The Carolina Bluefish…… The Fish That Doesn’t Get Enough Respect

There are plenty of fish in Carolina waters that get the attention they deserve. Redfish have become one of the most popular inshore targets, speckled trout have a loyal following, flounder have their fans, and bass fishermen can spend an entire day talking about their favorite lake. Then there are the fish that seem to live in the shadow of the more celebrated species, even though they can provide some of the fastest and most exciting action an angler could ask for. Bluefish are a perfect example. They may not receive the same respect as other game fish, but anyone who has watched a school of blues attack a baitfish knows they are anything but boring.

Bluefish are aggressive predators, and that aggression is exactly what makes them so much fun when conditions come together. During the fall, when bait becomes increasingly important to virtually every predator in Carolina waters, bluefish can become especially active. Find a concentration of bait and there is a good chance something is going to be feeding on it, whether the activity is obvious on the surface or taking place just beneath it. Birds working over the water, nervous baitfish and sudden surface explosions are all worth investigating because they can point an angler toward an area where the food chain is suddenly in motion.

The tackle may require a little more thought than it does when targeting some other species. Bluefish have teeth, and those teeth have a well-earned reputation for turning expensive lures into souvenirs. Metal spoons, durable plugs and other presentations that can withstand abuse are usually better choices than something an angler would hate to lose. The goal is not to make the tackle indestructible, because nothing is, but to use equipment that allows you to keep fishing when the blues are feeding aggressively.

Perhaps the best thing about bluefish is that they remind us why fishing is supposed to be fun. There is something about seeing a school attack a lure, watching a rod load up and then trying to keep everything together long enough to get the fish to the boat that brings out the excitement in even an experienced fisherman. They may not have the reputation of some of Carolina’s more glamorous species, but when the blues are feeding, they can turn an ordinary day on the water into one you’ll remember. Sometimes a fish doesn’t need a fancy reputation to earn a place in the tackle box.