Bluefish in the lower bay
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Charlie Church
Jul 7, 2017, 10:25:31 AM7/7/17
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
For the past 20 years, I have often heard about the schools of big blues that used to roam the lower bay. Over the past few years, anglers have targeted them in an oceanside inlet in the spring but that's it. To me, it's completely different than what apparently used to happen. I have heard a few theories about why this does not occur anymore.
A) Not enough adult bunker to justify coming in the bay
B) Cycles of fish
C) Top predator -- once the stripers bounced back after the moratorium, the bluefish moved offshore.
Well, it seems like things are changing a bit. I'm hoping it's not due to a lesser amount of large rockfish but who knows.
About a month ago, while flounder fishing inside the bay with a friend we came across bluefish knocking bunker onto the shore. Completely undergunned with only light spinning gear and no fly rods, we tried to make due. We went 0/8. Apparently 17 lb fluoro is not the right call.
We went back the next day to the same spot. I tied up a couple supersized gurglers and brought the 10 weight along.
Ended up landing one at 35 inches, breaking off another that looked to be just a bit bigger and missing one more. The topwater hits from them were incredible. It looked like someone dropped a boulder out of the sky onto my fly.
Photo below of the fish mentioned above. We found them again in a few more spots around the bay since. Some have come from spots that seem like they would obviously hold them and some of been a complete surprise. Even got one while targeting speckled trout. Maybe a new spring time target?
A) Not enough adult bunker to justify coming in the bay
B) Cycles of fish
C) Top predator -- once the stripers bounced back after the moratorium, the bluefish moved offshore.
Well, it seems like things are changing a bit. I'm hoping it's not due to a lesser amount of large rockfish but who knows.
About a month ago, while flounder fishing inside the bay with a friend we came across bluefish knocking bunker onto the shore. Completely undergunned with only light spinning gear and no fly rods, we tried to make due. We went 0/8. Apparently 17 lb fluoro is not the right call.
We went back the next day to the same spot. I tied up a couple supersized gurglers and brought the 10 weight along.
Ended up landing one at 35 inches, breaking off another that looked to be just a bit bigger and missing one more. The topwater hits from them were incredible. It looked like someone dropped a boulder out of the sky onto my fly.
Photo below of the fish mentioned above. We found them again in a few more spots around the bay since. Some have come from spots that seem like they would obviously hold them and some of been a complete surprise. Even got one while targeting speckled trout. Maybe a new spring time target?
Jonathan Sondej
Jul 7, 2017, 11:31:00 AM7/7/17
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
I caught a small bluefish a mile or two up the Piankatank River, just off the bay, weekend before last. Hooked into something huge as well but it straightened my hook out. Can't stop wondering what it was!
HeaveToo
Jul 13, 2017, 4:25:11 AM7/13/17
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
I have always dreamed about casting flies into a bluefish blitz. That would be an awesome time.
Great Fish btw.
When I was 15 I worked on a Charter Boat that went out of Reedsville. On one trip we were chumming for blues in the middlegrounds and we caught some very big blues. That was the only trip that summer that it happened. The rockfish were pretty much out of the picture in those days.
Great Fish btw.
When I was 15 I worked on a Charter Boat that went out of Reedsville. On one trip we were chumming for blues in the middlegrounds and we caught some very big blues. That was the only trip that summer that it happened. The rockfish were pretty much out of the picture in those days.
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