Bluefish of the Jersey Surf

Springtime and fall usually bring the clearest water of the season, and predominant offshore winds keep the water free of sediment that can discolor or cloud the view of the clear white bottom. When mature bunker schools move from Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay, very large bluefish harass them unmercifully, often driving them to the pristine shoreline of New Jersey. This can set up some incredible fishing, as well as some unforgettable visuals. Many of the first schools to arrive show up just off the beach, displaying their presence by rippling the calm surface with indistinct shapes. This is the beginning of what’s to come, as predator sport fish like bluefish and striped bass lurk behind and ready themselves for attack. Fleeing to stay alive, the bunker schools often are pushed to the shoreline as the predators take total control. Within less than an hour, schools that were a mile off the beach are in the wash getting severed dramatically and aggressively by big bluefish. This natural event is unforgettable in the mind of the fly-fisherman.

The Predator
Bluefish are among the meanest and most feared inshore species along the waters of the Northeastern states. Reaching weights of 20 pounds and more, they possess the speed and strength to easily run down their food. With their strong, viselike jaws and sharp conical teeth, bluefish leave no doubt as to how they received the nicknames choppers and slammers.

Blues travel in large schools as they hound schools of baitfish. The attack is quick and all out. Vanguard fish feed directly in the thick schools of bait, while others pick up wounded stragglers too weak to keep up with the baitball. As the melee ensues, bluefish leave a prominent slick on the surface. Many frenzies start with showers of baitfish fleeing skyward, causing white-water displays visible from a distance.

The Prey
Menhaden, commonly called bunker in Jersey, show up along the East Coast going north in spring and south in the fall. They can range from baits as small as an inch when very young to 3 pounds once they’ve reached maturity. Since the predators seem to hone in on size more than any other trait when attacking, size is very important when selecting imitations. Although the lengths of bunker may vary, survival instincts remain constant. They gather fast in tight, quick-moving schools. As continuous assaults thin their numbers, detached members form concentric circles as they seek safety in the center of the pod.

How It Starts
As the beach blitzing begins, bunker schools accelerate, often creating pronounced waves of nervous water moving in one direction. When the bluefish overtake them, the schools get in a circular spin reminiscent of a hurricane, complete with an eye in the middle. School members keep digging toward the center for protection, but time and stress take their toll. The weakened baits are often targeted and grabbed first. Many times, more than one bluefish will attack a single bait, one focusing on the tail and the other on the head. When bunker are big, it’s not uncommon to witness three to four large bluefish attacking a single bait.

Surf Blitz
When bluefish are in on the blitz in big numbers, the baits ultimately end up on the beach. Backs to the wall, scared and disoriented bunker make a last-ditch effort to escape and end up scattered across the dry sand. When this happens, the onslaught has officially begun. It is then that Mother Nature replaces the sweet smell of the salt air with the ominous scent of mauled menhaden. Blitzes can last for hours and be miles long. Blitz beginnings can feature side-by-side bluefish churning the surface like a washing machine, spreading out ranks as they disperse the bait school. This latter progression is very deliberate and less aggressive. The objectives of an assault are to overwhelm the bait at first and then thin them out, scatter them and pick them off one by one.