MUTTON SNAPPER
Pomatomus saltatrix
English: Blue Fish, blues, snappers, choppers, taylors.
Spanish: Azul's
The bluefish is a moderately proportioned fish, with a broad, forked tail. The spiny first is normally folded back in a groove, as are its pectoral fins. Coloration is a grayish blue-green dorsally, fading to white on the lower sides and belly. Its single row of teeth in each jaw are uniform in size, knife-edged and sharp.
Bluefish commonly range in size from seven inch (18 cm) "snappers" to much larger, sometimes weighing as much as 40 pounds (18 kg), though fish heavier than twenty pounds (9 kg) are exceptional.
They are present in the Gulf of Mexico throughout the year.
Bluefish are extremely aggressive, and will often chase bait through the surf zone, and literally onto dry beach. Thousands of big bluefish will attack schools of hapless baitfish in mere inches of water, churning the water like a washing machine. This behavior is referred to as a "bluefish blitz".
Fishermen typically present natural baits on a size 3/0 or 4/0 hook, sometimes followed by a smaller "stinger" hook. These are attached to wire tippets about 6 inches long, which are usually attached by a swivel..
Larger hooks are appropriate for larger baits and bluefish. Some fishermen instead choose only a heavy monofilament leader attached to a long-shank hook, which usually avoids the bluefish's sharp teeth.
Artificial lures are presented on similar leader arrangements. Steel leaders are a benefit since the fish's razor sharp teeth will cleanly snip through any normal fishing line.