During runs of big fish, generally in the spring, Floridians have taken blues as heavy as 20 pounds or so. World record 31 pounds, 12 ounces; Florida record 22 pounds, 2 ounces.
What is the legal size for bluefish in Florida?
12 inches
The current size limit for bluefish — 12 inches from the nose to the fork of the tail — means most surf fishers have to toss back just about all the fish they catch. Because when the vast schools of bluefish make their twice-a year migrations along Florida’s coast, only the little fish swim in the surf line.
What is the average size of a bluefish?
Biology. Bluefish live up to 12 years. They grow fast, up to 31 pounds and 39 inches. They are able to reproduce at age 2, when they’re 15 to 20 inches in length.
Are Blue fish in Florida?
Quite a few anglers are surprised to find out that we have bluefish in Florida. Experienced anglers from the Northeast and mid Atlantic are quite familiar with this saltwater brawler. However, Florida has a good population of them as well. Bluefish are the sole member of the family “Pomatomidae”.
What is a good size bluefish?
Bluefish commonly range in size from seven-inch (18-cm) “snappers” to much larger, sometimes weighing as much as 40 lb (18 kg), though fish heavier than 20 lb (9 kg) are exceptional.
| Bluefish | |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Pomatomidae Gill, 1863 |
Are Florida bluefish good eating?
Treated properly, the bluefish is excellent eating, with mild, flaky meat, although larger specimens (those over 10 pounds) tend to have a stronger flavor than their smaller brethren.
What is blue fish taste like?
The taste of bluefish is as “fishy” as you can get. Bluefish has a strong flavor with edible skin. The meat is moist so they need to be cooked or eaten fresh from the ocean or else they tend to go bad fairly quickly. Bluefish are generally eaten raw, baked, poached, or smoked.
Are bluefish good eating?
Bluefish are an excellent source of selenium, niacin, vitamin B12, and omega-3s, and a good source of magnesium and potassium. There is a consumption advisory for bluefish due to contamination from mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and other chemicals.
What is the best month to catch bluefish?
The best time of day to catch bluefish is from late evening through about 2 o’clock in the morning under most moon phases. The best season is typically mid-to-late summer through early fall.
Can blue fish bite you?
Blues regularly nip chunks out of surfers and take divots out of bathers, and the vast majority of reported shark attacks on the Atlantic beaches are actually bluefish bites. Of course this won’t stop adventurous anglers from targeting the most injurious fish in the sea – and in fact it may act as motivation.
When can I catch bluefish in Florida?
Runs of giant Blues—from 8 pounds to occa- sionally 20 or more, sometimes occur offshore and in the surf, usually in March and April on the Atlantic Coast and in late summer or fall in the Panhandle, but these are unpredictable.
What is the most common fish in Florida?
One of the state’s most popular gamefish, tarpon can tolerate a wide range of salinities and are found throughout the state’s waters.
- Sailfish. Florida’s official state saltwater fish, this tackle buster inhabits tropical and subtropical waters.
- Spotted Sea Trout.
- Snook.
- Red Drum.
- Largemouth Bass.
- Panfish.
- Grouper.
- Snapper.
Do bluefish eat shrimp?
Bluefish Feeding Habits
Bluefish eat a variety of small-bodied animals such as shrimp, small lobsters, crabs, larval fish and larval mollusks, but lets be honest here, bluefish will eat anything.
What’s the best bait to catch bluefish?
Best Bait for Bluefish
Good options include oily fish like eels. But really almost any form of baitfish can be used. Another option when learning how to catch bluefish is to use cut bait. Try chunks in the shape of small baits.
What kind of bait do bluefish eat?
Anglers drifting with chunks or strips of fresh or frozen cut bait catch many bluefish as well. Squid is a top frozen bait. Where possible, most anglers prefer to use fresh caught cut bait. Pogies, spot, sardines, and any other oily fish make great cut baits.
How do you catch big bluefish?
Catch bluefish by trolling, or casting artificial lures. Cut baits are good for catching bluefish. On the ocean beaches people surf fish for bluefish in the fall. Bluefish have been known to strike at anything and anglers often use wire leaders to prevent the sharp teeth of the bluefish from cutting their lines.
Is bluefish high in mercury?
Bluefish. Bluefish are fun to catch, will hit pretty much anything you drag through the water, and can really rip some line out on light tackle. But they are quite high in mercury levels, so eating bluefish in moderation is highly advised.
What are baby bluefish called?
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. They eat and grow at a remarkable rate, sometimes approaching nearly an inch per week.
Can I eat bluefish raw?
In the past few years I have started eating bluefish raw (it’s amazing!); all you need is some good olive oil and a little bit of salt. You also can fry the skin and serve it like potato chips, which goes well with mayonnaise, or keep it simple and roast the fish whole.
Does bluefish have a lot of bones?
Fillet: Bluefish is fairly easy to fillet with a bone structure that is easy to follow. Fillet gently, because the flesh is very tender and flakes apart easily when raw. There will be substantial centerline pin bones for the first 1/4 of the fish.
Should you soak bluefish in milk?
Bluefish is characterized by a strong taste and somewhat fishy odor that can be balanced by soaking in milk or being prepared using citrus. It can be grilled, baked, broiled or smoked, but is best prepared as fresh as possible as it does not keep very long or freeze well.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.