The Fly Guide | June 2025

Bluefish are known for their theatrics, aggression, and willingness to feed. They sport a large yellow eye, sharp sickle tail, grayish blue body, and razor-sharp teeth. Fishermen call them greasers, blues, chompers, and yellow-eyed demons. To say the least, bluefish are a riot on the fly. Once you catch one, you’ll be hooked for life. Here are a few tips to help you beat the blues.

Timing: Bluefish frequent NY, NJ, MA, and even ME. They typically arrive in the northeast in late April and stick around into early November. Like other saltwater fish, blues follow bait such as menhaden, squid, and sand eels. Understanding their migration patterns and feeding habits can give you a strategic advantage. For instance, when bluefish initially arrive in April, they often flood shallow water back bays and estuaries ranging from 2 to 7 feet, corralling and trapping menhaden before they continue their destructive journey north. As they spread across the northeast, you can find them attacking sand eels and squid along the open beach in May and June. From July to September, bluefish settle into summering areas including sand beaches and boulder fields. Finally, as water temperatures cool in October and November, they migrate south, periodically stopping to refuel on any available bait. 

Gear: Bluefish can be rough on gear so it’s best to be prepared with the right setup. A fast-action 8-10 weight is perfect for burying the hook into large fish while punching hefty flies through the wind. As for reel choice, you’ll need a large arbor with a smooth drag and some stopping power. Remember that a 15-lb bluefish has no problem ripping deep into your backing so make sure your reel can hold a solid 150-200 yards of 30-40lb gel spun. For the fly line, you’ll want an aggressive weight-forward taper in both a float and intermediate option. Two great lines include Royal Wulff Triangle Taper and Rio Outbound Short. As for rigging, it doesn’t need to be fancy. Simply take a full arm span of straight 40lb mono and tie it via albright knot to 8 inches of bite wire. When it comes to fly choice, bluefish flies are simple and easy to tie. Anything with flash will crush fish. A few of our favorites include the Bob's Banger, synthetic half and half, and crease fly. Remember that blues have nasty teeth so ensure you have the right pliers for the job. Our Pursuit pliers are perfect for keeping your hands safe and the fish healthy.

Tactics: There are a few ways to target blues. One method is to look for tailing or floating fish. In the peak summer months, blues love to sit right on the surface with their tail out of the water. A huge giveaway is a giant sickle tail bobbing up and down. If you spot a bluefish you’ll want to get the fish's attention by aggressively stripping your fly. If the retrieve doesn’t draw a reaction, make the same cast and throw in a few pauses. This should get the bluefish riled up. Another way to target these fish is to focus your efforts on fishing inshore rips. A rip is a fast-sweeping current that attracts fish and traps bait. These currents often create white water pockets that act as ambush points for fish to jump in and bombard bait. To entice a bluefish in a rip line, cast up current and let the fly swing down. As the fly is pushed by the current forces give it a few twitches. If you feel a thump, be ready to strip set 2-3 times so that you get a solid hookest.