Bluefish: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Delaware, Maryland and Virginia ocean coast.

Fishing region

Season in Delmarva

Peak months: Sep, Oct.

JFMAMJJASOND

Delaware surf: bluefish in September and October, big fish uncommon in fall; Indian River Inlet blues to over 10 lb on metal on the incoming tide in mid-October 2026. DNREC rates bluefish abundant. Ocean City inlet: schools move in and out much of the year. (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Maine	JFMAMJJASOND
New Hampshire	JFMAMJJASOND
North Shore MA	JFMAMJJASOND
Cape Cod	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Virginia Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Outer Banks	JFMAMJJASOND
Southern NC	JFMAMJJASOND
Charleston	JFMAMJJASOND
Georgia	JFMAMJJASOND
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Space Coast	JFMAMJJASOND
Southeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Southwest Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Big Bend	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Louisiana	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Indian River Inlet on the incoming tide with metal, the Ocean City jetty tips and south jetty, the Delaware surf in September and October.

Anywhere from the wash to well beyond the bar; blitzes drive bait into the trough.

What to look for

Birds working hard over bait, bait spraying, heavy splashes and oily slicks.

What to throw

Metal casting jig (diamond, Hopkins or Stingsilver style)1 to 2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Fast steady retrieve for mackerel; let it sink and rip it up for blues; jig near bottom for weakfish.

Got-Cha style jig plug7/8 to 1 oz, 3 to 3.5 in. Sharp upward rod-tip jerks while reeling fast, so it darts and flashes.

Pencil popper1 to 5 oz, Sized to the bait, from silversides to adult bunker. Slow and deliberate, speeding up when a fish shows interest; or hold the rod tip and bounce it hard while barely advancing the plug so it churns in place.

Silver casting spoon (Clarkspoon or Drone style)1/2 to 1 oz, No. 0 to 1 / 2.5 to 3.5 in. Burn it. Fast, steady, just under the surface.

Bait

Cut mullet, Cut menhaden. Float or fish-finder rig with a short wire leader.

Leader

Short single-strand wire (#4 to #5, 6 to 12 in) or a 50 to 60 lb mono bite tippet.

Common mistakes

No bite protection on the leader
Reaching into the mouth to unhook
Slow retrieves when fish are blitzing

Landing

Keep pressure on and use a wave to beach it. Do not lift by the leader near your hands.

Handling

Razor teeth; will snap after it is landed

Pin the fish with a towel or your foot on the sand side, unhook with long pliers, never put fingers near the mouth.

Keep or release

Best eaten fresh, bled and iced. Check the rules of the state you are in (DE, MD or VA).

Recipes for bluefish

Typical: 12 to 20 in. Large: unknown. Delaware record 24 lb 14.4 oz (2015).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the DE and MD and VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Delaware DNREC Fish and Wildlife before you keep a fish.

Sources

The Fisherman: Delaware Surf, Small Wonder, Big Options (Angler knowledge)
DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife weekly fishing report (Oct 15 2026) (Official source)
DNREC Delaware Fish and Shellfish Facts: Bluefish (Official source)
FishTalk Magazine: fishing the Ocean City, MD inlet hotspots (Angler knowledge)
NC Sea Grant Coastwatch: surf fishing species notes (2008) (Official source)
NOAA NEFSC essential fish habitat: bluefish (Stehlik) (Official source)
Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of Delmarva

Bluefish