Bluefish

Season in Georgia

No Georgia bluefish month data found. Placed on temperature: optimum 63 to 77 F, rarely below 50 F (NC Sea Grant, NEFSC); Fort Pulaski averages are in that band in April to May and October to November (NCEI). Weak chart. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Following bait along the beach; points where the bar breaks and cuts that funnel bait.

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 immediately. Georgia rules apply; see the regulations file.

Recipes for bluefish

Typical: 1 to 3 lb. Large: 8 to 16 lb (spring); a 16 lb fish was reported at Pawleys in March.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the GA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division before you keep a fish.

Sources

• NC Sea Grant Coastwatch: surf fishing species notes (2008) (Official source)
• NOAA NEFSC essential fish habitat: bluefish (Stehlik) (Official source)
• NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, all-stations monthly averages (Charleston Cooper River Entrance, Fort Pulaski, Gray's Reef, Fernandina Beach, Mayport, St. Augustine, Trident Pier Port Canaveral, Lake Worth Pier, Fowey Rocks, Virginia Key, Vaca Key, Key West) (Official source)
• Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of Georgia