Use a pair of pliers to flatten the barbs on lures intended for big bluefish. This makes catch and release easy for both the angler and the fish. Photos by Joe Malat

From the late seventies through the early eighties, jumbo bluefish established themselves as a much sought after target of recreational anglers along the North Carolina coast. Their ferocious feeding frenzies became legend, and every spring and fall surfcasters eagerly awaited their arrival.

Unfortunately, the appearances of jumbo blues became less frequent during the past ten years, until significant catches of the big choppers were no longer the norm, but a rare exception.

That recently changed. During the waning days of December of 2005 and early January of this year, the big blues returned to the Outer Banks surf and according to some anglers who enjoyed their return, the fishing was "better than the old days."
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A few snaps, steel leaders, lures, and monofilament for a making a new shock line and a pair of pliers will fit nicely into a small hip pack. That's all you need to travel light and chase a school of blues on the beach. Photos by Joe Malat

Some have suggested the weeklong appearances of these fish were a one-shot deal, an oddity that is not likely to be repeated for some time. Others have said the big blues are returning to their past habits. Only time will tell. Maybe they will appear again during the winter, somewhere in the Outer Banks surf, and if they do, anglers should be ready to take care of their appearance.

When they are biting, bluefish can be so easy to catch that they will hit anything that is thrown at them. But those "catch'em on every cast" blues can humble an angler in a heartbeat. A beach that is the scene of a frenzied "blitz" one morning can be devoid of fish the next day, for no apparent reason. There is never a guarantee, since bluefish tend to be very unpredictable when they are migrating along the beach. Anglers who chase big bluefish should plan to cover a lot of territory, and a school of them may come to the beach anywhere from Corolla to Ocracoke.

Many surfcasters use four-wheel-drive vehicles to run the beaches. A four-wheel drive isn't necessary, but it helps. Some sections of the Outer Banks are closed to vehicular access by vehicles of any kind, and the best that fishermen can hope for is to walk across the dunes at designated crossovers and scan the horizon for signs of feeding fish.

I frequently adopt this tactic, and if there is a chance the bluefish might show I have a couple rods rigged and ready to throw in my truck. A nine-foot, medium action graphite spinning rod is my "go to" stick, and will easily handle a two to three-ounce Hopkins lure or jumbo bucktail.

The other is a light action, seven and half-footer that's designed to cast artificials that weigh up to one ounce. Big fish don't always want a big lure. If the big choppers are eating two-inch long silversides, I'll throw a lure that looks like their food.

This hit-and run type of fishing is strictly with artificials, so I keep a few metal Hopkins-type lures, top water plugs, a handful of snaps and leaders, and a pair of pliers in a small hip pack that can go around my waist.

With this setup, I can stay on the highway and when I see some action I can park at the nearest parking area, trot over the dunes, and follow the fish without having to lug a tackle box or bucket. I usually release all of the fish, so all I have to carry is the rod and reel. The lures I carry in this bag all have their barbs mashed flat, so I can easily release my fish. Plan to have a few spare lures and leaders because you will lose some tackle if the bite is on!

Casting artificials is not the only way to catch jumbo blues in the Outer Banks surf. During the days when big blues were plentiful, soaking fresh bait from late fall through early winter in a likely looking slough was likely to produce a big bluefish. With the sporadic and unpredictable nature of the bluefish I'm not sure that strategy is as valid as was in the past, but you never know until you throw. Big blues might be an outside chance, but stripers are a good possibility at several locations through February.

For bait fishing, I like a heavier spinning or conventional rod than I use for casting lures. A rod in the 10 to 11 foot range that can throw 5 ounces of lead plus a baited bottom rig will do fine. Fresh mullet is the prime bait, but may be hard to come by throughout the winter. If mullet is not available, any bait that is fresh will work, including spot and menhaden. Frozen mullet is better than nothing, and may be all that you can find.

As I mentioned, the blues can show themselves practically anywhere, and if someone caught them yesterday, my recommendation is to go there. If the conditions (wind direction and velocity, barometer and water clarity) are the same, chances are fair the fish will show again. A "blitz" can happen at any time the bluefish and baitfish come together.

Outer Banks winters can be brutal, but a respite from cold winds and rough surf may put some big blues on the beach. If conditions are mild, February might offer another shot at those big blues, and the beaches are definitely less crowded than the typically busy peak times of October through December.