Bluefish Fishing Charters

Have you ever really gotten the blues? If not you are in luck because a Bluefish charter on the Magellan out of Harwich Port, MA on Cape Cod can’t be beat. Bluefish are by far the most aggressive, pound for pound, hardest fighting fish in the ocean. They are loaded with omega 3 fatty acid which is good for your heart, but the fight they put up can be a strain on your back. They even fight you once on board and if you are not careful will try to bite you when taking the hook out.

The waters off Cape Cod, especially on Nantucket shoals, are teeming with Bluefish. We like to target them on surface baits in the tide rips. It is not uncommon when fishing off Nantucket be able to catch a thousand pounds of Bluefish on a full day trip. We have had countless days when we were averaging a fish a minute in the box. Tail-walking, hard-hitting, train wreck-like crashing the surface baits until your arms feel like they will fall off. The average size we see run from about 8 to 15 pounds. The largest we have ever put on a scale weighed 22 pounds. The I.G.F.A. world record for Bluefish was caught off Hatteras N.C. in 1972. It weighed in at 32 pounds. Wow what a beast! Bluefish are found world wide even in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. They are one of only 3 fish in the Pomatomidea family. Gorillas, Chompers, Yellow eyed devils, Blue Berries, Slammers and Alligators are some names you will hear fishermen use when referring to Bluefish.

Bluefish show up in Nantucket Sound in May just behind the Squid and Porgy run. Next we find them south of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and then up off Chatham. They are a favorite food for Mako Sharks and Giant Blue Fin Tuna. We actually use them as live bait. When you see a Giant Blue Fin Tuna or Mako come out of the water with a 7 to 10 pound bluefish in his mouth it feels like the earth stopped turning and you heart is about to stop. When feeding, Bluefish give off a scent that smells like fresh cut cucumber or watermelon. You will hear us say from time to time we can smell them, which is true, we really can.

Bluefish are excellent table fair but have a short shelf life. Ice is the key to great Bluefish. I have had to convince more than one of how good they actually are because most have never eaten them when they were taken care of properly. Once on board we throw them in a brine ice slush which cools them instantly. When you fillet them after being cool like this they have the very firm constancy similar to Dorado. The way I recommend cooking fresh Bluefish is to put them into a tray made of heavy gauge aluminum foil with what was the skin side down. Put the tray on a charcoal grill with lid down and add about 1/2 inch of white wine, tabs of butter, thin sliced lemon, onion, salt, pepper and baste with the sauce. When you can put a fork through the fillet it is done with a light smokey flavor, excellent. Small Bluefish under 5 pounds can be rolled in flower and pan fried in bacon grease, excellent. Furthermore smoked Bluefish and Bluefish pate can’t be beat.

Now you know where to come when you want to catch the Blues. We are happy to target Striped Bass and then Bluefish on a full day charter if you want to mix it up a bit. Contact us and we will hook you up.