Saltwater Fishing

Striped Bass

Size/Age: Striped Bass can reach a weight of 78 lbs (which is the world record) but they usually average a weight of 5 to 20 lbs. They normally live 10 to 12 years, however they can be older.

Distribution: Along the east coast of the U.S. from the St. Lawrence River down to Florida. Some range from Florida to Texas. The Striped Bass were introduced to the San Francisco area and now range from Washington to California. 

Habitat: Striped Bass live in both fresh and salt water. They spawn in the fresh water for a small period of time and then migrate back to the salt water. They usually are found around structure in the water such as piers, jetties, and rocks. They are primarily a inshore species and can be caught from the beach. 

Feeding Habits: Striped Bass mainly feed on small bait fish. They also feed on worms, squid, crabs, and eels. Striped Bass usually feed during the night time hours, but sometimes the daytime. They also feed close to dawn.

Angling: When angling you have to visualize yourself as the fish and think like one. Especially when fishing for Striped Bass. Striped Bass for some reason get into very fussy moods and will only feed on one thing for periods of time. You should ask around, asking what they have been feeding on lately and you should use that as your bait. You should use a spinning rod and use what test is right for the weight of the fish your going after. You can use a variety of different rigs (see rigs). Besides baits you can also use a variety of different lures, such as plugs. Look for such structure mentioned above and you'll be fine. If you're not fishing from land and trolling you can use lures, and baits. When trolling you'd probably be better off using lures, such as spoons. Baits are now making a come back with Striped Bass fishing because before they were offered a variety of different lures and some what drifted away from the baits. One of the most popular baits is the worm and when fished make sure you use the whole worm or get the longest you can. Enjoy!!!!! 

Bluefish

Size/Age: Bluefish can live for 12 years and grow to a maximum of 45 inches. They can also weigh up to 32 pounds (the world record). They average about 5 pounds however it's not rare to find a nice 17 pounder.

Distribution: They are found in all temperate seas on the Atlantic Ocean and inhabit some of the Indo- West Pacific. They are however not found in the eastern and northwestern part of the Pacific.

Habitat: Bluefish are mainly an inshore species and can be found near rocky points, in the surf, in bays, or in semi-deep water. They travel in schools on the top of the water so it is most likely that you will see them.

Feeding Habits: Bluefish feed primarily on schools of fish such as menhaden, mackerel, and herring. They use their sharp teeth to chomp through their prey. The bluefish has earned itself the name chopper because of the vicious way it attacks schools. When it attacks the schools of fish, it goes into a feeding frenzy. The feeding frenzy is so strong that it may even attack the schools even if it isn't hungry. They have even been known to attack their young in their feeding frenzy. 

Angling: Bluefish have recently been over fished some what because of bans on other recreational inshore species. They're very popular on party boats, which I suggest one of the best places to catch bluefish. Party boats can take you out where the schools are and provide you with the right tackle. When not on a party boat you can sometimes find them in bays, estuaries, and in the surf. I have caught many bluefish in the surf, but I always find them bigger on the boats. The tackle you need on a boat is considered heavy. You should come prepared with a conventional or spinning rod with a max of 45 lbs and min of 30 lbs test. However, it's your choice if you want more of a fight you can go with lighter tackle. The lighter tackle does pose a small problem when on a party boat. When fighting the fish you can get hung up on other people's line and possibly loose the fish. The smarter choice would be the heavier tackle. When it comes to bait I would suggest a chunk of fish on a size 4 hook with a wire leader. When in the surf you can use a variety of plugs and baits. If on a boat start to chum and let your line out with the current. Bluefish are terrific fighters so have fun!

Blackfish

Size/Age: The blackfish also known as the Tautog averages around 3 pounds, however they can be caught from 6 to 10 pounds. The world record is 24 pounds.

Distribution: Blackfish live in the western Atlantic and range from Nova Scotia to South Carolina.

Atlantic Mackerel

Fluke

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