[bigwern]

I am relatively new to shark fishing and have had success catching sharks but not so much when it comes to catching the bait. This is my third season shark fishing and I am addicted. Alot of what I have learned has come from these OFF SHORE message boards. I feel that we waist too much time trying to Catch bluefish for baits on the way out. We buy bunker and mackerel from Bay park fishing station and hate getting off shore without any blues. The past two years we have been lucky by having blue fish visit our slick. This year that has not been the case. DO frozen blues work? I am looking for opinions on the best ways to go about catching fresh bluefish on the way to the shark grounds. We sail out of Jones Inlet. I appreciate any feedback

- Brian

 

[canyonfvr]

Fresh frozen blue fillets will work for shark bait.....As far as catching fresh ones look for birds working on your way to the inlet get near them and toss a few small diamond jigs at them your bound to catch a few...Same goes for offshore if you see the birds working stop and try a few casts..If you get the blues in your slick while sharkin set up a small rod or 2 just for blues small wire leader/small hook throw a chunk on it and go blue fishing

 

[kachemup]

We use umbrella rigs when we want to load up quickly on blues. Usually a couple passes through a school and your set for the day. Wire line or lead core on a 113 reel seems to work well.

 

[stpaul7]

I put alot of fresh Blues in the freezer whole. Like this spring when there were thousands of them. I take them out the night before put them in the cooler and I'll put 1 or 2 on the boat deck on the ride out. Been doing that for years. Here's a new tip I started doing. I like catching the 3 to 5 lbs blues for making chum and I also take some of the filets place them flat in a zip lock bag one onto of another say like 10 and freeze them. Now when I need to bait a hook I just reach in my bag with a perfectly precut bait ready to go. Of course If I catch any on the way out I use them. Fresher the better but I always like to have a back up plan

P.S. North shore is LOADED with them now go get em

 

[fishon2407]

When you are lucky enough to get them in you slick and are catching them take some crab trap line and tie it around their tails and hang them over board,it attracts the sharks.If you bleed them while doing this it adds some nice scent in your slick.

 

[bigwern]

thanks guys the tips are appreciated

 

[RMBUDMAN]

we just caught our 480lb. Thresher on a previously frozen bluefish that we thawed out during our ride. The bluefish had been frozen for almost a week before we used it on our trip. Nice size filet also it was about 16 inches long when it was on the hook.