Silversides, called spearing by bait shops, are one of the most abundant small baitfish in the Northeast, and one of the most important. That slim, semi-transparent little fish with a bright silver stripe fills our estuaries and beaches all season, and it feeds a long list of gamefish, especially the fall speedsters.
What they are
Silversides are small, slender, nearly translucent baitfish with a distinctive bright silver band running the length of the body. They school in the shallows, along flats, beach edges and estuary mouths, and they are a favorite of light-tackle and fly anglers because so many gamefish key on them.
Where and when
Silversides are around through the warm months and become especially important in the fall, when albies, bonito and schoolie bass pin them against structure and in the shallows. Look for them in estuaries, on flats, along beaches and around harbor edges.
Tip Silversides are slim and small, so profile matters as much as size. A skinny, sparse fly or a thin metal that mimics that glassy silhouette beats a fatter, flashier offering when fish are locked on spearing.
How to match them
- Small, slim metals and epoxy jigs (a Deadly Dick, a Hogy epoxy jig) cast far and retrieved fast for albies and bonito.
- Small epoxy and Surf Candy-style flies, and sparse Clousers, on a 8- to 10-weight.
- Light fluorocarbon, clear-water fish keyed on tiny bait want a long, light leader.