Bluefish are made for trolling: they roam in packs, they chase fast-moving targets, and they hammer a trolled lure with abandon. When you know blues are in the area but they are not showing on top, a fast troll over the bait will find them quickly, and then you can stop and cast to the school.
Why it works
Blues are aggressive and speed-oriented, so a lure moving faster than you would ever troll for bass triggers reaction strikes. Trolling also lets you locate roaming schools, once you get bit, mark the spot, circle back, and often you will find a pod of fish you can then work with casting gear.
Lures and the teeth problem
Durability is the theme, blues destroy soft baits, so lean on metal and hard plastic:
- Tube lures and spoons trolled at speed.
- Swimming plugs and diving lures for a bigger profile.
- A wire or heavy single-strand leader is essential, blue teeth shear mono and fluoro instantly.
Tip If you are marking bait and fish but not connecting, speed up. Blues will often chase down a lure trolled faster than feels right, so push the throttle a touch before you change lures.
Gear
A medium conventional or heavier spinning outfit with a solid Daiwa reel handles trolling blues easily. Keep leaders and lures rigged with wire, and keep the pliers handy, a boatload of choppers is a lot of toothy fish to unhook.