# Blue Fish eating my bait



## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I catch a ton of small <2 lb Bluefish along the beach and nothing else. The bait doesn't stay on there long enough for anything else to grab it.

Any suggestions?


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jvp said:


> Any suggestions?


Just one... Catch some bluefish, of course.

If you are throwing into a school of bluefish, there's literally no chance that you are going to catch anything else. They don't call them "choppers" for nothing!

Bluefish aren't the tastiest fish, but they make some FINE fishcakes.

North of you, where I am at, we are overrun right now with ladyfish. (and the occasional Kingcroaker) Bluefish isn't a bad problem to have.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

solid7 said:


> North of you, where I am at, we are overrun right now with ladyfish. (and the occasional Kingcroaker) Bluefish isn't a bad problem to have.


I'm catching Blues on nearly every cast here on Pompano pro rigs and Sardines. Sometimes two at a time. Beats catching nothing for sure but I'm trying to catch larger fish.

I am looking for information as to what species migrate up the coast near shore each year by the time of year. I don't know what is running right now if anything, but what I can say is that the Blues seem easy to catch and at high tide and outgoing.

BTW, Friday and Saturday should be good days if you follow the moon theory. http://www.fishinfo.com/fishing-information/article_11.shtml


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jvp said:


> I am looking for information as to what species migrate up the coast near shore each year by the time of year. I don't know what is running right now if anything, but what I can say is that the Blues seem easy to catch and at high tide and outgoing.


This is just me - I might be all washed up - but I tend to fish an "off tide" during times when the surf is frenzied and chaotic. If the blues are running full with the tides, then fish in-between, and on slack tides. The idea is that blues make the surf "noisy", and less aggressive species will steer clue of the ravenous bluefish. But they gotta eat sometime. So they are either going to do one of two things:

1) feed farther out
2) come in to eat when the bait runs clear out

There is no surefire formula for success here, but I've fished this way for quite some time, with varying results. This is where time on the water trumps "rules"...


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

solid7 said:


> This is just me - I might be all washed up - but I tend to fish an "off tide" during times when the surf is frenzied and chaotic. If the blues are running full with the tides, then fish in-between, and on slack tides. The idea is that blues make the surf "noisy", and less aggressive species will steer clue of the ravenous bluefish. But they gotta eat sometime. So they are either going to do one of two things:
> 
> 1) feed farther out
> 2) come in to eat when the bait runs clear out
> ...


Interesting. There doesn't seem to be anything a Bluefish won't eat and I could see how they might be seen as a nuisance even to other fish. Makes sense now.

I was out there yesterday not fishing but talking to fisherman. I was told the sharks had been out there for a month and the fish had moved on. I fished this morning and caught 3 blues in about an hour so I think they are back. 

Any idea where I could find info on what species run up and down the beach and when?


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jvp said:


> Interesting. There doesn't seem to be anything a Bluefish won't eat and I could see how they might be seen as a nuisance even to other fish. Makes sense now.


I was thinking predator, but nuisance could work. 

A school of blues is like a school of pirhanas. You'd better believe they will harrass larger fish.



jvp said:


> I was out there yesterday not fishing but talking to fisherman. I was told the sharks had been out there for a month and the fish had moved on. I fished this morning and caught 3 blues in about an hour so I think they are back.


3 of a sharks favorite meals: Bluefish, Ladyfish, Spanish Mackerel. You'll find them all right now. So guess what else you'll find?




jvp said:


> Any idea where I could find info on what species run up and down the beach and when?


 Check the local reports. There's a good run of just about everything that eats baitfish in the surf right now. I even hear there are cobia within casting distance right now.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

Maybe the best use of a blue is livelining : )


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

*A 2 fer*


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

2 body boarders on one cast. Not bad.

BTW - you have small fat feet.


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## dudeondacouch (Apr 6, 2010)

You might want to try throwing a rig without brightly colored floats on it.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

dudeondacouch said:


> You might want to try throwing a rig without brightly colored floats on it.


