Fishing in Florida in January, with a guide, had lots of Blue Fish aka as Taylor in Australia, in order to get them hooked we were using fine single strand wire to the tiny jig baited with a prawn. Why the wire? well they have a mouthful of sharp teeth and would have had no probs with our 12lb mono.

you can see the size of the jig in this one, but hardly the wire, and of course this was a spanish mackerel, still armed with teeth!!

 

i wanted to catch a palmeto but bluefish were more prevelent and when hooked would jump and cut the line.

Had this problem in Norfolk, Virginia with bluefish biting through mono leaders. Only answer was fine (20lb) single strand wire to the hook. Unfortunately nothing else would touch baits on wire and it cut down the bite rate from bluefish as well.

Same problem fishing for tarpon in the Florida keys but this time it was 'cuda cutting off the hooks. Again the tarpon did not like wire to the hooks.

I was in the Ebro Delta area about six years ago. Looking for somewhere cheap to live at that time so only fished for the mullet (loads!) I did spot some photos of the local catches whilst in a tackle shop - good Amberjack and Bluefish look fairly common.

Wish I could speak Spanish (or German in that area!) as I would have liked to have found out more.

Hope someone has an answer to your question. Only thing I can think of is to try fluorocarbon traces. That might just get the smaller bluefish out and give you a chance with the other species.

 

:wallbash:I was pretty sucessful with bluefish in the states using either circle hooks or semi-circle hooks. I also found fine single strand wire useful for the big ones, once they were feeding well they'd attack anything that looked like food.:1a:

 

this was a spanish mackerel, still armed with teeth!!

Are you sure about your ID?

Looks more like a BIG ladyfish to me.

 

Are you sure about your ID?

Looks more like a BIG ladyfish to me.

:secret:Must admit it doesn't look like a spanish mackeral to me either.:notworthy

 

could be wrong I was only trying to show the idea

is this better?

 

Are you sure about your ID?

Looks more like a BIG ladyfish to me.

Not with those spots on the flank. A Ladyfish has scales. Often mistaken for a baby Tarpon - including by me in Tampa when I got one on the fly rod while fishing for Snook.

http://www.lagooner.com/fish-species/index.php?species_id=7

It's a Spanish Mackeral.
http://www.lagooner.com/fish-species/index.php?species_id=12

 

Not with those spots on the flank. A Ladyfish has scales. Often mistaken for a baby Tarpon - including by me in Tampa when I got one on the fly rod while fishing for Snook.

http://www.lagooner.com/fish-species/index.php?species_id=7

It's a Spanish Mackeral.
http://www.lagooner.com/fish-species/index.php?species_id=12

Look at the first pictures in the thread, and name the first fish!! we know that the last is a Spanish Mackerel, the second could be a lady fish, and the first is what I believe to be a Bluefish/Tailer/Chopper? I am always willing to learn.

 

Post #2? First one is a Spanish Mackeral. Also shown in #7? Was the one that is being I.D.d as a Lady Fish very slimy? Almost like a white goo covering it?

Ah got it! sorry for the confusion. (easy done these days.....)It was confusing the way it was posted in#7. I would think you are right there. It does look like a Bluefish

 

It might not be fashionable in the UK but Australian anglers often fish with gang hooks. Simply two or three large eyed hooks fished in line together.

Here is a handy bit of video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96kVrB8bbFQ

Most of the bait has metal in it, so a quick strike before the fish swallows the bait should save your mono leader.

 

might be worth trying a Titanium-Nickle single strand wire trace (it can be knotted, but not easily); it is stretchy (ever so slightly) very kink-resistant (compared with normal piano wire) and comes in a dull grey finish.

I am pretty sure Rok-Max, UK-Hooks and Leadertec (Captain Spike) will stock it.

failing that, as mentioned above, a combination of fine wire circle hooks and fluorocarbon trace .

 

There’ve already been a few interesting suggestions for fishing baits – avoiding cutovers with circle hooks and the use of (heavy) fluorocarbon leaders. As well as confirming those observations this article - http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/saltwater-fishing/RA_0808_02/index.html - also offers some other suggestions fishing both with baits and lures.

Bluefish in non-competitive situations (not blitzing) can be remarkable shy biters. Have the people you fished with perhaps considered using small (Bream) livebaits just lip hooked on a small hook attached to a short - no more than six inches – length of light wire? And also fishing during the evening or even at night? I’ve certainly had my biggest Bluefish that way.

 

Jack look at this! exactly as you advise, mind you our guide knows his onions, and he aint a yank.

and you are only as good as your chum trail.

 

Although like Aquabell I'm not exactly a fan of mono traces for 'toothy critters' much preferring wire I just wanted to recount an experience from the mid-80s in the Azores. It certainly confirms the 'never say never'.

Anyway the Blue Marlin fishery off Faial had just been discovered and together with a couple of friends we'd been fortunate enough that our chartered local boat was out of commission. It had tangled a rope around both props and distorted an 'A' frame. Fortunate? Well a famous 44' Rybovich, Double Header, had just been shipped over from Palm Beach and, before the owners arrived, the crew were desperate to do some exploring. They just want someone to 'crank the handle'.

So one afternoon, and I'd already released two Blues, they decided they wanted to try for Swordfish. We ran 40 odd miles to a bank in 280 fathoms of water off the neighbouring island of Sao Jorge and within an hour one of my friends had taken a small Broadbill - the first ever I understand that had been taken sportfishing from the Azores.

Then my bait, a dead 'Boston' Mackerel - yes, they'd even brought iced baits from the 'States - fished at 150' got taken. The crew were convinced it was a big fish and got out the 14" back banded gaffs. Using relatively light drag pressure I worked it to the surface ... the crewman took the mono leader .... and then started to laugh. Why? On the end was a Blue Shark around 140lbs and, despite their incredibly sharp teeth, it had failed miserably to bite through the mono. Denis yanked the leader from side to side across those 'razors' before it eventually bit down and cut through it.

So the moral? And linking it back to your Bluefish encounters. Even though I was using 80lb class tackle it was with limited drag pressure and smooth pumping and that fish, I suspect, never really realised it was hooked. So light drag pressures and smooth pumping coupled with a heavish flurocarbon trace might, if all else fails, work with those Bluefish. They tend only to jump and shake their heads - and teeth - with heavier drag pressures and that in itself will shear through mono.

Back to the beginning though I'd still suggest that 6 inches of light wire attached with an Albright, rather than a swivel, to your reel line.

 

Jack rtfm nor do I!!!

 

I was oblivious to what was lurking in the waters off Feuterventura last year, just tied on my favourite 20g Toby, 20lb braid with a 15lb nylon leeda, got a wind knot in the braid while casting, started to undo that thinking the Toby would just sink down, wrong the line shot off like bloody hell and all hell let loose!!!! eventually managed this beauty,