year for sure.

Thanks DavB!


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## DavB (Apr 15, 2000)

Thrifty, I'd definetely hold off on the boat rod. Way too heavy and short too.

Stay with the light tackle theme. While you need a stiff rod tip. keep in mind you are throwing a 1 OZ lure at 2 pound fish. 

As far as the chopper blues are concerned, how often do you really get into them? Need different stuff for that unless you really want (fish) trouble!


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

*I see your point*

Just throwing that rod size possibility out there. We haven't ever really got into them as of yet. Just weighing the possibilities as far as variety of possible fish sizes. Guess I'm thinking about some of the larger blues that "were" caught off the piers around here some years ago. Reality check.....I have to get up with the times as far as what to and not to expect these days from the local piers.

So a one piece around 6 feet seems to be what's gonna work well for him. 

Thanks again for the info.


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