Just be aware that those floats are often the last line of defense from a bluefish slicing through your leader with his razor sharp teeth.

I put floats on rigs on purpose when I know there are blues in the water.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

solid7 said:


> Just be aware that those floats are often the last line of defense from a bluefish slicing through your leader with his razor sharp teeth.
> 
> I put floats on rigs on purpose when I know there are blues in the water.


Some of those yellow floats have teeth marks on them and I don't recall biting them myself.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I read a fish tale FWIW.

Some guy did a 2 month test of his homemade Pompano rig vs. what Walmart sells. He kept up with how many and what kind of fish he caught on each rig using the same bait. BY far, the most productive was the Wally world rig. YMMV.

I believe that float is "supposed" to be a fish attractor. I didn't believe it either until I saw teeth marks on those yellow floats.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

It's supposed to catch the attention of the fish, to be sure. "Attractor"? That's a term that's open to interpretation. (I can get your attention without you being "attracted" to me)

Pompano are sight feeders - a well known fact. So logically, introducing something that catches their eye makes perfect sense. That is how I use them. The clearer the water, the less reliance I have on them, but I always have a rig with floats in tow...


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

Another option is embrace the Blueness. Get some light tackle and just chunk and wind myself into arm cramps. I could have worse problems than standing on a beach reeling in Blues.

I was the King of Pinfish when I lived in Miami so maybe I can become the Bluefish King of Delray. I'd rather be the Poon King of Key West, but that morning commute would be a deal killer.

Shouldn't the Pomps start running pretty soon? I read they arrive when water reaches into the 80's. Water temp is 76* here now and when it hits 82*, it's sand flea time.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't know when your pomps run. Here, they hit a real stride when water dips down into the mid to high 60's. It's an odd situation, because they are coming to me from both the Carolinas and the Keys. How and when and why they arrive back where they came from, is completely beyond me. All I know is that in my part of Florida, Pompano - on a season that isn't as hot as it has been - tend to be in full swing from late October/Early November, until March. Technically, I'm out of season, but I still see a few coming in.

I catch the most pompano here in November/December time frame. Right when we start to get the first cold spells.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

Thanks Solid, I just need to ask locally. Dumb question.

I'm off to learn something new today. Thanks for you help.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't think it was a dumb question... We're just far enough apart to make an appreciable difference.

For reference - If you look at the Department of Agriculture's Plant Hardiness Zone Map, I am in zone 9b, you are in zone 10b. We have quite a bit of separation in climate type, just within a short space. That is a bit telling on the fishing front, as well.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

It is what it is at any given time out there. I'm learning that. I'm learning a lot.

The local guys around here have taught me how to fish salt. I wasn't having much luck until I listened to them and watched the people who actually catch the fish. Once I found the diehards and did what they did, I got bit.

The good news is, I am capable of getting the bait to a likely spot and when other species are cruising there I'm likely to hook up. When that is, could be any day and it doesn't matter as long as I catch fish if I decide to fish that day.

Likely to catch or better days are fun to try and predict but who knows what I might catch out there on any given day and that's part of the fun. As long as I go often, I'll catch PLENTY of fish overtime.

This doesn't have anything to do with Bluefish but my tailored approach. I'm in the process of fine tuning everything to maximize the fun with the lowest level of effort.

Here's an example. I fished with Sardines for the first time the other day. Nasty, smelly, blood dripping, guts hanging out type bait. It wasn't pleasant so I decided to go back to fresh shrimp. I may not catch as many fish but the experience, storage and handling is much better.

I bring along enough water or soft drink for 2 hours, not 8. The tackle I carry is minimal and hookups are snap swivels. I see how my total system works out down to the clothes I wear and I don't carry anything I won't actually use every single time.

Here we are wade fisherman. You wade out to chest deep and throw it over the sand bar and because you are always wet, it's best to wear a certain type of clothing. It's taken a few trips to get all this dialed in, and I still have some things to rethink, but it's getting there.

