Huge schools of bluefish will be in the surf, chasing bait and tearing up everything in sight, including legs and fingers of less than careful surf anglers.
This is a great time to catch not only some very big blues, but other fish as well. Most of you know that the bluefish migration is timed not only by water temperature, but by bait migration as well. As the schools of mullet, and menhaden shad begin moving north, the blues follow the, Spanish are mixed in as well, although they tend to stay a little farther off the surf and inlets than the blues do.
We are seeing some big schools of mullet entering the inlets in North Florida and South Georgia. Last week, after seeing these mullet and a huge crowd of inshore anglers, I ventured out to the mouth of the St. Johns River if for no other reason, to be by myself. Schools of mullet were moving with the current in and around the end of the mile long jetties that protect the entrance to the river.
I took a couple of number 4 Clark spoons that I had already prewired with four inches of wire leader, and tied them to the end of my monofilament leader. I began trolling these two spoons on two light spinning outfits, and within less than five minutes had a double hookup. Two small blues came to the boat, and after releasing them both I did it again. Again, I had a double hookup in short order, and I continued this pattern for well over an hour.
I lost several spoons because I did not pay attention to detail. I always use a black swivel on the end of the wire leader, and if I have a swivel on the monofilament leader, it will be black as well. This morning, I did have that swivel on the mono. After catching a number of fish, the black surface paint began to wear off the mono swivel. I usually notice and pay attention, but this morning, I was so involved in the nonstop action, I failed to see then shine. The problem here is that as the shine of the swivel begins showing through the paint, it attracts the fish. Rather than attacking the spoon, the blues will hit the swivel, instantly cutting your line. I can’t tell you how many times I have run back, when the trolling action was fierce, to a dockside tackle shop to buy more spoons at a clip of $4.50 each. I should have known better today, but don’t we all get forgetful at times?
