12/2/2023 0 Comments Best lures for bluefish![]() Snapper pros experiment with different retrieve speeds to see what works best on a given day-faster speed keeps the lure near the surface, and slower speed allows it to sink a bit. Small tin lures are designed to tumble and flash, imitating a wounded or escaping baitfish, which draws any snappers within sight. Using this method, you cast-from either shore or a boat-as far as you can and then slowly reel in. The easiest technique for catching snappers is to fish a small metal lure. Whether they’re sought for food, sport or bait, snapper blues make great summer targets. Fleeing baitfish and small surface breaks are other exciting giveaways.” Breachways and mini rip lines near shore often hold snapper blues, and nearshore tern activity is a great indicator the fish are there. “You can find snappers close to shore, in estuaries and near structure like rock piles, docks and jetties where they chase bait like silversides, mummichogs and grass shrimp. Snappers, however, are not hardy fish-many don’t survive the catch-and-release process-so it’s best to have a plan for your catch, and stick to the limit only. You don’t have to be a saltwater angler to get into snappers, a lightweight freshwater rod will suffice, making these fish accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. “When you find a school of snapper blues,” said Elliott Taylor, a snapper expert with 20 years’ experience in both CT and RI waters, “the bite can last all day, and you don’t need any special tackle to catch a limit. They’ll strike at any lure smaller than themselves, making them a great target for young or beginner anglers and anyone looking for fishing fun on the saltwater. Late-season snappers reach at least 10 inches long before they migrate south in September, and are formidable opponents on a light outfit. They eat and grow at a remarkable rate, sometimes approaching nearly an inch per week. Snappers are young-of-the year bluefish, which become a “catchable” size of about 5 inches long when they invade our waters in late July and early August. Anyone familiar with juvenile blues knows the name comes from the fast and fierce snapping of the jaws, which can inflict an impressive finger wound from even the smallest fish. I’ve met anglers who believe snapper blues are their own species, and those folks were surprised to learn that “snappers” are simply baby bluefish. Today, the same excitement still thrills me when I feel one tugging on my spinning gear, fighting like a fish twice its size. There was no 10-fish limit back then, and a bucket full of snappers fed the family fried-fish dinners for several nights. Countless memorable days in late August, sunburned shoulders, casting from a jetty in Madison, CT near my grandparents’ house. When I think of snapper blues I think of my youth. Topwater lures and spoons fished just a couple of feet below the surface will also be effective for catching the bluefish that are near your chum slick.Snapper blues are just about the perfect saltwater species to introduce new anglers to the exciting sport of fishing. If you are going to fish with live or cut baits, a free lining rig will usually be more effective. This chum slick will attract bluefish and it will usually position these fish near the surface. Bunker chum is very oily and produces a nice chum slick on top of the water. Most anglers will use bunker chum, which is ground up bunker that is frozen and put in large tins. Trolling with spoons, tubes, jigs, plugs and umbrella rigs will work well for bluefish.Ĭhumming is very effective for bluefish. Once you find them, continue to troll or break out the casting gear. When these fish are running nearshore just off the beaches, trolling may be the most effective technique for finding the larger schools of bluefish. Find a productive spot, cast your bait out and wait until you get a bite. Cut baits and live baits work great when still fishing. Still fishing is popular from the beach and piers. ![]() This technique works if you’re willing to put in the time. You have some options with the different baits that you can use. Some anglers will jig over deeper water as they drift too. Drift with the current during tidal changes and you can get you can cover more water with your live baits. Whether you are fishing the bays, the surf or the piers, if you are using lures, you are going to need to make a lot of casts to cover some water and get your lures in front of as many fish as possible.ĭrifting is a popular live bait technique. Fan casting is a popular technique for targeting bluefish.
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