Nothing beats time on the water and if I'm on the water I'll catch them whenever they roll by. As long as I know how and where to place the bait, the fish will do the rest.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jvp said:


> Here we are wade fisherman. You wade out to chest deep and throw it over the sand bar and because you are always wet, it's best to wear a certain type of clothing. It's taken a few trips to get all this dialed in, and I still have some things to rethink, but it's getting there.


I think it's time you learn to cast... That is the achilles heel of so many Florida fishermen. 

For me, if I can't cast to it, I need to kayak to it. Otherwise, no way. It seems crazy to hear guys talk about casting 120+ yards with bait. But if I'm in the water, it's because I'm swimming with the kids.

I probably am a OBX guy at heart. Can't do the chest high cast thing. Just can't bring myself to do it...


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I had massive amounts of casting practice in Miami. I threw lures as far as I could for a year. It prepared me well for Surf fishing. I also bought a breakaway casting aid. I can hurl 3nbait pretty far on a 9'. It's probably not so much my casting but casting and keeping my bait on. I don't know how far I can cast but it's no where near 120 yards.

Where the guys are catching fish is further out than anybody here can cast. People who don't get wet, don't catch fish. I was one of those dry guys and remained biteless until I changed to wet.

It could be the slope of the beach here and where the typical sandbars run and the depth of water which makes this particular beach unique. I can't cast that far out but can walk out and get there.

I don't see people fishing Kayaks off the beach here. There must be a reason.

The whole thing is surreal and standing in waist deep water at dawn adds just another element. The water is warmer than the air temperature and I feel more in touch and part of it all.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Your beaches are quite different than mine.

Farthest 1st bar I've (personally) seen anywhere in Florida, was about 150 yards off shore. That would stretch the absolute limits of my casting ability, even on my very best of days. If I had to put bait on, I'd be screwed. 

Here, where I am at, my first trough generally runs about 10-20 feet off shore. Some places, I have a 3rd trough that I can reach from shore. That, by the way, is where the real action tends to happen on slow days. We definitely have some diversity in our waters.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I don't think mine is 150 yards but it's further than any of us can cast. Maybe we are all terrible casters. I can't recall seeing anybody catching anything up close but I'm sure they do at times.

Just started fishing this beach. On calm days the fly guys are out there, waist deep and I see other guys throwing plugs. Bait, not lures seem to catch more fish here.

I spoke with a guy out there who said the only way to catch fish is use sardines. He said many people try shrimp and they don't catch fish. I have caught fish on shrimp but Sardines seem to work better if you can deal with them.

Sardines turn to mush of course so casting is a problem. I could brine them and lace them on with Miracle thread but that's more work than I want to do per cast. Plus they attract flies. I do think Sardines are the best bait for my beach, but what a PITA.

Where I fish, I can't work more than one rod at a time. By the time I get back to the beach from the cast, and get my rod in the sand spike, I'm getting a bite. I bring a chair but rarely get to sit down.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I'm not sure how far both bars are, so we just try to get near the first big one one. It's basically as far as we can throw it.

I've been trying to learn to read the waves. Read those articles on that "other" site. I've been to the beach yesterday and asked a lifeguard to show me a rip current. I' m trying to learn. 

Even with all the science, it seems on my beach all is takes is walking out out as far as you can, and toss it as far as you can.

"As far as I can" usually means somewhere on top of that second bar if I reading the waves right which I'm pretty sure I'm not. I've never seen fish caught here up close.

I've been studying the moon phases and it's effects to increase my chances as well. One thing I have noticed is I believe I catch more fish at high tide to outgoing than incoming here. I'm using protides for my tidal chart. http://www.protides.com/florida/2566/


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Best way to learn to read the surf in Florida, is to go out mid day, when the sun is high overhead, and VISUALLY locate the bars. (clear water is awesome) You will see the troughs as dark bars in the clear water. Go for several days in a row, make mental notes, and observe the differences in wave action around the troughs, based on conditions. You'll get it in no time.


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## jvp (Mar 23, 2012)

I did a video of me casting off my beach. I didn't catch anything except one small puffer looking thing.

http://youtu.be/Ba8_uhQ-6bo


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