Well, the much anticipated arrival of bluefish this season started today at the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier. The water was somewhat cloudy when we first opened up at 8 AM, but as the water cleared, anglers casting Gotcha plugs started to pull in 15-20 inch bluefish.

Using a medium action rod and reel combination loaded with 15lb test line will give you a good battle and allow you to reel the fish up without too much trouble. While some Spring blues will be caught on cut baits, like mullet and squid, the preferred baits are many times artificial plugs, silver spoons and bucktail jigs.

A varied retrieve using reel speed and rod action usually produces good results. Bluefish are voracious feeders and while color can some times matter, combinations of red-white, red-silver and yellow-silver should be the basic lure colors you stock in your tacklebox. Most fishermen have seen days when a color like pink or green are the only color that is working, so check with the staff in the Pier Tackle Shop for the latest info on what’s working.

If you ask people whether bluefish are good eating, be prepared for a variety of answers. I personally like the taste of baked, fried and broiled bluefish, but if you are used to a mild or bland fish, they will probably taste strong to you. Cleaning them within a few hours of being caught and icing them right away can make them very tasty.

One interesting thing about bluefishing from the pier, you never know whether the migrating fish will be a pound or ten pounds. Every year brings a different class of fish. The run is just beginning, so break out your fishing rods or stop in the tackle shop and rent an outfit and get the best bait for catching blues and the other fish just waiting to make your day at the beach.

I will have new photos soon, so check the photo galleries at VABeachFishingPier.com.

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