Many Ocean City MD and Coastal Delaware Fishing Enthusiasts have already put away their surf fishing rods and gear for the winter season, but actually the Thanksgiving period each year affords an opportunity to catch the BIG BLUES in the surf and off shore as they swim their way south for the winter. Yes, they (the bluefish) are snow birds .. Hang around the Mid Atlantic and North Atlantic Ocean in the summer and ah .. spend the cold winter down in the warmer waters off of Florida?
I had heard that over the weekend following Thanksgiving there were big CHOPPER BLUEFISH being caught in the surf along Ocean City Md. The weather had been mild and here it was Monday the 30th of Nov .. and the weather was mild, wind was calm, etc.. so i ventured to the Ocean City beach at 142nd St. to see if there were any anglers (fishing enthusiasts) pursuing the fall run of big bluefish.
The low tide offered the opportunity to wade out onto the sandbars and therefore cast closer to the drop offs .. There was a huge hole just to the south . so it looked like a good place to throw some bait to entice a BLUEFISH.
The surf cast appears to be a good one.. Plenty of distance .. over the waves .. and to settle in with the lead weight to hold it in place for the presentation of the bait to the bluefish. The water temperature is CHILLY now .. actually about 55 degrees .. brrrrrrrrr .. so Alex, the surf guy is wearing chest high WADERS .. which allows him to wade through waist high water, and a light jacket of course . The temperature is about 55 degrees ( fairly warm for this time of the year in Ocean City MD) and the wind is very calm, so it was a pleasant day by all means.
Now the wait for a bite ! .. Manage the rod and be attentive to any suspicious tugs on the line. Alex is fishing with cut mullet chunks . Any bites .. usually it will result in the bluefish trying to run away with the bait . It’s up to Alex to determine when to try to set the hook by pulling back quickly. Of course if the fish doesn’t have the entire bait in it’s mouth, then he will likely get away with the bait and the hook will be bare! .. If Alex has patience then pulls hard he probably has a better chance of setting the hook in the fishes mouth. It would be a shame to try to just drag it through the inside water hole and lose it .. There is nothing worse than the ” BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY ” .. really !
Caught one .. reeled in and brought to the sand bar .. it’s a flopping and flipping while Alex gets close to it to determine the best way to bring it back across the water hole and back onto the high beach .. It would be a shame to try to just drag it through the inside water hole and lose it ..
It’s a KEEPER FISH .. bluefish .. about 3 to 4 lbs .. dinner for four ? Shown here bringing it back on to the high and dry part of the beach for temporary storage before heading home to clean and filet this tasty fresh from the Ocean bluefish. Alex had already put one other bluefish about the same size in his catch so it wasn’t a bad day for about 1 1/2 hour of effort. Nor only does the sport fishing activity of surf fishing provide a great way to stay physically active, enjoy the salt air and outdoors, it puts dinner on the table and even more often for the freezer to be enjoyed later in the winter.
Alex poses with the fresh from the Ocean Blue Fish .. An inexpensive hobby .. and fun and hey .. it provides a source of a tasty and good nutrition for meals when cooked properly .. Now it is Dec 1st .. the temperature is colder and while the fish are still there heading south .. the anglers are mostly hunkered in and waiting for SPRING .. These bluefish will return to Ocean City Md next May 2010 . Usually around the 1st or 2nd week of May we see a run of larger bluefish 5 lb range heading north .. So .. maybe it’s time to go catch your dinner instead of the supermarket options .. for fishing tips and to post up any questions you have .. http://fishtalk.atbeach.com and for fishing gear, supplies, advice, etc .. always year round Ocean City MD Oyster Bay Tackle Ocean City MD – Fenwick Tackle, Fenwick Island DE
For other fishing news, assistance, resources ..
AT The Beach Fishing Center – Ocean City MD – Coastal Delaware
Have a Great Holiday Season !
