At a glance
1–5 lb.
Surface to 30 ft.
Early morning, and whenever you see birds diving on bait.
11 areas
Know it
Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.
- Identification
Blue-green back, silver sides, a forked tail and a big jaw full of razor-sharp teeth.
- Typical size
1–5 lb.
- Maximum size
About 3.5 ft and 30 lb.
- Diet
Small baitfish — glass minnows, sardines, menhaden, mullet — plus squid and shrimp.
- Behavior
Fast and roaming; follows schools of bait along beaches, inlets, buoys and color changes.
Find it
Where, when and how deep to look.
- Where to find it
Found from Florida Atlantic Coast, Florida Gulf Coast, Northern Gulf (AL–TX), Mexico Gulf Coast, Georgia & South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia & Chesapeake Bay, Delaware & New Jersey, New York, Long Island & Connecticut, Rhode Island & Massachusetts and New Hampshire & Maine. Surf, inlets, piers and nearshore water in hungry roaming schools.
- Habitat
Surf, inlets, piers and nearshore water in hungry roaming schools.
- Depth
Surface to 30 ft.
- Fishing depth
Near the surface to mid-depth, 5–40 ft.
- Best season
Spring and fall migrations along Florida and the Gulf are the best times.
- Best time
Early morning, and whenever you see birds diving on bait.
- Best tides
Outgoing tide at inlets and passes pulls bait out to waiting fish.
- Best weather / conditions
Clean, green water and light to moderate wind.
Bait & gear
What to tie on and what to throw.
- Best bait
Cut mullet and live finger mullet.
- Best artificial lures
Metal spoons, Gotcha plugs and topwater poppers.
- Tackle setup
7 ft medium spinning rod with a 4000 reel.
- Hook size
1/0–4/0 hooks; long-shank or a short wire bite tippet for toothy fish.
- Line
15–20 lb braid.
- Leader
30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
BigJoe's setup for Bluefish
The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.
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Catch it
Step by step, from first cast to landing.
Step-by-step: how to catch it
- Go where it lives: Surf, inlets, piers and nearshore water in hungry roaming schools.
- Rig up: 7 ft medium spinning rod with a 4000 reel. 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
- Pick your bait: Cut mullet and live finger mullet. Lures: Metal spoons, Gotcha plugs and topwater poppers.
- Fish it: Cast metal into feeding frenzies in the surf and inlets; use wire.
- Time it: Early morning, and whenever you see birds diving on bait. Outgoing tide at inlets and passes pulls bait out to waiting fish.
- Fishing techniques
Cast metal into feeding frenzies in the surf and inlets; use wire.
- BigJoe's tip
Never put your fingers near the mouth — bluefish bite even out of the water.
- Catch and release
Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.
Clean & cook
Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.
- Edibility
Edible but not prized — strong or bony; many anglers release it.
- Cleaning
Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
- Cooking suggestions
Oily and strong — bleed immediately, cut out the dark meat and smoke or grill it fresh.
Stay safe & legal
Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.
- Safety warnings
Sharp teeth on some species — use pliers to unhook.
- Regulations
Florida and Atlantic states set bag limits — check FWC. A Florida fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Florida rules are set by FWC (myfwc.com). Federal waters fall under NOAA Fisheries. Other states and countries set their own limits — check before you keep fish.
- Conservation
Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.