The heavy creature then swam back to the boat where the group was able to pull it up on deck with a harpoon and gaffs. The ray sprung out of the water, allowing two other bow anglers also on the boat and Corey Brossman to each make a followup shot before it swam back out about 50 yards. That alters the angle at which the popper floats, creating louder pops and bigger splashes during stripping.When the fish turned from the boat, Gipe released his arrow and made a clean shot, striking the fish in the head.
This popper is even more enticing if, instead of using the hole in the foam head provided by the manufacturer, you make a hole in the bottom (near the rear) and push the hook shank through it. A few feathers and some flash tied on a 4/0 long-shank hook with a medium 2/0 Edgewater Boilermaker foam head are all it takes. Overloading the rod enables quick presentations with fewer false casts, and more easily turns over a large fly or popper. We use 9-weight rods with 10- or 11-weight floating lines. You can fly fish for bluefish without spooking them much easier than with other artificials. Fly Fishing for Bluefishīluefish on the flats offer a dream scenario for fly anglers. But because the Cotten Cordell poppers are pretty big, you don’t want to use them on calm days when the fish are particularly skittish. When worked correctly, bluefish can’t resist it. And I love the 6-inch Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper. The Gag’s Grabber Schoolie Popper works also, but you don’t get the range. It’s only 3½ inches long but is relatively heavy, so it casts well on light spinning gear. The Guides Secret Baby Bottle Pop is my top choice. It’s best to use smaller lures that land more quietly but still make a lot of noise once in the water.
The favored strategy is to cast the popper a safe distance away from the fish and reel it into position - ahead of their path - before imparting proper action to the artificial. “Twelve fish in a pack darting off in every direction as soon as a plug hits the water.” While the intent is to create a commotion, there’s a fine line between the right action on the surface and careless casting. “I’ve seen it a million times,” Reich says. Usually, at least one fish will break ranks, beeline for whatever that thing making all that noise in the water is, and smash it. Poppers are great lures for bluefish and get their attention. Even when they aren’t eating, a good noisy popper angers a bluefish enough to want to punish the lure. “I’ve had guys throw perfect casts with plugs, soft plastics and flies, and bring them right across the fish’s path only to have them swim by without as much as a close look.” There’s one lure no bluefish can resist though: a popper. “Then cast in front of them and bring the lure right across their noses.” Still, in many cases, the fish ignore everything. Doug Jowett, who fishes Cape Cod every spring. “What you really have to do is anticipate where they are going to be,” says Capt. Nevertheless, these fish will strike if provoked. Sure, there’s usually bait up on the flats, but it’s pretty clear that the bluefish aren’t interested. “This isn’t a match-the-hatch situation because there is no hatch,” Reich explains. Prince What Bluefish Lures to Use on the Flats These fish may be unusually wary, and the sound of a lure hitting the surface is enough to scatter them, so stealth and accurate casting are essential. I’ve had guys throw perfect casts with the best lures for bluefish, then bring them right back across the fish’s path only to have them swim by without so much as a close look.īlues on the flats are not always in a feeding mood, but they can be coaxed to strike a lure or fly. For unexplainable reasons, some break off and daisy-chain like tarpon.” “In the spring, they follow each other tail to nose in groups of six to 15. David Blinken, a flats fishing guide in East Hampton, New York. They come in strings and daisy chains,” says Capt. “And those fish go pretty skinny.” So much so that anglers in New England call them “racers” because they just seem to race in from the south without eating. Danny Reich, who makes a living guiding in Jamaica Bay, New York. “You rarely see them chasing bait,” notes Capt. But when they get up on the flats in the spring, not only are they skittish and difficult to approach, but they also don’t seem to be feeding. During those times, there’s not really a best bait for bluefish because they all seem to work. Generally, bluefish are ravenous creatures that eat anything and everything you throw at them. John McMurray Bluefish Behavior on the Flats Striped bass and bluefish often patrol the same waters, but bluefish arrive earlier in the spring.
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